More and more manufacturers are seeing the value in producing sustainable products to clean our homes. They have even shone a spotlight on Australia’s waste epidemic, with the country’s environment ministers looking to use only 100 percent reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging by 2025.
So if you ask Commercial Cleaning experts, it’s fair to say we’re on the right track with both what we use to clean our homes and what we put in our rubbish bins within them.
However, you also can’t beat what nature gives us – and it’s a lot. If you’re looking to both cut down your grocery bill and use more sustainable products, then read on. Here are pantry products you may not have known could clean your home.
Vinegar
Vinegar is as versatile a pantry ingredient as they come. While you may not use it a lot for cooking, you will surely find it serves a purpose in the realm of cleaning.
Smudged mirror? Use vinegar. Can’t get that glass perfectly clean? Vinegar comes to the rescue. You can even use it as a rinse aid in your dishwasher. The only thing you can’t use vinegar on is unsealed marble as it can have an adverse reaction.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is one of those ingredients you keep in your pantry in case a baking recipe calls for it, or you feel like making a volcano with the kids.
It costs very little to buy, rarely gets used, but is always there when you need it. Did you know it can also serve a purpose in the realm of cleaning? Sprinkle it on your benches and use a damp cloth to rub it in. You can then wipe it off and enjoy a beautiful, clean surface.
Believe it or not, baking soda can also absorb odour in foul-smelling footwear, and unclog drains if you pair it with vinegar. You could say goodbye to harmful drain cleaning supplies for good.
Oil
Oil is one of those sustainable products that just keeps on giving. If it’s not stopping your food from sticking to pans, it’s forming the foundation of a dressing, or helping with your cleaning and lubricating requirements.
If you want to both seal your wooden chopping board and bring out its colour, then oil on a cloth can certainly do the trick. Vegetable oil can also help with removing stickiness from surfaces. Need to seal cast iron? You guessed it; oil is good for this purpose as well.
Lemons
Nothing beats a refreshing beverage with a slice of lemon, which is why they grace the fruit bowls of many average Australians. They also serve a great purpose as a cleaning product, as well. If you have soap scum or alkaline stains, you can use a lemon to take care of them. Just don’t use them with brass or copper, as they will cause corrosion in the long run.
Before you reach for that everyday bottle of multi-purpose spray, take a second to browse through your pantry. You might be surprised to learn that something you actually consume as food is as useful a cleaning product as many that are sold commercially. Living a more sustainable life is easier than you might think.