In case you haven’t tried using natural cleaners for your home cleaning chores, you best start now. It is always preferable to avoid commercial detergents, as they have ingredients that are toxic and quite dangerous for human health and the environment.
When it comes to doing laundry with such products, it is tempting to use artificially scented detergents, as these can give you the impression of freshness. But do consider the fact that generous amount of such products used in confined spaces, which are common for laundry rooms, may have health implications. Instead, you can resort to lemon juice as an excellent substitute. Just pick up the largest bottle of lemon juice you can find in your local supermarket and get ready for some all-natural home cleaning with it. Follow the method described below:
- Separate white from colored clothes – this is something you should be used to – make two piles of clothes based on the color. Some of the techniques described below vary to some extent across the categories.
- Dilute the lemon juice – the citric acid in the juice should be neutralized first, before you begin your cleaning with it. The way to do this is easy – simply mix one cup of juice with two cups of water. Follow the ratio of 1:2, since that is the way to get maximum cleaning power out of the lemon juice. You want to have a safe solution, but at the same time you want it to be effective, which is why you should avoid adding more water. It will compromise the cleaning power of lemon and make it ineffective.
- Take care of colors first – in order to wash colors, you should fill the tray of your washing machine with diluted lemon juice. Fill the designated slots and proceed with other settings. Remember that high temperature water can further compromise this cleaning solution and lead to no satisfying results.
- Rinse out the washing machine – once the cycle for colors is done, you should take out your clothes and ready them for drying in a basket. While you are it, you should rinse the washing machine with the rinse mode. Wait for it to finish and prepare your next batch of clothes in the meantime.
- Protect colors by drying them indoors – it may be tempting for you to take full benefit of strong sunlight and dry your clothes by directly exposing them to it, but this has some downsides. Most notable is the fact that the UV-rays may in fact cause colors to fade. So instead of exposing them to direct sunlight, you can place them behind a window to act as a shield.
- Wash whites – cleaning service concludes with taking care of your white clothes last. Follow the same procedure, only remember to add some salt to the lemon juice as you pour it in the tray. Because it’s chloride, it can boost the power of lemon juice and provide overall better result. If you wonder why salt is not used for colors, it’s because it can stain them.
This concludes the procedure of doing laundry with lemon juice. You can take this organic approach any time, as it requires little preparation and can yield great results. Article from: http://lewishamcarpetcleaners.org.uk/