Clean Green

During their use, cleaning products can be harmful by way of contact, inhalation or digestion. We would never suspect that the products we buy to keep our homes clean are a source of toxins that can cause allergies, cancer, bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory ailments. Besides threatening our health, most cleaners and solvents used in and outside the home will end up in the environment--in our rivers, oceans, soil and air.

Transitioning to green cleaning can be as easy as opening your kitchen pantry. For about $20, you can replace any commercial cleaning product in your house with a safer, nontoxic, biodegradable homemade version using common ingredients like baking soda, vinegar and salt.

Do it Yourself | Eco-friendly Products | Cleaning Routine | Learn  More

Make Your Own Inexpensive Cleaning Products

To clean just about anything in your home (excluding pet hair) all you need are just a few ingredients commonly found in most households. This is an effective and safer alternative to relying on harsh, toxic commercial products.

Baking Soda - Deodorizes, softens water, scours and acts as a scrub to remove hard water stains and polish metals.

Borax - (Sodium Borate) Deodorizes, disinfects, softens water and cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.  Mixed with three parts water, it makes a paste for cleaning carpet stains.  Mixed with 1/4 part lemon juice, it cleans stainless steel and porcelain. (Note:  Although borax is a natural substance, it is hazardous when consumed.)

Lemon - One of the strongest food-acids and effective against most household bacteria.  It deodorizes and cuts grease on counter tops.  Rubbed on cutting boards, it bleaches stains  and disinfects. Combined with baking soda, it removes stains from plastic food storage containers.

Salt - Another natural scrubber—sprinkle on cookware or oven surfaces, then rub.  Combine citrus juice and salt to remove rust stains.

White Vinegar - Cuts grease and removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up.  To deodorize and disinfect, combine with water (and a little liquid soap) to clean windows, mirrors, and floors.  Use at full strength in a spray bottle to fight mold and mildew.

Olive Oil - Mix two parts oil with one part lemon juice and use as a natural wood polish. (Save the really good stuff for dinner.)

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Cleaning Combinations

For those who enjoy DIY projects, here are some homemade concoctions* you can safely put together to  get all areas of your home clean and green:

Air Freshener - Use baking soda in your garbage or refrigerator to help reduce odors at their source. Dissolve 1 tsp (5 ml) of baking soda in 2 cups (500 ml) of hot water and add 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice. Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray as you would an air freshener.

Placing a few slices of a citrus fruit, cloves or cinnamon in a pot with enough water to simmer gently for an hour or two can also freshen the air in any room.

Don’t forget the all-natural air purifier of all time—house plants.

All-Purpose Cleaner - Mix 1/2 cup (125 ml) pure soap with 1 gallon (4 liters) hot water. For a clean scent and to remove grease,  add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of lemon juice.  This solution is safe for most surfaces, should be rinsed with water,  and is very effective for most cleaning jobs.  For a stronger cleaner,  double the amounts of soap and lemon juice.

Carpet Deodorizer & Cleaner - Vacuum, liberally sprinkle cornstarch or baking soda, leave one hour, then vacuum again. For tougher stains, try cold soda water or repeatedly blot with vinegar and soapy water.  Table salt also helps absorb liquid spills.

Disinfectant - Mix 2/3 to 1/2 cup (50-125 ml) of eucalyptus oil with a liter of water.  This can be used in a spray bottle.  Always shake the mixture prior to use to disperse the oil content.

Drain Cleaner - Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain followed by 1/2 cup (125 ml) of white vinegar.  Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes and then pour about two quarts of boiling water down the drain. 

Floor Polish - Melt 1/8 cup (30 ml) paraffin wax in a double boiler.  Add 1 quart/liter mineral oil and a few drops of lemon oil.  Apply with a rag,  allow to dry and polish.

Furniture Polish - Dissolve 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon oil in 1 cup (250 ml) vegetable oil.  Apply with a clean dry rag.

