There’s nothing better than the sun making an appearance during the British summertime, but more often than not, there’s a downside. While the sun might be beating down and giving us all some well-needed vitamin D, those rays often cast an unwanted spotlight on dust and dirt in our homes.
This might be Nature’s way of telling us it’s time for a spring clean, but cleaning products can be harsh on the planet – and us.
In fact, new research* from Faith In Nature reveals that nearly two-fifths (37%) of Brits worry about the harshness of the cleaning products they use in their home, with women worrying about this significantly more than men (43% vs 31%).
Similarly, the same survey found that nearly 1 in 3 (29%) Brits find choosing cleaning products overwhelming. It’s no surprise, with the rise of overconsumption cleaning trends on TikTok’s #CleanTok.
With over two-fifths (45%) of Brits telling Faith In Nature they wish they had a simpler cleaning routine, the team shares the 3 best eco-friendly cleaning swaps Brits can make to their cleaning routine to cut the most chemicals out of their homes.
And the best bit? They probably already have these swaps collecting dust in the back of their kitchen cupboard.
- Swap degreasers for citrus fruits
There’s nothing like the fresh aroma of citrus fruit. But zesty scent aside, the citric acid in these fruits can be a highly effective cleaning aid.
If you have any spare lemons sitting around from summer refreshments or that one recipe that required just half a lemon and you’re unsure what to do with them, consider using them to break down grease build-up in your kitchen.
Most off-the-shelf oven cleaners are full of chemicals – not exactly something you’d want to ingest. So, the next time you need to clean your oven, just pop some chopped lemons in an oven dish filled with water and turn it on to around 200-250C.
As soon as you see the water boil, turn the oven off and allow it to cool down while keeping the door closed – this will allow the citrusy steam to circulate.
Then, simply wipe the surfaces of the oven clean with a damp cloth!
Other kitchen items to clean with lemons – or other citruses, including grapefruits – include:
- Pots and pans: Simply sprinkle some salt on any stains, squeeze your citrus on top, and wait around 15 minutes. Wipe the citrus juice and salt away, and the grease should come with it!
- Washing machines: While washing at 30C is kind on the planet, it can cause mould and grease to build up – leaving a musty, damp smell. To get rid of this, simply slice up some lemons, pop some toothpaste on the cut side, and pop it in for a quick, hot cycle.
- Sink: Sometimes our stainless steel sinks can look a little worse for wear. To make them shiny again, ditch the abrasive stainless steel cleaners and simply pop some bicarbonate soda onto half a lemon and scrub the mixture all over. Then, simply rinse away the paste with water.
- Swap air fresheners and deodorising sprays for bicarbonate of soda
One of the most well-loved (and cheap) natural cleaning solutions is baking soda. Also known as bicarbonate of soda, this powerful powder is naturally abrasive and renowned for leaving baths, sinks, and – as mentioned above – stainless steel sparkling.
But it’s also loved for its ability to help eliminate unpleasant odours.
Instead of filling your bathroom with air fresheners filled with chemicals masked as ‘blossom’, you can pop some baking soda in an empty dish or a mason jar, and it should ‘absorb’ any unwanted smells.
If you still want to smell that spa scent when you walk into your bathroom, you can add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to the baking soda dish. Many essential oils, such as lavender or peppermint, also contain antibacterial and antimicrobial elements, which help to maintain bathroom hygiene too.
Some other things you can deodorise with baking soda include:
- Kitchen bins and fridges: Simply leave a small pot of baking soda inside your fridge or shake the powder into the bottom of a kitchen bin to help keep strong smells at bay.
- Pet beds: You can even use baking soda to freshen up a dog or cat bed: just sprinkle it on the surface, wait 15 minutes, and vacuum away. However, baking soda can be harmful to pets in large quantities, so it’s important to ensure this is all cleaned up afterwards.
- Swap surface cleaners for white vinegar
White vinegar is an essential in any eco-cleaning kit. Like citrus fruits, its acidity makes it highly effective at removing grease and grime from a whole host of surfaces, including windows, mirrors, tiles, grouting, and fridges.
Just mix it with water (equal parts water and vinegar), add to a spray bottle, and use with a rag or (compostable, plastic-free) sponge to wipe down. As well as being useful inside the home, white vinegar can do wonders in gardens too.
The British summer showers can sometimes leave our garden furniture and patio paving looking a little worse for wear. But these can be cleaned with equal parts water and white vinegar and a stiff brush – just don’t leave the solution on a surface for longer than 30 minutes as it is corrosive, and may strip the colouring.
