Making your own cleaning products is not only extremely easy but also a lot cheaper than shop bought environmentally-friendly products.

The four main things I use to clean my house are:

1. Tea-Tree Oil – I use this neat, directly onto mould spores or make a bathroom spray to use in problem areas to prevent it.

Directions:  For each 100 ml of filtered water I add a total of 15 drops of a mixture of tea-tree, lavender and cedar wood essential oils, (all with antibacterial and anti-fungal properties).  Add this to a spray bottle and shake well before each use (as the oils settle on the top of the water otherwsie).

2. Vinegar Antibacterial Spray – I use this for cleaning my kitchen, windows, floors and pretty much everything else expect wood and near any rubber seals around baths and sinks.

Directions:  Use an old kitchen cleaner spray bottle (well washed, of course).  Fill 1/3 of it with white vinegar and 2/3 with filtered water.  Then add up to 25 drops of a mixture of any of the following: tea-tree, lavender, cedar wood, pine, lemon or orange essential oils.  Lastly pour the juice of half a lemon into the bottle.  Shake well before each use.

This recipe smells strong when you’re using it but the smell soon disappears once dried.

You can also use the skin/left overs of any citrus fruit by adding them to the mixture for a week or two first and then removing, using as normal .

3. Natural Bleach –  You can use this in your washing machine (add two cups the the load) or as a soak for turning your greys white again =)  You can also use this in a spray bottle for bleaching your kitchen and bathroom.

Directions:  Use an old kitchen cleaner spray bottle (well washed, of course).  Fill the bottle 3/4 of the way full with filtered water.  Then fill the bottle almost to the top with hydrogen peroxide and lastly add the juice of a whole lemon.  Shake well before each use.

4. Bicarb – For stubborn stains and oily items I give them a scrub with bicarb and this usually does the trick!  This can also be added to washing machines and dishwashers for a helping hand.

I also use bicarb as a carpet deodoriaer, it works wonders with eliminating those doggie smells!  I simply fill up an old shake n vac bottle (or a talc bottle would work just as well) with bicarb (leaving about 2 inches space at the top).  Then add 25/30 drops of a mixture of essential oils and give it a really good shake.  Sprinkle carpets and rugs and leave for a few hours or overnight and then vacuum it up.

Happy healthy, cheap, non toxic cleaning everyone! =)