Green Spring Cleaning, Part 2

Another great alternative to using conventional cleaning products is to make your own. Effective homemade cleaning products require basic ingredients that you probably already have on hand at your house and can be both cheaper and better for the environment that buying store-bought products.

Here are some cleaning tasks for which natural cleaners make a safe, green cleaning alternative:

Hydrogen Peroxide
Use the typical drug-store grade of 3% hydrogen peroxide and 97% water as a spray that fights mildew in the shower, or spray onto counters, tabletops, or cutting boards to disinfect them.

Full-Strength Vinegar
Add ½ cup to laundry for a natural fabric softener, remove toilet bowl stains by using it to scrub the inside of the toilet bowl, or remove hard water build up from faucets and showers by soaking them in vinegar for several hours

Half-strength Vinegar
Use to clean kitchen appliances, stove tops and counters, or spray onto windows for a natural window cleaner. To tackle your carpet stains, spray with vinegar for a couple of minutes before soaking up with a sponge.

Lemon juice
Mix with olive oil to make a natural wood furniture polish, or use as a natural deodorizer for countertops and kitchen appliances.

Baking Soda
Use to scrub sinks, toilets and tubs, mix with water to form an oven-cleaning paste (remember to wear gloves!), and deodorize the carpet by sprinkling on and then vacuuming up twenty minutes later. And, for a natural foaming drain cleaner, sprinkle two cups of baking soda down the drain, then follow with a cup of vinegar.

Happy green spring cleaning!