Eco Friendly Home Cleaning

Most conventional home cleaning products are petroleum based and made with toxic ingredients that are often damaging to the environment and can also be dangerous to your health. With minor effort, these chemical solutions can easily be avoided and substituted with homemade cleaners made from common household items. Below is a list of some common household items and their cleaning properties:

●      Baking Soda – deodorizes, cuts grease, softens water and scours

●      White Vinegar – deodorizes, cuts grease, disinfects and removes some stains

●      Lemon Juice – kills most household bacteria and whitens

●      Unscented Soap – cuts grease and scours

●      Cornstarch – absorbs grease and oils

●      Essential Oils – deodorizes, cuts grease, whitens and disinfects

●      Washing Soda – cuts grease, softens water and removes most stains

●      Borax – deodorizes, disinfects, kills mould, softens water and whitens

Homemade Green Cleaning Products

Cleaning your home can be done in a safe, environmentally friendly way by making your own cleaning solutions using combinations of the household items listed above. These eco friendly cleaning products are very easy to make and often times more cost effective than their chemical counterparts. Here are the ingredients to some homemade eco friendly cleaning solutions that can be used to tackle the most common house cleaning chores using the products listed above:

(Important note: make sure to test any of these solutions on an inconspicuous spot of the surface you are cleaning to ensure it does not damage the surface)

All Purpose Cleaner

For cleaning sinks, tubs, counters, floors, stove tops, windows and more.

Directions:

●      mix 4 litres of warm water, 1 tbsp of borax, ½ a cup of unscented soap and 10 drops of essential oils and place mixture in a spray bottle

●      spray onto the intended surface and wipe with a clean cloth

Carpet Stains

For water based carpet stains

Directions:

●      mix equal parts water and white vinegar. Place mixture into a spray bottle

●      spray directly onto the stain and let sit for 20 minutes

●      gently rub the surface with a soft brush
For fresh grease or oil stains
Directions:

●      sprinkle cornstarch onto the spill and let sit for 30 minutes

●      vacuum the area to remove cornstarch

Dishwasher Soap

For use in dishwashing machines

Directions:

●      mix ½ cup borax and ½ cup washing soda. Place in soap dispenser

●      place ½ cup of white vinegar in rinse dispenser

Glass Cleaner

For cleaning windows, mirrors and other glass surfaces

Directions:

●      mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water

●      soak black and white newspaper or cotton cloth in the mixture and wipe glass surface

Furniture Polish

For cleaning various furniture surfaces

Directions:

●      mix 2 cups warm water, 2 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp olive oil. Place mixture in a spray bottle

●      spray the furniture, scrub and wipe with a clean cloth