Household Cleaning the Green & Cheap Way

In honor of Earth Day, I thought I'd repost this entry from last year...

Today's modern home is loaded with toxic and polluting substances designed to make domestic life easier. The cost of these commercial, chemical-based products can be high -- long term health concerns for the family, and environmental pollution caused by their manufacture and disposal. In the US, for example, 1 in 3 people suffer from allergies, asthma, sinusitis or bronchitis (US National Center for Health Statistics).

Treatment for these conditions should include reducing synthetic chemicals in the home environment. For many home-cleaning chores, you can make your own cleaning products using the formulas listed below.

Homemade Substitutions

Here is a list of common, environmentally safe (and cheap) products which can be used alone or in combination for a wealth of household purposes:

• White Vinegar - cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up. Costco sells HUGE bottles for $3.99 and it lasts for months! A common question I get asked: Doesn't the vinegar make your house smell? Truthfully, the vinegar smell doesn't last for long -- it actually deodorizes. You can add a drop or two of lavender oil if you want, but really no need. If you only buy one thing, this would be it.  I can't say enough good things about it!
• Baking Soda - cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.It's even good to keep on hand for an upset tummy - although I recommend the aluminum-free kind (try Bob's Red Mill)
• Soap - unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything. Avoid using soaps which contain petroleum distillates.Dr. Bronner's is my favorite!
• Lemon - one of the strongest food-acids, effective against most household bacteria.
• Borax - (sodium borate) cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.
• Washing Soda - or SAL Soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, a mineral. Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans wall, tiles, sinks and tubs. Use care, as washing soda can irritate mucous membranes. Do not use on aluminum.
• Isopropyl Alcohol - is an excellent disinfectant. (It has been suggested to replace this with ethanol or 100 proof alcohol in solution with water. There is some indication that isopropyl alcohol buildup contributes to illness in the body. See http://drclark.ch/g )I don't recommend using this around children.
• Cornstarch - can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.
• Citrus Solvent - cleans paint brushes, oil and grease, some stains. (Citrus solvent may cause skin, lung or eye irritations for people with multiple chemical sensitivities.)
• Trisodium phosphate (TSP) - a mixture of soda ash and phosphoric acid. TSP is toxic if swallowed, but it can be used on many jobs, such as cleaning drains or removing old paint, that would normally require much more caustic and poisonous chemicals, and it does not create any fumes.

***Visit KidsOrganics for a list of Non-toxic Home care solutions!***

Good Guide to "All Natural" Products

Reading the labels on all those packages in the grocery store makes my head spin! And, a few times, I've picked up an "All-natural" product only to find a handful of ingredients that I wouldn't put near my body. Unfortunately, "All-natural" doesn't amount to much anymore...

Instead of pondering over each ingredient and wondering which brand of "All-Natural" crackers are the best, I do a little research over at GoodGuide.com. Good Guide uses expert recommendations to tell you which products are the wisest choices -- everything from food, household items, personal care, and even toys! You'll find the latest recall information and you can even compare prices of your favorite products to help save a few bucks!

GoodGuide.com has made it so much easier to decipher my way through labels. When in doubt, use this rule of thumb: If you can't pronounce it, it probably shouldn't be in your body. ;)

Homemade Produce Wash

I have been using BioKleen Produce Wash for a while now since the bottle lasts for so long. While I really love it and will likely pick up another bottle using this $1 off coupon from Mambo Sprouts, I decided to test out different "recipes" for making my own produce wash.

The ingredients listed in BioKleen's formula are: Lime extracts, grapefruit seed and pulp extracts, surfactants from coconut and/or corn, cold pressed orange oil and filtered water.

Here's the winner of the homemade versions I found:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 20 drops grapefruit seed extract (You can find this in your healthy food store. It's natural and known for its antibacterial properties.)
  

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a deep pitcher; it will bubble and fizz.
   
