Home Cleaning Tips | One Item, Many Uses

Lately, I have been trying to downsize and combat clutter in my home. It hasn’t been easy—there are so many things that I just can’t bring myself to donate or give away… and others I am embarrassed I haven’t already thrown in the dumpster.

One important fact to remember when downsizing, is that you don’t need a separate product for every cleaning job. Despite what retailers tell you, you do not need a separate cleaner for your toilet bowl, sink, floor and bathtub. In fact, a closer examination of their ingredients will show you that these products are almost identical.

So, instead of cluttering my bathroom with cleaners, I have found that I can use one spray bottle of water and vinegar to not only clean all of the above, but also shine my mirrors and windows as well!

There are two other common household items that have also freed up a lot of space in my house—baking soda and olive oil. Combined with vinegar, or used on its own, baking soda can clean, polish, and de-tarnish almost every item known to man… and olive oil can help keep many of your items from becoming tarnished in the first place.

Here are a few everyday uses for olive oil in your home cleaning regimen:

• As a non-stick oil. Use this not just in cooking, but on garden tools and anything else that tends to end up with layers of gunk caked on it.
• As a polish for: stainless steel, leather (including shoes), and wood.
• As a lubricant. Squeaky doors, chainsaws, watches, and even bike chains can be lubricated with olive oil—just remember that it is a vegetable oil and will need to be reapplied more frequently.

Removing chemicals from my home has not only made me feel better about my health and impact on the environment, but it has freed up extra cabinet space in my kitchen, bathroom, and even my utility room.

I have come to love olive oil not only for my health but also for my home!