In anticipation of the upcoming sacred festival of Navratri, it is crucial to thoroughly clean the entire house, paying special attention to the home shrine, or temple. However, due to the constant use of incense and candles throughout the year, a greasy film, black soot marks, and an overall darkened surface accumulate in the corners of the temple.
If you want to give your place of worship a new look without resorting to expensive chemical agents, you can use simple ingredients found in your kitchen, such as table salt (Sendha salt), lemon, baking soda, and vinegar. Below are the simplest methods to bring shine to the temple and devotional items before Navratri.
To clean a wooden temple, you will need: 1 cup of warm water, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and 1/2 tablespoon of liquid dish soap. Mix the vinegar and detergent in warm water. Then, dip a cotton or microfiber swab into the solution and squeeze out excess liquid. Wipe the shelves and doors of the wooden temple with this damp swab. Vinegar quickly dissolves the greasy film. Afterward, wipe with a dry cloth and let it dry.
To clean marble, prepare: 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of rose water or plain water. Mix the baking soda with the rose water to form a paste. Apply this paste to any stains from kumkum, turmeric, or black smoke on the marble. After 10 minutes, gently wipe the surface with a sponge. The marble will become perfectly white and shiny without any damage.
To clean silver, use: white toothpaste or aluminum foil, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and boiling water. Place the aluminum foil in a container, add 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and pour boiling water over it. Submerge the silver idols or ornaments in this mixture for 5 minutes. All the black grime will transfer to the foil, and the silver will shine without being polished.