5 effective, natural remedies to clean floor joints

Floor joints are one of the most difficult parts of a home to clean. Dirt gradually nestles in the cracks, causing a proliferation of molds and bacteria of all kinds and, in most cases, the joints blacken over time.

Cleaning the joints can become complicated and tiring if you don't use the right products and procedures. There are many products for this task available in shops, but they are not eco-friendly or health risk-free.

It is possible to find natural alternatives that are equally effective and easy to use. We describe some of these below.

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• Bicarbonate and dishwashing liquid: prepare a creamy paste using 100 grams of sodium bicarbonate, a little warm water and two teaspoons of an ecological dish detergent or melted Marseille soap. Apply this paste to the joints to be whitened and leave it to act for a few hours or, better still, overnight. In the morning, scrub the joints with an old toothbrush or any other small brush you have around the house, and then rinse off.
• Sodium percarbonate: another very useful ingredient for whitening floor joints is sodium percarbonate. Mix it with water to form a frothy mixture, using three tablespoons of water for each tablespoon of percarbonate. Apply it on the areas to be treated and leave it to act for a few hours. Then scrub and rinse off thoroughly.
• Steam: a totally natural and effective method is, without a doubt, to use steam at high temperatures. Anyone who has a steamer at their disposal will excell at cleaning the joints. If you use one, however, pay attention to the material of the floor. On terracotta flooring, for example, steam is not recommended.

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• Hydrogen peroxide: another product with a high whitening power is hydrogen peroxide. We are talking about the type with a 3% concentration (or ten volumes) and the one commonly used to disinfect wounds. Pour it neat onto the joints or mix it with cornstarch to prepare a cleaning compound. In both cases, leave it on for a few hours, then brush and rinse off thoroughly before washing the floor.
• Lemon and coarse salt: this is a 100% natural method that works in various circumstances. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle coarse salt on it. Then start rubbing the parts to be cleaned with the lemon itself, removing the dirt, and then rinse off. This is a method to be used on dirt that is not "baked in". But if you use it often and consistently, it can help you keep the joints clean and prevent them from blackening over time. Always pay attention to the material the floor is made of, because lemon is acidic and, in some cases, may not be recommended. The general advice is to test out a remedy first before going the whole hog.

Have you ever tried any of these remedies before?