We all want to live in a clean home. Cleanliness around us makes it easier to have clear minds and healthy bodies. But what we use to clean our homes can actually damage our health if we are not choosing safe products.

Most conventional cleaning products contain proprietary secret ingredients that are actually toxic. Detergents, foaming agents, artificial scents, preservatives, and stain removers are often made of chemicals that can damage the nervous and endocrine systems and contribute to respiratory illnesses.

There are commercial alternative cleaners available. But you still want to be careful, as many companies such as Clorox and Windex have made green or natural product lines that still put off noxious fumes and contain questionable ingredients.

The most affordable and dependable way to clean your home naturally is with homemade cleaners. For just a few dollars you can get all the supplies you need to make a variety of cleaning products.

Windows

See your world in a whole new way. Spray this simple vinegar cleaner onto your windows and wipe them clean with a microfiber cloth or an old piece of cotton clothing. This is a great way to retire holey socks

* Simple Vinegar Spray

Fill a clean empty spray bottle halfway with white vinegar. Fill it the rest of the way with water. You can add 10-20 drops of any essential oil you like. Yes, its that simple.

Surfaces

You can use the simple vinegar spray on countertops, stoves, walls, pretty much any surface that is not marble, granite, or stone. For disinfecting, add 10 drops of tea tree essential oil. Straight hydrogen peroxide can also be used to disinfect surfaces.

If your counters are made of marble or granite, use rubbing alcohol or vodka instead of the vinegar.

For surfaces that need a good scrub like the refrigerator, use baking soda. Straight baking soda with a little water makes an abrasive cleaner for tough spots, or dilute 1/2 cup in a bucket of hot water for standard cleaning.

Laundry

You can get your clothes clean without the chemical smell by using a combination of glycerin soap, baking soda, and essential oils. Here is a full recipe.

Soften your clothes by adding 1/3 cup of white vinegar and a few drops of essential oil to each load.

Get out oil stains by scrubbing lemon juice and salt into them a few minutes before washing. Blood and other protein stains usually come out with hydrogen peroxide and a little scrubbing, provided they have not sat for too long.

Toilet Bowls

Clean and disinfect the throne with a mixture of 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 10 drops of tea tree essential oil. This will fizz and smell a bit, so have your bathroom windows open when you clean. Scrub while its fizzing. The seat and outer surfaces can be cleaned with the simple vinegar spray.

Upholstery

Avoid toxic chemical fabric sprays by using alcohol to refresh your upholstery. This works for most dry clean garments, too. Put straight vodka and 10-20 drops of an essential oil of your choice in a spray bottle and mist the upholstery well. Be sure the bottle puts out a fine mist, not a directed stream.

Mold and Mildew

Use straight white vinegar to tackle mold and mildew. Spray the affected area with vinegar and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then spray it again and scrub it clean.

If the vinegar doesnt get all the mold the first time, tackle it with a pasty mixture of baking soda and castile soap, rinse well, and apply the straight vinegar again. Spraying straight vinegar on your shower tile and grout every day will help prevent mold from developing.

Slow Sinks

Get the flow going again with this simple and fun cleaning event. Youll understand why we call it an event when you try it.

Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into the drain. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar, then cover it right away with a pot lid or something else that makes a seal. Once the bubbling stops, add a gallon of boiling hot water.

These are just a few of the many ways you can use natural items to clean your home. With ingredients you probably already have, such as baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and essential oils, you can make cleaning products that are better for your health, easier on your wallet, and better for the earth.