Spring Cleaning the Eco Friendly Way

Spring cleaning is a necessary chore for all of us, but exposing ourselves and our families to potentially toxic chemicals as well as spending lots of money on commercial cleaners doesn't  need to be part of the process. You can do your spring cleaning using widely available (and cheap) household products to get your home sparkling clean and without any negative impacts on your family or the environment.  Here's some tips on how to do your spring cleaning in an eco friendly way.

Getting ready

• Stock up on the basics you need to make your own cleaning products. For example,
• White vinegar (commonly sold as a 5% solution, but “pickling vinegar” is slightly more concentrated and will provide more cleaning power. 
• Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) is a mild abrasive that will remove stains and whiten clothes.
• Borax powder makes a great disinfectant and can add cleaning power when used in combination with baking soda..
• Essential oils can be added to your home made cleaning products to add a pleasant scent to your home, plus,  some such as tree tea oil can actually kill germs and help control mold and mildew.
• Spray bottles for your liquid cleaners. Available at home and department stores, quality reusable bottles will last for years and make it easy to store and use your home made cleaners.
  

Using your eco friendly cleaners

• In the kitchen, vinegar can play a major role in your cleaning.  It can be used full strength to clean and eliminate any lingering odors from counters and cutting boards, or in a 50/50 combination with water (and a cap of dishwasher soap) to create an all purpose cleaner that can be used on tabletops, cupboards and appliances to leave them shining clean. NOTE: Don't use vinegar on marble, the acidic nature of the vinegar could affect the color.
• Adding a cup of vinegar to your dishwasher will help remove odors and leave the interior shining clean. 
• In the bathroom, spraying vinegar and water on the outside of the toilet and the shower walls can clean the porcelain and remove soap scum. 
• Clean grout and get rid of any mold or mildew by making a paste of water and baking soda, leaving it to sit for an hour of so before rinsing it away. 
• Clean and deodorize your carpets using a 50/50 combination of  baking soda and borax. Mix the borax and baking soda in a plastic bag then add a few drops of an essential oil with an odor you enjoy and shake them all together. Spread the powder on your carpets and let it sit for 15 or 20 minutes then vacuum it up. Your carpet (and your whole house) will smell fresh and clean.
• Clean and deodorize drains with a combination of vinegar and baking soda, allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes then rinse with hot water.
• Clean windows in your home with a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar and wipe with old newspaper.

Murray Anderson is a veteran freelance writer whose work has been appeared in books, newspapers and newsletters as well as on numerous web sites in both the United States and Canada. He writes on a wide range of topics including home, consumer, and personal subjects as well as general business and Marketing specific topics.