Cream of tartar is a real cleaning staple. It’s an ideal non-toxic cleaning agent, it can be used to ward off bugs and you can even use it when washing your clothes.

I always have it on hand in the utility room for any stain removal emergencies. When it’s mixed with water or dish wash to make a paste, it can be used on everything from drains to stained coffee pots.

Stain remover

Natural ingredients are great for making your own cleaning recipes - and I love to have a few spare spray bottles in the house for when I make a new one. Our garment refresher started life as a spray bottle experiment.

Simply take three tablespoons of cream of tartar and about half as much glycerine. Put into a small spray bottle and give it a good shake. You can use this spray to pre-treat any stains on your garments before laundering. Super handy.

Tackle rust

When mixed with our old favourite bicarbonate of soda, you can use cream of tartar on all manner of rust stains. 

You will need:

A teaspoon of cream of tartar

Four tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda

A little water

Combine with enough water to make a smooth paste and apply to the rust. You’ll want to leave it for around 30 minutes, before wiping clean.

Drain cleaner

To stop drain odours and freshen everything in general, you can make a natural drain cleanser. I try to be as mindful as possible about the chemicals that enter our waterways when we clean, and it can be difficult to make the right choices when so many commercial cleaners contain harmful substances. Using this natural solution means you can pour this down the drain without guilt.

You will need:

1 tablespoon of cream of tartar

32 grams baking soda

32 grams salt

236 ml water

Pour the dry ingredients into the drain and then add your water. Pop the kettle on and allow to sit for a few minutes, before running water through.

If you have any cream of tartar cleaning hacks or tips, do tag @norfolknaturalliving on Instagram and our favourites might just receive a special treat

Bella x