Natural cleaning products are easy to make and are far less harmful to the environment.
Commercial preparations may contain any one (or more) of several toxic substances.
While natural cleaning products are environmentally friendly, they are also gentler in their action and may take a little longer to have the desired effect.
The main natural ingredients used for cleaning are bicarbonate of soda, vinegar, borax and cloudy ammonia.
The vapor of the latter can be irritating to the eyes and nose.
This is especially so to those who suffer from chronic respiratory disorders.
It should not be used in enclosed spaces.
Borax is useful as a disinfectant, water softener and insecticide.
It is slightly toxic and should be kept out of reach of children.
Bicarbonate of soda is sometimes marketed as baking soda or bicarb soda.
This product has a role to play in cleaning almost any area of the house.
A very effective oven cleaner is a mix of a cup of water and half a cup of cloudy ammonia.
Left in a warm oven overnight, the oven will only need wiping over with a damp cloth on the following day.
The outside of the oven and hotplates can be cleaned by sprinkling bicarb soda on a cloth and wiping the areas to be cleaned.
Any burnt-on grime may need a paste of bicarb soda left on the area for a while.
Vinegar is useful when washing floors.
It will not leave smears on slate, vinyl, lino, cork or ceramic tiled floors.
A cup of white vinegar is also effective in a toilet.
Leave overnight then scrub the next day.
Vinyl wallpaper also cleans easily with a warm cloth and white vinegar.
White vinegar and steel wool can also be used to clean the bottom of an electric iron.
Lemon juice is another cleanser which is easy to find.
An electric kettle or jug will come clean if a lemon is cut up, placed in the receptacle and brought to the boil.
Let the water stand till cold and repeat if necessary.
Lemon juice in water makes an effective bleach.
Soaking whites in a bucket of soapy water together with a cup of lemon juice will help whiten them.
The same quantity of cloudy ammonia will have a similar effect.
Cold tea can be used on sealed timber floors on a sponge mop.
It is particularly effective at picking up the dust.
A natural restorative remedy for wooden furniture can be made of equal parts of vinegar, methylated spirits and linseed oil.
With natural cleaning products, the entire house and its contents can be cleaned without the need for expensive cleansers which do no good for the environment.