The world is finally trying to go green, which means many of us have started turning toward natural DIY cleaners to help make our homes sparkle.
With inexpensive natural ingredients like baking soda, white vinegar, and lemon juice, you can easily clean just about anything in your house—no harsh chemicals needed!
But sometimes we tend to associate “natural” and “homemade” with words like “harmless” and “non-threatening.”
More often than not, a DIY cleaner will be a far less dangerous option than a store-bought solution packed with harsh chemicals.
Unfortunately, that rule doesn’t apply to everything. At the end of the day, there are plenty of natural ingredients you should never try mixing.
Baking Soda & White Vinegar
Why It’s Dangerous: This thrifty combination is more dangerous to your wallet than anything else. Baking soda with white vinegar might look bubbly and exciting, but it won’t deep clean your house. Essentially, using this mixture is like cleaning with salt water.
Try This Instead: If you want to deep clean the surfaces and appliances in your home, use a mixture of baking soda and water; then rinse with clean water.
As for the white vinegar, it’s an excellent glass cleaner! Check out this simple DIY glass cleaner by Bren Did—it works wonders!
Hydrogen Peroxide & White Vinegar
Why It’s Dangerous: When used separately, hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar are both central ingredients in many homemade cleaners. But combining them will only corrode every surface in your home! Together vinegar and hydrogen peroxide create peracetic acid, which will ruin literally anything it touches. The combination can also irritate your eyes, skin, and even your respiratory system.
Try This Instead: Believe it or not, hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar can actually be used to fight the same problem, as long as they’re not mixed. Both are excellent disinfectants! One easy trick is to pour each into separate spray bottles.
First, spray vinegar onto any surface you want to disinfect and wipe it down; then spray your hydrogen peroxide solution and wipe that down as well. That way, you’re using both cleaners effectively—without ruining your home in the process.
