Green Cleaning Your Home

Commercial cleansers tend to be readily available, affordable and work well. Therefore, you might not think that making your own cleaning products is the best use of your time, particularly with the number of greener cleaning products currently on the market. However, making your own cleaning products can guarantee that you know exactly what ingredients you are using. This knowledge can reduce the harmful chemicals or allergens introduced to your home environment. However, please note that you should treat any homemade cleansers with as much care as you might store bought cleaners. Individuals who are sensitive to chemical odors or vapors could be affected by these cleaners, as they might be with commercial ones. Also remember that if you are mixing ahead and storing these homemade cleansers, you need to carefully label and safely store them out of the reach of children and pets.

Nine basic ingredients that can clean just about anything. Some you will most likely already own, others you might have to look for in the stores or online. The first multiple use ingredient is baking soda. This common white powder can be used as a deodorizer, cleanser, water softener, and scouring powder. Cornstarch is also probably in your house, and can be used for cleaning windows, polishing furniture and cleaning rugs and carpets. White vinegar is fantastic for removing grease, odors, waxes, stains and mildew. Isopropyl alcohol can be used as a disinfectant, as can ethanol or a solution of alcohol and water. Soap made with no phosphorus, petroleum products or fragrances can be used for a wide variety of cleaning tasks. Borax, or sodium borate, can be used as a deodorizer, cleaner, water softener, and disinfectant. It can also be used to clean finished surfaces like floors, painted walls and wallpaper. Washing soda, or sodium carbonate decahydrate, can be used as a grease fighter, water softener, stain remover, or surface cleaner. The only surface to avoid using this substance on is aluminum. Citrus solvent is extremity effective when dealing with oily things like adhesives, paintbrushes and grease stains. Then there is trisodium phosphate, or TSP, which is best used for cleaning drains, removing old paint and other equally difficult tasks. Since these tasks are generally done with caustic chemicals, you need to treat TSP with the same caution you would give commercial products. While TSP is not as caustic as comparable commercial products, it is still poisonous to ingest and can cause irritation.

Each of these items, and sometimes a little water and hard work, can handle just about every job. The ingredients can also be combined to create specialized cleaners as long you stick within the right ratios. You will want to test out any product, homemade or commercial, on a small area before tackling larger surfaces. This will limit your upset and budget if a certain finish is less stable than others are or if fabric colors bleed. Now I will explore some of the basic blends and ratios that are easy to make and use in your home.

For general cleansers for your home I have some blends that might or might not surprise you. To clean and shine up your hardwood floors you can combine equal parts of white vinegar and vegetable oil. Simply use a cloth or dedicated mop to distribute and rub in the blend. To clean your furniture simply add a few drops of lemon oil to ½ cup of warm water. Mix the oil in well and use the solution to dampen a cotton cloth. Wipe the desired furniture down with the damp cloth, and then with a dry cloth. To freshen air near a trash can or problem area, combine lemon juice and baking soda in an open container and place the dish near the problem area. Replace the mixture regularly for the best results. To clean glass, add two teaspoons of white vinegar to one quart of warm water. Apply the solution wit a clean cloth and then wipe dry.

Kitchen cleaning is a constant, and sometimes it is nice to use something already in your kitchen, rather than bringing chemicals and more packaging into the house. I have five basic cleaning recipes for cleaning in your kitchen. The first is a basic scouring powder, which you can use just about anywhere in your kitchen. All you need for an effective scouring powder is baking soda and a wet sponge. Simply sprinkle some baking soda on a wet sponge and scrub away, repeating with a fresh rinse of water and more baking soda as needed. This method will let you scrub away on your kitchen surfaces without scratching. Cleaning your oven can be just as easy, and will not require your entire day since you can leave the paste of ingredients sitting overnight. The first step is to wet down the interior of your oven with a sponge and warm water. Then mix together ¼ cup water, ¾ cup of baking soda, and ¼ cup salt. Apply that paste to the oven walls with a damp sponge or cloth and let it sit overnight. Come morning simply remove the mixture from the oven walls with a spatula and wipe the surfaces clean. If there are stubborn spots that do not want to go a quick, gentle rub with steel wool will finish the job. To make basic dish soap all you really need is a basic, unscented liquid soap. If you are tackling greasy dishes, you can add a few drops of vinegar to cut the grease. You can even mix up some dishwasher detergent for yourself; all you need is equal parts of borax and washing soda. If you have stubborn hard water, you can use a little more washing soda than borax to combat that.

No one likes cleaning the bathroom, but it does not have to be toxic. For a simple tub and tile cleaner simply use the same procedure of baking soda on a wet sponge as you do in the kitchen. If you want to try something a little different, you can use a mixture of two parts borax to one part lemon juice. The same blend of borax and lemon juice is an effective toilet cleaner when used with a scrub brush. A mix of equal parts of baking soda and white vinegar is also efficient for use with a scrub brush. To remove mold and mildew, combine one part hydrogen peroxide (three percent) with two parts water in a spray bottle. Spray on the areas that need cleaning and let the solution sit for an hour and then rinse. To disinfect surfaces combine four tablespoons of vinegar, two teaspoons of borax and three cups of hot water. Apply the solution from a spay bottle or with a damp cloth.

Every house gets dirty and needs regular cleaning. However, I feel better using the safest cleaners at my disposal. Especially since I have young children and pets in my home. It makes me feel like a greener, smarter and more capable person to know I am taking steps, no matter how small, to make my house a safer and cleaner place. These ingredients and mixtures are all easy to make, and less dangerous to my household. There is also the sheer lack of product packaging that making your own cleaners will prevent from entering the trash stream. Try out these greener ideas and see how rewarding and satisfying cleaning this way feels.

Sources:

Eartheasy Solutions for Sustanible Living, Non-toxic Home Cleaning

Green Home Living Magazine, Make Your Own Household Cleaners