Green Your Cleaning

Have you been meaning to switch to more eco friendly cleaning products? How about making more space under your bathroom and kitchen cabinets? The answer is simple. Make your own cleaning products. Here are some tips to get you started. And finished, actually. You need only a couple of things to clean your entire home.

Vinegar and Water Spray
1 part white vinegar
3 part water
8 drops essential oil of choice, optional

Put water and vinegar into a clean spray bottle.
Adding essential oil will help reduce the strong scent of the vinegar. My favorite is lemon.

Vinegar is very inexpensive - I pay around $2.75 for a 4L jug - any brand is fine. As vinegar has disinfectant qualities, I use this spray for almost everything. I use if for mirrors and windows, the the table and kitchen counter, and the bathroom fixtures. I spray this on a cloth for dusting, and for hard to clean spots on the floor. It cuts grease on the range hood, and makes the kitchen sink shine. I always have a bottle of this next to the kitchen sink and in the bathroom.

Baking Soda
I have light colored kitchen counters that are forever getting stained with coffee, juice, and mustard. I sprinkle some water on the stain and then sprinkle a generous dose of baking soda on top and rub it in with a clean, damp cloth. The stain is gone before you've used too much elbow grease. An open box of baking soda is very effective for absorbing odors in the fridge. Any brand works well.


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Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a wonder! After washing wooden cutting boards, I spray them with hydrogen peroxide to sanitize them. I also spray the counters with it after cutting meat or chicken. It kills germs and keeps surfaces clean.

As for laundry soap, I have made a couple of recipes, but the results have been far less than stellar. If you have a really great recipe, let us know.

What non-toxic, environmentally friendly products do you use to clean your home?