Metal Polish -

• For copper surfaces, soak a cotton rag in a pot of boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup white vinegar. Apply to copper while hot; let cool, then wipe clean. For tougher jobs, sprinkle baking soda or lemon juice on a soft cloth, then wipe. For copper cookware, sprinkle a lemon wedge with salt, then scrub. A simpler method is to apply a dab of ketchup on a soft cloth and rub over tarnished spots.
• For chrome surfaces, apply white flour on a dry rag or polish with baby oil, vinegar, or aluminum foil shiny side out.
• For brass or bronze surfaces, polish with a soft cloth dipped in lemon and baking-soda solution, or vinegar and salt solution. Another method is to apply a dab of ketchup on a soft cloth and rub over tarnished spots.
• For aluminum surfaces, use a soft cloth, clean with a solution of cream of tartar and water.
• For gold surfaces, clean with toothpaste, or a paste of salt, vinegar and flour.
• For silver surfaces, line a pan with aluminum foil and fill with water; add a teaspoon each of baking soda and salt. Bring to a boil and immerse silver. Polish with soft cloth. (Note: effective only on sterling silver and not on silver plate.)
• For stainless steel surfaces, clean with a cloth dampened with undiluted white vinegar, or olive oil. For stainless cookware, mix 4 tbs baking soda in 1 qt water, and apply using a soft cloth. Wipe dry using a clean cloth. For stainless steel sinks, pour some club soda on an absorbent cloth to clean, then wipe dry using a clean cloth.

Mirrors, Glass & Window Cleaner - Possibly the least complicated homemade cleaner you can attempt.  Mix 1/4 cup (50 ml) of vinegar with one liter of water.  Pour into a spray bottle.  Use washable, reusable cloths or old newspaper instead of paper towels.

Scouring Powder - Use a firm bristle brush and scrub with pure soap combined with table salt or baking soda. Baking soda alone on a damp sponge is also effective on most surfaces. For a scented mix, add an aromatic herb  or flower into your scouring powder.  Combine the ingredients in a blender and run until the fragrance has infused with the powder.  For oven spills, scrub using straight baking soda  or combine with the stronger version of the all-purpose cleaner. Remember to wear gloves when scrubbing.

* As with all cleaners, be sure to test first in a small area.

Support Eco-friendly Cleaning Products

If making your own cleaning solutions seems like a bit of a stretch, there are nontoxic commercial alternatives as well.  These alternative cleaning supply products are made with safe, biodegradable ingredients  and priced comparably.

Use oxygen- or hydrogen-based bleaches instead of chlorine bleach, which is harmful when released into the environment.

Buy products in concentrate when available. You’ll use less and consume minimal packaging and thus making each cost per use much lower. 

Toss toxic cleaners carefully and don’t spill existing products down the drain. Throwing chemicals in the trash or down the drain means they might end up back in your water supply. There are ways to properly dispose of these products. Find out how to do it in your area.

Clean refrigerator gaskets regularly and vacuum the condenser coils twice a year. Your refrigerator will operate more efficiently and use less energy.

Avoid poor indoor air quality when cleaning by keeping windows open as often as possible to allow fresh air in and to keep toxins flowing out. This is especially important since indoor air pollution levels are 100 times higher than outdoor air pollution levels, according to US EPA estimates.

Save old, tattered towels and T-shirts for cleaning. Cut them into squares and use as rags to replace store-bought wipes and paper towels.

Instead of running water while cleaning, fill a bucket with water and general-purpose cleaner and scrub down sinks and showers completely before rinsing. To rinse shower walls, fill a watering can with water and pour water along the top of the walls, letting the water wash away soap and grime.

Wash clothes in cold rather than hot water.  If one million people did this, we'd eliminate 250,000 tones of CO2 per year and keep our colors brighter. Use reusable and durable cleaning instruments such as natural-bristle brushes instead of disposable wipes and cheap supermarket sponges.

Use a strainer on all drains to catch hair and prevent clogs. Use a metal snake to work clogs loose (available at hardware stores for $12), not toxic drain cleaners.

Just do one green thing today—it will lead to many more.

• Sign up to receive monthly e-mails with more green tips
• Learn about other ways to go green, breathe clean

Learn More

<<< Last month: Home, Green Home
Learn how to get an energy audit, reduce your home's CO2 emissions and more.

Next month: How we drive. >>>
Learn about increasing your fuel economy, upgrading to a hybrid, maintaining your vehicle and more.