How to Make Greener Cleaners
by grapefruit on Sep 09, 2008 with 0 Comments
You don’t have to rely on commercial cleaners to keep your house free of dirt and nasty smells. Some simple ingredients like baking soda, lemon juice, and vinegar can be used to make safe and inexpensive household cleaners.
Washing-Up Liquid
Put small slivers of hand soap in a thick glass jar of boiling water. Cover and shake the bottle (don’t forget to use a towel when holding the jar!) until the bits of soap dissolve. You can use this mixture for washing up dirty objects and surfaces. Add 1-2 tablespoons of bicarbonate soda for washing up stubborn dirt.
Washing Powder
Combine equal quantities of soap flakes and bicarbonate soda. If you’re using commercial biodegradable washing powder, you can add a few tablespoons of washing soda to make it work better.
Bleach
Borax may not be as strong as chlorine bleach, but it can be a good bleach and disinfectant. You can also use it to ward off pests. Keep borax out of children’s reach.
Fabric Softener
Combine one part baking soda, one part white vinegar and two parts water. Use as you would a commercial softener. This mixture leaves your clothes clean and free of strong artificial scents.
Scouring Powder
Mix salt and sodium bicarbonate in equal quantities and rub dirty surfaces with a moist cloth or a scouring pad. Add a tablespoon of bicarbonate soda, vinegar or fresh lemon juice to the liquid mixture for cleaning greasy dishes.
Mirrors and Tiles
Use equal quantities of white vinegar and water. Wipe off splash marks and water marks using a soft moist cloth.
Air Freshener
Good ventilation is best. Plant sweet-scented flowers near your windows or keep a vase of fresh flowers all the time. For a more pleasing scent, combine fresh flowers, herbs, potpourri or essential oils in a bowl or basket. You can also hang fresh-scented flowers in windows and doorways.
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Published in: Homemaking
