Long before I even knew about living an organic lifestyle, I learned about the benefits and power of 3 very simple household items. These 3 all natural cleaning solutions have passed the "test", time and time again, for this mom of 3 very active boys!

Vinegar. A natural product that poses no chemical or toxic harm to your family, vinegar is a natural cleaning solution that can be used as an all-purpose cleaner for most any household cleaning jobs.

(NOTE: Always test a small area if you have any doubt or concern about the surface you plan to apply vinegar/water to.)

With an equal mix of vinegar to water, it's a great cleaner for floors, kitchen cabinets, countertops, sinks, appliances and the inside of your refrigerator.

Vinegar is also an effective natural cleaner for the bathroom. It's great for cleaning through soap scum and stubborn hard water stains in sinks and toilets. Again, test on tile and/or grout areas before use. You can also use to achieve a streak-free cleaning on all mirrors and glass surfaces.

Of course, organic produce is always the best choice, but when it's not an option, vinegar can help. That's right! A few tablespoons of vinegar to a sink or bucket full of water, washes away pesticides, chemicals and germs from non-organic fruits and vegetables. Soak the produce for 15-30 minutes before using.

Baking Soda. Another all natural product that's inexpensive yet an effective all natural cleaner and deodorizer. Mixed with a small amount of water the baking soda paste can be used to scrub stubborn stains from most any surfaces. It's also a great natural teeth cleaner and whitener as well as a natural deodorizer in closets, refrigerators and freezers.

And the third natural cleaning solution I found many household cleaning tasks for is lemon. It's natural, smells great and combined with baking soda is a very effective cleaner.

Cut a lemon in half, sprinkle it with baking soda and you have an all natural scrubbing solution for dishes, countertops, stubborn stains and soap scums. Lemon also cleans brass and copper and when combined with olive oil can be used on wood as an all natural furniture cleaner.

So there you have 3 very simple, inexpensive and effective all natural cleaning solutions. Vinegar, Baking Soda and Lemons.

Chances are, you already have these items in your home so the next time you reach for a toxic cleaning solution, think twice, and try going all natural!