Cleaning can be hard work, and if you’re like the rest of us, it’s easy to reach for that bottle of store bought cleaners with harsh chemicals. This year, we’re offering up a challenge. Try to make your own DIY cleaning solutions!

While we take no issue with most store bought solutions, making your own cleaning solutions saves you from harsh chemicals and strong odors that could pollute your indoor air.

Luckily, there are some simple, natural alternatives you can use at home. All you need are a few simple ingredients, and your home will be spick and span without the harsh chemicals and strong scents.

Cleaning Your Toilet Bowl and Drain Clearing

Toilet bowls are a hotbed for germs and bacteria. You may think that corrosive chemicals are the only way to eliminate these bacteria, but this simple and natural recipe will help keep your toilet bowl clean and fresh.

You Will Need:

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• Disinfecting essential oils (optional)
• Wooden spoon
• Glass storage jar with a lid
• 20% white vinegar solution (1 part vinegar to 4 parts water)

Instructions:

1.  In a glass storage jar with a lid, mix half a cup of baking soda with four drops of lemon, tea tree, and peppermint essential oils. Make sure you check the instructions on the oil packaging carefully before mixing.
2. Use a wooden spoon to mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
3. To clean your toilet bowl, sprinkle half of the baking soda mixture into the toilet bowl. Next, pour half a cup of 20% vinegar into the bowl — it will react and fizz with the baking powder.
4. Leave the mixture reacting for about 15 minutes.
5.  Using a toilet brush, scrub around the bottom of the bowl and around the rim until it’s immaculate.

You can premix your baking powder mix and keep it in an airtight and dry environment for future use.

Don’t forget about drain clearing. Always check on your pipes and keep your drains unblocked with this same baking powder mixture. For serious clogs, however, it’s best to call an expert.

A Fresh-Scented DIY Kitchen Cleaner

There are many ways you can use baking soda in the kitchen, but here are a few of our favorites:

A thing I never realized about being an adult is that you will always be cleaning your kitchen. No matter if you get take out, no matter if you’re gone all day, you will be cleaning. the. kitchen.

— tiffany hunter (@lifeattiffanys) June 28, 2020

Cleaning the oven: baking soda works well as an oven cleaner and is far less toxic than commercial cleaners. Sprinkle baking soda on your oven floor and spray with water until damp. Allow to sit overnight, then wipe clean with a sponge the following day.

Dishwasher: Leave 1/2 cup of baking soda in the bottom of your dishwasher to keep it fresh between washes.

Cutting boards: Rub cutting boards with a paste of baking soda and water, let sit for 5 minutes before rinsing clean.

Baking soda can even help you get rid of rust and freshen up your iron skillets.

The Natural Way to Have Beautifully Clean Glass Throughout Your Home

If you have windows, chances are they could use a good wash. However, getting them as clean and streak-free as possible is not always easy.

There are many commercial products for cleaning windows, but it’s also easy to make your own with things you likely already have at home.

Create a mixture of two cups of water, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol with 70% concentration, and 1 to 2 drops of orange essential oil for smell (optional). You can use this solution in a spray bottle or damp cloth. If you use a spray bottle, shake the contents before each application. This solution will cut through the grease and grime on your windows.

A Natural Way to Fight Mold and Mildew

If you have a mild mold/mildew problem, this natural solution will eliminate it without using harsh chemicals. Here’s what you need to do:

Pour 2 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil into a 24-ounce spray bottle. Shake well. Spray the solution onto the mold or mildew area, then let it sit overnight.

The next day, pour 1/4 cup baking soda into a small bowl and create a glue-like paste by adding the spray solution. Finally, scrub the moldy surface with a toothbrush.

An All-Purpose Natural Cleaner for Your Spring Cleaning Needs

If you want to do something about the germs and bacteria that can collect in your home, swapping out your store-bought cleaning products for homemade ones is a great place to start.

This all-natural cleaner is easy to make and will leave your house smelling fresh and clean.

What you’ll need:

• One part white vinegar
• One part water
• Lemon rind
• Rosemary sprigs

The ingredients are simple, but you’ll need a little patience — it takes about a week for the mixture to brew. Simply combine the above ingredients, pour into a spray bottle, shake, and then let infuse for a week before using.

Don’t Forget to Clean the Parts of Your House That You Can’t See

It’s just as important to maintain and spring clean your heating, air conditioning units, drains and pipes. For all your household maintenance in Sacramento and the East Bay, give our experts at Bell Bros a call at 800-422-8301.