Green Home Cleaning

Having a green home is a goal many of us would love to attain, but don’t necessarily know how to. Getting rid of the toxic substances in your home and making your own cleaners is a healthier alternative to using the harsh cleansers and chemicals that are available at the grocery store. Another advantage to making your own cleaners is the cost savings you’ll see. Not only are the items needed to make cleaning supplies inexpensive, they are also quite abundant.
 
Vinegar
Vinegar is one of the keystones of home cleansers. It is an astringent that can be used to clean everything from windows to bathtubs – which basically means that it can degrease really well. It can also be used directly on weeds in your garden to get rid of unwanted plants.
 
Baking Soda
Mixed with vinegar baking soda is excellent at getting grout white again, removing mildew and other stains/bacteria and as a general, all-purpose cleanser. Its texture makes baking soda a terrific mild abrasive while its composition makes it a natural deodorizer.
 
Borax
Mix with a cut lemon and you’ve got yourself a heavy duty cleaner that can remove rust stains on porcelain and enamel – but keep in mind that lemon (or any kind of citrus) should never be used on marble or granite surfaces as it will eat into the stone.
 
Here’s how to use the above listed ingredients.
 
Glass Cleaner
Mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of warm water for a fantastic glass cleaner – for an even better result use newspaper to wipe the glass clean after sponging in solution.
 
All Purpose Cleaner
Mix 4 tablespoons of baking soda in 2 litres of warm water for a good all purpose cleaner.
 
Grout Cleaner
Need to really clean your grout? Mix baking soda, vinegar and warm water for a really powerful clean.
 
You can find other ways of using these ingredients alone or in combinations that will save you money, make your home less toxic and still keep everything spic-and-span!