cleaning | Re-Grow Roots

After cleaning my home for the past 5 years or more with only natural cleaners that I make in my kitchen, I have compiled a long list of wonderful cleaning supplies. Today I’m going to share the simple recipes that I use in my own home so you can make them too! They are completely natural and non-toxic, safe for your family!

Soap Scum Remover / Soft Scrub

Supplies :

baking soda
liquid castile soap – I use Dr. Bronners and I LOVE the lavender scent, but any castile soap will work.
bowl & sponge

Directions :

Simply mix the baking soad and liquid castile soap in a missing bowl to form a nice paste. Take your sponge and watch the magic happen as you scrub away the soap scum, mildew, grime, and limescale.

All – Purpose Cleaner

Supplies :

plastic spray bottle
vinegar
water
essential oil

Directions :

Pour 1 cup of vinegar into your spray bottle and fill with water. Add as much essential oil as you prefer in a scent that you enjoy. I like to use a anti-microbial, anti-bacterial essential oil like lemon or peppermint.

Oven Cleaner

Supplies :

baking soda
water
spray bottle

Directions :

Fill the spray bottle with just water. Spray down your entire oven so that it’s moist. Get the walls, racks, and bottom to cover all the stuck on grime. Once it’s sufficiently moist, lather the baking soda onto all dirty, wet surfaces to about ¼” thickness. Make sure it’s wet and pasty. Then you let it sit with the oven off for a few hours. Come back and simply wipe it off. All the grime should come right off.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Supplies :

baking soda
liquid castile soap
toilet brush

Directions :

Drain the water out of the toilet bowl so you can clean the bowl easily. Make a paste with the baking soda and castile soap. With a toilet brush, lather and scrub your toilet bowl with the paste.

Laundry / Dishwashing Detergent

Supplies :

4 cups borax
4 cups washing soda
Essential oil
Vinegar

Directions :

Mix together the borax and washing soda in a container and label it. For each load of laundry, I use about ¼ cup of this mixture and add 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar and about 5 drops of essential oil. I like to use lavender or sandalwood for a calming effect.

Bleach Alternative / Stain Remover

Before washing, apply hydrogen peroxide directly to any large stains. I have use this on colors too and it has not actually bleached them white, but it does remove blood, wine, and every stain I have tried to remove.

This was originally posted on Eco Etsy. Also linked up at Party Wave Wednesday

I was recently hired by someone to clean their home naturally, and I had the pleasure of cleaning one VERY yucky tub & shower! I can’t even tell you how a shower would have so much black and brown grime growing in it.. but I CAN tell you that this cleaning formula worked MAGIC in that bathroom!! It’s stronger than soft scrub, and made using only TWO ingredients that are so natural you could eat them. But I don’t recommend it…

This is my go-to formula for soap scum, mold, limescale, toilet bowls, and many other REALLY tough jobs in the kitchen and bathroom.

Supplies :

baking soda
castile soap – I use Dr. Bronners and I LOVE the lavender scent, but any castile soap will work.
bowl & sponge

Directions :

In a small mixing bowl pour in about 2 tablespoons of baking soda, give or take.
Next, mix in enough castile soap to form a paste. This is not a science so just make it thick like the consistency of luscious icing.
If it’s too thick, add more soap. Too runny? Add more baking soda.
When you have it a nice consistency, simply scoop a dollop of it with your sponge and start scrubbing!

cotton scrubbie sponges, made with ❤

To scrub this shower, I used a homemade cotton scrubbie sponge and it worked fabulously. Of course, it does take a little elbow grease so you get a free workout and in the end you will rejoice in the success of a fantastically clean shower!!

This article was originally featured at www.ecoetsy.com, a community of eco-friendly artists and homesteaders who inspire and motivate the masses with their totally useful blog posts & handmade crafts!