How To Disinfect Your Home Naturally (Room By Room)
There is nothing quite as satisfying as the feeling you get when your house is completely clean from top to bottom.
Tidying every single room in your house is no small task, and it can feel like it’ll never happen. But on the odd occasion when you manage to clean through and get everything spotless, it is a feeling unlike any other.
One very important part of cleaning every single room in your house to bear in mind is disinfecting each room. This is particularly important if your family has been suffering from a sickness bug or if you haven’t given every room a deep clean in a little while.
While you may find yourself regularly disinfecting the kitchen and bathroom, it is easy to let the living room and bedrooms slide.
This guide looks at some of the best ways to naturally disinfect your home – room by room. By the time you finish reading, we’re sure you’ll feel all the motivation you need to get started.
First, what are the best natural disinfectants?
Cleaning your home has never been easier and safer with common ingredients like vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and essential oils.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a natural acid that effectively removes bacteria and viruses, making it a top choice for cleaning kitchen and bathroom surfaces, such as countertops, sink basins, and toilets.
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleach and can be used to disinfect surfaces and tackle stubborn stains. It's a great option for the bathroom, where you can use it to clean toilets, tiles, and shower stalls.
Baking soda
Baking soda, with its mild abrasiveness, is perfect for removing stains and grime from surfaces. Mix it with water or vinegar to create a cleaning solution for your kitchen and bathroom.
Essential oils
Essential oils, such as tea tree and eucalyptus, not only bring a natural fragrance to your cleaning solution, but also increase its disinfectant power with their antiseptic and antimicrobial properties.
Lemon juice
This acidic fruit is known for its natural cleaning and disinfecting properties. Squeeze fresh lemon juice onto surfaces and let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it away. Perfect for cleaning countertops and cutting boards in the kitchen.
Borax
Borax is a naturally occurring mineral that is known for its cleaning and disinfecting properties. Mix borax with water to create a cleaning solution for tough jobs, like cleaning tile grout and removing mildew.
Alcohol
High-proof alcohol, such as ethanol or isopropyl alcohol, is an effective disinfectant for surfaces. Mix alcohol with water and essential oils to create a cleaning solution for your home. It's especially useful for cleaning electronics and other hard-to-reach surfaces.
Incorporating natural disinfectants into your home cleaning routine is a smart choice for both you and the environment. So, let's make it happen and keep our homes sparkling clean!
Let's start in our favorite room.
Keep your kitchen shining with the best degreaser sprays.
The Kitchen
The best room to start with is the kitchen. It's likely you regularly disinfect your kitchen.
Most people will use chemical-based cleaning products to disinfect, but we urge you to move towards a natural cleaner instead.
There really is no cleaning solution out there that is quite as effective as the traditional lemon juice and baking soda combination.
Chop a lemon in half, and dip one half of it into a saucer of baking soda. Holding the skin of the lemon in the same way that you would hold a sponge, move your way around the surfaces in your kitchen, lightly scrubbing as you go.
This solution can be used anywhere in your kitchen, including countertops, your sink, and your cutting boards.
When you’ve wiped everywhere, simply wet a cloth with warm water and wipe all the surfaces down. But don’t use this method if you have a stainless steel sink or marble countertops.
Your Dining Room
If you frequently eat at the dining table in your dining room, then you must disinfect the dining table and the woodwork in the room.
Even if you use placemats and coasters, you should still disinfect the wood, as there is no way of knowing what germs have got on there while you’ve been eating.
The best natural disinfectant to use for the woodwork in your dining room is lemon and olive oil – likely, you will already have everything that you need at home.
Simply squeeze the juice of 1 lemon into 2 cups of olive oil and mix it together. Take a soft cloth and dip it into the mixture, then use the cloth to wipe down the surface of your dining table, disinfecting it in the process.
Once you have finished, simply take a clean and dry soft cloth and wipe over the dining table to remove any excess liquid. Your dining table will be disinfected and ready to use the next time you sit down for a meal!
