Spring Cleaning - What's the Greener Solution?
Enviado por Live Earth el 19 March, 2008 - 18:01.
What's feasible for busy people who want their home to be clean AND green? Do you have time to make your own cleaning products? What are the best of the "green" brands? As we get ready for spring (and spring cleaning!) Share your green cleaning strategies here, and find great cleaning ideas from our Green Team!It’s official! Spring has sprung!! As of March 20th, the time has come to open up the blinds, air out the linens and whistle while you work! Just like Mary Poppins! Which brings us to our topic for today:
If a person wants to Spring Clean “Green,” is it better to buy environmentally friendly cleaning products or make your own?
According to www.naturalproductsmarket.com, the average American uses approximately 40 pounds of toxic household cleaning products every year. You’d think things would smell better, wouldn’t you? These products contain loads of super fun ingredients like: neurotoxins, carcinogens, allergens, central nervous system depressants, heavy metals and other garbage linked to cancer, respiratory problems, reproductive abnormalities, allergic reactions and behavioral problems. Yikes! And all these pretty things end up in the air, the water and ultimately our bodies. So let’s take a look at some alternatives that are good for you, the environment and your wallet.
Homemade Cleaning Products
You can pretty much make any cleaning product you might need from these three ingredients: lemons, baking soda and vinegar.
Lemons
Lemons are acidic and therefore contain anti-septic and anti-bacterial properties, plus they cut grease, dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits and can be mixed with baking soda and vinegar to make a nifty cleaning paste. Lemon juice is also very effective for removing stains from counter-tops and for cleaning copper and brass, especially if you add a little salt to the mix.
Vinegar
Vinegar is another extremely effective cleaning agent and disinfectant and can be used as an all-purpose cleaner by combining one part vinegar and one part water in a spray bottle. If you don’t like the smell, you can mellow it by adding lemon juice.
Baking Soda
Then there’s baking soda, which appears to be the Universal Cleanser. You can use it in your dishwasher, on your counter tops, on bathroom tile, even in the toilet. You can use it to freshen and unclog drains, as a furniture polish, to clean pots and pans and microwaves and as a deodorizer for the fridge, the garbage, shoes, laundry, the list goes on. And of course, you can brush you teeth with it and make a cake!
A great resource for homemade cleaning recipes can be found compliments of Sarah Aguire at housekeeping.about.com. Here’s a few to get you started.
All Purpose Cleaner
Make a solution of 1/4 cup of baking soda, 1/2 cup of vinegar, and 1 gallon of hot water to clean grease and grime as well as eliminate odor.
Unclogging and Freshening Drains
Option #1
Pour 1 cup of baking soda down the drain followed by 1 cup of hot vinegar. Try heating the vinegar in the microwave before adding it to the drain. Wait 5 minutes before flushing the drain with 2 quarts of hot water. You can repeat this process a few times if it is necessary. If this is the first time you have cleaned your drain in a long time it may be necessary to repeat the baking soda flush a couple of times.
Option #2
Try pouring 1 Cup of baking soda and 1/2 Cup of salt down the drain. Let this mixture sit in the drain for several hours, overnight is best, before flushing the drain with 2 cups of boiling water.
Clean the microwave
Mix a few tablespoons of baking soda with water in a microwave safe cup. Boil in the microwave for a few minutes. The insides of the microwave will be damp and easy to clean with a paper towel or dishcloth. This has the added benefit of removing odors that may be clinging to your microwave oven.
Non-toxic Ready-Made Cleansers
With the boom of environmental awareness (and babies), consumers are demanding products that safe to be around, effective at getting the job done and friendly to the environment. Needles to say, the number of non-toxic, environmentally friendly products now available has multiplied in leaps and bounds. Some of the best and most readily available are:
- Seventh Generation
- Ecover
- Green Mountain
- Mrs. Meyers
- biokleen
- Method
Most recently, former not-so-green Clorox and the Sierra Club have partnered to create a new product line called Green Works, which makes a whole line of non-toxic cleaners made from plant based ingredients.
So what’s greener? Making your own, of course - less impact from shipping and production and fewer plastic bottles. But we understand that people are busy so do what works for you. Buying ready made, eco-smart products are certainly greener than buying toxic, chemicals any day.
Highly recommend GET CLEAN by
Highly recommend GET CLEAN by Shaklee. Shaklee is 100% CLIMATE NEUTRAL (EPA certified) so 100% of the environmental impact of our products, shipping, packaging, research, you name it -- it's 100% OFFSET. So buying Shaklee is actually BETTER than making your own since the manufacturer of baking soda or vinegar or the folks that harvest & ship the lemons DO NOT offset their emissions. visit www.shaklee.net/BecomeGreen/GetClean for more info
I've found Lynn Marie Bower's
I've found Lynn Marie Bower's book "Creating A Healthy Household: The Ultimate Guide for Healthier, Safer, Less-Toxic Living" to be an especially useful and comprehensive resource on this topic.
This is a great new
This is a great new Enviromentally friendly cleaning prouduct please look at the website and if you have any questions please feel free to cantact me.
