Cleaning products Click to enlarge image
Sustainable cleaning product options Image: Carl Bento
© Australian Museum

Everyday All Purpose Cleaner

  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1 cup water

Fill a spray bottle with half water and half white vinegar. Spray on any surface (except wood) and wipe off. Leave for 5 minutes on soap scum.

Gutsy All Purpose Cleaner

  • 1 tsp borax
  • ½ cup bicarbonate soda
  • Vinegar
  • Eucalyptus oil

Place borax and bicarb soda into a recycled glass jar. Mix in enough vinegar to make a paste. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil. Wipe mixture onto surfaces to be cleaned and wipe off with a soft cloth. You can make a milder version of this paste without the borax. If the paste dries out over time, simply add more vinegar.

The Gutsy All Purpose Cleaner makes a great stain remover and can be left on stains overnight before washing.

Oven Cleaner

  • Bicarbonate soda
  • Vinegar

Sprinkle a little bicarbonate soda over oven surface. Spray vinegar over bicarbonate soda (watch it sizzle!) then leave overnight. Wipe off with a cloth dampened with water. Wipe over one final time with vinegar on your cloth.

Dishwashing Detergent

Use pure soap to wash dishes and add white vinegar to the rinse water for an extra shine.

Laundry Detergent

  • 1/3 cup grated pure soap
  • 1/3 cup washing soda

Dissolve pure soap and washing soda in a bucket of hot water. The mixture will set to a gel. Use 2-3 cups per wash.

Awesome Liquid Handwash

  • 250ml boiling water
  • 2 tsp glycerol or glycerine
  • 2 tbsp grated pure soap
  • 2 tsp rosewater

Add the grated soap to boiling water, stir and then let sit for about 10 minutes until it melts. Stir in glycerol and rosewater. When the mixture is smooth, pour it into a dispenser bottle. Do this while it is still warm as it will set to a jelly when cold and be difficult to pour.

Mould Remover

  • Vinegar
  • Salt

Mix equal parts of vinegar and salt into a spray bottle. Spray onto mouldy surface, leave for a few minutes and then wipe off using a soft cloth.

Window Cleaner

  • 1 part vinegar
  • 4 parts water

Mix vinegar and water into a spray bottle. Spray onto windows and wipe off with window squeegee or a soft cloth.

Drain and Toilet Cleaner

  • 1 cup bicarbonate soda
  • 1 cup vinegar

Put vinegar into a spray bottle. Sprinkle bicarb soda into toilet bowl and spray vinegar on top. Watch it react. Leave it for 10 minutes then clean with a toilet brush and flush. To finish, put a few drops of tea tree oil on a cloth and wipe around the bowl and seat to provide some antibacterial protection.