The Living Room/Lounge
It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you do not need to disinfect your living room or lounge, but cleaning this room is just as important as any other room in your home.
The main thing you should disinfect in your living room or lounge is your upholstery. It is surprising just how many germs can live on the upholstery of your couch, and as you will use it almost every day, you will constantly be exposing yourself to these germs if you do not clean it.
Instead of using a chemical-based deodorizer, we recommend a natural alternative. Baking soda is an excellent deodorizer, so simply sprinkle this over your upholstery and leave it to do its job.
After about 30 minutes have passed, take your vacuum cleaner and use it to vacuum up the remaining baking soda. Your upholstery will be germ-free, and it will smell a lot better too!
Those Bedrooms
One room you should regularly disinfect is your bedroom, but your bedroom is one of the easiest rooms to neglect. Especially if you have children whose rooms you focus on instead.
Any linens in your bedroom should be frequently washed in the washer-dryer. You can easily purchase an eco-friendly, natural cleaning solution in your washing machine to clean the linens. While your linens are washing, you can focus on other bedroom areas.
Use warm water with a teaspoon of vinegar to wipe down any surfaces in your bedroom, such as bedside tables and cabinets. This will disinfect the surfaces and leave your bedroom clean as a whistle.
The Bathroom
Just like your kitchen, it is likely that you are already frequently disinfecting your bathroom.
Your bathroom is one of the rooms that harbors the most germs, for obvious reasons, so frequently cleaning and disinfecting it is incredibly important. Not only the toilet but the sink, shower, bath, and tiles too.
For a natural cleaning solution for your toilet, consider taking a spray bottle and adding two cups of water to it.
Then add two teaspoons of tea tree oil to the water and give the bottle a vigorous shake to ensure that the two ingredients have combined.
Use your spray bottle to spray around the rim of your toilet, and leave it to sit for 30 minutes. Once this has passed, take your toilet brush and scrub the toilet clean.
For surfaces in your bathroom, such as your shower screen, shower curtains, or tiles, add a few drops of lemon essential oil to a cloth and wipe the surfaces clean. This will disinfect and leave the surfaces smelling fresh.
Then clean your bath and the sink with the same cleaning solution you used to clean your kitchen countertops and sink to ensure your bathroom is fresh and disinfected.
Questions we frequently get
Q: What are natural disinfectants and how do they work?
A: Natural disinfectants are cleaning products made from natural ingredients and are free from harmful chemicals. They work by killing bacteria and viruses through the use of acids, abrasives, or antiseptic properties.
Q: Can natural disinfectants be just as effective as chemical cleaners?
A: Yes, natural disinfectants can be just as effective as chemical cleaners to kill germs and bacteria. They are safe to use, better for the environment and don’t contain harmful chemicals.
Q: Can natural disinfectants be used on all surfaces in my home?
A: Natural disinfectants can be used on most surfaces in your home, including countertops, cutting boards, stovetops, tile grout, and more. However, some natural disinfectants may not be suitable for certain surfaces, like delicate fabrics or electronics. Always check the manufacturer’s recommendations and test the product on a small, inconspicuous area before using it on a larger surface.
Q: Can I make my own natural disinfectants at home?
A: Yes, you can easily make your own natural disinfectants at home using ingredients like vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and essential oils. Mix the ingredients and you’ll have a safe and effective cleaning solution.
Q: Are natural disinfectants safe for pets and children?
A: Yes, natural disinfectants are generally safe for pets and children, as they don’t contain harmful chemicals. However, it’s important to keep all cleaning products out of reach of children and pets and to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, even ones that claim to be natural.
Summary
Cleaning your home from top to bottom can seem like a daunting task, however, with this guide, it’ll be easy! Using natural cleaning solutions to disinfect your home is a great way to get your house clean and tidy without using any nasty chemicals.
From your kitchen to your bathroom to your children’s bedrooms, we have told you how to naturally disinfect each room in the house in this guide.
Thanks for reading!