Now, before you reach for that bottle full of chemicals disguising itself as an innocuous cleansing product, first take a few practical steps to minimise mess.

While finding a few natural ingredients that will do the cleansing instead - keeping your grow room free from moulds and unpleasant smells.The following natural ingredients can be found in most homes – they are cheap and highly effective at combating dirt and smells from your grow room (...a little elbow grease may well be required) ...and what is more fun is that you can literally grow your own cleansing products too!

Home Grown Herbs

Many of the herbs that you grow or ones that have just seeded naturally themselves have a place within the cleaning cupboard. However, they will need a little preparation initially. Ultimately, you will need to make an infusion, so place the freshly picked herbs in a heat-resistant glass container or bottle and pour on boiling water – the proportion of herbs to water will depend on how strong you want the infusion to be. Then you want to leave the ‘infusing’ for at least 12 hours. Leave the mixture uncovered until cool, then prepare for final storage and place in the refrigerator. This mixture can last up to a fortnight, and can also be used in a spray bottle, but be careful to use a sterile one, and not one that has been previously used for something else.

The best herbs to go for are: Bay, Sage, Basil, peppermint, Spearmint, Lavender, thyme and lemon balm. They are naturally antiseptic, and antibacterial, while offering deodorising qualities and disinfecting properties.Basil, lavender, peppermint and thyme can also act as fungicides, as well as great insect repellents.Natural cleaning means understanding what it is that you want to achieve and applying the best solution.Using natural agents is a long way from simply spraying a chemical spray as an all-purpose solution. This way you are not only opting for a cleaner grow-style, but also an eco-friendly way reducing your costs as well as the costs to the environment.

Baking Soda

Or Sodium Bicarbonate – this is an effective and great all-rounder. It is tough enough to remove bad staining on clothes as well as being gentle enough to use on teeth! It is a great cleaner for aluminium, and should be applied to warm water, left to dissolve and then applied via a dish-cloth over surfaces.

Lemon juiceBecause lemon juice contains naturally occurring citric acid, it is the friend of the natural cleaner. It is wonderful when trying to degrease surfaces, and gets rid of ‘films’ of sticky grease. Simply wonderful and so cheap! A wonderful tool for cleaning copper and brass, you can also squirt it direct into water and use to rinse surfaces after soap has been applied. To get rid of an unpleasant smell – cut a lemon in half, and let the natural compounds within do all the work. The re-application of the lemon is regularly required.

Vinegar

Vinegar contains acetic acid and has been shown to act as a good disinfectant, as well as brilliant sat cleaning the glass in a greenhouse! Like the lemon – the acetic acid works fabulously upon grease and sticky films. It also deodorizes – once you get over the initial hit of pungency. Found to naturally deodorise: vinegar is extremely inexpensive – fill your cupboards with it now! Many use the humble bottle of vinegar to keep weeds down in the garden too!

Tea Tree Oil

The Australian plant Melaleuca alternifolia bears the oil that is extracted and possesses many anti-bacterial qualities. It also acts as a fungicide – and one great way to keep pests at bay naturally and without using chemicals and pesticides. You can use tea tree oil in many ways, just 15 drops in a bowl of warm water will freshen and deodorise an average size grow room. It will also kill mould upon direct application. Possessing a great sharp, clean smell, Tea Tree Oil can also be used to combat unpleasant smells