Cleaning a house is an essential thing to do. From kitchens to bathrooms to bedrooms and closets, there is always some form of cleaning that needs to be done in a home. There are many different ways and styles of doing this cleaning – and one of these is to choose an eco-friendly approach. What’s not to like about cleaning your house without damaging the environment? There are several advantages to this approach, namely that using non-toxic products removes any threat of harm to either children, pets or yourself. In addition the cost of your cleaning products will be greatly reduced. As the basis of your cleaning kit you will simply need: baking soda, vinegar, lemons and an old towel that can be shredded to use as cloths. a)    First of all, make use of that most precious of natural resources – fresh air. Open all the windows as wide as possible and use fans. Place them facing outwards at the window and improve your air quality instantly. b)     As an alternative to chemical sprays, you can clean your glass with newspaper. Create a spray of 50/50 white vinegar and water, rub the glass first with a dry cloth and then go over the surface with newspaper to polish. Smear-free windows in no time! c)    Lemons are your friend. They are extremely effective at removing strong odours, such as fish, garlic, etc. Simply slice a lemon in half or use some freshly-squeezed lemon juice and place where the odour is. For indoor air, allow some lemon peel to simmer gently on the hob, adding water as needed. d)    Now for a surprising one -that dried up old coffee has a use! To eliminate bad smells from a fridge, simply put a bowl of coffee in there for a day or so and the smell will be gone. You can also place the coffee in a plastic bag, insert virtually anything and it will be deodorised in no time. This is a very useful tip for those who simply cannot bear bad smells. e)    Sponges harbour bacteria. To protect your household from germs, soak the sponges in a warm, soapy solution then rinse and soak in heavily salted, cold water for 2-3 hours. This process will eliminate germs and leave them looking brand new. f)    Ovens can be treated by placing a thick layer of baking soda on the bottom of the oven, spraying with water until it’s very damp and leave for a few hours. Then remove the waste and use vinegar to clean off any residue. g)    Any wood that you own can be polished with olive oil. Take one tsp of oil and add it to a quarter of a cup of lemon juice. Use this to gently polish to remove dust and give your furniture a brilliant shine.
  h)    Surprisingly, surfaces can be disinfected using tea tree oil. This substance instantly kills bacteria, germs and mould, therefore it is an ideal cleaner for germ hotspots, e.g. toilets, door handles, etc. i)    For dusters, use old socks. Sports socks are a particularly good choice as the inside is usually textured so it will pick up dust more easily. j)    For that dreaded job of un-clogging drains you can use baking soda and vinegar. Avoid toxic fumes by putting ¾ of a cup of baking soda followed by ½ cup of white vinegar. Seal the drain, leave for an hour and then rinse with boiling water for instant blockage removal. Repeat if necessary.