The Natural Cleaning Handbook

by natalie Wise

  You’ll begin by starting with three boxes or bags. Label them “Stay,” “Trash,” and “Give Away.” Trash is obvious . . . line the box with a trash bag so you can easily get rid of it right away. The stay box will be put in other places in the house or brought back into the finished room. The giveaway box is just like what it sounds: everything in here will be given to new homes, be it friends or through donation or a tag sale.

  Go through every single item in the room. Empty drawers so you can get rid of excess furniture. Arrange for someone to pick up exercise equipment you never use. Hire the kids to go through the junk drawer and separate rubber bands from lip balms, and to test each and every pen, pencil, and highlighter. Don’t say, “Oh, I know everything that’s in that box is a keeper.” Open it. Go through it again. I bet you can find a way to get rid of even more, or you’ll find something that’s useful to you now that you forgot about. It’s important to touch every item in the room.

  Then, you have to follow through. Find new places in your home for anything in the “Stay” box that isn’t going back into the original room. Leave the items that will go back into the room for later. Bring the trash to the dump immediately. Put the bags and boxes that are being given away in your car directly so you can bring them to friends or the thrift store next time it is convenient.

  You should have an empty room now. Breathe. You did a great job. It was tough, probably, but doesn’t it look spacious and exciting?

  How to clean: Next, we’re going to get into every nook and cranny of the room and make sure it is spick and span. This is the simplest part of the process, because you know what needs to be done. Dirty things need to be cleaned; it’s that simple. The cleaning tasks will vary depending on the room, but the basic premise is this: clean the room top to bottom and farthest corner to the doorway. Cleaning needn’t be done all in one session, either. Take this as you can. Take one day and do the ceilings and walls. Another day do the baseboards and carpets. Clean every square inch.

  How to organize: There’s a reason people make a living organizing for others. It is an art and a science in one, and some people are better at it than others. But we can all learn these basic organizational practices.

  Give everything a place, and put it there. Sounds so easy, right? Give each item a home, and let it live there when it’s not in use. Think about where you would go looking for an item, or where it would be most convenient for the task you’ll be using it for, and try to keep it there. For instance, in your sewing room put all of the thread on a thread rack and hang it on the wall above your sewing machine. Keep the spray bottle of water for ironing in the linen closet by the iron. If you read magazines in your favorite chair in the living room, don’t keep the magazines cluttering up the kitchen counter. Put sunglasses by the door so you remember to grab them, sort mail by the trash and recycling bins, and keep extra cords and electronic accessories by the home office or entertainment center.

  Don’t let things “float.” If things float, they are creating clutter. If you need two of something so they stay in separate rooms, so be it. I keep a pair of scissors someplace in just about every room of the house so I’m not constantly shuffling through the junk drawer in search of a pair.

  Group like-items. Keep all of the DVDs in one location. All of the nail polishes in one bin. All of the extra batteries in one drawer.

  Leave extra space. It sounds counterintuitive, as if empty space will simply invite a mess of more stuff, but extra space is actually one of the keys to creating a space that seems organized visually and not overstuffed. Leave extra space in drawers, on bookshelves, on coffee table shelves, in cupboards. Overstuffed reads as cluttered to our brains, no matter how organized everything is, so be sure to keep some blank space in every room.

  How to keep it up: It might seem overwhelming to maintain this system. But every time you clear clutter, you find you accumulate less, because you know you’ll eventually have to get rid of items. So only bring what you love and need into your home, and the process becomes easier. Of course, we all end up with things that are no longer useful to us, so it’s still important to purge and clean regularly. I like to purge and clean with the change of every season, since it seems that seasonal items are a main source of clutter for me. You may feel you need to purge every month, or maybe you have such a great system in place already you only need to do a major purge once a year. If you have children, you’re likely to need to purge your home more often, as children accumulate things at an alarming rate.

