Clean Green

It’s 2008 and everywhere you go people are talking about going green. In fact, some of you even made it a new year’s resolution! Or, maybe you’re like the rest of us who fear failure and went with an old resolution favorite like, “This year, I’m going to eat more cheese”.

Don’t worry – going green doesn’t have to be hard. It can be as simple as swapping out some of the products you use to clean your home!

You can choose to purchase “green” cleaning products from your local store – or you can save a little money and simply look around your household where you’ll probably find that you have many eco-friendly cleaning alternatives already on hand.

Read the Label

Maybe you live with family members who suffer from asthma or other breathing conditions or you simply have young children in the household. If you do, you’re already accustomed to reading labels and avoiding products that are labeled “Poison”, “Danger”, “Caution”, or, “Warning”. When you’re trying to clean green, it’s a good idea to stay away from those same products. Instead, look for items that are labeled “Green”, “Environmentally Friendly”, or “Natural”. While there aren’t yet strict regulations on the use of these terms, they’re a good guide to buying more eco-friendly products.

When checking the labels, you’ll find that many common cleaners have ingredients that are made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource. And, even after products go down the drain and are processed at water treatment plants, some chemicals such as phosphates can damage ecosystems when released in the waterways. So, try to avoid both of those contents when checking the labels. Other ingredients to dodge are nonylphenol ethoxllates or NPEs, chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite), and ammonia. Surprisingly, you may also want to avoid antibacterials (such as triclosan) as this ingredient can cause a range of symptoms from respiratory and skin irritations to contributing to the overgrowth of algae that threatens aquatic wildlife.

Check the Pantry

Several of the greenest cleaners are probably just a few steps away in your pantry or linen closet.

• Hydrogen Peroxide mildly bleaches and sanitizes.
• Liquid castile soap (a mild soap made of olive oil and sodium hydroxide) is great for general cleaning around the house.
• Cream of Tartar lifts stains from sinks and tubs and removes spots from aluminum pots.
• Baking soda removes stains from tile, glass and china. It also helps with laundry by boosting the detergent cleaning power.
• Borax makes an excellent freshener in laundry and is an all around deodorizer. It’s also a great way to deter spiders.
• Lemon juice lightens stains and it removes tarnish on brass, copper, bronze and aluminum.
• White vinegar helps kill germs, removes some carpet stains, and cleans coffeemakers, glass surfaces and countertops. You can also add it to laundry to soften your clothes and towels.
• Cornstarch cleans windows and polishes furniture.
• Isopropyl alcohol works as an effective disinfectant.
• Mineral oil polishes furniture and brings new life back to dried wood surfaces.

Remember to always test any new cleaner in an inconspicuous area in order to check for colorfastness.

Make Your Own

If you’re interested creating your own green cleaning solutions, we found a few recipes that put some of the above ingredients to work!

Window & Mirror Cleaner
Ingredients: White vinegar + Water + Crumpled newspaper

Fill spray bottle with ¼ cup of white vinegar then fill to the top with water. Shake bottle to combine. Spray on the surface. Wipe down with crumpled newspaper.

Tub & Sink Cleaner
Ingredients: Baking soda + Liquid castile soap

Sprinkle baking soda on the fixtures and rub with wet rag. Add a little of the liquid castile soap to the rag for more cleaning power. Rinse well to avoid leaving a hazy film.

All Purpose Cleaner
Ingredients: Liquid castile soap

For spots on woodwork, tile and linoleum, add a few drops of liquid soap to a wet washcloth and rub the surface briskly. Rinse and wipe thoroughly to remove any leftover streaks.

Vinyl Floor Cleaner
Ingredients: White vinegar + Water

Mop with a mixture of ½ cup vinegar in a bucket of warm water. The vinegar scent will go away shortly after the floor dries.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Ingredients: Baking soda + Liquid castile soap

Sprinkle baking soda inside the bowl as you would any scouring powder. Add a couple of drops of the liquid castile soap. Scrub with toilet bowl brush and finish outside surfaces with a damp cloth or paper towel sprinkled with baking soda.

Drain Cleaner
Ingredients: Baking soda + White vinegar + Boiling water

Pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain first, then ½ cup vinegar. Let it fizz for a few minutes. Then pour down a teakettle full of boiling water. Repeat if needed. This recipe can free minor clogs and help prevent future clogs.

There are some trade offs when you go natural or green. If you’re used to aggressive conventional cleaners, some of the greener versions may not work as quickly or effectively. But, you’ll be able to bask in the knowledge that without the hassle of changing your lifestyle you’re contributing to sustaining or even improving the health of your environment.