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October 12, 2013 8:06 PM

What "natural" cleaning products actually work?

After spending several hours today scrubbing the shit out of my kitchen with Citrasolv, for like, the millionth time, I am finding it still looks like crap.

I am happy with baking soda and borax as abrassive cleaners for the tub and stove, but besides that, I feel like I've tried most "natural" products and they don't seem to really work. What do you use to clean counter tops, mirrors, floors, and stainless surfaces that doesn't contain toxic chemicals and actually make things clean, preferably with somewhat less than the industrial grade level of elbow grease I have been applying?

posted by latkes to Home & Garden (29 answers total)

I clean stainless with Bon-Ami. I clean counter-tops, etc. with liquid soap + eucalyptus oil. Floors are another question, though, it seems to me. They can be impossibly, horribly difficult to clean depending on what they're made of and what has previously been done to them. What's your kitchen floor made of?
posted by redfoxtail at 8:17 PM on October 12, 2013

Vinegar! Fill spray bottles with it!
posted by oceanjesse at 8:31 PM on October 12, 2013 [10 favorites]

White vinegar in spray bottles. I dilute mine with water, usually about half and half. I use it for everything. Mirrors and windows, countertops, hardwood floors, bathroom. The smell dissipates after it dries.
posted by raisingsand at 8:35 PM on October 12, 2013 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I use a concoction of slightly diluted vinegar and liquid soap (typically Dawn). It's the only thing I've ever used that's gotten the gunk ring in my bathtub disappear - with absolutely no elbow grease. Just an easy swipe of a sponge. I use this concoction on just about everything - bathroom, toilet, countertops, cleaning out the microwave, etc.

For floors (ours are laminate), I use just vinegar and water. Or Windex.
posted by Sassyfras at 8:37 PM on October 12, 2013 [3 favorites]

I'm a big fan of our Eureka envirosteamer steam mop. Uses only water and does a great job-got on an amazon lightning deal for less than $40.
posted by purenitrous at 8:50 PM on October 12, 2013

Vinegar. Seriously. You can use vinegar to clean almost anything in your house. It's especially good at removing gunky buildup, like the dark filmy stuff that gathers on light switches, around doorknobs, etc. Equally good for bathtub rings, if you don't have scouring powder.

Lemon juice is also good for getting rid of greasy filmy grunge. For a while I was into making cheese at home with lemon juice, and when I would hang the fresh cheese to dry, the lemon/whey combo left my sink shining like nothing else.

In terms of a "product", I like Bon Ami a lot as a scouring powder.

I've used quite a lot of "eco friendly" dish soaps for hand washing and have no complaints about any of the major brands.

I'm also guessing that the reason you're not satisfied with any of the "natural" cleaners is that you're looking for something with bleach.
posted by Sara C. at 9:07 PM on October 12, 2013 [1 favorite]

Bon Ami is partially baking soda. Baking soda, by itself, is a phenomenal cleaner for stainless steel - sinks, appliances - as well as kitchen enamel and plastic appliance surfaces.
posted by Miko at 9:28 PM on October 12, 2013

Simple Green! Vinegar does work, but it makes my house smell like vinegar. Simple Green smells nice, it's cheap if you dilute it, and it freakin' works on mold/mildew/crud, even diluted. It is not really a "natural" product, but it is biodegradable and relatively safe. Their website lists their ingredients and environmental impact. The FAQ section is honest and thorough.

I have found that Seventh Generation anything doesn't do a damn thing. I may as well be using water.

Method works nicely except their laundry detergent doesn't seem to do much for me. The laundry detergent and dish soap Trader Joe's sells work fine. The Fresh & Easy brand dishwasher tablets were OK but not great, and their laundry detergent was nothing special.

Dr. Bronner's is the best laundry soap I have ever used (a regular load only needs about three tablespoons.) It worked well on the car, too, but it tends to dry out my skin.

Lemon juice is good for getting fish smell out of your hands.

