‘Tis the season of all things pumpkin spice – except for here

As we all sit on the brink of all things pumpkin spice, I have a different kind of joy in the fall, and it’s the flavors of orange spice, but that’s NOT what this blog is about. It’s not even about orange spice drinks, but it IS about our favorite citrus-based cleaners, so keep reading.

Kick the harsh chemicals

I’m not exactly sure how we as a society stopped looking at natural cleansers and decided that chemicals were better than the natural cleaners of past generations. Maybe in some instances, this may be true. I always like to consider them a last resort if something easy and natural doesn’t do the trick.

All-purpose cleaner

Fill a glass jar with clean citrus peels. Pour vinegar over the peels until they are entirely covered.  Store the jar, curing the liquid for four weeks, shaking the jar once in a while to mix the liquids. Once cured, strain and pour the liquid into a spray bottle. Use this natural cleanser to clean countertops, stovetops, appliances, floors, and glass.

Lemon is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, while orange is excellent at cutting grease, so I mix those peels together in my mix.

Keep away moths

The clove-studded orange is not only a beautiful fall decoration, but it is also a way to keep moths out of your closet. Hang it in your closet and not only are moths repelled by the aroma, but you will love it for all of the reasons they hate it!

Get rid of ants

Puree orange peels in a cup of warm water. Slowly pour the mixture on ant hills, making a special effort to get some in the opening will serve their eviction papers.

Repel mosquitoes and gnats

Gnats and mosquitoes dislike the smell of citrus as bad as moths do! Rub fresh orange or lemon peels on exposed skin to keep them away and not smell like Deet.

Furniture polish

Mix a half cup of lemon juice with a cup of olive oil to polish wood furniture and also shine wooden floors.

Limescale on faucets

Rub lemon on your faucets to remove limescale, hard water stains, and soap residue. This method works well on stainless steel as well as porcelain.

Laundry remedies

• Add fresh lemon juice to the wash cycle to brighten whites and remove mineral stains.
• Scrub underarm stains with equal parts lemon juice and water.
• Make a paste of lemon juice and salt to rub on mildew or rust stains, then let dry in the sun (repeat if necessary).
• Remove light stains from delicates by soaking in a mixture of equal parts of baking soda and lemon juice for a half-hour.

Clean cutting boards

Use a cut lemon and salt to scrub your wooden cutting boards.

No citrus in the house?

If there ever was a reason to keep some Kool-aid in the house, here’s one of them. Lemonade flavor Kool-aid has many of the same qualities (but slightly diluted) of fresh lemons, so don’t be afraid to make a concentrated (unsweetened) mixture of lemonade in place of lemon juice.

Super-powered on mess, but gentle on humans

With the exception of stinging eyes from lemon juice, many of our household chemicals can be replaced with these citrus cleaning alternatives. We practice what we preach at Pure Carpet Cleaners. Our citrus-based carpet cleaner works just as powerfully on your soiled carpets, but gentle enough for your pets and baby to crawl around. Book a cleaning with the power of citrus today!