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Natural cleaning products: DIY these options!

May 11, 2020 Leave a Comment

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I don’t know about you, but having two kids home all day, every day, and the constant in and out, means my home has never needed more cleaning! But also, due to the kids being here every minute, I’m more reluctant than ever to use chemicals. And we could all do with saving a bit of money on our shopping bill.

A wonderful new book, Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins, is full of ideas and recipes for a more low-tox way of life, and here we’re sharing four great natural cleaning products you can easily make yourself, with things you probably already have!

CITRUS ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER

If I were forced to turn in all but one of my homemade cleaning products, this would be the one Iโ€™d beg to keep. Citrus-infused all-purpose cleaner is such a simple and pure way to lightly clean your home, and making it is as easy as infusing citrus fruit scraps in a vat of vinegar. Itโ€™s cheap and easy and eliminates the need for using essential oils to cover up the pungent smell of vinegar. One thing worth noting is that since vinegar is acidic, it can damage certain surfaces and should not be used on natural stones like granite, marble, or soapstone. It can also strip the finish off hardwood floors. Aside from those two surfaces, it can safely clean just about everything else. I use it to clean windows, mirrors, carpets, toilets, tubs, sinks,ย  appliances, and linoleum. Makes 3 cups vinegar, which can be diluted to make 6 cups citrus cleaner

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups citrus peel strips (lemon, lime, orange,ย  or grapefruit)
  • 3 cups vinegar (apple cider or distilled white),ย  or more as needed

DIRECTIONS

Put the citrus peels in a 1 litre glass jar and cover with the vinegar. Cap with a tight-fitting lid or a cloth secured with a rubber band. If using a metal lid, place a piece of compostable parchment paper between the jar and the lid to prevent corrosion. To infuse the vinegar, set the jar in a sunny spot for 2 weeks. Afterward, strain and compost the citrus peels, then pour the infused vinegar into a clean glass jar with an airtight lid.

TO USEย  In a spray bottle, combine 1 part vinegar and 1 part water, and use as you would any commercial all-purpose cleaner.

TIPย  If you donโ€™t have citrus peels, you can also make an all-purpose cleaner by adding 5 to 10 drops of essential oil to a solution of 1 cup distilled white vinegar and 1 cup water. Green oils like tea tree and eucalyptus work double duty: they have disinfectant qualities and smell wonderful.

HARDWOOD FLOOR CLEANER

I donโ€™t clean the floors nearly as often as I should, but when I do, I like to do it the old-fashioned wayโ€”on my hands and knees and with very few ingredients. I use castile soap instead of vinegar, which is believed by some to be too acidic for, and potentially damaging to, hardwood floors. This recipe has worked wonderfully for me for years, and I love that you can add essential oils to disinfect and deodorise the house. My favourite oils for cleaning floors are tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, and peppermint.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups warm water
  • 2 drops castile soap or Sal Suds
  • 5 to 10 drops essential oil (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients. Pour into a 475 ml (16 fl oz) glass spray bottle, seal tightly, and shake well. 

TO USEย  Spray on floors and either mop up with a cotton string mop or wooden Cuban mop or get on your hands and knees and wipe up the solution with a bar mop towel.

OVEN CLEANER

Commercial oven cleaners are among the most toxic household cleaning products. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recommends avoiding them altogether. Not only do they contain powerful corrosive agents like sodium hydroxide, which can severely burn the skin and damage the eyes, but their grease-dissolving ingredients irritate the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. Did I mention EWG also says they can damage the kidneys, lungs, and neurological system? Needless to say, this is one cleaning product I would never invite into my home, much less into the kitchen where we eat!

Fortunately, thereโ€™s a simple and effective way to clean the oven without using harsh cleaners. Just create a paste with baking soda and water, put on a pair of gloves, and use your hands to spread it inside the oven (away from the heating elements). Leave the paste overnight, then use a damp cloth to wipe it clean in the morning. If that doesnโ€™t work and you need something slightly more powerful, the following recipe will do the trick. It requires some mechanical cleaning, or what our grandmothers might call elbow grease, but it works well on even the grimiest of ovens.

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 tablespoons baking soda
  • 5 tablespoons washing soda
  • 2 tablespoons liquid castile soapย 
  • Warm water, as needed
  • Distilled white vinegar, in a spray bottle

DIRECTIONS

Make sure the oven is off and completely cool. Remove all racks and removable parts. Give the oven and door a good wipe-down to remove food debris. In a small bowl, mix the baking soda, washing soda, and castile soap. Add just enough warm water to form a foamy paste. Using a glove, scoop out the paste, one handful at a time, and spread it all over the door and interior surfaces of the oven, away from the heating elements. Close the door and let the paste sit for a few hours or overnight. With a wooden scrub brush or copper scrub pad, scrub any areas coated in a heavy residue. Finally, spray all surfaces with vinegar and wipe clean.

