How to Naturally Clean the Dirtiest Places in Your Home
It’s no secret that homes get dirty. Like, really dirty. Don’t stress; we’re not judging. Our team at Merry Maids® is on a mission to help you clean, organize, and disinfect the most loved parts of your home. According to the American Cleaning Institute, Americans spend up to 6 hours a week cleaning. However, this research doesn’t account for deep cleaning, which requires more than just vacuuming, sweeping, and dusting occasionally.
Before you pull out harsh chemical cleaners, let’s talk about how to clean naturally and the products that can get your home spic and span without potentially causing health issues.
How Often Should You Clean Your Home Naturally?
Your home is a personal reflection of your style, and the cleanliness of your home can tell others about your lifestyle. For instance, if your home is in slight disarray, it gives the impression that you and your family are always on the go and have little time for routine cleaning. We recommend getting the entire family involved to help you deep clean naturally at least once to twice a year. Spring and/or fall are usually great times to clean naturally to prepare for summer activities and the holiday season.
Start Building Your Natural Cleaning Solutions Toolkit
It’ll be virtually impossible to clean your home naturally without a tried-and-true arsenal of natural cleaning solutions and products on-hand. We’re the first to advocate for white vinegar and baking soda (which are both on this list); however, these aren’t the only holistic cleaning products you can use.
Water – Water is usually the first ingredient in almost everything, and it works as a natural liquid base to create a homemade cleaning product.
Lemon – Not only does lemon have a lovely fresh smell, but it also has antibacterial properties that make it a perfect addition to any natural cleaning solution. You can eliminate foul odors and food stains on delicate surfaces.
Borax – Borax is one of the heavy-weight champs of all-purpose cleaners. It can clean tile floors and garbage disposals and reduce mildew buildup.
Baking soda – As an abrasive material, baking soda can be mixed with other holistic solutions to remove tough stains and stuck-on food particles. Plus, it’s a natural deodorizer and helps dissolve dirt without releasing toxic fumes.
White vinegar – Because distilled white vinegar is free of artificial dyes, it makes a great stain-fighting and odor-reducing agent. However, white vinegar shouldn’t be used to clean granite, marble, wood, stone surfaces because it could cause damage.
Essential oils – Most natural cleaners won’t have an odor, which will allow you to use essential oils to elevate the odor-killing properties.
Areas that Need the Most Attention
Think about your home and where you spend the most time. For some families, the kitchen is the heart of the home. For others, maybe the dining room or living room is where most time is spent making memories. Regardless of where you and your loved ones congregate most, there’s a high chance it needs a little TLC, especially if it’s an area prone to bacteria growth.
Bathroom
A 2014 study in the journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology found that, within an hour of normal bathroom use, 500,000 bacteria per square inch were living on bathroom surfaces. That means that daily cleaning will eliminate the number and spread of these potentially harmful pathogens. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need bleach or another chemical cleaner to disinfect thoroughly. You can make your own natural solution to kill bacteria and leave the area fresh.
To make a bathroom disinfectant paste, mix one part water and one part baking soda. This coarse mixture can be used on shower tiles, flooring, countertops, and more.
Other areas in the bathroom that require attention include:
Bathroom counters
Faucet knobs
Toilet handle
Floor in front of toilet
Toilet lid
Kitchen
The kitchen is a space that needs to be cleaned daily, without question. Food particles can start to grow mold in as soon as 12-24 hours once a mold spore takes hold. This is why it’s so vital to clean dishes daily and avoid leaving them in the sink. We recommend creating a schedule so everyone can contribute to this chore daily.
Eliminate food stains and leave your kitchen smelling fresh with 1 cup of white vinegar, 1 cup of water, and 10-15 drops of an essential oil of your choice. We recommend peppermint, eucalyptus, or tea tree oil.
Other areas in the kitchen that require attention include:
Countertops
Faucet knobs
Behind the faucet
Light switches
Cabinet pulls
Microwave
Bedroom
Your bedroom should be a calming sanctuary where you go to sleep and escape life’s stressors. Whether you have carpet or tile, a ceiling fan, nightstands, and dressers in your bedroom, these surfaces aren’t safe from dust, dirt, and germs. Aside from wiping down hard surfaces, deodorizing is essential in ensuring your sleeping quarters are fresh. Create the perfect DIY bedroom deodorizer with 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 1/2 cup of water, and 10-15 drops of an essential oil. Add everything to a spray bottle and don’t be afraid to use a generous amount throughout the room.
Other areas in the bedroom that require attention include:
Closets
Under the bed
Lamps and shades
Blinds
Unique Items That Need to Be Naturally Cleaned
Mirrors
Do you have a cloudy film on your decorative living room mirror or toothpaste splatter on the bathroom mirror? Get rid of mirror residue by mixing 1/4 cup of white vinegar and 3 cups of water in a spray bottle. Spray a generous amount on the mirror’s surface and use a microfiber cloth or paper towel to wipe it away. You should be left with a streak-free shine.
Toothbrush Holder
We discussed cleaning your toothbrush in a previous post, but didn’t touch on the holder itself. Still, it’s crucial to disinfect your toothbrush holder at least once a week. Why? According to a 2011 NSF International Household Germs study, 64% of toothbrush holders carried mold and yeast while only 27% of toilets did.
You can simply clean this item with dish soap and warm water to disinfect it like you would your dishes. In effect, you can throw your toothbrush holder in the dishwasher and wash with other dirty dishes to kill two birds with one stone.
Home Drains
Clogged drains are common for larger households because drains get constant use and waste buildup is inevitable. Plus, bacteria and mold can thrive in pipes, creating an unsanitary environment inside your home. The best thing you can do is maintain and disinfect your drains by using a mixture of 1/2 cup of baking soda, one squeezed lemon wedge, and 1 cup of white vinegar. Pour this natural cleaning solution down your drain to simultaneously eliminate germs and contaminant buildup.
Remote Control
Typically, the TV remote is overlooked when homeowners perform deep cleaning. In reality, it should be one of the first items you sanitize, even before your bathroom. Most people don’t worry about the remote until there’s visible grime. However, a 2012 study in the American Society for Microbiology found that hotel TV remotes contain some of the heaviest amounts of germs, more than doorknobs and headboards.
Mix 1/4 cup of Borax and 1 cup of white vinegar to naturally clean your TV remote. Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray the mixture on a microfiber cloth to wipe the remote’s surface thoroughly.
Sinks
Both your kitchen and bathroom sinks are probably two of the dirtiest items in your home. When you neglect your sinks, you may not be getting your dishes or hands as clean as you think. University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba told USA Today that kitchen sinks carry more bacteria than garbage cans and toilets. Naturally cleaning sinks can be a bit tricky if you don’t have the right holistic products to do the job right. We recommend using 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 1/2 cup of Borax as a formidable disinfectant for bathroom and kitchen sinks.
Let Merry Maids Naturally Clean Your Home
Your home should be a peaceful refuge where you look forward to spending time with loved ones. Nevertheless, it’s virtually impossible to do this when things are in disarray. At Merry Maids, we have proven strategies and environmentally friendly products to perform deep, natural cleaning to your satisfaction.
Contact us today to request your free cleaning estimate or call (888) 490-4227 to get started.
