Who told you that it was difficult to go to the zero-waste household? Sambal&Cheese presents a list of 7 natural ingredients with which it is possible to clean everything: floors, dishes, laundry, surfaces, …
Thanks to this little magic list, save on elbow grease!
White Vinegar
Vinegar has descaling and disinfecting properties. You can, for example, use it as a softener or to shine windows.
Its virtues
- Disinfectant and cleaner: to clean and disinfect household appliances, toilets, kitchen and bathroom surfaces, etc;
- Deodorizer: you can spray white vinegar directly into the toilet, fridge, garbage can, or even on clothes in case of stubborn odors;
- Descaling: it helps you clean your kettle, coffee pot, carafe, but also the joints, taps, sinks in the bathroom or kitchen. You can put a small glass of it in the washing machine or dishwasher for an anti-limescale effect;
- Fabric softener: put a little white vinegar in the fabric softener tank of your washing machine to soften the water and make your clothes less dry;
- Stain remover: in the case of coffee or wine stains, white vinegar works miracles. Apply locally directly to the stain;
- Anti-mildew.
The advantages of white vinegar
White vinegar is very economical. You can buy it in bulk, in large containers, or in glass bottles.
Its many virtues make it a great ally for cleaning your home.
Moreover, white vinegar keeps very well. It is a simple mixture of water and acetic acid that can be obtained from beet sugar.
Multi-purpose spray recipes
For this 100% zero waste recipe, macerate your citrus peels and zests (lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, …) in white vinegar, in a jar, for at least two weeks. Filter and then add the same volume of water.
So in summary :
- 50% white vinegar
- 50% water
- citrus peels
Tips: you can add your citrus peels as you go. The quantities are not set in stone, you can put ⅓ vinegar, ⅔ water. You can add the water at the end or from the beginning of the maceration.
Baking Soda
Use baking soda to deodorize, unclog drains, and clean.
You can, for example, put it in your homemade laundry detergent, in your pipes, or your multi-purpose cleaner.
The virtues of baking soda
- Deodorant: You can place a jar of baking soda in your fridge to absorb odors. Similarly, if your carpets or furniture, such as sofas or armchairs, smell musty, sprinkle baking soda on them, and then vacuum them up.
- Stain remover: You can put baking soda directly on your tea or coffee stains. It is often used in homemade laundry recipes.
- Cleaner: In paste form, use it to clean your appliances and surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom.
- Descaler: You can apply it as a paste with a sponge to descale stainless steel faucets, but also pour it down the drain in the shower or toilet to unclog them.
- Anti-mould
Its advantages
Very economical, you can find household or baking soda in supermarkets, drugstores, or even online. In some stores, you will find it in bulk.
Baking soda does not expire. Just be sure to avoid exposing it to moisture by storing it in an airtight box.
It has many functions, which makes it a precious ally of the 0 waste household.
You can simply make a paste by mixing it with a little water. On stubborn stains, you can let the paste act to avoid scrubbing too much.
Bicarbonate is made from natural raw materials (natron, trona) or can be recovered by treating brackish water from mineral-producing areas.
Tips: if vinegar and bicarbonate are very effective separately, it is advisable not to mix them beforehand to avoid canceling their effects. And yes, vinegar has an acidic pH and baking soda is basic. It is interesting to mix them at the last minute, for example, in the toilet or your sinks for a BIG BANG effect 🙂
Soda crystals
It helps to descale and clean grease. We love it especially making tablets for the dishwasher.
Its virtues
- Disinfectant: Soda crystals have bactericidal and anti-mold properties. You can mix a teaspoon of soda crystals with 1 L of water to disinfect everything.
- Cleaner: You can, for example, combine soda crystals with black soap to make a multi-purpose product for all surfaces.
- Degreaser: Make a thick paste by diluting soda crystals with very little water and apply it to your greasy or burnt pots and pans to clean them easily.
- Anti-limescale: To descale your elements or sanitary, mix your soda crystals with hot water and let it act for a minimum 30 minutes before rinsing. To unclog drains, mix them with white vinegar, then rinse after 30 minutes with hot water.
The advantages of soda crystals
They are multi-purpose and available in bulk. The price is very reasonable. They do not go out of date, provided, of course, that they are kept away from humidity. They can be made from baking soda or directly from natural raw materials like natron, salt, and chalk.
Tips: Soda crystals are corrosive and should be handled with care, especially when wearing gloves!
Citric Acid
Citric acid descales and cleans.
The virtues of Citric Acid
- Stain remover: It is effective on rust stains.
- Anti-mildew
- Cleaner: In paste form, you can use it to clean your burnt pan bottoms.
