We may strive to be Mr. Clean, Pine-Sol Lady, or Monica Geller-levels of clean when we mop, vacuum, polish, and scrub our homes. But, there’s always room for improvement, both in technique and product choices. While many commercial-grade solutions certainly get the job done, the harsh chemicals and ammonia content may be affecting your long-term health and doing more harm than good. Enter the holy trinity of all-natural cleaning ingredients: distilled vinegar, baking soda, and lemons. With a little bit of knowledge on how and where to use them, these pantry staples — watered down, blended together, or in their raw form — can tackle nearly all of your most basic and common sanitizing needs. Malcolm Berman, CEO and founder of Green Clean NYC, runs the longest-operating eco-friendly cleaning service in Manhattan. And, while he’s the first to tout more mainstream green products that are just as good, if not better, than the aforementioned grocery items, he’s still a firm believer in going au naturale for those times when you’re in a pinch. “These three things, in particular, are simple and readily available and they work in certain situations really well,” he says. Check out some of his favorite tricks below, including a few tasks you should absolutely not use them for.
