Simple living: green cleaning

I’ve been using green cleaners for most things for the past year. I’m glad to be rid of the toxic chemicals and the cloying smells. In this post I’m going to show you how I use green cleaners in my home.

 



1. Homemade green cleaner  2. Soda crystals  3. Bicarbonate of soda  4. Lavender essential oil   5. Concentrated lemon juice   6. White vinegar

 

Green cleaning:

 

1. Homemade green cleaner

A simple mix of water, concentrated lemon juice, white vinegar and a few drops of lavender oil. See the recipe here

This solution is good for wiping down surfaces, and has the benefit of being food safe.

2. Soda crystals

You will find these in the laundry aisle in most good supermarkets.

I make a solution with hot water, and this is the BEST degreaser I’ve ever come across. It shifts sticky cooking grease like nobody’s business. The commercial branded degreasers really don’t come anywhere close. Make sure you wear gloves though. Try it!!

 

3. Bicarbonate soda

• Mix up a paste to clean the oven door and cooked-on gunk on the hob.


• Put some in a little bowl at the back of the fridge to deodorise it.


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  Sprinkle on carpets, leave for 30 minutes, and then vacuum to freshen them

  
  


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  Make a homemade air freshener

  
  

 

 

 

4. White vinegar.

• Mix into the homemade surface cleaner.

• Put some hot water and a splash of vinegar in oven trays to degrease them before washing.


• Clean the microwave, by putting vinegar in a bowl, and heat it until boiling. Then wipe down with a damp cloth.


• Pour some bicarbonate soda down your plughole, and then pour the hot vinegar on top. It fizzes like mad, cleans and deodorises the waste pipe, and helps shift blockages and stagnant water.


• Use instead of fabric softener in the washing machine. It’s also a good rinse aid for the washing. I promise your washing won’t smell of vinegar. Even my partner, who hates the smell, can’t tell.

 

 

 

Moving forward in green cleaning:

I intend to replace the following items with green versions when I find a good recipe:

Cream cleaner : I use this to clean the bath and sink. It has a slight abrasive action, so I think bicarb soda paste could work well too. Update: I've just found a recipe, here for a natural alternative.

Laundry detergent: There are plenty of homemade, green recipes (e.g. here), and I will be switching to that once my big bottle of liquid runs out. Worth a try!

Toilet cleaner: I want a substitute for bleach, but haven’t found one yet. Maybe Borax and vinegar?

 

Green cleaning is worth it because:

-it’s much cheaper

- it’s biodegradable and won’t harm the environment.

- non-toxic and food safe

- no harmful chemicals (although not good to eat)

- known ingredients (have you noticed commercial cleaners don’t come with ingredient lists?)

 

 

Further reading:

The ultimate green cleaning guide

8 things to start using vinegar for

Non-toxic cleaning at EcoKaren

Thanks for reading! Will you be switching to green cleaners? Any questions, comments, ideas? I'd love to hear from you in the comments.