  Another piece of the puzzle is making sure everyone in your home is on board. No matter how tidy you get the bookshelves and cupboards, if no one understands the system but you, it won’t work. Go over the system with everyone in your household and ask them to commit to keeping it up. Remind everyone that charging cords don’t float, each one stays in one location (one in the living room, one near the door so you don’t forget a charging phone on your way out, etc.). Train them to know that everyone is responsible for keeping the home tidy. You might even consider a rewards system for keeping things in their places; when kids return their toys to the playroom at the end of the day, they get a sticker. When the clean laundry basket doesn’t float and gets put away right away, you get a piece of chocolate. I’m a big fan of small rewards to keep yourself on track.

  Bringing in help: Bringing in help does not mean you are failing at home keeping. Bringing in help means you are great at prioritizing and you’ve put cleaning and organizing as a top priority, whether you do it yourself or have someone else come in to help. If the time or effort required to tackle a big purge and clean just doesn’t work for you, hire someone. We all know you can hire a cleaner to come clean the empty room, but you can also bring in a professional organizer to help you with the purge and organize process. They’ll oversee decision-making (do you really feel an emotional attachment to your childhood pet rock, or will the memory be just as good as the real thing?), help with the disposal of items, and be able to help you visualize a system that works for organizing the space. These can be invaluable skills if you have the money to invest in them. Another set of eyes and hands is always useful.

  Now that we’ve gone over the basic ingredients you’ll need and you understand the process of purge, clean, and organize, we can get into the recipes, tips, and tricks. Each chapter is laid out by a room or section of the home. Feel free to jump around if you just need one recipe, or to go chapter-by-chapter and room-by-room to transform your whole home in a modern organic way.

  The kitchen is one of the busiest areas of the house, and it sees raw meat, coffee, berries, and any other number of foods just waiting to stain, spill, and drip. Since food is prepared in the kitchen, it is probably the most important room in which to use organic cleaning products. With such a wide variety of potential germs and stains, it’s good to have a solid arsenal of cleaning products stationed in the kitchen for quick fixes.

  The Process: Purge, Clean, Organize

  Nothing is more frustrating than opening a cupboard and having an avalanche of various storage containers and lids come pouring out. (Except, perhaps, having eight to-go coffee mugs with no lids.) Keeping your kitchen cupboards, drawers, and pantries clean and organized can feel like a tough job since they get so much use, but it is possible.

  The purging process is key when it comes to keeping the kitchen free of clutter. You’ll need to constantly evaluate what goes into each cupboard, drawer, and cabinet. Do you really need to keep the extra take-out soy sauce packets you’ve never actually used? The extra twist ties you accumulate from bread bags? How many different boxes of birthday candles and toothpicks do you actually need? What about stale spices, pasta, and three open bags of chips? Toss, toss, toss, and toss.

  Move low-use items off the counter and into less-utilized cabinets, such as corner ones or above-refrigerator ones. This also keeps them from getting gunked up with the inevitable debris that builds up on the countertop. Instead of having to wipe down the counter around al
l your small appliances, simply keep them out of the way until you need them. It sounds easy, but how often do we “forget” to put the panini press or rice cooker back in the Lazy susan corner cabinet until a week after we’ve used it?

  Group like items with like. Keep all of the to-go mugs on one side of the cabinet, all of the regular mugs on the other. Keep all straws in one place. Keep spices in one drawer or on one shelf. Group spices by baking or cooking, so you don’t need to sort through meat tenderizer and grilling spices to find vanilla and nutmeg. Small wooden crates or narrow wooden baskets are great for organizing here; as usual, try to avoid plastic.

  Store multiples of pantry food items together. This not only allows you to see at a glance what you have in stock for, say, beans, it also lets you rotate items. Rotate kitchen items by keeping the oldest item in front so nothing gets stuck at the back of the pantry for years. Yes, years—don’t pretend you haven’t had something linger there that long.

  The kitchen is one place where regular purging is necessary because open packages tend to get lost in the shuffle and before long you can’t tell what’s stale and what’s fresh. Put a monthly purge on your cleaning calendar to keep on top of things.

