Creepy crawlies

Shannon Lush, bestselling author of Spotless ($19.95, ABC books) and bona-fide Queen of Domestic Queries, says there are a number of green remedies that work better than their toxic counterparts. After all, she asks, “What’s the point in green if it doesn’t clean?”

To minimise the amount of insect spray you use in the home, Shannon suggests placing a drop of lemon oil on the bristles of a broom, and then running it over your ceilings. Spiders hate lemons, and this quick tip will keep cobwebs away for up to three months. To tackle flying pests, wipe your light fixtures with a cloth dipped in peppermint tea. This will deter insects from using them as blue-light discos.

Bathroom mini-makeover

For a tub with persistent stains, buy a packet of denture tablets, Shannon says. Fill the tub with water, and leave a tablet in overnight. By morning, your bath will resemble your Great Aunty Doon’s shinning pegs: white and bright. To clean other parts of the bathroom — and most other surfaces — Shannon recommends using a combination of bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar. The trick to making this combination work is to sprinkle the bicarb over the surface to be cleaned, and then spraying on the vinegar. As soon as the two start fizzing, you start scrubbing.

The crew at Green Cleaning Australia finds that a mixture of borax and lemon juice makes an effective toilet bowl cleaner. Simply mix the borax (from the hardware store) and lemon juice into a paste, wet the sides of the bowl, rub on the paste and let it stand (up to a few hours of heavy stains). Then scrub off with a white scrub pad and flush. Voila!

Mould and mildew eliminators

Be aware that bleaches don’t eradicate bathroom mould and mildew, they merely bleach it so it’s invisible. If you want to get rid of the spore for good, Shannon suggests combining ¼ teaspoon oil of cloves in one litre of water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture onto the mould and let it dry for 20 minutes, then wipe it away with a damp cloth. For longer results, spray a second time and leave the mixture to dry.

Give indoor plants a lift

Indoor plants, like indoor furniture, suffer from household neglect. A good way to keep them, and yourself, healthy is to save banana skins for your favourite pot plant. Gently rub the leaves with the inside of the banana skin. You will see an immediate result — and a banana for brekkie is divine!

For more great ideas and practical solutions for your home see http://www.reallivingmag.com.au/