Natural cleaning products most commonly rely on vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda. Chances are you probably have these three super cheap items at home. But do they actually work? I put homemade cleaners to the test in two of the dirtiest areas of my home.

My kitchen sink gets orange stains
Green cleaners: Diluted bleach, baking soda

Spraying my sink with a diluted bleach solution leaves it perfectly white. The natural method involves scrubbing my sink with baking soda.

I’m guessing it won’t work or will require 30 minutes of scrubbing. But after less than two minutes of scrubbing a few tablespoons of baking soda into my sink with with steel wool the orange stains washed away leaving a crisp, white sink!

Since I already use diluted bleach I’m not sure that baking soda is cheaper, but this way I don’t have to breathe in toxic fumes. I’ll definitely clean with baking soda in the future.

The black tile in my bathroom is perpetually covered in white drip marks
Green cleaner: Damp sponge, baking soda

I was surprised that baking soda matched the power of bleach in my sink. But even the strongest, most toxic cleaners have been powerless to remove the white soap scum from my bathroom tile.

Don’t ask me why my landlord chose black tile, a color that shows every trace of dirt.

I went to work with a damp sponge and plenty of baking soda, which seemed to take most of the white marks from the wall tiles. But you cannot tell until the tile fully dries.

Tick tock tick tock. The before and after pictures couldn't be more different!

If this is not enough to convert you to cheap, natural cleaners, I don’t know what will. I’m convinced!