Green Cleaning
I have to admit that I am a bit of a neat freak. Blame it on my Grandma Margaret! Back in the day, Grandma used to clean constantly and her house always smelled liked bleach and ammonia. Yikes! I cringe at the thought of Grandma cleaning and breathing in all those toxic fumes.
Today, there is a plethora of information available to us about the health hazards of many household cleaning supplies. Many of them contain toxic ingredients and we have the choice to stop purchasing them. Make better choices when shopping and purchase non-toxic cleaning products. It is better for your health and your children’s health.
People tell me all the time that when they enter my nontoxic home it “feels and smells so good.” Why not experience the same for yourself? Go to your cupboard and say good-bye to all of your toxic cleaning supplies and start fresh.
You can either head down to Whole Foods or visit their website to purchase everything you will need from non-toxic laundry detergent, dish soap, to hardwood floor cleaner (Naturally Clean by ChemFree Solution, Inc www.naturallycleanlife.com is my favorite), to surface scrub. Meyers www.mrsmeyers.comis a chemical-free line of products I absolutely loooove. My favorite Meyer’s product is their “CLEAN DAY” room freshener in Lavender scent. I spray it in my daughter’s room before bedtime and am constantly spraying it in my home and office throughout the day to freshen the air.
Making your own nontoxic cleaning formulas will take you no time at all and as an added bonus you will save money. Here are a few recipes for you:
Window Cleaner: Make a great all-purpose window cleaner by combining 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/2 tsp liquid soap or detergent, and 2cups of water in a spray bottle. Combine in a spray bottle. Shake to blend.
Drain Deodorizer: Pour 2 cups of straight vinegar down the drain a few times a week.
Doorknob Cleaner: Add 2 tbsp of liquid soap to 1 cup of water. Saturate a cloth and scrub the area. Rinse. The EPA reports that soap kills germs.
Toilet Cleaner: Pour 1 cup of borax into the toilet. Leave overnight. Return in the morning and scrub with a toilet brush (it won’t take long).
Basic All-Purpose Cleaner Formula: This formula makes 2 cups of formula, and it works on most types of dirt. 1/2 tsp. washing soda, 2 tsp borax, 1/2 tsp liquid soap or detergent, 2 cupts very hot water (to dissolve the washing soda), spray bottle. Combine the minerals, soap or detergent and water in a spray bottle. Shake to blend. Spritz the area every foot or so, and wipe clean with a clean soft rag as you go. For difficult dirt, spray and leave the cleanser on the surface for five minutes or so before wiping.
Stainless Steel Appliance Cleaner: Ingredients: 1/2 cup baking soda, A few quirts of a green liquid soap or detergent. Pour the baking soda into a bowl. Add enough baking soda or detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop on a sponge to scrub the appliance. Rinse.
Instead of having your cleaning people use their cleaners please have your bucket of non-toxic cleaning products available to them. I have educated my cleaning people about each product so when they come to clean my house they know exactly which product to use for each job.