You’re probably looking for environmentally friendly household cleaning products because you’ve grown tired of having to check every label that says danger, caution, or warning. If you’ve been to the supermarket and found those barely pronounceable chemicals on the back of those tried and tested cleaners uncomfortable, then it’s time you opted for environmentally friendly household cleaning products. The good thing about using natural cleaning recipes or “alternative recipes” is that it doesn’t contaminate your environment with toxic chemicals. It’s also considerably inexpensive, and you can modify each recipe to specifically meet your own cleaning needs. Another is that even though there are plenty of “green” cleaning products on the market, some of them still contain certain chemicals that can be dangerous to your health. Remember that you can never be 100% sure.
When making your own eco-friendly household cleaning products, it’s good to know the basic ingredients. The five most used elements in alternative cleaning are the following:
o Distilled White Vinegar: Cuts through grease, kills mold and mildew, softens fabric, disinfects, removes stains and even mineral buildup.
o Baking Soda: Cleans, scrubs, deodorizes, softens water, and works wonders as a toilet bowl cleaner. Consider this your complete cleanser.
o Soap – in all its forms can clean almost anything. Just make sure you don’t use the petroleum-based ones, as they can leave nasty marks.
o Borax – has a function similar to vinegar. Cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water and can be used on painted walls and floors without damaging their surface.
o Washing soda – or SAL soda can be used on walls, tiles, sinks and tubs. The only problem with its use is that it can irritate the sinuses.
Once you have all the ingredients ready, it’s finally time to start making your own environmentally friendly household cleaning products. Let’s start by making an all-purpose cleaner that you can use at home. Although there are several recipes for this, my favorite is to combine 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and ½ cup of hot water. The great thing about this mix is that it cleans and refreshes, leaving a nice citrus scent after you’re done.
For big jobs like the bathroom, all you need is vinegar and baking soda. Baking soda can remove tub rings and mold buildup on tiles. Vinegar, on the other hand, can clean hard toilet bowl rings if left in the bowl overnight and can also be used to clean mirrors and plastic shower curtains. If you need a drain cleaner, pour ½ cup to 1 cup of baking soda down the drain followed by 1 cup of vinegar. Allow the mixture to foam for several minutes before continuing to pour about a gallon of boiling water down the drain. You can use this method every week or two to prevent the drain from clogging.
Furniture polish is something you can make by mixing the juice of one lemon with one teaspoon of olive oil and one teaspoon of water. Spread this mixture in a thin layer on the wood surface and allow it to sit for five minutes before buffing with a soft cloth. If you don’t have any more lemons, cut one in half and sprinkle baking soda over the slice. You can use it to clean dishes, surfaces and stains in the kitchen. The other half can be used to polish brass and copper.
When making your own environmentally friendly household cleaning products, as with any recipe, remember to follow the directions and save experimenting and substituting other ingredients for later. To test how effective your mix is, start with small areas or nondescript surfaces first.
