If you want a sparkling clean but don’t want to pass out from noxious fumes, you might want to consider these natural cleaning product alternatives.

Vinegar  

Yep, that’s right, it’s more than just a salad dressing. Mix with equal parts water in a spray bottle and you have the ultimate cleaning machine. It’s a disinfectant and deodoriser that can be used on just about any surface and in any room. Clean the bathroom, toilet and sink. Give your kitchen appliances a spray down. You can even use it on the floor or as a replacement for fabric softner. It will eat away at soap scum and hard water stains. But, like all cleaning products, remember to test it out beforehand. You don’t want to stain your floors purple or cause any damage. But beware – don’t use it on your marble benchtops.

And the smell? Don’t worry, your home will stop smelling like a fish and chip shop as soon as it is dry.

Lemon juice

Like vinegar, lemon is a great all-purpose cleaning. It works on soap scum and ugly watermarks and is also a surprisingly good furniture polish. Yes, that’s right. You can clean your furniture with a lemon! Or rather, you can when you mix lemon juice with half a cup of olive oil. Keep in mind that it’s a natural bleach so again, you might want to try it out on a discreet area before going completely gangbusters. But wait – there’s more. Throwing lemon peels in the garbage disposal will also freshen up your drains!

Baking soda

Few products can help your cake to rise AND deodorise your smelly running shoes. Baking soda is one of them. Put in your fridge to kill the lingering fumes of takeway food. Sprinkle some in the garbage to dull its less than pleasant odour. You can even create a paste with water and take on the hardened food residue you have been avoiding.

Then make sherbet (optional).

Natural Salt

Table salt – one moment it’s adding flavour to your meal, the next it’s cleaning your dishes. And pans. And oven. And sink. It absorbs grease and oil, making it particularly handy for burnt pans and crusty stove hobs. Let it soak with hot water or scatter it over the incriminating surface. Just be careful to remove all residue, especially if you have a gas stove. You don’t want it flaring up!