How to Clean Your House (and Keep it Green)
It is time to learn how to clean your house without chemical. If cleaning brings to mind images of aerosols, harsh abrasives, and stinging detergents, this article is for you. There are many alternatives that are readily available, and will help you to get your home clean in a more natural way. Following is a list of some of the products you can use to “green” clean your home, and get rid of the synthetics once and for all:
Baking Soda: Baking soda is a multipurpose cleaner that is safe to use on all surfaces (you can even brush your teeth with it). Baking soda will come in handy when you need to clean countertops in the kitchen or bath, when you need to absorb and eliminate odors, or when you want to freshen your carpets.
How to clean your house with baking soda:
- Make a paste from baking soda and a small amount of water, and use it in place of scrubs in the kitchen and bath
- Add baking soda to a dish or bowl and place in any area that has unpleasant odors. The baking soda will help absorb and eliminate the smell
- Sprinkle on your carpets, then vacuum up to eliminate odors
Lemon: Lemon is a strong acidic that is effective against most household bacteria. Lemon also leaves a fresh, clean scent to any room it is used in.
How to clean your house with lemons:
- Place lemon peels or a quartered lemon into the garbage disposal to clean the blades and remove odors
- Use lemon juice as a disinfectant for most surfaces (do not use on white plastic, it will yellow the finish)
- Rub a lemon half on a cutting board or butcher block surface to disinfect after using.
Hydrogen Peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide is a product that is commonly found in medicine cabinets but it can also play a big part in cleaning your home. It can be used to disinfect cutting boards and scrub brushes to eliminate bacteria, and as a cleaner for your carpet, floors, or windows.
How to clean your house with hydrogen peroxide:
- Use 3% hydrogen peroxide full strength as a spray on cleaner for surfaces.
- Mix peroxide with water to clean wooden decks and remove mold from the interior or exterior of your home.
- Add peroxide to the washer to brighten your laundry and remove stains.
Essential Oils: Essential oils are scents that come from nature instead of a laboratory. They are distilled from plants, and retain some of the properties of the original plant. Essential oils can be added to cleaning mixtures to provide a long lasting, chemical free scent for your home.
How to clean your house with essential oils:
- Cinnamon Leaf has warming properties that people find invigorating to the mind and body –it can be used to add scent to your homemade cleaning products, or to a specific area. Try adding a few drops to a cotton ball or pad and storing with your linens to provide a fresh, clean scent.
- Lavender has a wide variety of uses and has a clean, pure aroma and can be added to cleaning solutions or laundry. It is also safe for use in homemade soaps and lotions.
- Tea Tree is a strong antiseptic and is useful as an anti-bacterial agent in cleansers. If you only buy one essential oil, start with tea tree for your home cleaning.
Using the above natural materials and methods can help you learn how to clean your house in an environmentally sound manner. These methods are safe and effective, and great for your budget as well.