My family has started to switch to all-natural green
cleaners in our home… and I’ve been pleasantly surprised both by the
effectiveness and cost of these DIY cleaners. I’ve found that all of our
cleaners work better than their conventional counterparts...but without all
those nasty chemicals that you don't want to be breathing in, rinsing down the
drain, or worrying about your kiddos getting into. You just toss the
ingredients together to make more! It literally will take a minute or two to
make up a new cleaner if you are running low or out- no hectic trips to the
store right when you are in the cleaning groove (that happens so rarely
anyway).
As with anything- getting started is the hardest part. The ingredients at first will seem costly (and some are a challenge to find), but you'll soon figure out that they last FOREVER and are actually very low cost for how much you are getting rid of them. Also, you have the pesky non-green products you have to use up first (why throw away perfectly good cleaner you paid for?).
I borrowed all of these recipes from this blog when I started, so I thought- why alter them or try it myself... her's work fabulous and you can view the original posting HERE.
Here are some of our favorite green cleaners! Please try them out in your own
home and let us know how you like them!
* Indicates we use the cleaner regularly.
All-Purpose Cleaner*
Mix
2T vinegar with 1-2t borax until dissolved.
Fill
bottle with hot water. (This aids in dissolving borax; I usually will add some
that's almost boiling at first to get it good and dissolved and then follow up
with hot/warm tap water.)
Add 1/4 cup liquid soap (such as castile soap) or
1/8 cup liquid detergent (such as Ivory).
To scent, add 10-15 drops essential oil.
Follow in order to prevent clumping or sudsing.
Baking Soda Shaker*
Use
a plastic or stainless-steel shaker (e.g. sugar or Parmesan cheese shaker works
well.)
Fill
½ way with baking soda, add 15-20 drops essential oil and stir to mix in oils
and get clumps out.
Fill with baking soda, and stir again.
Shake lightly on counters, sink,
tub, toilet and rub or scrub to clean.
Rinse well. If you use too much, you will be left
with a lot of residue.
Sometimes it’s good to follow with Vinegar Rinse
to remove any possible reside from baking soda.
Also great to clean stainless steel.
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My by-the-sink baking soda shaker.
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I also love to keep a shaker with only baking
soda (no essential oils) next to the sink. Whenever there is a really dirty
dish, a dirty crockpot (this makes cleaning a crockpot EASY, esp if you let it
sit overnight), or someone brings home a thermos that had lunch in it, I shake
some baking soda into it, fill with water, and let sit for a while or overnight
before washing. Things come clean much easier after a good soak with baking
soda!
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Inside the shaker. One of the
most-used items in my kitchen!
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Soft Scrubber*
1/2
c baking soda
Liquid
soap or detergent
5-10
drops antibacterial essential oil (e.g. lavender, tea tree oil), optional.
Add
liquid to soda until mixture reaches consistency of frosting. Simply mix up on
surface cleaning, such as bathtub. Use and discard.
To
keep for a couple of weeks:
Use
squirt bottle. Add ½ c baking soda, 1/8-1/4 cup castile soap (to get desired
consistency), and add 1tsp vegetable glycerin. Veg glycerin helps prevent
mixture from drying out for a week or two.
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My favorite liquid soap by far. You
can do so much with these cleaners, and they are very concentrated and will
last a long time! We even use them in all bathrooms for hand soap, as well as
body wash! Our favorites: Citrus Orange and Unscented Baby Mild.
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All-Purpose
Cleaner #2*
For 16oz bottle, fill with hot water and add
1-2oz castile soap.
Add
5-10 drops favorite essential oils.
If you use a scented castile soap, no need to
bother with the essential oils.
Good to use w/ marble/granite surfaces b/c has no
vinegar. (Vinegar will break down the finish on marble/granite surfaces.)
Vinegar Rinse*
Fill
spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and water.
Add
15-20 drops Tea Tree Oil as disinfectant, if desired. Or add other essential
oil.
Shake.
Good
to use after baking soda to remove residue. Use as after-shower spray to
prevent mold/mildew. Use as a window cleaner.
Great as a
floor cleaner (including wood floors).
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All you need for the Vinegar Rinse -
vinegar and water! EASY!
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Fill spray bottle with club soda.
Use
lint-free cloth to wipe until dry.
