Simple ingredients you probably already have at home can be transformed into a powerful tool for removing tough stains.
The scoop
Lese Mmolotsi (@homewithlese) is a cleaning expert who shares tips and tricks with their more than half a million followers on Instagram. In one clip, the creator detailed one of their favorite cleaning recipes. As the caption notes, "Say goodbye to tough stains in seconds."
The recipe uses versatile ingredients that most people already have. To create this powerful stain lifter, combine half a cup of baking soda, two spoons of dish soap, and half a cup of water. Once mixed, these three ingredients will form a paste you can use all over your home.
In the video, Lese shows off several of the many uses for this cleaning mixture. It can be used to get stains out of mattresses and rugs. Soap scum in the shower or tub comes off easily with a gentle scrub. It can even get your grout looking clean.
How it's working
Using on-hand ingredients is an easy and affordable way to clean your home. Baking soda and soap are fairly safe and free of many toxic chemicals common in cleaners. By combining these ingredients with a few variations, including vinegar or rubbing alcohol, you can clean virtually everything in your home.
These more gentle ingredients can also protect your health. Strong and specialized cleaners often contain volatile organic compounds that can cause a plethora of health concerns. According to the American Lung Association, "Breathing VOCs can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, can cause difficulty breathing and nausea, and can damage the central nervous system and other organs."
VOCs are also a potential source of carcinogens. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found VOCs such as formaldehyde and benzene "are considered by many authorities to be proven or probable human carcinogens."
What people are saying
Instagrammers were thankful for this cleaning tip and excited to give it a shot.
"Great tip, dishwashing liquid is always a safe bet," one wrote.
🗣️ Do you worry about using cleaning products with harsh chemicals in them?
🔘 All the time 💯
🔘 Sometimes 🤨
🔘 Not really 🤷
🔘 No — never 🙅
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Another person said they use a different concoction for a cleaning boost: "I mix white vinegar and dish soap, it works so much faster."
"I'm definitely going to give this a go," someone else added.
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