Spring Cleaning with Natural Cleaners

Natural cleaning products are making a huge comeback. Big cleaning names on social media, such as Nancy Birtwhistle, have been giving them a boost and for good reason - natural cleaners are great.

From citric acid and white vinegar to bicarbonate of soda and natural bleach, natural cleaners are versatile, effective and easy to use, and together they have your whole home covered.

Read on below to learn how to use natural cleaners around your home.

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CITRIC ACID, BICARBONATE OF SODA, SODA CRYSTALS, WHITE VINEGAR, NATURAL BLEACH

The best five natural cleaners

Citric Acid

From cleaning to cooking, citric acid is a versatile weak acid which is affordable and effective, especially at descaling.

This is one of our most popular cleaners - people can't get enough! And once you start using it around the house, you'll understand why.

Our citric acid is food-grade so can also be used in foods/drinks. Buy plastic-free citric acid here.

Descaling the kettle:

1. Half fill your kettle and bring to the boil,
2. Add 2tbsp of citric acid to the water (be careful of burns from steam),
3. Wait at least 30 minutes for the water to cool and for the citric acid to dissolve the limescale,
4. Rinse the kettle thoroughly with cold water.

Cleaning the microwave:

1. Mix 2tbsp of citric acid and a cup of water to a small microwave-safe bowl,
2. Place in your microwave and heat until boiling and the microwave is filled with steam,
3. Leave for 5-10 minutes then remove the bowl and wipe the microwave,
4. Your microwave will now be clean and deodorised.

General cleaning spray:

1. Get yourself an empty and clean spray bottle,
2. Add 1tbsp of citric acid then fill with warm water,
3. Shake well then add your trigger spray head,
4. Label the bottle for safety, then you're ready to go.

Citric acid is naturally antibacterial so this spray is great for kitchen worktops and chopping boards. We use our spray around the bathroom to tackle soap scum and limescale. 

Some of our other favourite uses for citric acid include toilet cleaning and cleaning windows/mirrors. Let us know if you use your citric acid for anything different.

Bicarbonate of Soda

Another versatile and highly effective cleaner. Use as an all-round cleaner, as scouring powder or to deodorise and freshen. 

Bicarb is toxin-free, affordable and easy to use. Read on to learn some of our favourite uses.

Our bicarbonate of soda is food-grade and packaged plastic-free. Take a look here: plastic-free bicarbonate of soda

Absorb strong odours:

Leave a small pot of bicarbonate of soda in your fridge to absorb strong food smells so they don't affect the taste of other foods. 

Carpet cleaning:

It's as simple as sprinkle, rub and let stand for an hour then vacuum. The carpet will be cleaned and deodorised.

Multipurpose cleaning paste:

Mix 2tsps of bicarb to water and mix into a paste. Use this to clean and scrub floors, toilet, surfaces sink, oven, and more.

You can also clean metals with this paste. Apply the paste to chrome, stainless steel, gold and silver. Leave briefly then rinse with hot water and finish by polishing.

Fabric Softener:

Put 1/4 glass of bicarbonate and 3/4 glass of water in the rinse tank of the machine. This also acts as a deodoriser, revives the colours and avoids the accumulation of limescale.

Soda Crystals

Similar to bicarbonate of soda, concentrated soda crystals are another versatile, strong natural cleaner. They're more alkaline than bicarb so are more effective for jobs that involve grease and stains.

Where citric acid can be dissolved in a spray bottle for tackling limescale and as an antibacterial spray, soda crystals can be dissolved in a spray bottle to take on grease and kitchen jobs.

Add around 100g to a 500ml spray bottle for a good kitchen cleaner. You can even add up to 200g to make it extra strong.

Unblocking drains:

Pour a cup of soda crystals straight down the plug hole to clear it from grease and grime build up. Follow it through with hot water

Extractor fan filter + oven racks:

Fill a bath or large tub with hot water and pour in a good amount of soda crystals. Soak your oven extractor fan filter and/or oven racks for a few hours then wipe clean.

White Vinegar

From cleaning floors to kitchen sinks, white vinegar is a cheap and effective way to clean the whole house - it's a firm favourite of our customers!

Here are our top five uses for white vinegar:

1. Descaling the kettle (very similar and just as effective as the citric acid method above)
2. Cleaning mirrors/windows
3. Freshening up the dishwasher and washing machine
4. Combining with bicarbonate of soda to clear drains
5. Cleaning the shower head

Natural Bleach

Another natural cleaning product that has exploded with popularity in recent years. Natural bleach (or Oxygen Bleach or Percarbonate of Soda) is an easy swap away from toxic bleach.

We sell natural bleach in a 750g plastic-free pouch, as well as a product very similar to natural bleach which can be used in exactly the same way - Fill's destainer powder.

This destainer powder by Fill Refill contains sodium percarbonate (natural bleach) along with a few other ingredients to make it even stronger and work well at lower temperatures than normal natural bleach.

Natural bleach can be used for unblocking drains, cleaning mould, getting rid of stains on mugs/containers, for brightening laundry, and for many other things.

Laundry brightening and stain removal:

When using in your washing machine, add 1tbsp with your detergent. Our destainer powder will work from 40°c. Use to brighten whites and get rid of stains.

To hand wash with it, add 1tbsp with your detergent to a bowl of warm water. Dissolve the powder and hand wash as normal.

Refreshing reusables:

Bring your reusables back to life by adding 1-2tbsps to hot water. Soak your reusables/mugs/bottles for 15 minutes then rinse well.

Unblock drains:

Pour 2-3tbsps down the plug hole and follow with boiling water. Wait for a few minutes and then rinse through.