Old-fashioned cleaning tips of the kind our grandmothers used are actually pretty effective. We don't need a vast array of chemical products when simple ingredients do the job just as well (or better). Store cupboard basics such as lemon juice and vinegar will tackle most cleaning jobs. What's more, they won't hurt your pets or cause harm to the environment. So try these effective old-fashioned cleaning tips for a sparkling home …
1 Wicked Windows
This would definitely be one of Granny's favorite cleaning tips! She'd be bemused at the thought of buying special products to clean windows when all you need are some sheets of newspaper and a bottle of vinegar. Dilute one part of vinegar in several parts of water (it's easiest if you use a spray bottle). Spray the window and use a scrunched-up sheet of newspaper to clean. The ink in the paper cleans the windows beautifully.
Frequently asked questions
2 Cracking Cola
You'll probably never want to drink cola again when you find out what it can be used for! It actually makes a pretty good toilet cleaner; just pour some in, leave for a while, and then flush. A cheap supermarket brand will do. Cola also has a range of other cleaning uses. It's great for removing rust - soak the rusty item overnight. And if you have any burnt saucepans, cola can deal with that as well!
3 Luscious Lemon
I really don't like the smell of most store-bought cleaners, which is one reason why I prefer old-fashioned cleaning methods. The smell of fresh lemon is so much nicer. But lemon doesn't just smell lovely, it's also excellent for cleaning. You can use it to descale your kettle and clean your microwave. Lemon also makes a good fridge deodorant and, when mixed with olive oil, a wonderful wood polish.
4 Vicious Vinegar
Our grannies were very familiar with the many uses of vinegar. As well as cleaning windows, vinegar can be used for many other household jobs. It gets rid of limescale on shower heads and taps, and is also good for cleaning out pipes. Then you can use it for cleaning baths, floors and surfaces - it's really versatile.
5 Breathtaking Baking Soda
If you need to scrub anything, baking soda comes in very handy. Try putting it down pipes before vinegar, or using it to get rid of stains in your favorite coffee mug. What else can baking soda do? There's no need to buy expensive carpet cleaner when a sprinkle of baking soda will do the trick - and it's so much cheaper.
6 Awesome Oils
We love essential oils for their smell, but they can also be used for cleaning. Tea tree and lavender oil are both excellent for cleaning, as they have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. You can also use lemon and orange oils to make a fabulously scented floor cleaner. Mix with water and liquid soap.
7 Wonderful Water
Water is an essential part of many home-made cleaning recipes, but it can also be extremely useful on its own if you need to get blood out of clothes. Simply soak the garment in cold water (the earlier the better), and the blood should quickly disappear. It must be cold water though.
With all these amazing old-fashioned cleaning tips, you can have a sparkling clean house without spending a lot of money or using nasty chemicals. Most of these natural ingredients smell nice as well, or don't smell of anything unpleasant. Don't worry about the smell of vinegar, as the odour soon disappears. Have you been given any great old-fashioned cleaning tips?
