Any asthma sufferers out there? If the answer is yes then you’ll be interested to know that spray cleaners have been linked to 1 in 7 cases of adult asthma. You don’t even have to use spray cleaners everyday, just once a week is enough to set off an attack a study by he Municipal Institute of Medical Research in Barcelona, Spain has revealed.

Furniture Sprays

Personally I hate these sprays, not only does it make me cough and sneeze but furniture experts say they are really bad for wood. Instead you should buy a traditional beeswax made from natural ingredients.

Here are a couple of other methods I’ve read about but not tried:

• Rub on some mayonnaise using a soft cloth.
• Brew up some black tea, leave it to cool, then wipe on with a soft cloth.
• Opal’s Recipe for Furniture Polish

Surface cleaners

Look out for eco products in the supermarket which use natural ingredients. If you want to clean your home with natural alternatives whilst saving money, here a few suggestions:-

• Vinegar – Wipe over kitchen countertops and your toilet bowl with a cloth. Easy.
• Bicarbonate of Soda – This is great stuff, it was the only thing that worked when my hair went really greasy. Can also be used to clean stains and remove odors.
• Orange Oil – we used to have a cleaner that was made with orange oil. Don’t know where it is now but it smelt great.
• Grapefruit juice – if your bath is really dirty try equal amounts of grapefruit juice and salt.
• Lemon juice can also be used as Grapefruit above, you can even detox with lemon juice.

Airfreshers

Essential oils – If you haven’t done so already, get yourself a nice essential oil burner. Not only will it make your home smell nice but you’ll receive other health benefits depending on what oils you choose.

Bicarbonate of Soda – Sprinkle some onto your carpets before vacuuming.

Buy House Plants – According to studies by NASA, house plants can remove all sorts of horrible chemicals from the air. You don’t have to turn your home into a tropical jungle either, just a few plants per room will be enough.