Safe Cleaning with Kids

Parents with small children know how hard it is to clean a house when they are around and when they always make messes. Incorporating children into a cleaning routine helps eliminate the struggles of daily clean up. There are some safe cleaning products and tools that can be used by children to help with the process.

1. White vinegar: Works great for cleaning just about everything. Fill a small squirt bottle with a small amount of vinegar and mostly water. Give your child a lint free washcloth or paper towels and have them wash low windows or take down removable mirrors of the walls and ask them to wash them.

2. Lemon juice: Cleaning mirrors and bathtubs. Lemon juice works great for soap scum. Putting lemon juice in the bathtub and letting it soak into the soap scum and then filling the tub with some water. Put your child in the tub with a wash cloth and ask them to wash it. The lemon juice will be diluted by the water so it won't cause skin irritation and your child will smell clean afterwards. * Never leave child unattended in the bathtub.

3. Dish soap: Your child can help with dishes by placing on bucket of water with dish soap and one bucket with plain water. Get a wash cloth and a dish towel, and some pre-rinsed plastic cups and plates. Show your child how to wash in the soapy water and rinse in the plain water and then dry with the towel. Afterwards, mop the floor.

4. Broom and dust pan: A hand held broom and dust pan is great for small children to crawl under the table and sweep up crumbs from their meals. Then can also use it to sweep bathrooms.

5. Portable vacuum: Use a battery operated, not an electric, portable vacuum to have your child vacuum up little pieces of dirt on the carpet.

6. Orange Oil: It's a safe cleaning product for both children and wood. Put some on a washcloth and have them go around the house and wipe down wood furniture.

7. Dust cloths: A dust cloth can be used dry and is safe for children to use because chemicals are not required for dusting furniture and you can follow along with them with one as well. They will like being a part of what you are doing.

8. Paint brush: Using a paint brush on small decorative (non- breakable items) will help dust in the small crevices of the item. Children will think they are painting their items but really helping you with the dusting. If the decoration can stand water on it without ruining it then give them a small cup of water to help with their painting/ dusting. If water is used give them a small towel for drying.

9. Toothpaste: If you have tile at home toothpaste can work well with cleaning the grout. Give your child an old toothbrush and toothpaste to clean the grout or even the caulking around the bathtub. The mint in toothpaste will make the room smell nice as well.