You’re tired, but you know it’s time to clean the house, so you head to the cabinet and discover you’re all out of cleaning supplies. Being a clever MacGyver-esque person (queue theme music), you head to the fridge to concoct your own cleaning products from common household foods. You don’t even have to worry about bombs on a timer or evil supervillains. These foods are great, all natural and good for the environment.

Lemons

Lemons have a high acidity and are not only good with cleaning, but also a naturally antiseptic. Most fruits have citric acid, which is why there are so many orange and lemon flavored cleaning agents. This is something people have known for centuries. Cut a lemon in half and use it to scrub out stains. Juice a few lemons and mix with water for cleaning countertops. Does your garbage disposal have an odor? Cut up a few lemons and use them in the garbage disposal. It cleans the blades and provides a wonderful citrus smell.

Vinegar

Vinegar is a lot like lemons when it comes to cleaning, but in a more natural liquid form. Its actual chemical name is acetic acid and along with making a great sauce for fish, is an amazing cleaning agent. Keep a 50-50 water/ vinegar mix on hand for spills in the fridge. You don’t want to use harsh chemicals where you store food. Got a dirty microwave? Pour ½ cup water and ½ cup of vinegar into a bowl and microwave until boiling. The vapor loosens stains and you can wipe them away without a problem.

Salt

We’ve always thought of salt as nature’s scouring pad. In its solid form, the crystals can be used to scrape dirt and other stains. When you mix it with water, you get a saline solution that is amazing at getting out food stains and even blood. As a side note, if you have a sore throat or sore in your mouth, use salt water to clear it up in a jiffy. (Yes, it tastes horrible, but gargling salt water is much better than living with pain. That’s what mom always said.) Do not use salt for cleaning pans with coatings as the abrasiveness can damage the coating.

Tea

Cleaning can be stressful, so many people reach for the chamomile tea to help them relax, but tea can also make your wood furniture and floors shine. Take six tea bags and place them in a microwave safe bowl and fill it with water. Place it into the microwave for about 8 minutes and let it cool. Dip a cloth in the cool tea and use it to make your wood surfaces shine like new, according to Huffington Post.

Illinois Valley Clean Team Inc. is the area’s leading home cleaning service. If you’re looking for someone to help with your house cleaning, then contact us for a free quote.