Clean Green for Less Than $5
A 99-cent box of baking soda is a wonder. Cheap and non-toxic, baking soda can replace:
Air Freshener Leave an open box of baking soda in an inconspicuous place and absorb odors of all kinds.
Non-Abrasive Scrubbing Cleanser A paste of baking soda and water scrubs but doesn’t scratch. Once rinsed away, everything sparkles! This scrubbing paste is perfect for cleaning bathtubs, sinks, tiles, stovetops and countertops.
Laundry Fragrance Those with sensitive skin or not-so-sweet-smelling kids will love the effect 1/2 cup of baking soda has on a load of laundry. Sprinkle it in for a mild clean or add it to your ordinary detergent for an extra boost of freshness and you’ll have crisp laundry with no harsh chemicals.
Carpet Deodorizer Forget expensive fragrance sprays and specially packaged chemical granules. Simply sprinkle baking soda on your carpets, let it stand for five minutes and vacuum it up. That’s all it takes to get rid of tough carpet odors.
Oven Cleaner Get rid of the scrubbing hassle and noxious chemical headaches that come with commercial oven cleaners. Sprinkle the bottom of your oven with baking soda until it’s completely covered, approximately 1/4-inch deep. Spray the bottom of your oven with clean water until the baking soda is damp, not soaking or forming puddles. Find something else to do! Check back periodically and if the baking soda is drying out, spritz with enough water to dampen. Let the mixture sit overnight and in the morning, break away the baking soda and the grease and gunk come with it. Rinse off any remaining white residue with water.
Cost Approximately $2.00 (two boxes of baking soda)
Savings Approximately $20.00
A two-dollar bottle of common white vinegar can replace a myriad of expensive chemicals that claim to clean and disinfect, but leave behind toxic residue and harsh smells. Distilled, white vinegar can replace:
Shower Spray Fill an empty spray bottle with one part vinegar to three parts water and spray your tub and shower after each use. No more soap scum and hard water stains!
“Gunk” Remover A soft cloth and vinegar are all you need to unstick labels, remove sticky residues and neutralize greasy and oily deposits. Apply the vinegar to the gunk you need to remove and polish away with the soft cloth.
Tarnish Polish Forget the overpowering odor and rubber glove handling of traditional tarnish remover polish. The same soft cloth and vinegar that remove “gunk” will also polish away tarnish on your oxidized metals.
Glass Cleaner What do you get when you add two cups of water, 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon liquid dish soap in a spray bottle? Clean and shiny windows without the streaks!
Cost Approximately $2.50 for one gallon of distilled white vinegar
Savings Approximately $18.00
Two small boxes of baking soda and one bottle of vinegar cost less than five-dollars and replace nine bottles of unhealthy “cleaning” products. In addition to saving nearly 40 dollars, just think of all the extra space you will have under your sink!
