With spring comes renewal and new opportunities to take on the year. Each spring gives us the chance to make changes in our lives to ensure that the rest of the year is better than ever. Why not start on the path to a better year by getting your home or business clean, disinfected, and de-cluttered? We’re going to look at some interesting takes on home-made natural (or naturally derived) cleaning products that you can make yourself that are backed by the experts at Consumer Reports. They tested and experimented dozens of homemade and natural cleaning products and we will share their report with you. The jury is in: natural products clean exceedingly well when matched against expensive chemical compounds found in most commercially available cleaning products. 

Vinegar: A Clear Winner

We’re huge advocates for natural and most importantly safe cleaning products here at 208 Cleaning. We want you and your family to have a clean household or office (we specialize in commercial cleaning, book us today to clean your office!) while also having the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you aren’t exposing your loved ones to lab-made harsh chemicals while perfectly effective and safe alternatives exist. That’s why we are huge fans of recommending white vinegar for your home or office. It’s natural and safe to use around small children and can even be safely ingested (to a point, obviously) and is found in many foodstuffs like pickles, salad dressings, and canned goods. Well, you don’t have to take our word for it anymore! Consumer Reports recently did their own research on using white vinegar as a general all purpose cleaning agent and found that “its overall score topped every commercial spray, especially when it came to streak-free results.”

There you have it, folks. Vinegar is a clear winner in several areas when used correctly. Consumer Reports found that it did not fare well on wood surfaces or some stainless steel surfaces as it can leave stains or dry out the wood. They recommended as strong a concentration as you’d like or you can dilute it with one part water to three parts vinegar. 

Consumer Reports Recommended Homemade Glass Cleaner

Have you run out of that blue stuff? Well fear not. You don’t have to make an extra trip to the store on cleaning day. Consumer Reports found that you can make a highly effective window cleaner right now using common household ingredients. Here’s the recipe (makes one gallon):

½ cup ammonia cleaner

½ teaspoon liquid dish detergent

1  pint rubbing alcohol (standard strength)

6.5 pints (aka 12 to 14 cups) of tap water 

How About A Quick And Effective Furniture Cleaner You Can Make At Home?

Believe it or not, common everyday dish soap is an MVP of the cleaning world. Not only does it help you tackle tough dishes, but it can also help you clean your car rims and help you de-grease your oven. But, did you know that it also helps you clean and protect your wood furniture? Try this great recipe the next time you’re buffing and polishing your wood furniture this spring:

Consumer Reports recommends using 2 teaspoons of liquid dish soap in a spray bottle filled with warm tap water when using on sealed wood around the house. 

 

We hope that helps you get a great and natural start to your spring cleaning adventures this year!