"Boraxo" or "artist's pink soap" is also very effective at getting paint off your hands our out of your brushes. I have used it to remove grease from pans. It is biodegradable and has no phosphates.
posted by blnkfrnk at 9:53 PM on October 12, 2013 [1 favorite]

Simple Green is toxic, it's just less toxic in its diluted form, hence the advertising:))

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, UNDILUTED!

I use Vinegar like crazee, however, for areas that are tough but touch food (like sink grout and tiled counters) OR areas that need more disinfecting than Vinegar provides (toilet & bathroom surfaces) I use Hydrogen Peroxide straight from the bottle.

You can combine Peroxide and Vinegar to combat mold, too.

I don't know if you can mix Baking Soda w/ Peroxide, but it's together in toothpaste, so I imagine so.

And just to back up Sara C.....

While I would not mix Bleach with anything but water, Bleach is only bad if you inhale it or don't use gloves. Professional Kitchens use Bleach diluted with water for sanitizing, as per health departments world wide, so Bleach is safe if you are smart about it.

Hope this helps.
posted by jbenben at 10:10 PM on October 12, 2013 [1 favorite]

I use a spray can of eucalyptus oil on countertops and appliances, and to clean up anything greasy/tacky. As an added bonus, it makes the whole house smell like throat lozenges.
posted by jaynewould at 10:49 PM on October 12, 2013

Have you tried just plain bleach? It's not that bad for the environment, and it will really make those little stains on the countertop go away.
posted by amtho at 11:11 PM on October 12, 2013 [1 favorite]

Vinegar is great for almost everything, and I find the smell dissipates fairly quickly. I do most surfaces with it and mop the floor with some.
Methylated spirits is great on all glass, but depends on how you feel about what is in it.
I spray a teatree oil solution in my shower to prevent mould forming because I am lazy as the day is long.
If I'm inclined (and I rarely am) I polish my sink with flour. It makes it mad sparkly bright. My guess is that it 'soaks' up the fats and oils that make it look dull? No idea, but it works. You could probably do other stainless steel appliances with it too. Just throw some on a clean sink and buff it with a cloth.
This one isn't strictly cleaning, but throw a few cloves in your wardrobe shelves. I had silversish that wouldn't quit in one flat I lived in, clove oil spray and cloves is the only thing that got rid of them and it smells great too.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 11:17 PM on October 12, 2013 [1 favorite]

For grease buildup on the stove and when gunk gets stuck on the floor I've been using rubbing alcohol. Seriously.
posted by spamandkimchi at 11:25 PM on October 12, 2013 [1 favorite]

I made up a spray bottle with half vinegar/dish washing liquid (I used Fairy, after the internet told me it was a substitute for Dawn, which my original recipe called for) for cleaning the shower, which is always so scummy and takes ages of scrubbing and horrible bottles of poisonous stuff which never seem to really work very well and I was absolutely floored by how well it works. I was a complete vinegar skeptic, but now I have seen the light.
posted by Kaleidoscope at 12:26 AM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]

We use Simple Green for grease, Bon Ami for gunky deposits, vinegar (with baking soda if necessary) for glass, counters, fixtures and sticky stains, and basic soap for floors and whatever else. Goo Gone for adhesive. We have some tough scrubbies and a scrub brush. When necessary we use bleach.
posted by Cygnet at 5:46 AM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]

I never have any luck with this stuff. Maybe it's because I live in a very hard water area, but once something in my house gets dirty it takes an extreme amount of elbow grease to make it even slightly less dirty. Vinegar's most observable effect is making everything reek of vinegar while gradually building up a crust of sinister- looking dirt that you can't get off with a sandblaster. I have wrecked several magic erasers (yes I know they're not natural) and gotten small sections of my bathtub to look slightly better, but not enough, this morning and now my arm dangles pathetically at the elbow. This is what I'm up against, YMMV.

The Tel3mum got hold of a handheld steam-blasting implement and the roughly tiled bathroom floor is now like new, though, and steam is natural. You could try that.

Boiling a gross shower head in vinegar water is an exception to the rule of vinegar failure. The metal surface got warped, but it was worth it.

