Natural Cleaning Products

One easy eco-switch around the home is to opt for natural cleaning products like white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. These raw materials make perfect cleaning products and will save you some pennies as well as being better for your health than harsh chemicals and better for the planet. 

White Vinegar and Bicarbonate of Soda are both available to refill at Sero Zero Waste, Newport using your own containers so there is no plastic waste. 

Vinegar is a great natural cleaner as it disinfects, cuts through grease and odours - if you don't like the vinegar smell you can also buy unscented! When used undiluted it is highly effective at killing bacteria and viruses.

It is non-toxic, biodegradable, extremely versatile & economical - you can refill with us for 30p per 100g so to fill a 500ml bottle for example it would cost you around £1.50.

Here are some of the ways white vinegar and bicarb can be used around the home to replace traditional products: 

Window Cleaner

• Take a 1 litre spray bottle
• Add 300ml of distilled white vinegar
• Add 300ml of water
• (optional) Add a couple of drops of essential oil to mask the vinegar smell 
• Shake to mix well
• Spray directly onto your windows or mirrors and wipe with a squeegee or damp cloth. 

Weed Killer

• Spray distilled white vinegar directly on top of weeds
• Re-spray on any new growth

Toilet Cleaner

• Take an empty spray bottle
• Mix 250ml of white vinegar
• Add a few drops of essential oils (if you have it) e.g. tea tree or eucalyptus
• (If you have pets DON'T add essential oils)
• Leave for 5 mins
• Add a small handful of bicarbonate of soda 
• Scrub with a toilet brush

Drain Cleaner

• Pour a little bicarb down the plughole
• Leave for 20 mins
• Run hot water to clear

Oven Cleaner

• Make sure oven is cool
• Sprinkle thin layer of bicarbonate of soda over the bottom of the oven
• Lightly spray with some water
• Leave for 1 hour
• Use a scouring pad to lift off any burnt on stains
• (This also works on pans and dishes)

In the bin 

• Sprinkle a little bit of bicarbonate of soda on the base and around the inside of the bin
• Leave for 20 mins 
• Wipe remnants with a cloth
• Wipe surface with multi-surface cleaner

Thanks to Jen Chillingsworth's "Live Green" for some of the inspiration for these ideas.