Tuesday, June 22, 2010

How to Go Green: Spring Cleaning - How to Go Green

I have a copy of Karen Logan's book "Clean House, Clean Planet"....on the back cover she says:  "How many times have you said you're killing yourself trying to keep your house clean?  You might have been joking, but you're closer to the truth than you think if you are using expensive commercial cleansers."  Karen Logan reveals the secret of using simple, ordinary ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, soap, lemon juice and salt to make safe, inexpensive cleaners.

Well, this got me curious and voila..I found a few concoctions that might be fun to try.

Home cleaning supplies:

The strength of any deep clean comes from the supplies you use to wipe, polish, scrub, and soak—but that doesn't mean you have to stock up on sprays and powders that are made of potentially toxic antibacterial chemicals. Find out how using kitchen staples—like vinegar, baking soda, and good old hot water—can get your house as sparkling clean as anything on the shelves (at a fraction of the price), and how those once-a-year jobs (like vacuuming the refrigerator coils) can make your home more efficient than you realized.

All-Purpose Cleaner
1/2 tsp washing soda
A dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.
Tip: If you're out of washing soda, use 2 1/2 tsp of borax, instead.

Window Cleaner
1/4-1/2 tsp liquid detergent
3 tbs vinegar
2 cups water
spray bottle
Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.

Creamy Soft Scrubber
Simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn't leave grit.
Tip: Add 1 tsp of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise, just make as much as you need at a time.

Oven Cleaner
1 cup or more baking soda
water
A squirt or two of liquid detergent
Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface it totally white. Sprinkle some more water over the top, then let the mixture set overnight.

You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn't work for you it is probably because you didn't use enough baking soda and/or water.

Mold Killer
2 teaspoons tea tree oil
2 cups water
Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse.

Furniture Polish
1/2 tsp oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely.


Here is a link to a treasure trove of green ideas for you and your home.

Spring Cleaning - How to Go Green