Thank you,
Derrick LaFleur
Sorry I frogot to put the
Sorry I frogot to put the website up.
www.envirosafe-ca.com
With two dogs, I swear by a
With two dogs, I swear by a 1:4 solution of white vinegar and water for getting pet stains out of even my very fragile 120-year-old rugs. It also works on windows, the bathtub, sinks and everything but wood floors. (NEVER use vinegar on wood floors, the acid eats off the finish!) I keep spray bottles in the kitchen and bathroom.
Additionally, you will find your towels will be softer and more absorbent if you wash them every few months with white vinegar instead of laundry detergent. The vinegar dissolves all the soap deposits, allowing the towels to get really clean and soft.
My favorite is tee tree oil
My favorite is tee tree oil and orange or grapefruit oil mixed with filtered water . A light solution works very well as a general cleaner and also gets rid of mildew in our old Spanish style home.
A very good cleaning product
A very good cleaning product that is safe to use is tea tree oil. Not only does it disinfect, it makes your home smell great. Enjoy
Need a green suggestion for
Need a green suggestion for cleaning siding. Ours is full of moss and we have a koi pond next to the house. We don't want to mess with the pH in the pond because it will kill the fish, frogs and plants.
All of these "organic" citrus
All of these "organic" citrus based cleaning products contain d-limonene or some variation of terpene oil which are extremely toxic to freshwater
organisms. They are all very good in the event that your child or dog
eats a bottle of GoJo but will kill your gold fish in a matter of
minutes.
That's why we don't use the "organic" "eco" friendly products
because they all contain d-limonene or some other form of citrus oil.
Melaleuca oil also known as tea tree oil also known as Terpinen-4-ol
terpene oil.
The true solution to being "eco" conscious is not to use
any of these products at all. But to make your own cleaning products at home. Happy Cleaning!
Tea tree oil is extremely
Tea tree oil is extremely toxic to cats as well.
Best way to clean windows white vinegar and warm water.
My husband & I have made the
My husband & I have made the switch to environmentally & humanly safe, 100% chemical-free products from Young Living Essential Oils! Young Living has taken a stand to STOP USING CHEMICALS! Following are some suggestions. For product information go to our website at http://www.youngliving.org/johnnyjanis or email us at johnnyjanis@youngliving.org
:)dv & jj
--Air Freshener: Diffuse essential oils or put essential oils in water in a spray bottle
--Bath Soap or Body Wash: Lavender Rosewood Bar Soap, Lemon Sandalwood Bar Soap, Melaleuca Geranium Bar Soap, Morning Start Bar Soap, Peppermint Cedarwood Bar Soap, Sacred Mountain Bar Soap, Thieves Bar Soap, Valor Bar Soap, Bath & Shower Gel Base, Dragon Time Shower Gel, Evening Peace Shower Gel, Morning Start Shower Gel, Sensation Shower Gel, KidScents Bath Gel
--Hair Shampoo: Lavender Volume Shampoo, Lemon Sage Clarifying Shampoo, Rosewood Moisturizing Shampoo, KidScents Shampoo
--Hair Conditioner: Lavender Volume Conditioner, Lemon Sage Clarifying Conditioner, Rosewood Moisturizing Conditioner
--Animal Shampoo: Animal Scents Shampoo
--Pet Salve: Animal Scents Ointment
--Skin Cream or Lotion: Sandalwood Moisture Cream, Satin Body Lotion, Sensation Hand and Body Lotion, KidScents Lotion
--Shaving Cream: A.R.T. Foaming Cleanser or any of our hair conditioners
--Aftershave Lotion: Essential oils, KidScents Lotion
--Skin Rash/Acne Medication: ClaraDerm Spray, LavaDerm Mist, lavender oil
--Moisturizers: A.R.T. Day Activator and Night Reconstructor, Sandalwood Moisture Cream, Boswellia Wrinkle Cream,
--Antiperspirant: Aroma Guard Deodorant (Meadow Mist or Mountain Mint)
--Deodorant: same as above, rose geranium essential oil, lavender essential oil
--Cologne or perfume: Essential oil of your choice
--Toothpaste: Dentarome, Dentarome Plus, Dentarome Ultra Toothpaste, KidScents Toothpaste for children
--Mouthwash: Fresh Essence Plus Mouthwash
--Foot Deodorant Powder: Essential oil of your choice
--Detergent: Thieves Household Cleaner
--Air deodorizer for bathroom: Thieves Spray or most any essential oil in a spray bottle with water or a drop of essential oil on the inside of the toilet paper roll
--Commercial wipes: Thieves Wipes
Mega thanks for identifying
Mega thanks for identifying reliable green household products. Tea tree oil is mentioned in one of the responses, above. Please note that it can cause allergic reactions among some who are allergic to tea tree fragrance.
Borax is also a good laundry
Borax is also a good laundry booster and has many other uses as well. There is really no reason to buy commercial cleaning products. Don't worry about the vinegar smell when using it. It dissipates very quickly.
I will sincerely make an
I will sincerely make an effort to use more 'natural' products in the future and will encourage my family and friends to do the same. There are some really good ideas here.
