Things to Know about Green Cleaning Products

With all the humans in the world it would be a calamity if they were all dumping powerful chemicals into the environment in an attempt to keep things clean. The good news is that the things you need to keep your home clean and green are available from manufacturers like Biokleen, Seventh Generation and Method and these are available everywhere.

Another way to keep green and clean is by putting together your very own natural cleaning agents — your own brand of Green-liness. (Couldn’t Help It)

To make your own natural cleansers you will need to assemble some supplies— most are available in the supermarket.

-Distilled White Vinegars

-Olive Oil

-Baking Soda

-Borax (A Box near the Detergents in the Cleansers aisle)

-Essential Oils — a small vial of highly concentrated plant essences for cleaning look for Peppermint, Tea Tree or Lemon essential oils. Sometimes found in the cosmetics section.

-Newspaper

-Microcleaning Cloth

Here are some terrific cleaning potions along with the various things that must be cleaned.

For Cleaning….

Glasses

1 quart of purified water with a ¼ cup of distilled white vinegar . apply with a spray bottle and wipe with newspaper or lint-free cloths.

Floors

1 Gallon of hot water and four cups of vinegar makes a great floor cleanser; you can even throw in a dash of salt to purify the energies). This is perfected with a 2 or three drops of lemon or peppermint essential oils. Once the floors have been mopped the vinegar will vanish and the scent of the oils will permeate the house. Many often find that the constituents of this sort of cleaner can be used in everything from steam mops to carpet washers – check out floor steamer reviews before purchase to see if it’s possible to use a recipe like this.

Bathroom Tiles, Kitchen Units and Countertops

Mix two parts vinegar with 1 part baking soda for a cleanser tough on grimey bathroom grout and sticky kitchen grease, use a scouring pad to gently remove all dirt, wipe away with water. This is ideal for bathroom and kitchen tiles, kitchen units and also countertops.

Wood Furniture

Combine equal parts Lemon Juice and Olive oil apply a small amount to a cloth and apply to the furniture’s surface in long  strokes.  This is perfect for both softwood and hardwood furnitures.

Toilet Bowl Cleanser

Pour a generous amount of baking soda on the brush and scrub the bowl clean. This can be done with borax for extra disinfecting power. Then wipe the outside down with straight distilled vinegar, use gloves as this can irritate sensitive skin.

Molds and Mildews

Straight Vinegar until the last vestiges are gone and wipe away with clean water.

Air Fresheners

Essential oils have a pungent quality to them that makes them aromatic for lengthy times and distances. They are irritants so they need to be kept away from the reach of children. One nice idea is to add a drop of clove essential oil and a couple drops of cinnamon oils onto a cotton ball and drop it into an ornamental vase or some spot where it can keep the room fragrant.

This can also be done in the bedroom or car; lavender will help you sleep better and peppermint can keep you awake and focused so match the oils wisely.

More Clean and Green Habits:

1—Allow your laundry to spin and dry on the line, using the dryer is not just rougher on your clothes but is also a strain on the environment and should only be used when time is of the essence. Arrange your entire practice of laundry washing around being more green, laundry lines in the backyard will provide plenty of space.

But if space is an issue, there are retractable options that can allow you make the most of your space. You will not only lower your energy bill, increase the life of your clothes and do the GREEN thing but you can also get some time out in the sunshine bending and stretching

2— Nature has these terrific little air filters that actually do increase the quality of the home’s air around us —they’re called plants.  Some of the most effective options include spider plants, peace lilies, English Ivy and rubber plants.

For the average 1,800 sq.ft. home you will need about 15 to 18 good sized plants. If this is a lot just put some in the rooms that have the most humans.

3 —Your Wardrobe can be decluttered and all that stuff that isn’t seeing much use can be donated and see a second life. Old worn clothes that can’t be used can be transformed into cleaning cloths and save on paper towels.

Make the atmosphere cleaner and protect from moths with an old mismatched sock filled with bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and cloves and tie a knot in the end. The spicy smell is a huge improvement from the miasma that emanates from mothballs and the clothes they permeate.

4— Paint the Walls GREEN! Not necessarily this color but if you plan to change the hues consider the VOC content of the paint you choose to use. Volatile Organic Compounds are present in many paints and can cause toxic vapors that can adversely affect the health of the inhabitants.

You will see that many manufacturers have begun to sell paints that have less VOCs, nevertheless you should read for all the components of the paint you choose— VOCs are not the only harmful components.