As I watched my daughter crawl all over our floors last year, I began to wonder if the chemicals I used to clean it with would transfer on to her skin. And what about the bleach spray I used in the baths, and pretty much on every surface in our home? So I finally decided to start going green with my household cleaners. I didn’t immediately toss it all out, because that would be a waste of money. Each time I emptied a bottle I would replace it with a greener option. What I found was I only needed a few simple ingredients to create homemade green cleaners!
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER
Baking Soda + Vinegar
So cheap and as green as you can get! For surfaces sprinkle baking soda and then lightly spray with a spray bottle of water. This mixture gets rid of soap scum and even marks on a wall. For grout and showers create a paste with baking soda and water and spread all over. Add a splash of vinegar and let the bubbles to the rest! Let it set for a few minutes or even overnight if you need a deep clean. I love this one because I just leave it on all night and I scrub it while I’m in the shower!
FLOORS
Vinegar+ Water
Add a splash of scented tea tree oil* for a great smell! Here’s another tip. Do you use a Swiffer floor duster? Don’t keep buying disposable pads- instead stock up on microfiber cloths and wrap them around the broom part. I use it to dust and mop. The cloths pick up EVERYTHING!
WINDOWS AND GLASS
Club Soda + Lemon Juice
In a spray bottle mix one cup of club soda and one tablespoon of lemon juice. My 3-1/2 year old loves to help clean the patio doors. I arm him with rubber gloves and cleaning cloths. It keeps him busy for 20 minutes! The windows may not exactly be streak-free when he helps but I love that I am teaching him to respect and take care of our home.
KIDS
Water + Old Tees
How many of you use wipes or paper towels to clean sticky hands after meal time or snacks? Try cutting up some old t-shirts (minus the armpits!) into squares and keep them with your dish towels. I keep a laundry basket near the kitchen and just toss them in when I am done cleaning up my kiddos.
I don’t make everything homemade but these are so easy to do! I would love to hear some more simple green cleaning tips you use in your home.
Don’t forget to pin this on your Pinterest page!
*Tea tree oil can be found at Whole Foods and Native Sun Foods.
I always love your posts, Tiffany. Great info! P.S. Don’t mix the baking soda and vinegar together first in a closed container. We used to do that as kids to create our own explosions! With my mother’s permission, of course. 🙂
Great points! We basically stopped using paper towels. It’s one step in the green cleaning journey. I also make my own cleaners, though I don’t know if I can boast as much success with that.