  Cleaning, of course, is of equal importance in the kitchen as purging, because we do not want any critters to get into our food stores. This is one more reason why using glass containers over plastic is preferable; airtight glass containers are nearly impenetrable for critters and bugs, whereas they love to chew plastic. Airtight glass containers are also visually appealing, last for ages, and keep food the freshest. Switching to glass containers may be a bit of an investment at first, but they’re easy to clean and sanitize and will last forever, so it’s worth it. Of course, mason jars are one of the easiest ways to make the switch, or simply repurpose glass jars from food products as you collect them.

  Since we’re cleaning the kitchen with organic ingredients, we have less to worry about when it comes to the actual cleaning. You won’t have any toxic chemical scents lingering in your cupboards alongside your food and you don’t have to worry as much about accidentally spraying cleaning products into food. The best thing to do when cleaning in the kitchen is to remove everything from a single drawer or cupboard and clean it top to bottom, getting out cobwebs and crumbs while throwing away anything that’s past its prime. Leave the cupboard open to let it air dry.

  Floors should be swept daily and wet-cleaned at least once a week, if not more often. Keep critters and bugs under control by doing monthly maintenance checks. Keep all drains and sinks fresh by doing a quick clean every few days and a deep clean every other week. Clean the refrigerator, microwave, oven exterior, stove exterior, and small appliances regularly, too. Don’t forget to swap out sponges regularly and wash rags and dishtowels frequently to prevent mildew and germs from accumulating. The kitchen is a nurturing center in the organic home; treat it well so you can treat your family well, too.

  LOOKING GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT FRUIT AND VEGGIE CLEANER

  Even when we purchase organic fruits and vegetables, they are still coated with food wax, transported, handled by picky customers, and have most likely acquired mold spores and germs along the way. It makes good sense to rinse them clean in this mixture before storing and eating. All but the softest of berries (raspberries) can be cleaned using this method.

  • ½ cup vinegar

  • 2½ cups water

  • A few drops of grapefruit seed extract, optional

  Mix together in a medium-size bowl.

  To Use: Place this mixture in a clean basin in your sink and add your fruit or vegetables. Do all of your soft fruits in one batch, your hard fruits in another, and your vegetables in a third. Dry fruits and vegetables thoroughly using soft cloth or paper towels before storing, and throw a small cloth rag or paper towel in the container with them to absorb the moisture that escapes from the fruit and makes them go soft.

  Extra Tip: You can also place fruits and vegetables inside pillowcases or specially-made small fabric bags to store them. Just be sure to wash the bags regularly, too.

  CRUMBS ARE TOAST: SMALL KITCHEN APPLIANCE CLEANING SPRAY

  Small kitchen appliances like coffeepots, toasters, microwaves, juicers, etc., are magnets for dust, cobwebs, and crumbs. If they sit on the counter regularly, like toasters and coffee makers usually do, they are even more susceptible to getting sticky from food and drink spills, which then attracts even more grime and potentially ants or other bugs. Not to mention, keeping your appliances shiny and looking like new brings a fresh appearance to your kitchen that’s well worth the few moments it takes to wipe them down regularly. First off, be sure to store any less-frequently-used items in a cupboard below the counter to minimize your work and maximize your workspace. The appliances that remain can be cleaned externally with this simple, food-safe spray.

  • ½ cup distilled or boiled and cooled water

  • ½ cup white vinegar

  • 6 drops orange essential oil

  Mix together and place in an 8-ounce spray bottle. Shake before using.

  To Use: Spray liberally onto a cotton rag and wipe down small appliances. Let dry thoroughly before using the appliance.

  MAKE PEACE WITH THE MICROWAVE: CLEANING THE MICROWAVE

  While you may not have a microwave in your organic home, if you do, you know how quickly they get grimy. There’s a simple solution, though, that only takes a few minutes and can be done while you’re letting dishes soak or waiting for the dishwasher to finish drying.

