The Natural Cleaning Handbook

by natalie Wise

  • 2 cups castile soap

  • ½ cup distilled water

  • 2 tablespoons glycerin

  • 3 drops tea tree oil

  • 3 drops peppermint oil

  Mix all ingredients well in a 16- or 18-ounce container. Shake well to combine.

  To Use: Use as you would regular shampoo, being sure to keep it out of your dog’s eyes.

  DOG PERFUME & COAT CONDITIONER

  This might sound silly, but one of my favorite memories as a kid was when our golden retriever came back from the groomers. He was soft, silky, fluffy . . . and he always smelled so good! We didn’t know what it was until one day we asked, and found out the groomers used a special aerosol spray for dogs; basically, perfume for your dog. Laugh now, but when you spray your dog with this after they’ve dried from the shower and brush it in, they’ll smell so wonderful you’ll think I’m a genius (and our groomers were, too). Use good judgment in using essential oils with your pets; most dogs respond well to them when properly diluted, but keep them away from strong doses or open bottles. (This does not work for cats, in case you were wondering; cats are much more sensitive to essential oils and don’t like citrus scents, either.)

  • 1 cup distilled or boiled and cooled water

  • ¼ cup jojoba oil

  • 1 teaspoon glycerin

  • 3 drops tangerine essential oil

  • 3 drops geranium essential oil

  Mix ingredients well in a 12-ounce spray bottle. Shake before use.

  To Use: Spray liberally onto your dog’s coat and brush in well.

  PET SPOT AND ODOR REMOVER

  We’ve all been there, with pet spots here and there, whether they’re from a new puppy, a sick cat, or a geriatric pet. This method of cleaning soaks up the odor as well as the mess and works on carpets, hardwoods, and laminate floors. However, it must be used immediately on pet stains or within 24 hours. With set accidents that have been on the carpet more than 24 hours it is nearly impossible to prevent staining. The pH level of pet urine can remove dye from carpet or, if it is white, stain it, leaving a permanent mark. Test the spray on dark-colored carpets and rugs in an inconspicuous spot first; the hydrogen peroxide may remove dyes if they aren’t colorfast. The tea tree oil is naturally antibacterial, and further neutralizes odors so pets don’t come back to the same spot, as they’re apt to do.

  If there is liquid, sprinkle it liberally with baking soda to soak up the liquid and the odor. Do not use baking soda if there is no liquid. Once it has soaked up the liquid, use a stiff brush to brush up the baking soda into a dustpan. Discard. Scoop up and discard any solids.

  • ½ cup hydrogen peroxide

  • ½ cup distilled or boiled and cooled water

  • ½ teaspoon castile soap

  • 4–5 drops tea tree oil

  Mix ingredients together well in a 12- or 16-ounce spray bottle. Shake before use.

  To Use: Shake well and spray liberally on the soiled area to fully saturate. Let sit for 2–3 minutes if your carpet is beige or white; clean immediately if it is a darker color (see note on pg 211). Use a clean rag to blot and press in the stain. Do not rub. Blot and press until it is dried and the mess is gone. Then saturate the area with plain water again and blot and press the water up for a final rinse. Dry gently with a hair dryer on warm (not hot, which may melt the glues that attach the carpet fibers) and use a clean brush to fluff the fibers as you dry the area.

  PET BOWL CLEANER

  Pet bowls tend to get a layer of buildup inside them at the water level due to hard water and lime deposits. These stick right to plastic bowls, and can even show up on metal bowls. But we know what cuts through hard water deposits, of course . . . vinegar. The best news is vinegar is also pet-safe. We won’t use any essential oils because they aren’t necessary and also must be used with extreme care when used internally for dogs.

  • 1 cup vinegar

  • ½ cup hot water

  • ¼ cup baking soda

  Mix the three ingredients together in the food dish. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how difficult the water stains are. Use a toothbrush or textured rag to work the mixture into any trouble spots. Discard the solution. Wash well in hot, soapy water, and dry thoroughly.

