We’ve all heard the old wives’ tales alluding to the cleaning power of household ingredients such as vinegar, bicarbonate of soda etc. etc. But when it comes to effectively cleaning and deodorising your home, do any of these common pantry items actually work?

With the environmentally-conscious homeowner rapidly moving away from chemical cleaning agents in the pursuit of more natural alternatives, we thought it might be a good time to explore some of the best cleaning hacks that you can carry out in your home, using natural ingredients readily on-hand.

  1. Newspaper to dry wet shoes

Next time you’re caught in the rain don’t be tempted to put your footwear in the dryer. You can actually save on electricity and avoid the risk of shrinkage, by opting for newspapers instead.  Due to its absorbent nature, the newspaper is both a cheap and effective way of “lifting” the moisture out of the shoes. Simply stuff the newspaper inside each shoe, then remove and repeat whenever it becomes too damp. The added bonus of using newspaper is it can also act as a deodoriser for your stinky footwear by absorbing unpleasant smells at the same time.

  1. Pure vanilla extract as a natural deodoriser for fridge/freezers

This handy household item has long been regarded as your fridge’s best friend – and for good reason.  By diluting some vanilla extract in a pump spray of water and using it as a cleaning agent, you can both clean and deodorise at the same time. Or, for a longer-term solution, soak a cotton wool ball in vanilla extract and leave it in the back of your fridge indefinitely. You’ll be rewarded with a much cleaner, fresher smelling frid, every time you open the door.

  1. Water as a cleaning solvent. 

Forget the pre-packaged cleaning products filled with a long list of harsh chemicals. Not only will you save yourself a lot of money in the long run, the health of you and your family is also likely to benefit. Believe it not, when it comes to your average regular clean – water is often all you need. By combining ENJO products as your surfactant instead of chemicals, you can easily tackle that everyday dirt and grime. Simply run them through the wash when you’re finished, and you’ll be ready to go again as needed.

So, as you can see, when it comes to natural cleaning alternatives those “old wives” may have actually been right. But in case you’re still wondering if vinegar harnesses any amazing cleaning powers – unfortunately, when it comes to this old tale, the answer is no.  To find out more, look out for our upcoming blog, “3 Cleaning Hacks that DEFINITELY don’t work”.