Walkyria WhitlockCleaning Tips from A Yacht Stewardess
Coming from a yachting background where we care for the most delicate materials with the most extreme standards, it comes with experience when I say "YOU DO NOT NEED SPECIAL CLEANERS". You could even get by with nothing, and I'll touch on that aspect too.
Cleanliness is important for our state of mind and our health... it is a preventive measure in stopping infectious diseases, and keeping a clean environment is found to help keep a clearer mind.
It is surprising to learn, however, that the cleaning products found in most of our cupboards are not only bad for the environment but horrible for our health.
A recent study published in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine followed more than 6,000 people over a 20-year period and found women, in particular, suffered significant health problems after long-term use of harsh cleaning products.
"Lung function decline in women working as cleaners or regularly using cleaning products at home was comparable to smoking 20 cigarettes a day over 10 to 20 years. "
It's horrible, but not terribly surprising considering the amount of regulation and studies behind our toxic, household cleaning products.
Federal regulation for cleaning products is poor, but you don't need to rely on dodgy cleaning chemicals to keep your environment safe.
Buy some glass spray bottles and make your cleaning cabinet chic with some home labeled bottles, or be more environmentally friendly and just repurpose some of your old cleaning bottles.
These are recipes that we use to clean on board privately-owned Super Yachts--home to the super elite, and wealthy:
1. MILD DISH SOAP
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Uses:
dishwashing
gentle, multi-surface cleaner
Spray Bottle Recipe: 2-3 Drops of Mild Dish Soap for 16 oz of Water
This is my favorite cleaner. It is very gentle and safe to use on anything that you can use water on, and it is really all that is necessary for a daily cleaner. Choose an environmentally friendly dish soap that you love the smell of! Trust me. This is what we use on YACHTS and is all that your household really needs.
Floor Cleaner: Few Drops of dish soap, one cup of vinegar, 1 gallon of water for a streak-free mopping solution
Wine Stain Remover: 2 Parts hydrogen peroxide, 1 part dish soap
Grease Stain Remover: Saturate stain in dish soap and leave for 24 hrs before normal launder
Safe to Use On: Marble, Granite, Gold, Silver, Wood, Mother of Pearl, Pearl, and Synthetic Household Materials
2. RUBBING ALCOHOL
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Uses:
streak-free, glass cleaner
anti-bacterial
multi-surface cleaner
Spray Bottle Recipe: 1/4 Alcohol, 3/4 Water
This is my second-favorite mix. It is anti-bacterial so it gives you more peace of mind if you are concerned about that. Sometimes I make a 50/50 solution of rubbing alcohol and water if I want to make it more disinfecting.
Coffee, Grass, Ink Stain Remover: Work rubbing alcohol into stain, leave for 10 minutes, and launder per usual; Use to remove permanent marker stains from countertops and wood
Wrinkle Release: Mix proportions of 1 gallon of water, 1 pint of isopropyl alcohol, 1 ounce of natural fabric softener into a large container, and portion into spray bottles as needed.
Stain Remover for Suede: Use 99% Rubbing Alcohol and a soft brush to remove stains from suede
Safe to Use On: Glass is its most suited use, Marble (for disinfecting purposes, avoid overuse), Granite (for disinfecting purposes, avoid overuse), Gold (for disinfecting purposes, avoid overuse), Silver (for disinfecting purposes, avoid overuse), Wood (for disinfecting purposes, avoid overuse), Mother of Pearl (for disinfecting purposes, avoid overuse), Pearl (for disinfecting purposes, avoid overuse), and Synthetic Household Materials
3. VINEGAR
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Uses:
decalcifying
floor cleaner
fabric softener
polish
clogged drains
sticker remover
Spray Bottle Recipe: 1/4 Vinegar, 3/4 Water
This is not my favorite cleaner because of the smell and fact that you can't use it on any surface.... Though it is amazing/necessary when you have calcium buildup, especially on glass or stainless.
Stainless Steel Cleaning Solution: 1 part vinegar, 1 part water
Brass Polish: Pour vinegar on a cloth, sprinkle with salt, then gently rub into piece
Clog-Buster: Pour 1/2 Cup Baking Soda and 1 Cup Vinegar down a drain. Wait half an hour then flush with boiling hot water until water runs through smoothly.
Sweat Stain Remover: Mix one cup vinegar with ½ cup baking soda, one tablespoon salt, and one tablespoon hydrogen peroxide into a paste, apply to stain and let sit for 30 minutes. Scrub if fabric permits and launder per usual.
Decalcify Coffee Machines and Tea Kettles: Add Equal parts of water and vinegar with a sign to inform anyone else in your household and boil. Rinse and repeat if necessary. After Decalcified, rinse again and fill with new water. Boil. Empty. Rinse. Finished.
Fabric Softener: Add 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of Baking Soda DIRECTLY to the laundry to truly battle odors and freshen fabrics
Safe to Use On: Glass, Stainless, Plastic Surfaces, Protected Wood
DO NOT Use On: Marble, Granite, Stones, Gold, Pearl, Leather, Onyx Surfaces, or Electronics
4. BAKING SODA
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Uses:
deodorizing
mild abrasive
clogged drains
Fabric Softener: Add 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of Baking Soda DIRECTLY to the laundry to truly battle odors and freshen fabrics
Sweat Stain Remover: Mix one cup vinegar with ½ cup baking soda, one tablespoon salt, and one tablespoon hydrogen peroxide into a paste, apply to stain, and let sit for 30 minutes. Scrub if fabric permits and launder per usual.
Clog-Buster: Pour 1/2 Cup Baking Soda and 1 Cup Vinegar down a drain. Wait half an hour then flush with boiling hot water until water runs through smoothly.
Washing Machine/Dishwasher Freshener: To freshen up a smelly dishwasher or laundry machine and give it a thorough clean, sprinkle ¾ cup bicarb into the bottom of the machine and run it empty through a complete hot cycle.
Deodorizing Shoes: sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of baking soda into each shoe and shake to distribute throughout the whole shoe. Leave for a few hours and tip out excess powder. Use a vacuum to vacuum excess if possible.
5. Boiling Hot Water
Uses:
streak-free glass cleaning
anti-bacterial
safe to use on any surfaces not sensitive to heat
Remember when I said you could get by with nothing? This is what I meant. Boiling water is by far the best cleaner I have used. It is actually my secret to cleaning things perfectly. There are no streaks left behind, and I can use it pretty much everywhere. The heat kills bacteria, but it is not too abrasive in a way that it will create superbugs either! Apart from it being too hot for my hands sometimes, this is the most logical cleaner available.
BONUS:
Essential Oils
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Uses:
Tea Tree Oil: Antibacterial, Anti-fungal, Kills Mold
Lavender Oil: Relaxing
Eucalyptus oil will remove sticker residue
Add 5-10 drops to a vacuum bag to release a nice odor while vacuuming
Combine one drop each of lemongrass, lavender, citronella, and eucalyptus oil with one teaspoon of coconut oil and rub on exposed skin to repel bugs.
Add a few drops on a cardboard toilet roll to freshen the bathroom smell (not on gold plated)
To remove cigarette smoke, put four drops of rosemary, tea tree, and eucalyptus oil in a spray bottle and spray around the area
Oils can stain silk, brass, and marble
Take more control over your environment by creating your own cleaning products. They are safer and healthier for your family and the environment.