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Being house-proud is well and truly in vogue, with Marie Kondo dominating the airwaves and bookshelves thanks to her decluttering tips.

But you don’t have to use nasty chemicals to have your home sparkling like new.

In the run up to Keep Australia Beautiful Week, which starts this Sunday, August 18, Australian cleaning quality control expert Javier Bastardo from Fantastic Services reveals his all-natural cleaning hacks to help keep your home, health and the environment in tip-top condition.

“The days of toxic cleaners are over,” says specialist Javier. “We use natural products wherever and whenever we can, and many of them work just as well as their harsher counterparts.

“And it’s not just the environment that benefits from cleaning with natural products, so does your home, health, pets, appliances and the air. The idea is to never skip cleaning for too long – and you don’t have to with these hacks!”

Here are Javier’s 10 spring cleaning hacks:

1. Clean walls with bread

Yep, it sounds weird, but it’s not just the kids who like a touch of the old Mighty White! The walls do too – and if you don’t believe me, try gently running a slice over scuffs and marks that don’t come off with a cloth.

2. Get rid of wooden furniture scratches by rubbing a walnut on the scratch.

By rubbing a walnut on the scratch you’ll give it back that brown-ish colour. At least a bit.

3. Shine chrome faucets with toothpaste.

Rub a bit of toothpaste on them and then wipe with a wet sponge to remove any water stains and hard water marks from it.

4. Clean mirrors with coffee filters.

In order to achieve that flawless look from the movies, clean your mirrors with coffee filters. They are better than towels because coffee filters are lint-free.

5. Remove nasty smells from the trash disposal with lemon.

Rinse some lemon rinds through it and run hot water. The lemon will remove the bad odour.

6. Remove pet odour with baking soda.

The best way to fight the smell is to spray some baking soda on the animal’s bed. Leave it there to soak up for 15 minutes and then vacuum it.

7. Unclog drains with baking soda and vinegar solution.

The non-chemical way to unclog your drains consists of 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup hot water. Pour the baking soda down the drain. Then add the vinegar, followed by the hot water last. Cover the drain with either a wet towel or a plug and wait five minutes, then rinse with boiling water.

8. Outdoor furniture cleaning with natural soap and hot water.

You’ll need a bit of natural soap and a bowl of hot water. Wash it thoroughly and rinse with the hose after that. Voila – a squeaky clean patio furniture!

9. Clean the windows like a pro using vinegar!

One thing that can ruin the clean look of a house is dirty windows. For completely see-through windows, mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar and a gallon of water, put it in a spray bottle and use the solution on your windows. Wipe with a microfiber cloth.

10. Clean dishwasher with baking soda.

From time to time the washing machine starts to stink, so shake a bit of baking soda on a damp sponge and clean any surfaces that you can reach.