Natural Cleaning Recipe Cards
Twelve simple recipes from five pantry staples, and the rules for using them safely.
Natural Cleaning Recipe Cards
Cut-out cards for an all-purpose spray, glass cleaner, soft scrub, oven paste, kettle descaler and more, with what each is safe on and what never to mix.
- Twelve cut-out recipe cards from five pantry staples
- What each cleaner is safe on, and what it is not
- The mixes to never combine, on one card
You do not need a different bottle for every room. Five ingredients cover most everyday cleaning, and they cost less per litre than almost anything in the cleaning aisle.
The cards are sized to live on the inside of a cupboard door. Each one says what goes in, how to use it, and, just as important, what not to use it on. Vinegar on marble and castile soap mixed with vinegar are the two mistakes that come up most, and both are on the cards.
What is inside
- The five staples: white vinegar, baking soda, castile soap, citric acid, washing soda, with what each is good for and what to watch
- Safety: what never to mix, and which surfaces to keep acids away from
- Twelve cut-out recipe cards, each with ingredients, method, "use on" and "not on"
Who it is for
Anyone replacing a cupboard of sprays with a few jars, or who has tried a recipe from the internet and ended up with a cloudy, useless bottle and a dull patch on the worktop.
How to use it
- Read page two first. The safety notes matter more than any recipe.
- Cut out the cards you will actually use. Most homes need four or five, not twelve.
- Label every bottle with what is in it and the date. Patch-test somewhere hidden.
FAQ
Questions about this printable
Do natural cleaners disinfect?
Not reliably, and the cards do not claim they do. Vinegar, soap and baking soda clean well, which removes most germs with the dirt. For disinfecting after illness or raw meat, use a product made for it and follow the contact time.
Can I use the recipes on stone worktops?
Only the castile soap ones. Vinegar, citric acid and lemon etch marble, limestone and travertine and strip the sealer from granite. Each card says "not on: stone" where it applies, and the Natural Cleaner Compatibility Chart on this site covers the full grid.
What is washing soda and where do I get it?
Sodium carbonate, a stronger cousin of baking soda, sold in the laundry aisle or online. It cuts grease and boosts laundry. Wear gloves and keep it off aluminium, wool and silk.
