greening your clean, part 2: recipes

So, in my last post, I talked about some reasons to green your cleaning routine.  Maybe you've wanted to make some changes, but found the "green cleaners" at the grocery store to be too expensive.  Maybe you've just been stuck in a routine, using the same products for for years because they seem to work.

But it really doesn't have to be expensive, or take more time, to clean without toxic chemicals.  I use three things (besides water) to clean our house.

Vinegar, castile soap and baking soda.

That's it.  Really.

Are you ready for some cleaning recipes? (I'm almost hesitant to say recipes, when you really only need one to two ingredients!)

All purpose spray: One part vinegar to one part water.   Optional: 5-10 drops tea tree and lavender essential oil.  Tea tree is supposed to have some mild disinfectant properties, so I like to use it in the kitchen and bathroom.

Toilet bowl cleaner: Baking soda with a squirt of liquid castile soap.  This seriously works better than any commercial toilet cleaner I have ever purchased.

Soft scrub: Baking soda.

Mopping solution: One part vinegar to one part water.  I have really horrible porous ceramic tile in my kitchen that attracts a lot of dirt, but if you have hardwood or bamboo floors, you may  want to use less vinegar and more water. With a cloth mop pad, this cleans a thousand times better than those disposable Swiffer pads.

Shower doors: Vinegar.  And lemons.

Glass cleaner: One part vinegar to one part water.

One tip: Don't mix castile soap and vinegar, they will react, cancelling each other out, and give you a goopy mess. 

These things will really clean anything.  And they won't give you a headache from toxic fumes.  Or deplete your bank account.

Ok, so now for the spray bottle: you can use the glass bottle your vinegar comes in, and just put an old sprayer on top.  It will fit perfectly!

Do you have any homemade cleaning tips?  Anything I missed?  Please share!