  Extra Tip: If the bottom of the food dish also has issues (such as mold from water getting under it), double the recipe below, and add the bowl and the solution to a basin where the entire dish can be covered.

  LITTER BOX CLEANER

  Cleaning the litter in the litter box daily is enough of a chore it seems, but keeping the litter box itself clean is another necessary evil for kitty owners. This is a dirty job, there’s no way around it. Bring the litter box outside if you can or to a basement or laundry sink. If all else fails, you can do this in the bathtub, so long as you give the bathtub a full cleaning afterward. It’s important to use gloves because coming into contact with kitty poo can cause a serious illness called toxoplasmosis. This job should also be avoided if you’re pregnant; pass it along to someone else! Cats can be sensitive to smells, so it’s best to use the unscented castile soap here. Of course, empty the litter box completely first, and bring all of the pieces if your box has more than one component.

  • 2 tablespoons castile soap

  • 8 cups hot water

  Mix these ingredients in a bucket and bring it outdoors to your workspace, along with your gloves and a sponge that will only be used for this purpose. Fill the basin of the box with enough water to cover the line where the kitty litter usually is, and agitate with your gloved hands. Use the sponge to get it really clean, and get into all the nooks and crannies of the edge if it has a lid. Let it soak while you clean the lid and ramp if your litter box has either of these pieces. Use the rest of the soap solution and the sponge to get them thoroughly cleaned. Rinse well to get rid of all traces of soap and dry in the sunlight or tipped up in the sink. Allow to dry thoroughly. Dump out the solution from the main box and rinse it well, too, and set it up to dry. Do not fill a damp box with kitty litter!

  CLEAN AIR SPRAY

  This spray works wonders in the catch-all room where pet things live, or anywhere in the house where the air could use a cleaning spritz. Lemongrass and eucalyptus are two of my favorite essential oils to make a room smell pleasantly clean, and their natural antibacterial products are a bonus. Stale air is uninspiring, but this spray will also add a bit of aromatherapy to your space. It’s a good thing to use in winter, when germs are everywhere and airing out the house by opening the windows is a frigid prospect.

  • 4 ounces witch hazel

  • 4 ounces distilled or boiled and cooled water

  • 15 drops lemongrass essential oil

  • 15 drops eucalyptus essential oil

  Mix well in an 8-ounce spray bottle. Shake well before use.

  To Use: Shake well and spray into the air. I like to take it and walk around each room and spray, so the entire house smells fresh. There’s little sense in only one room smelling fresh . . . when you leave that room you realize the air in the other rooms is not as fresh.

  The organic home wouldn’t exist without the house itself, so keeping the roof over your head in good shape is prudent. Well, actually, I recommend leaving the actual roof care to a professional. But the smaller things— the doors and exterior walkways in particular—can be tackled by the organic homeowner.

  SCREEN DOOR CLEANING

  The screen door is a lovely thing for summer days, when the breeze is blowing and the sunshine is streaming in. I love screen doors because they allow you to air out your house without letting the bugs in. But they sure do collect some dust! I’m glad that dust isn’t coming directly into my home, but cleaning the screen door used to be a bit of a chore. Not anymore.

  Cleaning a screen door might look intimidating but there’s a no-fuss way to go about it: grab a sticky lint roller or some packing tape. Roll this all over the screen. You might have to repeat it a few times, but it should grab all of that
gross dusty gunk.

  If you’d like, you can follow this up with a good cleansing spray down that also includes peppermint and lemon oils, which helps keeps bugs and spiders from making their home in your screen door or making their way into your home. It also works to get the rest of the door, including the foot plate that might get dirty, and the handle, sparkling clean.

  • 1 cup warm water

  • 1 teaspoon castile soap

  • 20 drops peppermint oil

  • 10 drops lemon oil

  Mix ingredients well in an 8-ounce spray bottle.

  To Use: Spray directly and liberally onto the screen and the door itself and wipe down. You may wish to use a toothbrush to get in the tracts where the screen actually meets the door.

  Extra Tip: Taking the screen door off makes cleaning it much easier, but it isn’t necessary. The spray above also works for cleaning glass storm doors if you use those in your climate.

  FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR FRONT DOOR REFRESH

  The front door should be a cheerful, welcoming scene, not one that might send your guests turning around and heading home. If you don’t use your front door regularly yourself, chances are it has some dirt and spiderwebs making it look a little bit less than welcoming. It’s easiest to clean the door when you can open it and work from the inside (assuming your door opens inside) to tackle all of the surfaces. You can easily shine up your front door and while you’re at it, why not add a new welcome mat, wreath, or some flowers? When you drive up next time, you’ll wonder why you didn’t refresh your front door sooner. Your neighbors will notice the difference, too.

  Door: The door itself is probably pretty dirty. Using gentle castile soap that’s safe for all finishes, mix up a bucket of sudsy warm water. Using a soft cellulose sponge (not a scratchy one, which will leave marks) or a washcloth, clean the door top to bottom. Be sure to get into any molding grooves well, enlisting the aid of a clean, soft toothbrush if you need to. Make sure you also get the flat edges of the door, where it meets the doorjamb.

  Glass: Use the glass and mirror spray on page 77 to clean glass. Many glass doors have intricate or stained glass, and this mixture works well on them. You may wish to use a soft brush to get into tricky areas of the glass design.

  Hardware: Polish the hardware on your front door using either brass/copper cleaning techniques (pg 52) or stainless steel cleaning techniques (pg 52). If you’re not sure what sort of hardware you have, give it a good wipe down with soapy water, rinse, then buff with rubbing alcohol.

  LIGHT THE WAY HOME: OUTDOOR/PORCH LIGHT CLEANING

  While you’re outside working on the door, you might as well go up a little higher to the porch light. These are a main attraction for bugs, spiderwebs, moths, and all sorts of detritus. First things first, though . . . make sure your lightbulb works. If it doesn’t, replace it, of course, preferably with an LED bulb, which are long-lasting and more environmentally-friendly than CFL. You can find yellow “bug lights” LED bulbs, which help keep bugs away longer, too.

  First, use a broom to get the cobwebs clean. Don’t remove bird’s nests that are active or intact, as that is against the Migratory Birds Treaty Act. This covers almost any bird, not just migratory ones, so don’t disturb nests, no matter how inconvenient they may be. Then grab a lamb’s wool duster (I keep one just for outside dusting, which sounds silly but is useful in the garage, shed, etc.) and get anything else that’s there. Use a soapy wet cloth if necessary to wipe the exterior of the house around the light.

  Then, if there is one, bring the glass or plastic covering inside and place it in a basin of hot soapy water. Rinse well. If there is metal on the cover, do not let it soak. Use a tiny bit of oil rubbed on the metal to make it shine again and protect from rust. Removing any rust that is already there is likely to damage the finish.

  This process also works for freestanding outdoor lights, but be careful not to use anything damp near the electrical socket.

  WHERE THE STAINED SIDEWALK ENDS: CLEANING STAINS OFF SIDEWALKS, DRIVEWAYS, AND GARAGE FLOORS

  Sidewalk stains are unsightly and hard to get rid of, but a little time and effort can get most stains lightened, if not removed. To begin, sweep the area well with an outdoor, hard-bristle broom. Then get to work!

  Most stains on most outdoor porous surfaces (test in a small spot first to make sure it won’t remove any color or finish): Use oxygen bleach powder, made into a paste or liquid according to package directions. Spray or spread the oxygen bleach liquid or paste onto the stain. Let sit for a few minutes, then scrub well with a hard-bristled (but not metal-bristled) brush. Have a pail of hot soapy water available to clean the brush and keep scrubbing until clean.

  If you prefer not to use oxygen bleach: Mix up a powder of baking soda and hot water, and spread it on the stain. Let sit for an hour. Then douse with vinegar, and, working quickly while it foams, scrub well with a hard-bristled (but not metal-bristled) brush. Have a pail of hot soapy water available to clean the brush and keep scrubbing until clean.

