Cleaning Green
Did you know that most of the cleaning supplies in your home are made from things you most likely already have? All of the added chemicals that you find in most cleaning supplies are not needed. Below is a list of ingredients you may already have in your home that you can clean with and be green:
Vinegar
White distilled vinegar is an awesome cleaning solution. It loosens dirt, disinfects, deodorizes, and removes mineral deposits. (Do keep in mind to only use white distilled vinegar for cleaning. Darker vinegar can cause stains).
This is an ingredient that everybody has a least one box of in their homes. Most people keep an open box in their refrigerator, and some people even brush their teeth with it. Did you know that it is a great deodorizer for upholstery and carpet too? It also works as a mild abrasive. You can mix baking soda with vinegar, wait till it fizzes, and use it on toilets and clogged drains!
Liquid Castile Soap
Castile soap is made from 100% vegetable oils instead of animal fat. It is an all-purpose cleaner and can be used in your laundry or as dish soap. If this is something you don’t have on hand, you can easily find it at any local grocery store.
→ Make your own Shampoo with Liquid Castile Soap
Lemon Juice
You can use pre-prepared lemon juice. However, it is way more economical to use fresh lemons and squeeze. Not only will it save you money, but it smells better too! Lemon juice can be used for disinfecting and for bleaching. A half lemon and salt will do wonders for your cutting boards while a lemon rind can be used to bleach your sink. Fresh lemon juice will only stay good for 4 days, so make sure you use it right away.
→ Lemon the Original DIY Green Cleaner
Washing soda
Washing soda is similar to baking soda. However, it has a higher alkalinity and works great on stains. You can use it in your laundry or to remove stubborn stains from your counter-tops. Washing soda is a great treatment for hard water stains in your bathroom or even in your coffee machine!
Essential Oils
Essential oils tend to be on the pricey side. However, in the long run, they will save you a lot of money. A small amount goes a long way. Oils like lavender oil are naturally antibacterial and leave a calming scent. Tea tree oil is also an antibacterial agent and also a natural fungicide. By adding a few drops to your laundry, it helps kill germs. You can also add this to your humidifier.
→ Aromatherapy Uses- Household Cleaning and Freshening
Hydrogen Peroxide
This is a great non-toxic disinfectant and also works great as bleach.
Beeswax
This works as a high quality furniture polish.
→ Bees Wax: History and Origin
Our Mom’s have always told us that it is what is on the inside that counts. I don’t think they meant cleaning supplies when they said it. However, it holds very true. The green ingredients are what we are all aiming for, and it is so much to make our own green cleaning solutions. Green cleaning isn’t any more complicated than our old way of cleaning.
The Author:
Douglas Michaels Jr. writes educational articles for Green Earth News
