While I am by no means living the extreme eco lifestyle, I just don’t love the idea of eating a sandwich off a pine-scented countertop or pouring a half litre of neon liquid down the drain every time my kitchen sink needs a good scrub. When I moved into my new home two years ago, I vowed to try my very best to eliminate unnecessary chemicals and toxins in my daily routine wherever possible, so I set out to rid my place completely of commercial cleaning supplies. That’s right – no wet wipes, no bright blue liquids, no foaming sprays of any kind. I now clean from top to bottom with nature’s best cleansing agents: salt, lemon, vinegar and baking soda. The power of these natural products would amaze you, taking care of even the toughest cleaning jobs; from barbecues to bathtubs, and dust to diamonds. Try switching your everyday cleaners for even one of these all-natural options and see what you think. They’re effective, inexpensive, and guilt-free.

The book that started it all

Salt, Lemons, Vinegar, and Baking Soda is my go-to guide for anything and everything that can be cleaned with these four versatile ingredients. It features hundreds of recipes and tackles any green clean project you could ever think of.

Counter Spray

I always keep a bottle of vinegar counter spray stashed in the kitchen along with a microfiber cloth for quick cleanup as I cook and at the end of each day.

Method: mix 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water in spray bottle. Ta-da!

Cookware Cleaner

When my frying pans and cookware get icky from repeated use or baked on sauces, this is a great way to clear up oily residue.

Method: squeeze in half a lemon, then follow up with about a tablespoon of baking soda and scrub with a soft sponge.

Toilet and Sink Cleaner

The satisfying fizz of this mixture will let you know you are getting a deep clean in things like sinks and toilets.

Method for sinks or bathtubs: sprinkle a layer of baking soda all around, let sit for a couple of minutes. Pour vinegar all around and watch the mixture bubble up. Grab a sponge and get to scrubbing.

Method for toilets: pour 1/2 cup – 1 cup of vinegar in toilet bowl, let sit for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle in baking soda to get the bubbles working. Scrub with toilet brush.

In addition to household cleaners, there are also plenty of personal uses for most of these natural ingredients. Pick up the book or check out some online recipes.

When life hands you lemons, clean the kitchen floor!