Getting your tiles dirty is somewhat inevitable. It happens to everyone and every home. But sometimes, it can happen to individuals who like using natural ingredients. If you have sensitive skin, nose, or eyes—try using these five natural homemade hacks that are easily accessible through your local grocery store, garden, or shipping order. This way, your home can smell like the Garden of Eden and a fruity tropical paradise, while at the same time, look as clean and smooth as an ice skating rink on Christmas Eve.
Lemon Juice
Believe it or not, lemons hold vigorous cleansing properties that are perfect for house cleaning and tile cleaning services. These yellow treasures are antibacterial and antiseptic. The bacteria they can inactivate are some of the most common but treacherous, which are salmonella and E. Coli. Plus, the scent of lemons is simply grand. I remember my first time smelling them, and their aroma left me in a “spring-time” forest filled with pinecones, azure lakes, and an abundance of euphoric creatures. And if you want lemons for yourself, they’re very present in the western hemisphere here in many local food stores, so don’t fear!
So… How do you make Lemons? It’s more simple than you and I may think. All you have to do is grab two fresh ripe lemons and peel away the skin. If you feel uncomfortable throwing away one of nature’s gifts, you can use it as fertilizer in your garden or recycle it in a brown paper bag. Once you have peeled the lemons, blend it for at least twenty seconds until it’s juicy. Finally, use a metal or plastic bowl strainer to get rid of the small pieces and strain the lemon juice into a spray bottle.
If you would like to preserve the lemon juice cleanser and heighten the cleaning properties, add at least 2 ounces of salt and wallah!
Lime Juice
Next, we have limes! Yes, something that could clear away those nasty grimes. Just like its family member, the lemon, in the citrus fruity community; limes have a way of inhibiting bacterial growth as well. These green loves can inhibit Escherichia Coli. Does that sound familiar? Welp, it follows its family member the lemon by prohibiting “E. Coli”. Lime is a very common fruit, so picking them up at your local groceries is quite easy.
The scent of lime is very citrusy as well. It’ll make your nose feel sweet with a pizazz of tardiness and zestiness. If you would like to make your lime juice to fight the crime of lime, all you have to do is follow the same steps as lemons mentioned before.
Soapnut Berries
Did you know there is a fruit out there that can not only clean your clothes, floors, hair, and skin—but can sud and foam up like the marshmallow man from Ghostbusters? If not, let me tell you about the soapnut berries.
These berries have natural cleansing properties in them known as saponins. Saponins can be found in many plants, but they may vary in strength. Soapnut berries can be found harvested and grown in India, Himalayas, and Nepal. But due to its rightfully so popularity, they’re shared throughout places in the western hemisphere. These berries are antibacterial and antimicrobial. So if made correctly, these fruits feel like they came from the sky above.
They can inhibit E. Coli and many other germ irritants as well. If you want to get your hands on these berries, you can place your order on the whole wide world web itself.
Soapberries don’t exactly have a scent, so if you are a person who doesn’t like strong smells, these berries are perfect for you. However, if you love soapnut berries but wish for more of a beloved scent, you can add essential oils such as lemon, lavender, and cinnamon.
Speaking of essential oils, let’s find out how to make a soapberry clean supreme! Or… to simply put it, a cleanser. First, you want to grab at least three to five soapnut berries. Then, put them in a pot. Put warm water in that pot and boil the soapberries on mid to high heat for at least twenty to thirty minutes. You should see traces of “suds” in the water as it is steaming like a choo choo train going fast on its tracks.
After that, strain out the water from the berries and put that strained water into the blender. The water should now have cleansing properties such as saponins. Put in a few drops of essential oils for your desired smell and blend the water until it is completely foamy. The foam should look like the clouds found in the skies above Earth.
Put the foam in an empty mousse bottle or big applicator bottle and clean away!
