January “Spring Cleaning”
My cleaning kit
I tend to do a lot of my “spring cleaning” in January. Perhaps it comes from a reoccurring yearly goal to finally keep up with a cleaning schedule (I can dream). Or perhaps it is the realization there’s still six more months of rain and staying inside.
Either way, in January I stock up on my cleaners—and by that, I mean baking soda, vinegar, and a liquid vegetable-based soap. That’s it. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll add a few drops of some essential oils I bought back in college thinking I needed them. (I won’t say how long ago that was for everyone’s benefit, but I’ll say those essential oils are still good!)
I do still buy laundry and dishwasher detergent (those will be the next project on my green cleaning journey), but everything else in my house I clean with those three ingredients, plus water.
Here’s how I do it:
All-Purpose Cleaner
Use this to clean countertops and cabinets or mix a big batch for cleaning floors. It’s a good alternative for most spray cleaners.
¼ cup white distilled vinegar
½ teaspoon liquid vegetable-based soap
¾ cup warm water
Mix in a spray bottle, spray surface, and wipe with a cloth. Don’t have a spray bottle? Mix ingredients in a bowl and soak a cloth in it to wipe down surfaces.
Soft-Scrub Cleaner
This is an excellent alternative for when you need a little more scrubbing power, as the baking soda acts as a mild abrasive.
½ cup baking soda
½ cup liquid vegetable-based soap
Mix together in a bowl until it’s a frosting-like consistency. Or, if you’re lazy an efficient time saver like me, guess the proportions and mix right on the surface you want to clean. I often use this on my gas stove top (careful not to get in the burners) or the bathtub. If there is a lot of grease, I use the baking soda to soak it up first.
Window and mirror cleaner
You’ll have a beautiful, streak-free view!
1 quart warm water
¼ cup white distilled vinegar
It’s basically the All-Purpose cleaner without the soap. Spray it onto the glass and scrub with newspaper, microfiber cloth, or whatever your go-to is that will not leave cloth fibers behind. Wipe it down until you see those streaks disappear before your eyes.
I once talked with a woman who lived near the airport and constantly battled air pollution creating a nasty film on her windows. She added a tablespoon of corn starch (creating a slurry before adding all the water to prevent lumps) to her window cleaner. That extra scrubbing power cut through the extra grime on her windows.
Those are the three cleaners I use the most. What makes these ingredients so powerful? It’s science time:
White distilled vinegar
The main compound found in vinegar is acetic acid, and acids are acidic. Distilled white vinegar has a pH of 2.4, which is more acidic than coffee or orange juice. This, usually mixed with water, make for just the right acidity for dissolving away soap scum, hard water scaling, and eating away stains. However, it can be too strong to use on natural stone like granite or marble (soap and water is better for that).
Baking soda
Also known as sodium bicarbonate, baking soda is slightly alkaline (or the opposite of acidic). This means it reacts with the acidic vinegar (think the baking soda and vinegar science fair volcano) which amplifies the vinegar’s cleaning power. It is also slightly abrasive which helps it cut through grime and it also absorbs the fats in grease.
Liquid vegetable-based soap
What makes these soaps stand out from conventional soap is they are made from the fats or oils of vegetable origin (like olive oil) as opposed to animal or synthetic origin. They do not contain harsh, synthetic chemicals which makes them a much healthier alternative to conventional soaps. Soap, worked into a lather with water, traps germs and dirt which then can be rinsed away—no antimicrobial or antibacterial ingredients necessary. Vegetable-based soap can also come in a bar, so make sure you use the right type for what you need. You can typically find both in the soap aisle of the grocery store or the natural products section.