Another thing that I was astonished to see work perfectly is using lemon juice, salt and sunshine to get rid of orange stains on white fabric from sunscreen oxidisation. This is another especial hazard in hard water areas. I took some clapped-out lemon wedges that were destined for the garbage, and rubbed them in until the fabric was well soaked with lemon juice. Then I shook on as much coarse sea salt as I could make stick, and hung the garments out in the sun. One wash later, no more stains.

Cloves didn't faze the silverfish at all. They bothered me, though. Ever met a clove on a dark night, underfoot, or perhaps posing as a scary insect?

I will testify that lavender does seem to keep clothes moths and flies away pretty well. I have a few lavender bags, or if I find any of those lavender stuffed padded hangers I hang them up empty. I also wipe down the lintels with lavender essential oil. Flies don't come in much and clothes moths are rarely seen in my house. (Clothes moths are the ones that look like sequins, by way of camouflage.)

Speaking of sunscreen, where possible use zinc oxide in a suspension of other natural ingredients. Zinc oxide has been around since Victorian times, is a highly effective sunblock, and has no known adverse effects. On the contrary, it loves your skin and wants nothing more than to soothe you and heal you and comfort you. I know that's not exactly a cleaning tip but there it is. Zinc oxide doesn't stain fabric like chemical sunscreens do.

How about a tip for cleaning your face - almond oil makes a great remover for heavy makeup. If I've done face painting I use that to get the worst of it off before I wash my face, and I also use almond oil on a q tip after washing my face to get the last of the mascara residue out of the way. Someone with dry skin could probably cleanse with just almond oil on the daily. It's good to rub into cuticles last thing at night too.

Aluminum crystal sticks are effective deodorants, at least for me, in this temperate British climate doing everyday activities. You can also make good deodorants out of coconut oil and baking soda.
posted by tel3path at 6:32 AM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]

My experiences parallel tel3path's. I have elbow problems so 'green'/'natural'/etc is a warning flag to stay away because it will require incredible amounts of 'elbow grease.' Am also in a hardwater area, perhaps these things are better if you're not, but I fear you have largely answered your question in the "I've tried most "natural" products and they don't seem to really work" observation. However: also own a steam cleaner, and enjoy it.
posted by kmennie at 6:44 AM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]

I will second the half vinegar, half dish washing liquid formula for cleaning shower glass. I ehat the vinegar up so it is warm, combine with the dish washing soap in a spray bottle, spray it on all the glass, then walk away. 15 minutes later, I take my shower, and I just spray the sprayed surfaces with hot water. No scrubbing. Seriously amazing.

I use Method for counter surfaces (their spray and wipe kitchen spray). I like Ajax spray and wipe too (unsure if you can get this in the USA or wherever you are).

I read a "how to clean a bathroom" guide by a hotel manager who understood housekeeping like an expert, and she said to never clean surfaces with lots of water as it is messy, takes longer, and spreads germs around. Since then, I arm myself with a cloth, a spray bottle with bleach and water mixed, spray everything (sink, counters, surfaces, sometimes walls) and wipe off. Much better, and so so quick.

I also do the bathroom floor like that when a girlfriend shared her method, except I use a few paper towels. Spray with bleach/water mix, and wipe off with paper towels. SO CLEAN, gets every hair, and so fast. Faster than filling a bucket to mop. A bit Eco unfriendly, but I figure I'm saving water, not pouring detergents down drains, and use recycled paper towels.

I'm really really lazy and time poor so any cleaning I do has to be incredible efficient and painless. I hope th above tips help, I know they've helped me lots!
posted by shazzam! at 7:16 AM on October 13, 2013 [3 favorites]

If hard water is what's causing you to need to expend so much elbow grease, a mild acid like vinegar will probably work better to counteract the water's alkalinity than a mild alkali like baking soda.

