Non-Toxic Cleaning for Hidradenitis Suppurativa - Part 2

Continued from Part 1:

Spraying away the germs to stay safe with HS

My first suggestion is to get a couple of empty spray bottles and make sure they are completely clean (and if previously used, please ensure that the bottles are washed). The recipe I use as an all-purpose cleaner is ½ cup vinegar, ½ c. 70 % isopropyl alcohol, and 2 cups of water. If your bottle is large and you have the space, double this recipe. I keep a bottle in the bathroom, and one in the kitchen. Whenever I spray a surface, I let it sit for at least 30 seconds so the vinegar and alcohol have time to work. If someone in your household is sick with any type of viral or bacterial infection, or you need to clean up any type of incident from taking care of your HS (we’ve all been there!), you can even just spray down equal parts vinegar and isopropyl alcohol and let it sit for 30-45 seconds before wiping.

I use this spray for countertops, my stove, and other appliances, cleaning my microwave, and all of my bathroom surfaces including my sink and toilet, and cleaning my mirror. Anything shiny is safe. If you have anything that is pure marble (not fake), please use the cleaner recommended by the manufacturer so the stone is preserved. If I notice that my fabrics are hanging onto some odor, I might also lightly spray them with this mixture as well. After all, it is antimicrobial. Just don’t saturate the fabric, give it a fighting chance to dry. At first, it might seem like a strong vinegar smell, but that odor goes away very quickly.

Compounds to scrub the grime away

Vinegar plus baking soda reminds me of making those “lava” volcanos for elementary science classes. Every time I clean, I think of those volcanos. And then I think I’m old. But seriously, vinegar and baking soda are the best compounds to scrub that grime out of your life – and they’re so inexpensive! You can use them to scrub your kitchen sink and bathroom sink shiny. I will also sprinkle in about ¼ cup baking soda, a healthy splash of vinegar, and dribble some Dr. Bronner’s soap into my toilet bowl and scrub. No need for toilet bowl cleaner! I think the best use for vinegar plus baking soda is when I want to get my oven clean. I don’t have a self-cleaning oven, and I can’t safely use the chemicals in a can. What’s better? Sprinkle about one-half of a cup of baking soda all around the bottom of the stove, concentrating on any spill areas. Then carefully pour a small amount of vinegar on the baking soda to be about equal amounts, and then shut the door. Let it sit for about a half hour, then try scrubbing. Most of the grime should easily lift off. If it doesn’t, repeat those steps, but the affected area should be much smaller.

The vinegar and baking soda trick also works if you have pans or baking dishes that have baked or burned-on bits that aren’t easily coming off. Sprinkle, then soak in vinegar for at least 30 minutes. It should be much easier to clean your dishes after the vinegar and baking soda soak. This would also work if you are having issues after having used a non-stick spray and putting the dish or pan in the oven because those sprays can form a sticky residue on the pan. I have used vinegar and baking soda to get cooking spray off of a decorative metal lid, and the decoration stayed, while the non-stick residue vanished. Just a side note: If you need extra room for scrubbing, keep your used dryer sheets. I use mine (unscented) for especially tough surfaces that need extra scrubbing with vinegar and baking soda.

One of the things I do that is a bit on the fun side is sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of my tub and then sprinkle a bit of the liquid castile soap on top of that. Then I get my scrubbing brush on a stick going, and it turns into a foam rave in my tub. I mean, that’s what I imagine, anyway! But it foams up and I scrub every nook and cranny, and after I rinse everything down, the tub looks amazing.

Keeping the floors sparkling

Floors are a big deal in my place. My entire apartment is covered in laminate flooring, so it’s always a chore to keep everything swept and mopped. I purchased an empty spraying mop that I can fill myself. I fill about one-quarter of the tank with vinegar, one-quarter of it with isopropyl alcohol, about 6 or 7 drops of the liquid castile soap, and the rest with hot water. Then I put reusable pads on the mop and clean the floors. The mop pads can be washed in the washing machine. The only time that a vinegar-based cleaner like this isn’t appropriate is when the floors truly are wood. The vinegar and alcohol will dry the wood out too much, so you would want to stick with a soap-based cleaner or search for oil-based solutions that are natural.

Decreasing chemicals to help Hidradenitis Suppurativa

I hope that these suggestions will help you if you are looking to simplify your life, cut down on your cleaning budget, or decrease the chemicals that you expose yourself to while also trying to tame your HS. I use only these three items and they take care of all of my needs for pennies a month. These solutions are also great if you have children or animals in your house and you want to reduce their exposure to harmful compounds. You may also notice a difference if you or anyone in your house suffers from asthma. I sure do!