  Grease stains: Sprinkle arrowroot powder, cornstarch, baking powder, or even kitty litter on fresh or old grease stains. Of course, this will work better with fresh stains. Let sit overnight. Sweep up, then proceed as above to clean further.

  MURKY MOSS OR MILDEW ON THE HOUSE FOUNDATION OR SIDING

  Moss and mildew love the moist areas of exterior walls and exposed foundations. It looks unsightly and is a breeding ground for more moisture and bugs. Give murky moss the 1–2 punch with hydrogen peroxide tea tree oil.

  • ½ cup hydrogen peroxide

  • 2 cups warm water

  • 20 drops tea tree oil

  Mix the ingredients together in a bucket.

  To Use: First, use a garden trowel or other implement to scrape off the majority of the visible moss. It should come off easily. Then use a stiff-bristled brush (but not metal-bristled) dipped in the solution to scrub away mold and mildew stains. If any stains are stubborn, spray directly with hydrogen peroxide and scrub well.

  Extra Tip: Add a teaspoon of castile soap to the mixture if your mildew is feeling slimy. Castile soap helps cut through the muck.

  While every recipe in this book is aimed at helping you create a healthy home, these recipes may be especially important, because they help keep bacteria and viruses from making our families sick. These days, dangerous viruses can suddenly become rampant, and bacteria can adapt to become antibiotic-resistant, so we must be extra-vigilant about our health.

  The Process: Purge, Clean, Organize

  Purge: Perhaps you’ve already purged your cleaning products from under the kitchen sink, the bathroom sink, in the linen closet, and in the garage. Gathered up all the loose hand sanitizers and commercial sanitizing sprays from the car, gym bag, and everyone’s backpacks. Maybe you’ve already made the transition to only beautiful glass jars full of bulk baking soda and you’re purchasing vinegar by the gallon. If not, now is the time. I generally encourage you to use up any standard products you have that you feel comfortable using or pass them along to a friend instead of dumping them down the drain directly into our waterways. Either way, take out all non-essential standard cleaners and put them in a box to use up immediately or give away.

  Clean: You may need to clean the space where you store your cleaning supplies because bottles leak and those leaks collect dust and grime. Here’s where your surface wipes and homemade sanitizing spray will come in handy! Vacuum the space when you’re done. It will make such a difference to vacuum those corners. Put any brushes, scrubs, extra cloth rags, etc. in baskets or buckets to organize them. Make one section (perhaps the back of the cabinet if you only have one cabinet, or on a nearby shelf) for your bulk ingredients, such as your large container of baking soda, jar of diatomaceous earth, selection of essential oils, alcohol, witch hazel, etc. Make sure this area is out of reach of children and pets (particularly the alcohol and essential oils!). The front section will be for your finished products, that is, your new homemade cleaning supplies,
as well as extra spray bottles and jars ready for action. Don’t forget to keep funnels, measuring cups, and mixing utensils in this area as well.

  Organize: When it comes to organizing these products, you’ll probably be using and storing them in several areas. The hand sanitizer might be by the front door, sinks, or in purses and backpacks. The clean air spray might live in the living room, and the bar soap in the bathroom. The carpet and floor sanitizing sprays might be tucked in the closet where you store the vacuum and the steam mop. The grocery bag sanitizer spray should be in an easy-to-reach location in the kitchen or laundry room so you can easily sanitize your bags after each grocery trip. Don’t forget to label each and every jar, spray, and bottle, of both ingredients and finished products. This is extremely important for safely using these products, and besides, liquid soap on the carpet would be a whole new mess to clean up! Let’s get started.

  ALCOHOL-BASED HAND SANITIZER SPRAY

  Hand sanitizer spray is one of my favorites for cold and flu season, or any time a virus is rearing its ugly head. You’ll need a good concentration of alcohol to really kill those nasty viruses and bacteria. This formulation is World Health Organization certified1 but made simple for the home producer2, so you know it’s doing its job. I love the addition of hydrogen peroxide, and instead of potentially sticky aloe vera gel, this formula uses glycerol or vegetable glycerin to keep your hands moisturized despite the high concentration of alcohol.