Many cleaners on the supermarket shelves these days are loaded with harsh, abrasive chemicals that not only harm the environment, but can cause damage to your skin and pose a serious health threat to children if handled or swallowed. For this reason, many people prefer to turn to natural cleaning agents to help them with the everyday tasks of removing stains and cleaning household surfaces.
Vinegar
Due to its chemical makeup, vinegar makes for one of the strongest natural cleaning agents. Vinegar is a mild acid, according to the University of Wisconsin, which allows it to break through hard stain deposits and caked-on residue in places such as the kitchen, bathroom and on windows and hardwood floors. It also comes in handy to clean and reduce odors in household items such as your coffee pot, garbage cans and cutting boards.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice contains citric acid which, like vinegar, helps break down stains and odors, according to Michigan State University, leaving your house clean and smelling fresh and natural, without the harsh chemicals found in the grocery store.
Baking Soda
Safe enough to put in your favorite desserts and snacks, baking soda also serves a secondary purpose--scrubbing stains off household appliances such as the refrigerator, oven or the stove. Because it is a mild alkali, it poses no threat to the user, but is tough enough to get off stains when mixed with warm water, according to the University of Wisconsin. It also acts as yet another odor eliminator. Pour it down the drain of your kitchen sink and let it sit for several hours to eliminate food residue smells coming from your pipes.
Borax
Although its name sounds like it comes straight from a chemical company, borax is a naturally found mineral mined in the desert and used to get out hard stains. Even though it's naturally occurring, it is a bit harsher than the other natural cleaning agents, meaning you might want to put on gloves to protect your skin while using it, according to GreenLivingTips.com. Use Borax as a color-boosting tool and bleach alternative for your next load of laundry, or soak a tablespoon of it in a gallon of warm water for your general cleaning needs.
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