2. Pour into a spray bottle.
3. Spray on fruits and or vegetables and allow to sit for 5 or 10 minutes before rinsing.

Product Buzz: Method Omop Floor Cleaner

I usually use vinegar and baking soda to clean my entire house for a couple of reasons: 1.) I don't want traditional chemical products in my house and 2.) I have a hard time spending the money on pricey, chemical products when my formula gets the job done the cheap and green way.

Our floors, however, are travertine and do not take well to a vinegar-based mixture. I have tried TONS of products and most were either too pricey, too streaky, too chemically, or too damaging. I finally found one that I feel comfortable with and works really well:

Method Omop All Floor Cleaner is non-toxic, biodegradable and comes in a refreshing lemon ginger scent. It runs around $6 for 25 oz. (it was less at Target stores), but lasts me about 2 months. No more mop buckets and ringing out disgusting mop heads, I can now clean the floors in half the time by sprinkling Omop on to the floor and mopping clean with a microfiber cloth mop. The floors always look great - no streaking or residue - and I feel especially at ease knowing that they are 'safe.'

For the hardwood floors in the music studio, we love Method's Almond Good for Wood cleaner.

If you visit Mambo Sprouts, you can print off a coupon for .50 off any Method product.
(They have great counter cleaners as well!)

Click HERE to visit Method's website and to see where you can get your own Method cleaning products.

Tips for a Clean, Organized Home

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heloise over at Good Housekeeping is a brilliant genius, and I just love popping over to see what handy tips she has for us busy moms.


Here are some must-have guides for Moms:

"Clean Your House in 10-Minutes a Day"- Easy house-cleaning tips and checklists

"30-minute Clutter Solution" - You can select a room of your house to get Heloise's de-cluttering tricks.

"Home Speed-Cleaning Guide" - Have company coming over? This guide will give you tips on how to clean up quickly.

"Uncommonly Good Uses for Everyday Things"



Thanks, Heloise! You are saving the sanity of moms everywhere.

Money-Saving Green Tips

Check out The Frugalist's 57 Tips to Go Green and Save Money !

Household Cleaning the Green (Cheap) Way

Today's modern home is loaded with toxic and polluting substances designed to make domestic life easier. The cost of these commercial, chemical-based products can be high -- long term health concerns for the family, and environmental pollution caused by their manufacture and disposal. In the US, for example, 1 in 3 people suffer from allergies, asthma, sinusitis or bronchitis (US National Center for Health Statistics).

Treatment for these conditions should include reducing synthetic chemicals in the home environment. For many home-cleaning chores, you can make your own cleaning products using the formulas listed below.

Homemade Substitutions

Here is a list of common, environmentally safe (and cheap) products which can be used alone or in combination for a wealth of household purposes:

• White Vinegar - cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up. Costco sells HUGE bottles for $2.99 and it lasts for months! A common question I get asked: Doesn't the vinegar make your house smell? Truthfully, the vinegar smell doesn't last for long -- it actually deodorizes. You can add a drop or two of lavendar oil if you want, but really no need. If you only buy one thing, this would be it.
• Baking Soda - cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.
• Soap - unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything. Avoid using soaps which contain petroleum distillates.
• Lemon - one of the strongest food-acids, effective against most household bacteria.
• Borax - (sodium borate) cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.
• Washing Soda - or SAL Soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, a mineral. Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans wall, tiles, sinks and tubs. Use care, as washing soda can irritate mucous membranes. Do not use on aluminum.
• Isopropyl Alcohol - is an excellent disinfectant. (It has been suggested to replace this with ethanol or 100 proof alcohol in solution with water. There is some indication that isopropyl alcohol buildup contributes to illness in the body. See http://drclark.ch/g )
• Cornstarch - can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.
• Citrus Solvent - cleans paint brushes, oil and grease, some stains. (Citrus solvent may cause skin, lung or eye irritations for people with multiple chemical sensitivities.)
• Trisodium phosphate (TSP) - a mixture of soda ash and phosphoric acid. TSP is toxic if swallowed, but it can be used on many jobs, such as cleaning drains or removing old paint, that would normally require much more caustic and poisonous chemicals, and it does not create any fumes.

***Visit KidsOrganics for a list of Non-toxic Home care solutions!***