- Descaling agent: You can use citric acid to descale kettles and electric coffee makers, but also your taps, shower walls, or washing machines (laundry and dishes).
Its advantages
Citric acid is not very expensive. It is a valuable multi-tasker and above all a powerful anti-limescale agent, even more than white vinegar and baking soda. You can find it in some supermarkets, drugstores, or online.
Citric acid does not expire. However, it should be stored in a dry place.
This vegetable acid is completely natural. It is found in many plants, wood, fruit, and mushrooms. It can also be made from the fermentation of sugar solutions such as beet juice.
Slightly irritating, it is preferable to handle it with gloves.
Tips: To clean your burnt pots and pans, dilute 2 tablespoons of citric acid in a cup of water. Heat the mixture directly in the burnt pan, then rinse thoroughly.
Sodium Percarbonate
Sodium percarbonate is well known for staining and bleaching clothes.
Its virtues
- Whitening – cleaning: Restore the shine of your yellowed or gray clothes!
- Stain remover: It is effective against stubborn coffee, tea, wine, grass, sweat, and bloodstains. You can also use sodium percarbonate to clean your carpets and rugs in direct application.
- Deodorant: It can be applied to all textiles, such as sheets, tablecloths, curtains, or textile furniture (sofas, armchairs, carpets, …)
- Powerful degreaser – cleaner – anti-mold.
- Descaling agent: To descale the toilets, it is enough to associate it with hot water and to let it between 30 minutes and 1 hour. It also helps to unclog pipes.
Advantages of Sodium Percarbonate
This powerful multi-purpose product is very famous for staining clothes. It is used as a paste by diluting the percarbonate in a little water on stubborn stains. For cleaning clothes and surfaces, it is diluted further.
Sodium percarbonate does not expire, but it is preferable to keep it away from humidity.
It is made of sodium carbonate (or soda crystals) and hydrogen peroxide and is manufactured from natural raw materials such as salt, water, and limestone.
Handle it with gloves because it can be irritating.
It is not effective when mixed with water.
Recipe for Bleaching and Stain Removal
You can use sodium percarbonate to wash your white clothes, household linen, but also textile wipes, underwear, diapers, washable make-up remover pads, etc.
Mix one to two tablespoons of sodium percarbonate or more if the laundry is very dirty with 1 L of hot water at over 40°C. You can rub the stains with the mixture, but also soak the laundry for a whole night or day (for at least 4 hours). Then wash in the machine. It is possible to add hot water as you go along for even better results.
Mix only when you need to use it, as the percarbonate gradually loses its effectiveness once it is mixed with water.
Black soap
Black soap is used to clean, degrease and shine…
It can be used to clean all types of floors and bathroom and kitchen tiles.
The virtues of the Black Soap
- Degreaser: It acts effectively to degrease your household appliances and kitchen elements by association with baking soda.
- Stain remover: To remove stains from your laundry, apply black soap to the stain directly before machine washing.
- Cleaner: It can be used to clean all types of floors, such as parquet, linos, tiles, but also to clean and shine leather and silverware.
Its advantages
Black soap exists in paste form, mainly used in cosmetics, or liquid form. It is a multi-purpose agent.
Black soap keeps for a long time and is made from potash (linseed oil) and water through saponification.
It can be used diluted or pure without any precaution.
Recipe for a cleaner for all types of floors
Mix two tablespoons of black soap with half a cup of white vinegar in a bucket of hot water. You’re ready to go!
Marseille Soap
Marseille soap degreases and cleans.
You can use it to do your homemade detergent, but also put a block of it near your sink to wash your dishes using a simple brush.
Its virtues
- Deodorant: Place a bar of soap in the room to deodorize. Magic!
- Stain remover: Rub the stains on your clothes or other textiles such as carpets and linens with Marseille soap to make them disappear.
- Cleaner: Dilute Marseille soap to make homemade laundry detergent or even a floor cleaner. You can then grate it or use it in the form of flakes. For the dishes, you can use the soap in a block with a brush.
The advantages of Marseille soap
You can buy this multi-task soap (household, body care) in blocks or flakes, in bulk, and almost anywhere in France. For other countries, you can easily find it online!
It keeps very well, but it is advisable to let it dry well after use. There are two versions, the green one made of olive oil and the white one made of palm oil and glycerin. For a real Marseille soap, it must contain at least 72% vegetable oil (preferably olive oil). Indeed, the appellation is not protected, some brands take advantage of it!
Not so complicated, is it? And you, what magic ingredient do you use for your household? Do not hesitate to share your 100% zero waste cleaning recipes!