Here are some tried and tested ways to reduce usage of toxic chemicals at home. They really do work and I personally practice all these! Happy to share with you all!
Clogged sink and drains.
– Get some water boiling in your kettle. Once almost boiling, pour baking soda at the sink hole, and then some vinegar, enough to see it sizzle and fizzle. Immediately pour the boiling water (I would pour out the entire kettle). Believe me, this works every time. You will see the magic happen before your eyes. Sink clogged no more! And since it is toxic-free, you can repeat this however many times you want.
Descale all descaled appliances.
– For the outer part of appliances (kettle or steam iron), pour some vinegar on a cloth and wipe. For stubborn limescale (sink taps, shower heads, even bathroom tiles), soak cloth and leave on affected area (or if you can, soak the item in a container with the vinegar).
– For the inner part of kettle, pour 1 cup water 1 cup vinegar in the kettle and boil it. Leave to cool, pour out kettle, wipe spout, fill kettle full with water, and discard! Shiny and clean like new!
Toilet bowl cleaner.
– It is so tempting to use the strongest cleaning chemical available to ensure that our toilet bowl is clean. An alternative you can try is to mix up a few tablespoons of baking soda with a cup of vinegar and quickly pour it into the toilet bowl. Leave it for 15mins, scrub clean with a toilet brush and flush! You can use this mix for bathroom tiles too!
Fresh and bright like brand new white appliances!
– This was like magic before my eyes. Even friends can’t believe I cleaned up my 5yo white appliances (kettle, microwave, mixer etc) with just using baking soda and water. Make a thick paste with water and baking soda, and leave for a while all over, and especially on yellowing or stained parts. Scrub clean with dish sponge and wipe!
Clean your fruits and veggies.
2 methods available:
– i- Soak your fruits and veggies in a large bowl of water with a tablespoon of baking soda for about 15mins (I personally give it a longer time for floret veggies like broccoli and cauliflowers). Studies are saying that baking soda can really help to remove almost 96% of pesticide from our veggies and fruits. You can also soak it in salt water, but baking soda is the most effective method.
– ii- Mix 1 part vinegar with 4 parts water. You can soak veggies and fruits in it, or pour mixture in spray bottle and spray mixture on fruits and veggies.
You really don’t need to buy a specific veggies/fruits wash when you have a cheaper option and just as effective.
Neutralize odours.
Ditch scented sachets and try these:
– Smelly shoes, or trash cans? Sprinkle some baking soda in your shoes, and just tap it out before you use them again. Sprinkle some baking soda at the bottom of your trash can. Try it for your vacuum too! Put some in the inner compartment. It will help to absorb the moisture and the bad odour.
– Smelly dingy kitchen cabinets, wardrobes or even fridge? Place some baking soda in a small cup and put in corner (somewhere stable too to avoid spill). Add some essential oil if you want scents for your wardrobe. And if you have leftover ground coffee, use this for your fridge!
The list can go on and on. There is just so many ways we can try to do at home #toxicfree. Plenty of solutions and ideas available online too. Honestly, baking soda, salt and vinegar is all you need and what’s more, they’re cheap and easily available too!
