When it comes to cleaning make your own all-natural potions and powders rather than buying toxic chemical based products at the super market.
The environmental impact of less chemicals are much milder, leaving our conscience a little cleaner as well. All you need are five simple everyday ingredients and you're in business.
Baking soda / Washing soda: It's nothing dramatic. All you need to do is take common baking soda and heat it in the oven, which slightly changes the chemical makeup, washing soda will not clump together and has a rougher grainier texture for cleaning.
Castile Soap: Basically, this is soap made with oil {traditionally olive oil} verses animal fat. And you can add essential oils to the soap base.
Borax: This is a mineral powder found in nature. Deposits are produced by the repeated evaporation of lakes. It is naturally occurring and has used for years {especially for clothing}, but as with any cleaning products, use some caution and common sense when dealing with it.
Lemon Juice & Essential Oils: It's nice to smell cleanliness, and in addition to providing a pleasing aroma, lemon juice is handy with helping problems like grease and mold. Another good option is adding essential oil, either lemon or tea tree.
Vinegar: In the world of natural cleaners, vinegar is perhaps the most respected of them all. There are so many uses for vinegar, and it's effectiveness is so absolute. Use these ideas to help you with the basic recipes than branch out to making your own chemical free all-natural cleaning products. Everyone will ask you how you do it! The less toxic chemicals the better.
Cleaning Upholstery: Including carpets, you can create your own stain remover with a mixture of water, Castile soap, and vinegar.
Disinfecting: Keeping things sanitary is a must, but it doesn’t require chemicals. Water, borax, and vinegar can get the job done. Perhaps nicely scented with lemon.
Doing Dishes: Dish washing liquid is one of those world pollutants that we tend to forget about, but to do it green is as easy as mixing up some water, castile soap, vinegar, lemon juice, and washing soda for an organic and holistic alternative to dish washing detergent.
Doing the Laundry: It's simple. Borax {2 parts}, washing soda {2 parts}, and grated castile soap
{1 part} makes a natural detergent.
Dusting: Technically, the best option for dusting, especially on wood, is to add a little olive oil, put it in a spray bottle with water, vinegar, and lemon. This will do the trick.
Freshening the carpet: Again, the all-natural way is by sprinkling a little baking soda spruced up with lemon oil before vacuuming.
Mopping the Floor: Why get complicated? It's a floor. Mopping is as simple as vinegar and water, maybe a little borax for a crazy clean, but it's probably unnecessary.
Scrubbing the Tub, Toilet, and Sink: Equal parts – castile soap {use a nice scent}, baking wash or baking soda, they both do the job.
Unclogging the Drain: You can even do this without those gooey blue chemical cocktails. A little baking soda and a couple spoonfuls of vinegar will fix you right up.
Washing the Windows: Equal parts vinegar and water does it streak-free, some people say to use a newspaper rather than a cloth. It's incredible once you start. Because you only really need to buy these 5 common green ingredients for a nice, safe and chemical free clean.
