As many of us have come to realize, petroleum can be found in almost all of the products we've become accustomed to using every day, including the supplies we use to clean our homes (i.e dish washing detergent, glass cleaners, etc). In fact, the U.S. Poison Control Centers reported that nearly 10% of all toxic exposures reported in 2000 were from cleaning supplies, and that percentage may have risen even higher in recent years. In order to help curb this, we are now being encouraged to take steps to use more natural, less toxic products and homemade-remedies to get these jobs done. They may require a little more effort on your part to use, but are much healthier for you and your family, and they can also be less expensive, too. Below are a just a few suggestions for greener ways to clean your house!
1. Baking Soda - Baking soda can be a very effective cleaner and deodorizer, with more than a dozen possible uses. You can use it to clean dishes and countertops, remove smells from your carpet, or even help remove a clog from your sink (when mixed with vinegar).
2. Vinegar - Mixing vinegar with water in a spray bottle can give you a very effective way to clean glass, cutting boards or other like surfaces. Or you can mix it with hot water, and use it to clean your floor. And it's also an effective deodorizer, as well!
3. Castile Soap - Castile soap is all-natural, and once diluted, can be used as a foaming cleaner for wood surfaces. Or even use it to replace your shampoo or other body cleansers!
4. Olive Oil - Olive oil is another ideal option to clean and polish wood surfaces. Mixing it with vinegar and water may help it be even more effective, too.
5. Tea Tree Oil - Tea tree oil can be another effective deodorizer. And mixed with water, it can help to get rid of mildew or other fungus.
6. Table Salt - Ordinary table salt can be used to clean ovens, and can also help in removing iron-based stains (such as red wine or chocolate).
I can speak from experience, and say that I've used many of these products myself, and they really do work! And how cool is it that you probably already have many of these items in your kitchen right now? So, get out there, and green your cleaners!
1. Baking Soda - Baking soda can be a very effective cleaner and deodorizer, with more than a dozen possible uses. You can use it to clean dishes and countertops, remove smells from your carpet, or even help remove a clog from your sink (when mixed with vinegar).
2. Vinegar - Mixing vinegar with water in a spray bottle can give you a very effective way to clean glass, cutting boards or other like surfaces. Or you can mix it with hot water, and use it to clean your floor. And it's also an effective deodorizer, as well!
3. Castile Soap - Castile soap is all-natural, and once diluted, can be used as a foaming cleaner for wood surfaces. Or even use it to replace your shampoo or other body cleansers!
4. Olive Oil - Olive oil is another ideal option to clean and polish wood surfaces. Mixing it with vinegar and water may help it be even more effective, too.
5. Tea Tree Oil - Tea tree oil can be another effective deodorizer. And mixed with water, it can help to get rid of mildew or other fungus.
6. Table Salt - Ordinary table salt can be used to clean ovens, and can also help in removing iron-based stains (such as red wine or chocolate).
I can speak from experience, and say that I've used many of these products myself, and they really do work! And how cool is it that you probably already have many of these items in your kitchen right now? So, get out there, and green your cleaners!
Resources:
Lallanilla, M. (2012). 8 great green cleaners. Retrieved from http://greenliving.about.com/od/greenathome/tp/natural_cleaning_products_kit.htm.
Love, B. (2010). Go green tip #36: Clean up your (cleaning) act. Retrieved from http://www.greenglobaltravel.com/2010/11/18/go-green-tip-36-clean-up-your-cleaning-act/
Lallanilla, M. (2012). 8 great green cleaners. Retrieved from http://greenliving.about.com/od/greenathome/tp/natural_cleaning_products_kit.htm.
Love, B. (2010). Go green tip #36: Clean up your (cleaning) act. Retrieved from http://www.greenglobaltravel.com/2010/11/18/go-green-tip-36-clean-up-your-cleaning-act/
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