Green Cleaning

Natural Cleaners

Household cleaning products made with toxic chemicals have a negative impact on the
environment and the people who are exposed to them. There are many non-toxic “home”
cleaners that clean just about anything. These natural products will improve the indoor air
quality of your home and reduce the health risks associated with harmful chemicals.

Read the labels on your cleaning products and consider the following alternatives:

Bleach
Hydrogen peroxide is a laundry bleach.
Lemon juice and/or sunlight bleaches fabric stains naturally.

Bug Spray
Castile soap dissolved in warm water and placed in a spray bottle is a bug
repellent.

Carpet Stains
Club soda or equal parts white vinegar and water applied to the spot – blot, dry,
repeat if necessary.
Cornmeal sprinkled on carpet and left to dry vacuums up easily lifting spills.
Salt removes wine stains.

Crayon on Walls
Baking soda and warm water mixed to a paste.
Rub gently, using as soft scrub cleanser that removes crayon marks on walls.

Dish Washer
Scrape dirty dishes, do not rinse before loading.
Only run full loads using baking soda and vinegar.

Deodorizers
Baking soda in refrigerators and closed spaces.
Cinnamon and cloves simmered in water as room freshener avoids the smoke
and air pollution that crude oil based candles produce.

Disinfectants
Hydrogen peroxide disinfects cutting boards.
Vodka is a disinfectant; add to vase of water to keep cut flowers fresh. If poison
ivy contact then rinse skin with vodka to wash away urushiol oil.

Drain Cleaner
Baking soda and vinegar in equal parts unclogs drains. After ½ hour rinse with
boiling water.

Dusting
Reuse old dryer sheets as dust cloths.
Black tea gets rid of dust mites.

Floor Cleaners
White vinegar and warm water mops hardwood and stone flooring.
Olive oil covers scratches in wood floors.

Glass Cleaner
White vinegar cleans mirrors and glass.

Laundry
Baking soda is used as a fabric softener.
Use cold water when doing your laundry and save energy on heating.

Leather
Olive oil polishes and softens leather belts/shoes.

Metal Polish
White vinegar shines chrome and stainless steel.
Lemon juice removes tarnish from brass and bronze.
Ketchup cleans copper. Also, lemon juice and cream of tartar mixed to a paste
will clean copper, rub, leave on for 5 minutes. Rinse well.
Club soda removes rust.
Aluminum foil, baking soda, salt, and boiling water used as a soak for your
sterling and the tarnish will transfer to the foil.

Mildew & Mold
Tea tree oil, 2 tsp in 2 cups hot water, spray, do not rinse.
White vinegar, spray, leave for 10 minutes, rinse.
Hydrogen peroxide and water solution, spray, leave for 1 hour, rinse.

Moth Repellant
Herbs (thyme, lavender) are antibacterial and protect clothes by repelling moths.

Soft Scrub
Baking soda and vinegar made into a paste. Rub gently.

Squeaky Door
Olive oil lubricates door hinges eliminating squeak

Tile Cleaner
Baking soda, salt and warm water cleans tile.

Water Rings
White vinegar removes rings on wood furniture. Rub and buff with soft cloth.

Wood Polish
Olive oil – one pint mixed with 1 tbsp lemon oil. Rub and buff with soft cloth.
Black tea will darken and clean wood furniture.

Information Resource:
www.thedailygreen.com