For glass, I use only just slightly damp newspaper. It leaves no streaks. Cup of white vinegar to a bucket of water for just about everything else.
posted by flabdablet at 7:19 AM on October 13, 2013

Microfiber cloths. I got a huge pack of them at Costco for a pittance (in the car section), but even if you have to pay a few bucks per, it's so worth it. They pick up quite a lot of grease, scum, and miscellaneous surface yuk, can be used pretty much forever (I've never thrown one out and there are always a few in my washload), and put a shine on things that is pretty much impossible to get with paper towels or rags. (You will still need to clean things with caked-on whatever, but once you're down to a sheen of filth, you can bust out the microfiber cloth and make short work of it.) Note: They need to be damp. Not wet, and not dry -- slightly damp. Don't know why, but that makes all the difference.
posted by ROTFL at 7:24 AM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Citrasolv may be "natural" but that doesn't mean it's safe. It's in the Environmental Working Group's Hall of Shame. Here's what it says:

***
Citra-Solv Cleaner & Degreaser.
These concentrated liquids and ready-to-use
sprays contain d-limonene and orange oils from citrus peels. According to the
company’s worker safety disclosure, Citra-Solv concentrate is 85 to 95 percent
d-limonene. That the oils are derived from citrus implies safety, but sprayed
into the air, they can react with trace levels of ozone air pollution to form ultra-
fine particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and formaldehyde, which the
U.S. government classifies as a known human carcinogen. The California Air
Resources Board advises people to limit the use of citrus- or pine oil-based
cleaners on smoggy days to avoid exposure to particulates and formaldehyde.

***

My go-to cleaning products are the following:

-Barkeeper's Friend
-Microfiber cloths
-Dr Bronner's Sal Suds
-White vinegar

These take care of 95% of my house. I also keep chlorine bleach, oxy bleach, and ammonia around for the other 5%. The microfiber cloths are no joke; I find that I can clean lots of things with water alone if I use those, like the bathroom mirror, for instance. Barkeeper's Friend will cut right through the grossest grease and leave your stainless steel exhaust hood gleaming.
posted by HotToddy at 9:07 AM on October 13, 2013 [6 favorites]

For windows and the stainless steel stuff in the kitchen, I use store-brand Windex, and I dilute it a bit. Windex is pretty much ammonia and water. The microwave is pre-steamed by nuking the kitchen sponges(kills the germs) and is easy to wipe down. I use Ajax to clean sinks and toilets, because it has grit in it to scrub, and bleach to clean and disinfect. I wipe counters with a clean, damp sponge. When I had hardwood floors, I stripped the old wax with ammonia, then applied new wax, in theory every year, but whatever. I use ammonia to soak the stove vent filter; ammonia dissolves grease quite well. Is there a dishwasher detergent that isn't toxic but works?

When kitchen sponges get ratty, they become bathroom-cleaning sponges, and can go in the washer until they disintegrate. The paper towel I use on the mirror gets used to wipe the toilet seat. Most bathroom cleanups use only 1 or 2 paper towels, at least since there are no male humans living here. I use dish towels instead of paper towels in the kitchen, have plenty of them, and wash them often. Microfiber cloths are, in fact, ridiculously absorbent. I use maybe 1 roll of paper towels in a month.

Fantastik and other harsh cleaners aggravate my breathing, and I don't use them.

You don't need lots of cleaners for most stuff. You don't eat off your counters, or off the microwave's walls. The microwave plate is easily washed. Most germs don't survive dry environments, especially with no food to nourish them. Fresh air and sunshine actually disinfect. Small amounts of dish soap work. Your plumber will confirm that too much detergent in your dishwasher or washing machine causes problems. I like to use a bit of bleach-y Ajax in the bathroom, but a few germs on the bathroom counter aren't going to launch themselves at me, so it's a small amount, and a quick swipe.

The companies that sell cleaning products advertize heavily to make people believe that there are skeery germs everywhere, and that they will come after you. I'll bet my kitchen floor is germ-y. The dog likely brings in germs with the dirt. I sweep it often, clean it regularly, and never eat off it. I don't need sprays to get germs out of the air, disinfectants for every surface, etc., and I'm not even a proponent of the hygiene hypothesis.

