Learn · Sustainable DIY
A cupboard full of cleaning sprays is mostly marketing. Three cheap ingredients handle almost everything.
The cleaning aisle wants you to believe every surface needs its own special product in its own plastic bottle. It does not. Nearly all household cleaning comes down to three simple jobs, and three plain ingredients cover them.
Most cleaning problems need three ingredients, not twenty. Once you know which does what, the rest is just packaging.
The Three That Do the Work
Cleaning is mostly basic chemistry, and three cheap things cover the main reactions you need.
- ▸Vinegar is a mild acid that cuts mineral scale, grease, and grime.
- ▸Baking soda is a gentle abrasive and base that scrubs and kills odour.
- ▸Plain soap lifts oil and dirt so water can rinse it all away.
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Most cleaning problems need three ingredients, not twenty.
An acid, a base, and a soap will out clean a shelf of branded sprays, for a fraction of the cost and none of the plastic.
Cheaper, Safer, Less Waste
Going simple wins on every front. These ingredients cost very little, come with little packaging, and do not fill your home or your drains with harsh chemicals. You can keep them in refillable containers and stop buying a new plastic bottle every month.
One Rule, Then You Are Free
There is one thing to remember. Do not mix cleaning products without knowing what you are doing, and never combine bleach with anything else, because some mixes make dangerous fumes. Stick to the simple three, used on their own, and you have a cleaning kit that is safe, cheap, and good for the planet.
The takeaways
- →Vinegar, baking soda, and soap cover almost all household cleaning.
- →They are cheaper, safer, and come with far less plastic.
- →Never mix bleach with other products. Keep the three simple and separate.