Introduction: Eco Friendly Cleaning Hacks

About: Hello welcome to my profile , I'm an electrical engineer, painter. My hobbies include gardening, baking, crafting and trying different things.. instructables is a good place to show case it

Hello Everybody,

From school we all would have learned the proverb " Cleanliness is next to Godliness". Yeah, its true, all try to keep their home and whatever in it neat and tidy. Its a inner feeling we get after cleaning up that really makes you feel 'Job well done'.

In this instructable we are gonna see few hacks with Eco-Friendly items which means they are only not chemical free they are readily available items in your kitchen which you use daily. Put on your gloves and let's get started !!

Step 1: Ingredients and Tools

These ingredients doesn't put a hole in your pocket, they are very easy and common to get in any country

1) Vinegar (our hero of the cleaning hack)

2) Baking soda

3) Fresh Lemon

4) Distilled water

5) Rock salt

6) Tamarind - lemon sized

7) Essential oils (optional)

Tools

1) Scrubber

2) Cotton towel

3) Stainless steel scrubber

4) Old Tooth brush

Step 2: Create the Magic Portion

I know ... I know this is the oldest trick in the book.. but its the best one. In our childhood we are aware of the volcano project.. Vinegar + Sodium bicarbonate(Baking soda) = Bubbling with erosion i.,e Chemically Sodium bicarbonate reacts with acidic solution (vinegar) to release carbon-di-oxide

I'll tell in ratio part so that you can prepare in the required amount according to your need

Baking soda : Vinegar = 1 : 3

Pointers about baking soda

  • Readily available in everybody's kitchen
  • Harmless
  • Eco friendly

About Vinegar

  • Culinary staple in your kitchen
  • Impressive health benefits (not relevant here, even though mentioning it)
  • Very safe and comes handy in household chores

Step 3: Finger Print Marks Cleaner

Daily we keep hand in our switch while switching on and off whenever required. Eventhough our hands are clean they leave residue of dirt as marking in and below the switchboards. Day by day without noticing we end up with dark marks.

Don't sweat, magic portion is enough to fight over this evil marks that makes the wall ugly.

Spray the portion, let it sit for 30 seconds to 1 minute, scrub it off using scrubber and wipe the rest using a damp cloth. Your walls will be clean.

Watchout for the switchboard with socket in it, spray carefully. don't get electrocuted ;P

Pro tip: Use White cloth to clear away the vinegar. if you are coloured clothes, you may endup with traces of that colour on your wall :P

Step 4: Cleaning Copper Vessel

Basic nature of copper is that it gets oxidised and forms little green on the surface of metal. In our culture we believe that water drank from copper vessel has benefits, i don't know the agenda behind it. so i thought of asking my elders they are aware that its very good for health and also its been followed from generation to generation. Thats all.

After googling it looks like water stored in copper vessel are packed with very strong anti-oxidant and cell forming properties. Isn't it amazing !!!

So its very important clean it before using but cleaning process is lengthly compared to stainless steel or ceramic ones.

Old fashioned way of cleaning Copper vessel is using Tamarind... Ya its true...

Step 5: De-oxidation

Once after giving massage over the vessel using tamaring bring in the lemon and rock salt combo to scrub off.

Go round and round, up and down. Wash it water.

Final outcome will be a sight for sore eyes

Step 6: Cleaning Ceramic Wash Basin

Spray the magic portion, let it sit for 5 - 10mins and start scrubbing.. Don't just use scrubber, add crystal of rock salt and pinch of baking soda

Don't worry rocksalt will not create stratch as it will melt down fast when it touches vinegar.

Gently scrub off it all over. if required spray magic portion as required to liquefy

Step 7: Post Scrub

After scrubbing fully it will look something like this, it will not take that much muscle power even though is homemade one. Gently scrub and wipe it with wet cloth or you can pour water on it. Totally your choice.

If you had noticed even the faucet have changed and its shining like new penny, that was a surprise to me.

Also the drainer is not quite cleaned yet, i wondering what to do.. so i bought in another reinforcement

Step 8: Lemon Rock's

Slice the lemon, don't forget to remove the seeds add few crystals of rock salt and press down a little bit.

Then work your thing by directly scrubbing it to the drainer and hard stain areas. You may notice the residue turning little greenish. Its because of the acidic reaction of lemon with metal.

Rinse it. You'll clearly see a change and you are done

Step 9: Stages of Cleaning

These three images will tell the difference between each of them. Extreme hard stain couldn't be removed as they are caused due to water salinity for a long period

Step 10: Let's Upgrade Faucet's Look

Actually while cleaning the washbasin surprisingly the faucet came out clean. Then i thought why not this faucet arrangement. These metals came with instructions that they can't be treated with chemical or abrasive powder or liquid.

Accidental idea came in handy.

Here i added equal part of distilled water as same as vinegar along with it. Why to wait, spray on the portion (Baking soda+Vinegar+distilled water = 1:3:3) let it soak.

Start scrubbing with lemon peels, it helps so much.

Step 11: Secret Scrubber

Even though previous cleansed the dirt and rust, there were dark spots in the faucet. i tried harder with lemon peel. nope... still the same

Then i started scrubbing it with stainless steel scrubber. they are very soft and fluffy even though they look tough and they are very flexible. No worry about the scratch, it is designed in such a way to remove hard stain on metal but doesn't leave a mark.

Once i started scrubbing it, dark spots gone just like that. It didn't require too much work.

Step 12: Before and After

You can see the result. Another thing i observed while cleaning this is, wall tiles also can be wiped off with this.

Its like magic. It gets restored to its original form without any chemical touching.

By this way of cleaning you can get rid of mild acid or toxic chemical or its harmful smell etc. Bathroom tiles changes colour when you pour diluted acid.

Step 13: Carpet Stain Removing Method

Apply the magic portion , don't wait add baking soda above it.

Let it sit for 5 - 10 mins then wipe of using damp cloth

Stain will be absorbed by it. Stain is gone yayyyy!!

Step 14: Before & After

There is colour separation seen, that's coz i took photo when its still wet.

Do the vacuum, it will be your fabulous stain free carpet again

Step 15: Yoga Mat Cleaner

Here we are gonna add Essential oil to our magic portion i added Lemon & peppermint each two drops, Coz it gives refreshing effect when you do yoga. I don't know about you people, but i start my day with yoga straight after bath.

Daily usage leaves foot marks and dust mists on your mat, sometimes i take it and use it in my terrace too, to remove that spray the mixture and let it sit for minute or two

After that i wiped with damp towel, it didnt give result i expected, so i took the ultimate weapon

Step 16: Ultimate Weapon

I scrubbed with half cut lemon, it started working. Now its not only cleaning its smells refreshing

Step 17: Before & After

Its an extra boost to exercise on nice neat mat ;)

Step 18: Thank You

Let me know your thoughts and suggestions in comment box.

Looking forward to it.

Adios !!!

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