The good news is that it doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive to keep your home naturally clean . In fact, some products are so gentle (and effective) that you can use them to cleanse your face as well as the kitchen sink!
Lemon, vinegar and baking soda all have their place in the natural cleaning cupboard, but even they can be too harsh for some surfaces. Enter natural soap, the often underrated champion in your natural cleaning caddy.
Lisa Bronner , cleaning influencer and author of Soap & Soul: A Practical Guide to Minding Your Home, Your Body, and Your Spirit with Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps (£19.99, Countryman Press) is passionate about sharing the many benefits of using natural soap for keeping your home cleansed and healthy.
Lisa is the granddaughter of Emmanuel Bronner, the founder of the iconic soap brand Dr Bonner’s Pure-Castile Soap. The soap contains no artificial fragrances, detergents, preservatives or dyes, is famed for having 18 uses – including everything from washing your hair to laundry care. And, according to Lisa, that’s just for starters! There is a plethora of ways to use the natural soap.
Below are some of Lisa’s favourite homemade cleaning recipes:
All-purpose house spray made with natural soap
You will need:
A spray bottle
60ml Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Castile Soap
1lt water
Fill the spray bottle with the water. Add the Castile Soap and some tea tree essential oil, if desired. Swirl gently to mix.
Almond Soft Scrub
You will need:
A squirt bottle
120ml Dr.Bronner’s Almond Castile Soap
400g baking soda
120ml water
30ml white vinegar
In a big bowl, combine the baking soda with the Castile Soap. Mix it with a fork until well blended and no lumps remain. Mix in the water. Add in the vinegar and stir thoroughly. Add extra water if needed until the mixture is a pourable consistency. Pour the solution into the bottle using a funnel. To use, squirt over your surface and wipe with a damp microfibre cloth, then rinse with a wet cloth.
Citrus Plant Spray
You will need:
A spray bottle
15ml Dr. Bronner’s Citrus-Orange Castile Soap
1lt water
Combine all the ingredients in a spray bottle. That’s it! To use, spray plants thoroughly, ideally in the morning or evening to thwart a bug infestation. Shake the plant first to avoid harming beneficial insects like bees.
Lisa’s book, Soap & Soul , offers a wealth of knowledge about green cleaning, with more recipes you can make at home, as well as advice on how to spot greenwashing, and why cleaning is good for the soul!