VEGGIE WASHES

Try as I might to buy organic fruits and veggies, sometimes thereโ€™s no avoiding produce thatโ€™s been treated with pesticides. Even when I do buy organic, thereโ€™s still bacteria, dirt, and grime to consider. In the United States thereโ€™s even something called diphenylamine (DPA), which is applied to apples to keep them fresh for longer periods of time. Commercial veggie washes purport to remove pesticides, wax,ย  dirt, and other residues. While these sprays are generally made from plant-based sources and appear to be safe, the question is whether theyโ€™re actually worth the moneyโ€”and plastic waste.

A few years ago, when I looked into making my own veggie wash, I discovered a study by Cooks Illustrated showing that diluted vinegar was effective at removingย  98 percent of bacteria. The same study found that a scrub brush removed 85 percent of bacteria. A separate study published by Consumer Reports found that soakingย  apples in a baking soda solution completely removed three pesticides being tested. Having found these and other studies, I started making my own cleaning solutions, including a baking soda soak, a vinegar soak, and a vinegar spray. I donโ€™t think one of these solutions is necessarily better than the others, but I like having options in case Iโ€™m short an ingredient or am washing different types of produce. The vinegar spray works best on smooth-skinned fruits and veggies, such as apples, pears,ย  cucumbers, and peppers, while the vinegar and baking soda soaks work well for delicate produce like berries and mushrooms. For produce with thick skin, I also use a vegetable brush to help wash away hard-to-remove residue.

VINEGAR SPRAY.ย  Fill a spray bottle with 1 part distilled white vinegar and 3 parts warm water. Spray the produce, give it a quick scrub, and rinse clean with tap water.

VINEGAR SOAK.ย  Fill a large bowl with 1 part vinegar and 3 parts warm water. Mix well, add the produce, and allow it to soak for 15 minutes. If possible, scrub the produce with a veggie brush and then rinse clean with water.

BAKING SODA SOAK.ย  Fill a large bowl with 2 litres warm water. Add 2 tablespoons baking soda and mix well. Add the produce and allow it to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. If possible, scrub the produce with a veggie brush and then rinse clean with water.

This is an edited extract from Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins published by Hardie Grant Books $39.99 and is available where all good books are sold.

Photography by Julia Watkins.

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Australian made bathroomware is seriously impressi Australian made bathroomware is seriously impressive!

The new @studio.xox ONLY sells Australian brands. Like @nood_co coloured basins, lead-free eco brass from @faucetstrommen and @lindseywherrett's  ceramic basins made by hand in Tassie.

And as for their Sydney showroom (they also sell online): WOW.

See and read more on the blog now via link in bio.

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I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new @madeinaustshow in Sydney this August.

๐Ÿฆ˜๐ŸจForget every tacky association you ever had about touristy Australian made and prepare to see a showcase of the best of home, lifestyle, fashion and beauty made right here. If the pandemic has made you appreciate buying local even more, this is for you.

It's the first business to business trade event connecting retailers with Australian made products to champion our local makers๐Ÿ™

Apply to exhibit or find out more at their website, via their bio, now!

Are YOU buying more Australian made post covid?

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Do I recommend a timber vanity top? A big fat NOP Do I recommend a timber vanity top?

A big fat NOPE! ๐Ÿ’ง 

Which is why we have recently covered ours with a Caesarstone top (thanks to @justinplace_sydney for the advice and supply) and the sweet RELIEF of not having to worry about this high traffic area anymore, I'm telling you!๐Ÿค—

Doesn't matter what they tell you or how many times it's sealed, I'm not sure it's a great idea in a room which is so, well, wet!

I love having the warmth of timber in the bathroom and it's a beautiful piece, but timber on the top? Never again.

Ours probably lasted a year (if that) before it started to go downhill (and we want a good decade out of a bathroom, right?!). 2.5 years on, everything else in this bathroom looks virtually brand new and the water marked vanity top was really letting the side down and making me sad!

But I'm so pleased with this solution, I have to say! Took the plumber less than an hour to remove the sink, install the top and connect the sink back up. We didn't need to move the tap and it isn't too close to the basin.

The kids are allowed to brush their teeth and wash their hands (liquid soap ๐Ÿฅด) in here again and I can leave my hair straightener on there with gay abandon ๐Ÿ˜†

The reflective surface (which I can clean with whatever I like!๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป) brightens the room up too!

Next week I'll tell you what I really think of my brass tile trim too ๐Ÿ˜‰

#interiorsaddictbathroomreno2 #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #timbervanity
Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than F Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than French onion?

I think not!

Grab the recipe on the blog this morning via link in bio.
Get to know me! I haven't done one of these in YE Get to know me!

I haven't done one of these in YEARS so there's possibly thousands of you who don't know my back story. Here's a few things you may not know about me!

