We all know your average cleaning products are absolutely full to the brim with nasty chemicals - to fix every household mess you can think of! These nasty chemical concoctions are not only bad for our health and the health of our families - but they are super bad for the environment too. All the awful fumes being let of into the air, and the toxic potions being poured into our water systems. It's no wonder the earth is struggling.

Aside from the toxicity of store bought cleaning products, the plastic waste created is gigantic. Using natural products and changing your mindset on cleaning can help boost your health, save you money, help the planet and reduce your plastic waste all at the same time!

14 Frugal Eco Friendly Cleaning Hacks

Before we get into the hacks, there are 3 all natural products which are pretty much essential when it comes to natural cleaning - White Vinegar, Lemons & Bicarbonate Of Soda.

Cut Up Material For Cleaning Cloths
I honestly don't remember the last time I bought any kind of cleaning cloth. Any material works well for cloths. I tend to use old t-shirts or clothing that my little ones have stained or ripped! Cut them up into large squares and there you have your cleaning cloths! (If you can sew, you could hem the edges so they don't fray, but it's not a big deal). Once the cloths are dirty, pop them on a hot wash and you're good to go again! - PLUS, once they've completely worn out - you can recycle them as textiles!

Use Lemon & Salt To Remove Hard Water Stains
Super simple one here, if you have any hard water stains on taps or shower doors - use half a lemon dipped in course salt! Dip the lemon in a dish of salt and rub the stains! You may want to keep dipping until the stain has completely gone and rinse of with water.

Clean Glass With Vinegar & Newspaper
Pop some white vinegar in a spray bottle and use it to clean all your windows and mirrors! Then buff the windows with scrunched up newspaper for clean and streak free glass.

Clean Your Bin With Bicarb
If you have a pongy bin, next time you empty it - sprinkle some bicarb in the bottom of the bin and it'll continuously absorb any nasty odours. - I use this trick in my kitchen bin, bathroom bin AND outdoor bins!

Easily Clean Your Microwave With Lemon & Vinegar
Fill a microwave safe bowl with water, add a tablespoon of vinegar and a lemon cut into slices. Microwave the bowlful for 5 minutes. When the timer goes off, leave the door shut for another 5-10 minutes and all the gross stuck on bits of food will easily wipe off!

Make Your Own Anti-Bac Spray
Antibacterial, or cleaning spray is something so many of us by on a regular basis, after all - most of us use on in pretty much every room of the house! And think about that for a second, how much plastic waste must we have created from purchasing cleaning spray again and again? A LOT. So why not make your own instead? It's really easy to do, all natural, and you can even customise to suit you and your home! *You can find out how to make it here*


Lower Drying Time
To lower the drying time of clothes in the tumble drier - there are a couple of eco friendly options, use one or both! If you add a dry towel to the beginning of the drying cycle, along with the freshly washed clothes it'll soak up a lot of the water quickly! Remove the towel after 15 minutes.

Another option, to ensure you don't waste any more money on tumble drier sheets - maybe consider purchasing some lovely felted wool dryer balls! They are reusable (you can even add a few drops of essential oils to them!) and they make your clothes come out soft and dry.

Clean Your Oven With Bicarb & Vinegar
You know those 'all in on' oven cleaning kits you can get? They are literally the worst invention ever. You know how quickly they can fight through the grime in your oven? Yup, they can burn through your skin just as quick, damage your lungs equally as fast. Stay far away from them.

I've got a fab, SAFE and just as impressive way of removing all the nasty grime from your oven! First, wipe over your oven using a cloth to remove any loose particles. Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda all over the burnt on grime and spray some white vinegar all over the bicarb. The two products will react together and help remove the grime. (You could even mix together a paste with bicarb and vinegar before hand and use a cloth to wipe it all over the oven - wear gloves just incase).

Wipe the oven clean with water when done!

Make Toilet Bombs To Clean Your Loo
If you've ever made bath bombs before, toilet bombs are very similar to make! Once you've whipped up a batch all you'll need to do is drop one into your toilet every now and them for a fresh smelling toilet and it'll help unclog any blockages too! *You can find out how to make them here*

Use Bicarb To Freshen Carpet & Mattresses
To freshen up a carpet, sprinkle bicarbonate of soda generously and leave it for a while (overnight if possible!) Vacuum it all up in the morning and your carpet will smell so much better!

Same method for freshen up a mattress! Strip the bed and again generously sprinkle bicarb on it. Leave it for as long as possible and vacuum it up! Bicarbonate of soda is amazing for removing odours, and it helps with stains too!

Clear A Clog With Bicarb & Vinegar
Bicarbonate of soda, and vinegar are literally the best combination when it comes to natural cleaning - they can defeat almost anything! Pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, and then a cup of vinegar. You'll be able to hear the magic happening instantly! Cover the plug hole with a wet cloth and leave it for a good 10 minutes. Flush it all out with boiling water and your clog will have gone!

Remove Grime From Bathtubs with Bicarb & Vinegar
Again, with the bicarb and vinegar? You betcha! Wipe vinegar over the grimey bathtub film and then wipe it over with bicarbonate of soda! Wash it all of with hot water. Easy as pie.

Deodorise Your Fridge With Bicarb
Pop a small pot of bicarbonate of soda in your fridge for a few days and it'll quickly and efficiently remove any nasty odours! Ran out of bicarb from using it up with the other hacks? A slice of bread works too! Pop a slice of bread on a small plate in the fridge, and it'll take away any odours just as effectively!

Last but not least - don't go wasting any lemons!
Pop any squeezed lemons or extra lemon slices in the cutlery basket of your dishwasher with your dirty dishes. It'll clean your dishwasher and leave everything smelling fresh and clean!