Your hands, now, they're kind of vile. They get germ-y and dirty, and you use them to touch everything. The best way to deal with that issue is to wash them often. Sneeze into your elbow, too.

tel3path, you don't need to boil a gross shower head in vinegar. Fill a baggie with vinegar, and use wire twist-ties to fasten it onto the shower head. Leave it on all night.
posted by theora55 at 10:16 AM on October 13, 2013 [2 favorites]

I'm pretty happy with baking soda applied dry to a damp sponge for scrubbing soap scum off the inside of a shower. It's fun to spray it down with vinegar afterwards, but I don't know if that does much of the real work.
posted by mmagin at 10:27 AM on October 13, 2013

In a recent issue of Cook's Illustrated, their tests determined that Method is the best countertop cleaner to use: it performed better than both the natural and traditional cleaners they tested.
posted by gchucky at 10:54 AM on October 13, 2013 [1 favorite]

Baking powder seems more useful for me than soda in a hard water area. Guessing the weak acid mixed with the weak alkali is the useful part? I use it for kitchen sink, bathroom sink, bathtub - wherever scrubbing is needed.

For baking soda/powder, it needs to clump or form a thick paste in order to work. In my experience.

I've always associated sinks and tubs with scrubbing and powder cleansers, for some reason, and things like citrasolv or other concentrated detergent/solvent things for mopping/wiping jobs. And never noticed that until now. Odd.

For windows and floors and fabric softener and hair rinse and wool rinse and mineral/lime scale, vinegar. Apple cider for the hair and wool, white/distilled for the rest if I have it, AC if I don't.

Also, I've had That Shower Head like tel3path's, and yeah boiling. Possibly letting it soak overnight would have worked if I'd done it sooner, but crazy hard water + too much time...
posted by you must supply a verb at 11:08 AM on October 13, 2013

tel3path said: I have wrecked several magic erasers (yes I know they're not natural) and gotten small sections of my bathtub to look slightly better, but not enough

try a pumice stick made specifically for cleaning (not the kind used on feet). they work wonders. best product i've *ever* used for tub & toilet stains and it's natural. you just wet the stick and scrub and the stick scrapes off the stains. (the stick dissolves over time.) just don't press hard as you could scratch the porcelain if you are too vigorous with it. a light touch is best. here's one for the americans. UK folks try your big hardware store as amazon.uk has it but delivery looks questionable.
posted by wildflower at 3:03 PM on October 13, 2013

I also keep chlorine bleach, oxy bleach, and ammonia around for the other 5%.

Very very important that people who keep chlorine bleach around know that mixing it with vinegar can produce chlorine gas, which is very very poisonous - a couple of good lungfuls can kill you.

Chlorine is not the same thing as mustard gas, though both were used as chemical weapons in World War 1; chlorine will kill you faster.

Mixing chlorine bleach with ammonia, or other nitrogen-rich substances like urine or meat juices, can cause offgassing of chloramines which are powerful respiratory irritants.

Oxygen bleaches have much less potential for dangerous chemical interactions.
posted by flabdablet at 6:23 PM on October 13, 2013

True, and ammonia also lurks where you might not expect it, so you have to be careful. When I was 14 we ran out of laundry detergent, I was desperate to wash a load of whites, I guess because it had something I wanted to wear in it, so I had the brilliant idea to use Dawn instead. And bleach. It's incredible how forcefully the gas expands into the room. I fled up the basement stairs just in the nick of time, I think. I was home alone and easily could have been overcome by the fumes down there.
posted by HotToddy at 7:28 PM on October 13, 2013

Response by poster: Great suggestions folks!

I have to say, dilute dish soap + vinegar in a spray bottle has already changed my life. Everything looks WAY cleaner, easier. THANK YOU FOR THIS NEW MIRACLE CLEANER!!

I'm going to go buy some microfiber cloths today - if they're as re-usable as y'all say - I suspect I'll be very into that too.

FYI, I'm not concerned with "disinfection" particularly. It's my own home, just want things to be clean so don't need bleach.
posted by latkes at 7:34 AM on October 14, 2013