When I was young, my Grandmother was a big believer in Spring Cleaning. I lived near DC then and it was warmer, so come early March, she would have my Grandpa take off the storm windows (frequently, he would mysteriously come down with "lumbago"--bad lower back--and he would put on his back brace and have my Grandma rub him with liniments......requiring us to hire a storm window remover) and put in screens, all the curtains came down (to be HAND washed as she refused the use of a washing machine), rugs up, floors polished.......but old school in most ways, the smells I remember from that time were her newfangled cleaners such as Lysol, Mr. Clean, Pledge.....not so nice.
I was and will never be the housekeeper my grandmother was, but I do believe in Spring cleaning. Running a Jewish household, I find myself cleaning furiously, not just for dust and dirt--but also for minescule bread crumbs. However, the job is much more pleaseant because I have chosen all natural--and nice smelling cleaning products. These days, it is not necessary to make your own as there are several natural/organic products for every cleaning need. If you make your own, it can be done cheaply and easily, so the spring cleaning of your home does not have to interfere with the concurrent spring cleanse of the body due to toxic chemicals.
Here are some of the homemade products I use:
SCOURING POWDER:
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup mixture of any of these (rosemary, lemon balm, sage, cinnamon--dried, ground with stems included)
If there are stains that need removing, add enough vinegar to make a paste, apply and let sit for 1/2 hour
*This can be used on tubs/sinks/ovens/linoleum or tile floors
CARPET DEODORIZER:
3/4 cup baking soda
1/2 cup corn meal
1 cup borax
10 drops of an essential oil of your choice (tip: think about the room you are cleaning when choosing scents--nothing too perfumey near the kitchen or sleeping areas----relaxing near bedrooms, energizing in living areas)
LINEN SPRAY/ROOM FRESHENER
Choose a pump spray container and fill with distilled water and 20-30 drops of essential oil. I prefer using a Tbsp. of Rose or Orange Water
WOOD POLISH:
1 part Lemon juice
3 parts olive oil. Make a small amount (baby food container size). It will separate, so always shake well before use and use just a little---a little goes a LONG way! Use on all woods
* There is no need for "disinfectants" as all essential oils and/or aromatic herbs are naturally anti-bacterial/fungal