While this blog is mainly about helping you be smart about what you put in your tummy and how you treat your body, you should also be wary about what goes on around you. That includes your cleaning supplies. Did you know that the harsh chemicals prevalent in many common household cleaning supplies aren’t safe for your body? That is why I want to share with you some natural cleaning supplies!

Baking Soda

Baking soda does more than just help your baked goods to rise…it is by far the most versatile of natural cleaning supplies.

Sprinkle baking soda over your stove top and inside your oven. Use a warm, wet scrubbing sponge and scrub away the gunk! You can even do this with that disgusting oven vent fan! Sprinkle it on your carpet, let is sit for about 10 minutes, then vacuum it up! This helps with any odor that the carpet has retained, as well as helping to pick up the dirt. You can even sprinkle baking soda in your tub, toilet, or sink to scrub it…and if they are particularly yucky, make a paste with vinegar, let is sit on the dirt for about 15 minutes, then scrub away.

Put a small box of baking soda in your fridge and bathroom to help soak up moisture and odors. Make sure to replace it every few months.

Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of vinegar to rinse it out.

White Vinegar

Mix about 1/2 cup vinegar with a mixing bowl full of water to make your very own window cleaner! You can even add in some liquid soap to give it an extra boost. Make sure you dry off the windows after scrubbing them.

Add another 1/2 cup of vinegar (with a small dash only of liquid soap) to a bucket of warm water for mopping! It won’t leave a residue (as long as you only use a small amount of liquid soap). Add in some lemon juice for that fresh citrus-y smell.

Put some citrus peels (whichever is your favorite!) in a jar and fill it with vinegar. Leave it for a few days, then strain out the vinegar. This can be use as a surface disinfectant (rather than spraying Clorox on your countertops).

Fill a bowl with 2 cups of vinegar and load it into the dishwasher. Run the dishwasher empty, to allow the vinegar to clean the gunk off the sides and leave it smelling clean.

Don’t use Lime Away. It’s way to harsh on the skin. Instead, clean off lime and calcium deposits by soaking it in white vinegar. Fill a ziploc bag with vinegar and fasten it to your shower head and/or faucet with a rubber band. Leave it soaking for a few hours, then wipe away the lime, calcium, and hard water stains!

Lemons and other Citrus

Add a few tablespoons of lemon juice to your laundry to make your whites shine!

Mix 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup of lemon juice to make your very own polishing mixture. No more using Pledge–you just created your own.

Slice up a lemon, or any other citrus, and throw in the disposal to give it that clean smell.

Boil lemons, or other citrus, with a few drops of vanilla, and some rosemary in a pot of water for your very own air freshener. Keep boiling until the water has evaporated.

See! With just these three natural ingredients, you can scrub, clean, sanitize, and freshen up almost your entire house. Think of how many chemicals you are sparing your household from (not to mention how much money you will save!).

What other natural cleaning supplies do you love to use?