Great
for windows, glass, chrome bathroom fixtures (also add couple drops of oil to
fixtures to shine and prevent water spots from collecting on fixtures!), and as
quick everyday stain remover in a pinch.
Can
also use to clean plants (if no essential oils added).
Drain
Declogger*
Pour
1 cup baking soda down drain. If needed, you can mix baking soda with enough
water to make it pourable.
Follow
with 1 cup vinegar (you can add a few drops food coloring to make it cool for
kids, but skip next step and do not cover).
Cover
drain with cloth, if desired.
Once
bubbling and frothing cease (or wait up to ten minutes), pour in pot/kettle of
boiling water.
Best
if used every couple weeks for prevention.
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Baking soda & Vinegar. Two of my
best friends when it comes to cleaning! These things just about do it all!
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Oven
Cleaner*
Spray water on
surface in oven (remove racks, etc, first). Sprinkle baking soda on surface.
Spray with water again.
Let
sit for few hours or overnight. Wipe clean!
To
ensure all baking soda residue is removed, follow with a vinegar rinse and wipe
clean.
Furniture
Polish*
Good
for general, weekly polishing or for finished woods.
In
16oz bottle, add 2tsp olive oil, 20 drops or more of pure essential lemon oil,
1/4 cup white vinegar.
Fill
rest with water (purified is best).
Shake
well before each use, as vinegar and oil will separate. Spray directly onto rag
or on furniture.
Wood
Furniture Polish*
In
small squirt bottle, add 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup white vinegar, and 50 drops
or 1/4 tsp lemon oil. If no lemon oil, you can use 1/2 tsp or so of vanilla
extract.
Lemon
and vanilla are optional and mostly for scent.
This
is a good polish for unfinished or lightly finished woods.
Weed
Killer*
Boil
½ gallon water. Combine 2/3 cup white vinegar, ¼ cup salt. Place ingredients
into boiling water.
Pour
directly on weeds while still hot.
Best used for weeds growing on porch/patio
crevices and in cracks on sidewalks, as it will kill other plants which it
comes into contact.
Stain
Remover (clothing)*
Put
wet clothes out in direct sunlight to dry!
(Might take multiple times for already set-in,
difficult stains. Do not dry in dryer – will set stains.)
Garbage Disposal Cleaner*
Citrus
peels and ice.
Drop down the disposal and run. The ice helps
cool and remove grease; citrus peels scent and have a natural acid cleaning
power.
I
put citrus peels in a bag in the freezer as we peel fruits, so we always have
some on hand. Plus, this way, you can just toss the frozen peels in and skip
the ice!
Microwave Cleaner*
Place
citrus peels in bowl of water, heat for a few minutes to get the water
boiling.
The steam will loosen any residue/food in the
microwave.
Simply wipe clean!
Carpet
Deodorizer
Sprinkle
baking soda on carpet. Let sit for 15 minutes; vacuum.
Air
Purifying Spritz
In
spray bottle, add 1tsp baking soda, 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice, and 2 cups
hot water.
OR
Add
2Tbsp baking soda and 2 cups hot water.
Spritz
in air to kill odors.
Air
Freshening Spray
In
spray bottle, add 10 drops favorite essential oil and 7 Tbsp water.
Shake
well and spray.
Calming
– Lavender
Freshness
– Orange and bergamot
Kitchen
& bathroom – Lemon and pine
Borax is toxic
if ingested; keep out of reach of children. Tea Tree Oil and some other
essential oils are also toxic if ingested. Check before adding to a cleaner a
young child might be able to reach or use.
Tea
Tree Oil is a good disinfecting oil. It's a good one to add to cleaners that
will be used in the shower or with toilets.
You can always leave out the essential oils! They
are not necessary (though some do help with disinfecting or deodorizing). If
your young children will be helping, feel free to leave the oils out, as some
are toxic. I've handed Aiden his own little baking soda shaker with nothing but
baking soda in it. When he put it up to his mouth (he was maybe 2 at the time,
so things still went to the mouth often), it was no big deal!
For
those with granite/marble/other natural stone surfaces, baking soda is safe to
use. Vinegar, however, will break down the finish. Use cleaners that do not
include vinegar! There are several all-purpose or surface cleaners mentioned
above.
