Simple and Earth-Friendly Housekeeping Solutions
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Many of your cleaning needs can be met with two substances – vinegar and baking soda. A spray bottle filled with white vinegar is your best cleaning friend. Use it for all-purpose cleaning of sinks, tables, countertops, stovetop, toilets, tubs, and diaper pails. To clean glass, mirrors, and for damp mopping floors, fill another spray bottle with half vinegar and half water.
When you need some extra scrubbing power in your tub or sink, sprinkle baking soda, spray vinegar on top, and scrub with a damp sponge. A flip-top drink bottle is an excellent and handy container for storing baking soda. If stains are extra stubborn, leave the baking soda/vinegar paste on for five minutes, then rinse and repeat.
The Wonders of Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil (available wherever essential oils are sold) is a natural antimicrobial and another great ingredient for adding cleaning power and a fresh scent.
If you’ve ever battled mold or mildew, tea tree oil is your ally! Add 30 drops to your 16 oz. bottle of vinegar, or just apply straight to the source of mold. Stinky shoes? Add a few drops of tea tree for a quick fix.
Add to your natural mop water (be careful not to add it to caustic cleaners) to make your floors extra-fresh. One-quarter cup of Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile soap mixed in a bucket with hot water and 20 drops of tea tree oil makes a lovely mop mixture.
After cleaning your diaper pail with vinegar, add a couple of drops of tea tree oil to the bottom to prevent and eliminate odors.
Laundry Detergent Cleans More Than Clothes
Throw out that caustic toilet bowl cleaner! Instead, fill a squeeze bottle with your favorite eco-friendly laundry detergent – works like a charm. For tougher challenges than daily cleaning, sprinkle baking soda in the bowl first, and add 20 drops of tea tree oil per 8 oz. of laundry detergent in your squeeze bottle. Squirt a generous amount of laundry detergent in the bowl, agitate with a brush, and let the mixture sit for at least five minutes before flushing and repeating. The laundry detergent is also a nice solution for cleaning the tub or sink when you’re looking for something stronger than a vinegar wipe-down.
Other Ways to Green Your Cleaning
There are so many eco-friendly versions of traditional cleaning products around. My favorites:
Ecover Dishwashing Liquid — Produced in the world’s first ecological factory!
Biokleen Laundry Liquid — Their free and clear laundry liquid is super-concentrated, so you only need to use a tiny bit, especially in HE machines. I’ve found this to be the best ecological value – one bottle lasts a very long time. Many natural foods stores carry Biokleen in the bulk section, so you can bring your own bottle and refill as necessary.
Oxo-Brite Non-Chlorine Bleach — An effective oxygen powder with the fewest ingredients.
Earth-Friendly Products Furniture Polish — Polishes furniture beautifully with natural olive and orange oils. Great scent!
Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap — Fair trade and organic, comes in a variety of luscious scents. Buy it prepackaged or look for it in bulk at your natural foods store.
Green Your Cleaning Tools
As your bath and dish towels age and fray, cut them up for use as cleaning cloths. When cotton rags are beyond their useful life, you can let them break down naturally in a long-term compost pile. You can even get biodegradable sponges and scrubbers now!
To damp mop floors, affix a washable cloth to a swiffer-style mop with grippers on top. For dry dusting, opt for a washable microfiber cloth instead of the disposable variety.
Goodbye to toxic fumes, and hello to simplicity. Now you’re well on your way to transforming your household into a green, clean paradise.
Sources:
Annie B. Bond, “5 Smart Housekeeping Ways to Use Tea Tree Oil”, Care2.com
Cathy Wong, “Tea Tree Oil”, About.com: Alternative Medicine
“Ecover Building”, Ecover