โœ”๏ธ I'm English ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ and I moved here (just for one year) back in 2008๐Ÿ˜† 

โœ”๏ธ I can't end the day without a bath, even if I get home really late or on a really hot day. It's a mental health thing and my happy place. ๐Ÿ› 

โœ”๏ธ Before becoming a blogger and running my own small business, I was a journalist from the age of 18. My favourite news gathering times were as a newspaper crime reporter (bit different to interiors!) ๐Ÿ““ 

โœ”๏ธ I once worked at New Scotland Yard in London ๐Ÿš” 

โœ”๏ธI had an interview at Oxford (didn't get in!) but chose not to go to uni at all after being offered a job on the local paper #universityoflife ๐Ÿ˜

โœ”๏ธ My mum died when I was 3, I have an excellent dad and one sister (younger) in the UK โค๏ธ ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง 

โœ”๏ธ At school, my favourite subject was French ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท and I was head girl ๐Ÿค“๐Ÿค“

โœ”๏ธ I'm addicted to โ˜•๏ธ , long hot baths and๐Ÿ’„ (been wearing it since I was about 14!)

โœ”๏ธ I'm not a phonecall person and will never ever pick up an unknown number. Ever. They can leave a message ๐Ÿ˜

โœ”๏ธ My favourite cuisine is Japanese ๐Ÿฃ ๐Ÿœ and Damian and I honeymooned in Tokyo and Venice 

โœ”๏ธ I have zero design qualifications. I just started blogging about my passion, which is trying to persuade everyone to #heartyourhome That was 11 years ago...

โœ”๏ธ My favourite tipple is a good GnT or๐Ÿท 

โœ”๏ธ Cheesy as it sounds, ๐Ÿ’โ€โ™€๏ธbeing a mum is my absolute biggest joy in life ๐Ÿง’๐Ÿ‘ฆ

โœ”๏ธ I will never give up my old school paper diary! Has to be A5 and week to view ๐Ÿ“– 

โœ”๏ธ My official surname isn't Bishop. I kept my maiden name for work after I got married but changed it for everything else. Often confuse myself!

โœ”๏ธ I didn't get my Ps until I was 37 and I'm still a terrible parker ๐Ÿ˜ฏ ๐Ÿ…ฟ๏ธ

Hope you feel like you know me a bit better ๐Ÿ˜˜

๐Ÿ“ธ @vanlowvanlow
Blue, green or lilac? ๐ŸŽจ @nood_co coloured con Blue, green or lilac? ๐ŸŽจ 

@nood_co coloured concrete basins is a great Aussie business success story. Although co founder Matt Di Costa first found fame as one half of Matt and Kim on The Block, he hasn't relied on this to build his brand.

โ€œWe are very honoured to have been a part ofย The Block, and all they have done for us. I am, however, a believer in letting the product take centre stage,โ€ he says.

Read our interview with Matt via link in bio now.

๐Ÿ™Share your favourite colour basin in the comments!

#colouredconcrete #noodco #colouredbasin #blockheads #the block #bathroomtrends2022

Pic 1 by @naibudesign_ and 2 by @twostyleinteriors
I'd love to see more colour in Aussie interiors! I'd love to see more colour in Aussie  interiors! ๐ŸŽจ 

At the end of the day though, it's a matter of personal taste. I love pops of colour but it's not for everyone. 

We couldn't resist featuring this Canadian house tour today. The amazing Kelly Green  hutch (swipe) was an upcycled $200 find ๐Ÿค—

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see the rest including one of the best playrooms we've seen in ages!

Project by @in.house.design
๐Ÿ“ธ @philcrozier
Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis o Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis on light and nature.

That was the brief for the conversion of a corner shop and a warehouse bakery into a luxury family home in Sydney's Newtown. And how about the library?!

Take the tour of this very special @annacarindesign project on the blog now, via link in bio.

Pic: @justinalexanderphoto
The things that excite me as a 40 year old ๐Ÿคญ N The things that excite me as a 40 year old ๐Ÿคญ

None of us enjoy laundry (OK, there are a few of you out there who do. Weird!) but we have to do it. And often. So if your laundry bin can be as good looking, functional and space saving as this, then why wouldn't you?!

I've lost track of how many baskets I've thrown out because they've gone soggy or mouldy. They look pretty, sure, but they're not fit for purpose and they're often messy and overflowing.

Here's what I love about his @brabantia_australia one:

โœ”๏ธ ventilation holes
โœ”๏ธ no need to remove the lid for small items plus it hides your dirty laundry from view
โœ”๏ธ easily removable and washable inner laundry bag that velcros back on 
โœ”๏ธ corrosion resistant so fine in bathroom or laundry 
โœ”๏ธ Brabantia make things as sustainably as possible
โœ”๏ธ compact, sleek, European design
โœ”๏ธ 10 year warranty
โœ”๏ธ tall and skinny so takes up less floor in my tiny laundry

The Rolls Royce of laundry bins? I think so ๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿป

TOLD you this was going to be exciting!

Now I need to know, do you have your laundry basket in the bathroom, the laundry, every bedroom? We used to have one in each bedroom but moved to the laundry-only situation which I much prefer (one for colours and one for whites). My boys know to put their used clothes in the bin in the laundry each night and they're 7 and 3!  #raisingfuturehusbands

#gifted
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About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. Interiors Addict has been her full-time job for more than 8 years. She is married to Damian and mum to Sebastian and Charlie.

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