Once you plant a BAMBOO
Once you plant a BAMBOO STALK, it takes over your yard. I tried it and never again! But I will switch over to more green products. Do they sell a laundry powder soap for allergic people?
I am all for using natural
I am all for using natural cleaning product. But, I am leery of Tea Tree Oil. Tea tree oil comes from Melaleuca, which is an invasive weed, native to Australlia, not the US. Once introduced into the wild, it is hard to control and chokes out our beautiful native species.
Where does the tea tree oil come from? If the Melaleuca is farmed here in the US, how can we keep it out of the rest of the environment. If it comes from Australia (it's native habitat) are we paying for transportation? Is that good for our environment?
SHAKLEE GET CLEAN products
SHAKLEE GET CLEAN products are the way to a real green cleaning! Because THEY WORK, save me money, AND are truly safe for people, pets, & the planet right down to the packaging! I found using lemon juice was actually more expensive and white vinegar was okay but my family complained of the odor.
I also checked out Shaklee Corporation as a company and found that they walk the walk & talk the talk. This 52 year old company takes their leadership seriously and really sets the example. I am so impressed with their products and them as a company that sharing the good of their philosophy with others is so rewarding. To learn more about real clean with GET CLEAN go to: www.shaklee.net/rpm/getclean
We need to take good care of
We need to take good care of the earth, no more commercial cleaning products.
What about product containing
What about product containing essential oils: pine, lavender, rosemary? I've heard that they are quite useful and provide wonderful aromatic benefits.
I use a vinegar and water solution, with newspaper to clean my windows. It works a charm and never leave streaks.
Shaklee has wonderful
Shaklee has wonderful products with no toxic chemicals. These are products that really work and leave you feeling good that you aren't hurting the planet or yourself. No headaches when cleaning the bathroom. What a pleasure!
Dr. Shaklee was way ahead of his time. He new that we needed to start taking care of the earth back as far as 1960's. Shaklee was living green before Green became Cool.
Visit my website www.shaklee.net/marta_mcilravy/GetClean to learn more about Getting Green with Get Clean
What to do with woodash? I
What to do with woodash? I put it on therose beds, but where else? I put it in the vegetable garden and everything tasted like soap! Can it be used for soap or instead of baking soda?
A few of the best solutions
A few of the best solutions I've ever read. Indeed it is great.
Good clean warm water is
Good clean warm water is sometimes enough to clean furniture that is generally cleaned everyday. especially coffee tables.
we use vinegar and
we use vinegar and bicarbonate soda for cleaning our house, it is fast and effective. but we buy a garden safe laundry washing powder, and instead of a fabric softener we use lavender or eucalyptus oil, we think it is great.
If you want biodegradeable
If you want biodegradeable and safe products for laundry and an utomatic diswasher detergent without phosphates, checkout the Get Clean product line at www.shaklee.net/insideout/getclean.
In response to the woodash
In response to the woodash question: yes, it has been used for hundreds (even thousands) of years in the making of soap. People used to boil up woodash and animal fats to create their soaps. Take a look at the Google page: http://www.google.com/search?q=woodash+soap&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microso.... BTW, if you have a compost pile or compost bin, woodash works very well there.
Also, you can use less
Also, you can use less laundry detergent if you add baking soda to your laundry. It boosts both the cleaning power and sudsing action of any liquid detergent! I buy the mega-bags of baking soda and add about 1/2 a scoop of soda to every load.
Soda is also an unbelievably good non-scratch scouring powder. Makes my stainless steel look like new every time!
One last tangential tip:
One last tangential tip: instead of paper towels, I buy shop towels for clean-ups and other uses. As long as they don't get oil on them, they can be machine washed over and over again. I wash them together with my microfiber cloths since the microfiber cannot be washed with anything that has fibers, and everything comes out clean and ready to go.
I use Greening the Cleaning
I use Greening the Cleaning products that are fabulous, smell great, and whose after tax proceeds go to benefit the Imus Ranch for Kids with Cancer.
Oprah endorses GET CLEAN by
Oprah endorses GET CLEAN by Shaklee. Shaklee is 100% CLIMATE NEUTRAL (EPA certified) so 100% of the environmental impact of our products, shipping, packaging, research, is all 100% OFFSET. So buying Shaklee is actually BETTER than making your own since the manufacturer of baking soda or vinegar or the folks that harvest & ship the lemons DO NOT offset their emissions.
So if you are really serious about making a difference on this planet, check it out. www.healthyday.net
many green cleaning products
many green cleaning products cost more.
There has to be more of a balance. Green products prices have to be lower to create more of an incentive for more people to use them. When I want to switch to a green product from a non-green product & it is more 20%, I wait 'till $$$ is more even.
For those of you that think
For those of you that think going green is more expensive please visit my website. Highly concentrated cleaning products mean you use less so it lasts longer. http://www.shaklee.net/jaimewitmer
Just send a message and I can email you a copy of a product breakdown of how inexpensive it really can be.
I totally agree, we need to
I totally agree, we need to start looking for more eco alternatives and start using them, some great ideas