Let’s keep it simple in our homes this spring and beyond with a very easy cleaning routine that is frugal, doable, skips overwhelm, and keeps potentially harmful substances out of our homes.
The thing with walking down a simple and natural living path is that we often get bombarded with this idea that we have to make all the various cleaners ourselves or that we have to buy special ‘green’ cleaners that can be quite expensive.
We’re here to help you understand that none of that is true thanks to some old-fashioned and effective wisdom from our grandmothers.

Regular Old Soap & Water
A bit of dish soap or regular bar soap, water, and a rag go a very long way into keeping our houses clean. A scrub brush and elbow grease are perfect for the tougher things.
You can make your own dish soap and bar soaps, if you have the time or desire.
Don’t feel like making it? Don’t. Buy something from a local maker if you can find one or buy something simple like Bronner’s Castile Soap which can be used for so many different things.
Use soap and water for any surfaces, like your countertops, tables, stove tops, etc. There are some surfaces that might benefit from different cleaners and we’ll talk more about those below.

When You Need a Disinfectant
There are times and occasions when we need a bit of disinfectant, especially if there is a cold or other germy illness spreading through a household.
Simple, frugal things that work as a disinfectant:
- Bleach, the old-standard
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Even Vodka
You can infuse some citrus peels in things like vodka or rubbing alcohol to give a slightly different scent, if desired.
Dusting
In most cases, a simple dry cloth or feather duster is all you need to dust shelves and other surfaces.
Some antiques and other pieces of furniture might need an occasional oil with furniture polish but this is more rare than we are made to believe with marketing.
For Windows
If you need to clean windows, a bit of vinegar goes a long way. Just regular white vinegar works great and is quite frugal.
Put the vinegar in a spray bottle, spray it on your windows and wipe with lint free cloth. Old t-shirts, even newspaper can work exceedingly well.

For Uncarpeted Floors
Be sure to follow any manufacturer’s instructions so as not to damage your surfaces and finishes.
Often soap and water are just fine in removing dirt and spills from the floor. A bit of vinegar can also work well. If you have especially hard water, a bit of vinegar can make it shine more than the water and soap might.
For Carpets
For general vacuuming, feel free to sprinkle some baking soda on the carpet and vacuum up to help with odors.
For Porcelain
If you have stains in your porcelain sinks, tubs, toilets, use cream of tartar.
Make a paste of cream of tartar and vinegar, apply the paste to the stain, gently scrub, and rinse.
For Stainless Steel
For those sink fixtures and stainless steel sink bowls, soap will often work but for extra stubborn issues, use vinegar or baking soda. Spray or sprinkle, scrub, and rinse.

Laundry
You can make your own laundry soap if you have the time and desire. There are, however; many wonderful options on the market that you can feel good about using in your home.
We don’t have to make everything – we can take advantage of shortcuts in say buying laundry soap so that we have more time to craft or garden or spend with our loved ones.
Keep it Clean, Not Perfect
Everyone has their own preferred level of clean. Most of us simply cannot maintain a white glove home at all times. We simply need homes that are functional and healthy.
Trying to keep up with images seen on social media and on magazines is likely going to drive us crazy and are not at all sustainable when it comes to simply trying to do everything we all need to do every day without help.
