Natural wonders for cleaning your home

THERE’S some fairly toxic stuff in a lot of shop bought cleaning products and if you want to use avoiding them as much as possible around your home here are some possible substitutes.

Salt can be used instead of scrubbing powder or even to unblock drains instead of caustic soda. For the latter pour salt down the drain and run through with warm water. For cleaning pots and pans sprinkle salt and clean off with a damp sponge.

Vinegar also has many uses as a cleaning product and can remove stains on grouting, just use a small brush or cloth. It also acts as a natural deodoriser, simply place some in the microwave and bring to the boil. When left out the vinegar will absorb smells.

Baking powder is also a good cleaning agent due to its abrasive nature. Try it on stains in coffee cups that even conventional cleaning won’t remove – mix with some water and soak for a few hours before scrubbing clean.

Olive oil can be used for polishing shoes or metal if rubbed with a clean cloth. It also removes stubborn stickers such as price tags on glass or plastic.