Go as Green as You Can Affordably and Easily

It is good to see society finally coming to the realization that the products that we use in our daily lives have tremendous impact not only on our own health and well-being but on the health and well-being of the entire world. For this reason, there are lots of lovely new eco-friendly and organic products. This is a great development; however, these newfangled products are often out of the reach of folks like me who have to pinch every penny.

What can you do if you want to use natural products for your own health and the health of your family and the environment, but you simply can't afford it? Don't despair! You may not be able to go completely green, but by following a few simple tips, you can improve the quality of products you use and often save money in the process.

First of all, there are many expensive, chemical laden products that we use around the home that are actually completely unnecessary. We have become obsessed with the ideas that we must kill every germ in the world. The fact is, this is neither possible nor desirable. Studies have shown that one reason why we are becoming more and more susceptible to germs is that we encounter them less often, so our immune systems do not develop resistance to them. Additionally, our constant bombardment germs with one chemical attack after another actually helps them to get stronger. So clearly, the idea of doing away will all germs is not only impractical but dangerous. Besides that, some germs are good. We need some germs, so we don't want to kill them all off wholesale.

So, what do you clean with if you don't use antibacterial cleaners and chemicals. Here are a few ideas:

1. White vinegar: You can use white vinegar for a number of things. Diluted half and half with water, you can use it to clean windows, mirrors, and other shiny surfaces. You can use it as a fabric softener. A cup added to your final rinse softens your clothes and subdues the static, and your clothes won't smell like vinegar. You can use it to clean your floors, add a couple of cups to your mop water. You can wash dishes with it. Add half a cup to the wash water. It doesn't suds. It just cleans and cuts through grease, and it does a good job. Really, you can use white vinegar for just about anything you would use a liquid cleaner for and find it to be safe and effective.

2. Baking soda: You can scrub sinks, tubs, toilets and stubborn food on dishes with baking soda. It is as good a soft scrub as any expensive product you can buy in the store. You can use it to wash clothes. A half a cup to a cup added to the water as it is running into the washer will clean and deodorize a whole load of everyday clothes. Be sure to add the soda as the water is running in and before you add the clothes so that it dissolves and doesn't cause spotting on your clothes.

3. Baking soda and vinegar combined: This is a very powerful combination that is a bit volatile. As we all know, when you combine these two they have a chemical reaction that is quite volcanic! However, for certain tough jobs, this is desirable. For example, if your tub really needs a thorough cleaning, wash it all down with water and apply baking soda, adding a little water as you go to form a paste that coats the tub. Then, using a spray bottle, spray the paste with pure white vinegar. It will bubble, just like a pricey scrubbing bubbles cleaner. Let it sit for 15 minutes or so and then wash it away with very hot water and a slightly abrasive sponge or cloth.

You can unclog drains with this combination, too. Bail out any standing water. Pack the drain with baking soda. Boil a gallon of water and add a cup of white vinegar. Pour it slowly over the baking soda in the drain, allowing it to dissolve the soda slowly and wash it down the drain. The combination of the very hot water and the bubbling action of the soda and vinegar should clear your drain unless it is blocked by a solid object.

Baking soda and vinegar are the primary cleaning products I use in my home. I do have some other products on hand, but I choose them carefully and use them sparingly. For example, I keep a big bar of old-fashioned laundry soap by my kitchen sink to boost dishwashing. It is much less expensive than dish soap, and you use less of it because it is a solid. Just scrub your sponge or cloth over the bar to lather it up and use it to wash your dishes along with the vinegar in your dish water. It is a powerful combination. While this may not be entirely green, the fact that I am using less of it than I would a standard dish soap means it is having less impact on the environment.

For very dirty clothes or cleaning rags, I do use commercial laundry detergent, but I use it sparingly, and I pick it carefully. I look for a low-sudsing kind that is environmentally friendly and use half the amount that is recommended as an additive to my regular baking soda wash rather than as a stand-alone product. This seems to work fine. I believe that the instructions for most cleaning products tell you to use about twice as much as you actually need. It keeps their profits up.

For items and food products that you simply cannot or do not want to replace with a natural alternative, be sure to read the labels carefully. Generally, look for a short ingredient list. Then look for specific chemicals. In personal care products and household products, avoid, aluminum, parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, mineral oil, and any petroleum product. In food products avoid, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and any and all artificial sweeteners.

When you are looking for commercial products with fewer and more natural ingredients, check out stores like the Ninety-Nine Cent and Dollar stores. They often have surprisingly good products. Sometimes they are very high quality overstock from some other store. Sometimes they are the store's own brand that simply uses fewer ingredients than the high-end brand. Also, when you are shopping in a large market, check the bottom shelves whenever you are considering buying anything. The lower price brands are on the bottom shelves, and often, they are more natural and better choices than the brand name of the same product.

By carefully reading labels and buying products selectively, you are voting with your wallet. The hope is that, in the long run, companies will take notice that lower priced, simpler products that contain fewer toxic ingredients are becoming popular. This should lead to a production of more products that fit this description. There are many, many affordable alternatives to the chemical laden, food, personal care and cleaning items on the market today. By being a smart shopper, making careful choices, and using your products sparingly and wisely, you can save money, enhance your family's health and well-being, and improve the planet.

For more about healthy choices in food and personal care products, you may enjoy these articles:

Create an Affordable Colon Cleanse
http://hubpages.com/hub/Create-an-Affordable-A-Colon-Cleanse

DIY Natural Beauty
http://hubpages.com/hub/DIYNaturalBeauty

The Fill Your Plate Eating Plan
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Fill-Your-Plate-Eating-Plan

The Mediterranean Food Plan: Gaining Health
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1475318/the_mediterranean_food_plan_gaining.html?cat=5