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By Amanda Collins, Feng Shui Master

Feng shui is all about having the most supportive, inspiring and healthiest home. One of the first steps to achieving these feng shui goals is to give your home a really good cleaning.聽But because feng shui also means living in harmony with the earth, your cleaning should use natural organic products that honor and nurture that relationship.

Natural Aromatherapy and Cleaning

Using natural home cleaning products supports the sense of smell. Many cleaning products include natural essential oils, and thus will make your home smell nice by offering an 鈥渁romatherapy鈥� effect. Lavender is a natural disinfectant. Imagine getting your home clean while enjoying that beautiful, relaxing aroma. You can even add a few drops to your clothes before they go into the dryer or a few drops in the vacuum.

Lemon is another magical essential oil. You can use a few drops on stains on your clothes, or add a few drops to a gallon of water when mopping your white tile floors.

Tea tree essential oil offers antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal properties. It works especially well to get rid of mildew and mold around the house.

By contrast, bleach and other chemicals in non-natural cleaning products can create smells and even toxic odors that are unbearable.

DIY Natural Cleaning Solutions

Simple Ingredients needed for making your own cleaning products include:

• Baking soda
• Citrus seed extract: Usually made from grapefruit seed, this natural preservative is a powerful antimicrobial agent. It is often sold as grapefruit seed extract
• Essential oils: lavender, sweet orange; bergamot, rosemary, eucalyptus or tea tree; thyme; lemon or lemongrass; and peppermint or citronella
• Cider vinegar

And here are some great recipes for making your own natural cleaning products:

All-Purpose Cleaner

9 parts water to 1 part white vinegar

For the Bathroom

10 drops of tea tree oil and three cups of white vinegar. Add聽to your toilet bowl and let sit for 15 minutes.

Fill a spray bottle with half water and half vinegar for a聽shower or bathtub cleaner. Leave for 30 minutes before rinsing off.

Glass Cleaner

Mix two cups water, 1/2 cup white or cider vinegar, and 1 to 2 drops of lemon essential oil.

Tile Grout Cleaner

Mix 1 part water and 3 parts baking soda mixed into a paste. Apply to grout and let sit; and then scrub.

Cookware

Use sea salt with a little lemon juice or essential oil and scrub. Also, try baking soda and water made into a paste.

Choosing Natural Cleaning Products for Your Home

If you decide to purchase natural cleaning products instead of making them at home, there are聽 just a couple of qualities to look out for:

• Nontoxic
• Fragrance free
• Biobased
• Reduced and recyclable packaging
• No VOCs
• Pesticide Free
• Biodegradable

Feng shui principals are becoming so widespread, you can get some great natural brands at the local health food store. Now even grocery stores carry them.

Now you can take the online Silver-Level Feng Shui Master聽Program at your own pace, or the Gold-Level Program live with Amanda Collins!

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