I did not set out to overhaul everything under my sink. It started because the bathroom cleaner gave me a headache every time I used it in a small room with the door shut.
Whenever a bottle ran out, I began to replace things one at a time. Some substitutions were more effective than the product I was replacing, while a few required adjusting.
Here are the twenty-one that stuck. Most of them were cheaper than what I had been buying, and my cabinet went from a cluttered mess down to a handful of basics.
The Spray That Replaced Half My Cabinet
In the past, I had a different bottle for every surface in the house, but now, I have one spray bottle filled with white vinegar mixed with water, and I reach for it on almost any surface. It works for counters, appliances, and most little messes that come up during the day. The smell of vinegar goes away after a few minutes and it takes the old chemical smell with it.
Streak-Free Windows Without the Blue Stuff
I always saw streaks left by blue window spray, no matter how careful I was. I started using a vinegar-water mix in a spray bottle, which costs almost nothing and works better. The real trick is what you use to wipe it off, microfiber cloths or even newspaper work better than anything else. My windows have never looked clearer, honestly.
The Box of Baking Soda That Scrubs Everything
Powdered scouring cleansers used to have me coughing halfway through the job. Plain baking soda does the same scrubbing without any of that. I just sprinkle some in the sink or tub, use a damp cloth to scrub, and rinse it off. It costs about a dollar, and lasts me a whole month.
One Bottle of Castile Soap Does Almost Everything
The best substitution I made was for Castile soap. Diluted down, it cleans floors, washes dishes, and handles most surfaces. Instead of having three or four different products under my sink, I only need one. Because it’s concentrated, you really do need to use very little.
Making the House Smell Good Without a Spray Can
I always thought air fresheners smelled like cheap flowers, but now I try something different. When I want to freshen up my house, I simmer a little pot of water with orange peel, a cinnamon stick, and a few cloves. It smells amazing, and in twenty minutes my whole house smells like I’m baking something. And opening a window for ten minutes does more than any spray.
Wool Dryer Balls Instead of Dryer Sheets
The dryer sheets leave a coating on my towels that makes them less absorbent. Wool dryer balls do the same job of softening towels, and last for years. Also, they take a few minutes off the drying time. If you like the smell of dryer sheets, you can put a drop of essential oils on one of the balls.
Swapping the Big Plastic Jug of Detergent
Plastic and water make up the majority of those huge detergent jugs. I feel better about using a plant-based detergent with a small ingredient list and it cleans my clothes just as well. My cabinet has way more space because the sheets and powders are way smaller than the jugs. I used to feel itchy after laundry day, which was the whole reason I bothered switching.
Vinegar in the Rinse Instead of Fabric Softener
Fabric softeners work by coating the fibers of your laundry, which is why they should not be used on towels. That coating is what stops them from absorbing water. Adding a small amount of white vinegar to the rinse cycle will soften your laundry without leaving a coating. Surprisingly, nothing comes out smelling like vinegar, not even your laundry. It actually helps to keep the inside of your washer cleaner, too.
Hydrogen Peroxide Instead of Bleach
I always got headaches from the fumes of bleach. Most of the things I would use bleach for can be handled with good old fashioned plain hydrogen peroxide. I use it on stubborn stains, on cutting boards, and around the bathroom. Just keep it inside that dark bottle to keep it from breaking down from the light.
Clearing a Slow Drain Without the Caustic Stuff
Chemical drain openers always scared me, and for good reason. I now use baking soda followed by vinegar, and let it foam for about fifteen minutes. Then I pour in a kettle of boiling water. This takes care of slow drains. However, for truly clogged drains I still need a snake.
A Toilet Cleaner With Two Ingredients
I put some baking soda in the bowl and pour a splash of vinegar in after it. While that fizzes, I go clean the rest of the bathroom. A quick scrub with the brush afterward and it is done. There is no blue gel and nothing to breathe in a small room with the door shut.
The Dish Soap That Stopped Drying Out My Hands
Every winter my hands would crack and I used to think it was the weather. It turned out to be the dish soap. I changed to a plant-based soap with a shorter list of ingredients, and the cracking stopped. It cuts grease just fine, which was all I was worried about.
Furniture Polish Straight From the Pantry
Aerosol furniture polish leaves a coating that appears to pull in dust quicker than it would without a polish. A better option would be a little olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice on a soft cloth. This method feeds the wood as opposed to just coating it. Just remember to use it sparingly and buff it well so the surface won’t stay slick.
Freshening the Carpet With Something From the Baking Aisle
I used to sneeze the entire time I vacuumed, and the carpet powder was the reason. Plain baking soda does the same job, so I sprinkle it on the rug and leave it about fifteen minutes. Vacuum it up and the room smells neutral instead of perfumed. In a house with a dog, it works even better.
Cleaning the Oven Without the Fumes
Oven cleaner is easily the harshest thing most people keep in the house. A thick paste of baking soda and water spread inside and left overnight does the job. A damp cloth and a bit of scrubbing takes care of the rest in the morning. It takes longer, but at least I can breathe while I do it.
Shining Stainless Without a Special Product
Stainless appliances show every fingerprint, and the sprays made for them are not cheap. A little vinegar on a cloth cleans the surface, and a drop of olive oil buffed in afterward brings up the shine. Always wipe along the grain of the metal, never against it. It looks better than it ever did with the store product.
Tackling Bathroom Mildew With Vinegar
In the bathroom, I would grab the strongest spray from the cabinet. Pure white vinegar gets most mildew in the shower if you spray it and let it sit for a while. It requires a little scrubbing and patience. Running the fan and opening a window is more effective than the products for preventing the mildew from returning.
A Floor Cleaner With Two Ingredients
The floor cleaners I used always left my kitchen feeling sticky underfoot. A bucket of warm water with a squirt of castile soap cleans just as well and rinses away clean. For sealed hardwood I go easy on the water and use a well-wrung mop. No sticky residue, and no smell hanging around all evening.
Steam Cleaning the Microwave With a Lemon
Cleaning dried-on food from inside the microwave is tedious work. Instead, cut a lemon and place it in a bowl of water and microwave it for a few minutes. The steam will loosen all the food and you can easily wipe it off with a cloth. The lemon also makes it smell clean without having to spray anything.
Lemon and Salt on the Cutting Board
Wooden cutting boards should not go anywhere near harsh cleaners. Coarse salt scrubbed in with half a lemon lifts stains and smells right out of the grain. Rinse it, stand it up to dry, and oil it every so often. My oldest board has been going strong for fifteen years this way.
Ditching the Sponge That Never Really Gets Clean
A kitchen sponge can hold on to what is really pretty disgusting. I switched to using brushes and towels that I can throw into the washer or the dishwasher. These dry quickly, and that’s the whole idea. Now nothing in my sink smells like old sponge.