  • Small bowl of water

  • Juice of 1 lemon

  Add the lemon juice to the bowl of water. Microwave for 3–5 minutes. Keep the door closed and let the lemon steam soften the crud on the sides of the microwave walls. Remove the bowl and dip a sponge into the water mixture, then use it to scrub the microwave. Take out the spinning plate if there is one and give it a good hot, soapy wash. Let dry then return to the microwave.

  CLEAN CAFFEINE COFFEE MAKER CLEANSER

  Coffee makers are a breeding ground for mold, so they should be thoroughly cleaned every 2–3 weeks for drip or pod-based machines. You’ll also be cleaning off buildup from hard water, which isn’t harmful, but can clog your machine. Vinegar will do the trick nicely here, and adding a bit of baking soda to the vinegar and hot water helps clear away any coffee stains on glass or plastic.

  To clean a drip or pod-based coffee maker:

  Fill the water reservoir halfway with white vinegar. Use a soft bottle brush to swish this around to get into all of the crevices of the water reservoir and clean them. Then use the bottle brush dipped in vinegar to clean the area where the filter or coffee pod goes. You may also need to get a cotton swab out to reach the smaller spaces that will also be covered in coffee film and dust. Rinse the bottle brush or cotton swab with water and go over all of these areas again with the brush dipped in clean water.

  Next, finish filling the water reservoir the rest of the way with water. Brew without using a filter and grounds or a coffee pod, until all of the water has been used (with a pod-based coffee maker, this may take a while). Discard the cleaning solution water that comes through. Then refill the water reservoir with fresh water and brew again without coffee until all of that water is gone, discarding it.

  To clean a French press or pour-through coffee maker:

  Fill the French press with half white vinegar and half warm water. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Place the plunger and lid in place and move the plunger up and down a few times to agitate the mixture in the French press. Remove the plunger and use a soft bottle brush to further clean the canister. Unscrew all parts of the plunger and soak them in a solution of half vinegar and half warm water, then use the soft brush to gently clean them. To prevent rust, let all pieces dry thoroughly before attempting to screw them back together again.

  Pour-through coffee makers, such as a Chemex, can be cleaned using the same method of vinegar, warm water, and baking soda, and the agitation can be done using a bott
le brush. Small pour-through coffee makers that sit on top of a cup can be hand-washed in the vinegar and warm-water solution to remove any buildup.

  SHINY STOVETOP CLEANER FOR ELECTRIC AND GAS STOVES

  Stoves are workhorses, and workhorses tend to get dirty. Grease splattering, pasta or potato water overflowing, tomato sauce simmering too vigorously . . . the offenders are numerous. But one easy paste is your best friend when it comes to cleaning the mess. First, remove the burners and burner plates from the stove. If your stove has knobs, remove them, too, so you can clean behind them. Then you can get into every nook and cranny and clean with confidence.

  • ¼ cup baking soda

  • ¼ cup fine salt

  • ½ cup water

  Mix into a paste in a small bowl.

  To Use: Use a soft rag to take a bit of the paste and rub gently, in circles, over the burners themselves and the burner plates. Let the paste sit for 30 minutes, misting lightly with water if the paste is drying out too much. While those set, add a bit more water to the paste if it is hardening up, and use the rag to buff the surface of the stove itself. Then use a fresh rag to wipe the solution off.

  KITCHEN REFLECTIONS: STOVETOP CLEANER FOR GLASS-TOP STOVES

  Flat, glass-top stoves look modern and sleek, but they get just as dirty as an electric or gas stove. Luckily, the dark, reflective surface tends to hide grime better. While that’s great for when you have guests over, it means the grime can pile up before you even realize it’s time to clean. Since the surface seems a bit more delicate, many people aren’t sure what to use on it. Glass spray doesn’t seem like a good option so close to your food. Of course, good old-fashioned vinegar is the star of the spray here, too, because it breaks down grease and starchy messes without any abrasive ingredients that could potentially scratch the glass.