Have you ever heard of green cleaning? Don’t think of green objects which need a good cleaning. Green cleaning represents a method used to clean your house or anything else without using chemical products that affect the environment. And if you are to think well, the chemical products that supermarkets sell, don’t affect only our beloved planet, but also your health. Yes, you read correctly: your health! Did you know that most of the degreasers contain benzene which can cause cancer? Or that the cleaning and laundry products are likely to cause skin problems and eye, nose and throat irritations? If you didn’t, that`s a shame. But you can still do something for you and the environment: use only homemade cleaning products. They are so easy to make and most of them you already own:
• Baking soda is very good for removing stains, deodorizing and neutralizing odors, cut or soak up grease and remove burnt on food. If you want to make a homemade general cleaner using baking soda, you can mix 1 quart water with ¼ cup of baking soda.
• Vinegar is an excellent cleaner which kills most molds and mildews if used full strength, clean windows( 1 ¼ cups of vinegar mixed with a cup of water and a few drops of liquid detergent) and ceramic and tile floors( ¼ cups of vinegar to one gallon of water).
• Lemons can be used instead of a bleaching product to get out the stains from white clothes. Just put a slice of lemon on the stain and let sit for a couple of minutes. Lemons also contain citric acid which is a natural deodorant and also has antibacterial properties. Lemon juice can also be used to remove soap scum and if mixed with olive oil makes a good furniture polish.
• Rubbing alcohol or Isopropyl alcohol is also a very good disinfectant for your home, although it is not recommended to be used very often.
• Tea tree oil mixed with water makes a good cleaner for your bathtub and shower. It can also get rid of the mould and mildew and despite the fact that is not really cheap, a little oil can do a lot of work around the house.
• Borax or Sodium borate can be used to clean all the surfaces from your bathroom. Is also deodorizes and inhibits the growth of mould and mildew.
• Vegetable oil can be used as furniture polish replacement and when combined with vinegar or lemon juice (2:1) can be used to deep clean wood.
Didn’t expect to have all the products in your home already, did you? All this time, you had a healthy and cheaper alternative to clean your home and you didn’t even know. But now, you can change your lifestyle with only a few tips that are not only earth friendly, but also healthier for you, your family and your pets. What are you waiting for? Get rid of the chemical cleaners that you`ve been using and make new ones, in the comfort of your own home.