Shikakai Pods
What are shikakai pods you may ask? Just like the soapnut berries, shikakai can be found in the vegetation of Asia, especially India. One of the most unique looking fruits, in my opinion, these pods are perfect for getting rid of dirt and grime. These fruits have antiseptic and antibacterial properties that are used to clean hair and skin. In addition, you can use it for skin infections, too. So you can imagine how shikakai can work on tiles, walls, or other common furniture. You can also order these pods online within a snap.
Okay, so let’s discuss its plant-based scent. The one thing I love about nature is that its smells feel pretty infinite. From the spices of cinnamon to fruits of a lemon, and finally, the Earthy and somewhat pine wooden aroma of the Shikakai. Have you ever sniffed black tea? That is pretty much the scent of Shikakai, however, you will feel a sensation of a deeply alive forest when smelling these fruity and bronzy-colored creations.
In the grand scheme of things, how do you exactly use Shikakai to clean away the grime, per se? It’s a reflection of the soapnut berries. Just reread the same directions as before and you will have a liquid that is not only deeply enriched in the shade of dark-brown, but can swipe harsh dirt, oils, and yes, grime.
Yucca Root
Last, but surely not least, we have the yucca root! An amazing root that’ll always get to the root of the problem. Yuccas are filled with saponins just like the shikakai and soap nut berries. However, it is not categorized as a fruit. The yucca root has anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties that are perfect for cleaning skin and hair. On the other hand, you can use it to clean appliances, furniture, and yes, tiles.
Yucca roots can smell very earthy as well since they do reside within the ground. However, they can be found in many Farmers Markets or online.
If you would like to make your own lathering yucca root cleanser, just simply follow these steps. First, get one large or medium-sized yucca root. Next, get a knife and cut off the ends of the root. Afterward, peel away the wooden-like brown skin of the root, and there, you will see a thick ivory substance in the middle. That is where a lot of its saponins are!
Grab the white substances and put them in a pot. Put in just enough water for the roots to thrive and float and boil on medium to high heat for twenty to thirty minutes. Following that statement, strain out the water and put the trained water in a blender. Blend the yucca liquid until it is white and foamy from the substances of the yucca for at least twenty to thirty seconds. If you would like the yucca cleanser to smell good, simply add in essential oils.
But hey, why not spice some things up a bit and add in cinnamon, oregano, thyme, clove, or cumin?
Bonus: Herbs & Spices
If you ever feel the need to explore a lil’ more, you can create something simple, vigorous, and wonderful. Herbs and spices together have been used for centuries for their antibacterial and antifungal properties. And so, with this bonus information, you can use all of these in one. And the best part about this is that herbs and spices are in your teas and seasonings—so they are one second away from not only bettering the taste of your food but the cleanliness of your home.
We are going to quickly talk about cumin, oregano, clove, thyme, and cinnamon. These small but “stronger in numbers” properties can inhibit bacteria such as Bacillus, pathogens, and fungi such as Aspergillus. And when by itself, or even mixed, can create a cleansing property that can clean rough tiles.
Cinnamon smells like a sweet bakery on “Love Avenue”, oregano has a very leafy and Earthy smell, clove has the scent spirit of Christmas, thyme has a spicier scent than oregano and feels a little bit more warm and safe. And finally, cumin carries the essence of pepper that feels like it has been smoked by a plethora of seasonings.
If you would like to create this cleanser as an all-in-one or in singles, all you have to do is boil these seasonings in a pot. Choose these herbs and spices that have been already made into a powdery substance. Boil on medium to high heat and for at least fifteen to twenty-five minutes. After boiling, strain out the water by using a stocking cap or nut milk bag. Simply wait for the “tea” to cool down and there goes your homemade cleanser.
For the strongest results, I highly prefer for you to use all of these seasonings in one and then clean with a best dish scrubber. You can even mix this “tea” with lemon juice, lime juice, soapnut cleanser, shikakai cleanser, and yucca root cleanser.
Remember, depending on how much you’ve bought, ordered, or grown in your garden, all of these are natural safe ways to clean your tiles. So happy cleaning!
