Since as long as I can remember, I'm a clean freak ! I hate the feeling of people's germs in our house (it's one of my neurosis :) so all of our furnitures are either wood or leather for easy cleaning. I try to 'deep' clean my house at least once a week. I don't want harmful chemicals in my house since I have a baby and a dog who both like to lick everything in sight and are spending a lot of time on the floor. So I went and googled around for non toxic and green cleaning ideas. Below is a list of recipes I found and used in our home:All-Purpose Cleaner
- 1/2 tsp washing soda
- A dab of liquid soap
- 2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.
Tip: If you're out of washing soda, use 2 1/2 tsp of borax, instead.
Creamy Soft Scrubber
Simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn't leave grit.
Tip: Add 1 tsp of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise, just make as much as you need at a time.
Window Cleaner
- 1/4-1/2 tsp liquid detergent
- 3 tbs vinegar
- 2 cups water
- spray bottle
Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.
Oven Cleaner
- 1 cup or more baking soda
- water
- A squirt or two of liquid detergent
Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface it totally white. Sprinkle some more water over the top, then let the mixture set overnight.
You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn't work for you it is probably because you didn't use enough baking soda and/or water.
Natural Drain Declogger
Pour about 1/2 of a cup of baking soda down the drain
Then pour about 1/4 cup of white vinegar or vinegar concentrate down the drain (foaming action will form to help clear the pipe)
Let stand at least 20 minutes and rinse with hot water.
* I also use this mixture (cut down portion in half) with some salt to clean and deordorize my kitchen sinks !
Mold Killer
- 2 teaspoons tea tree oil
- 2 cups water
- Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse.
*Vinegar is also a natural mold/bacteria/mildew/germs killer. I use it to disinfect baby K's toys and our kitchen. You can also add 1 cup of vinegar in your rinse cycle to remove odors.
