Vinegar and Baking Soda

Have you ever thought about the effect of the cleaning supplies you use in your house?  The effect of inhaling and touching those chemicals, the effect they have when they go down your drain, the effect they have on your pets and children when they eat off the counter or inhale the toxic chemicals? Most cleaners are full of chemicals you cannot even pronounce and are loaded with man made fragrance, what is man made fragrance?  Your house may smell "clean" but what is in that smell?!  Have you ever noticed that when you clean with certain cleaners you can actually taste them for hours after and your lungs hurt because of the smell, yikes! There are some studies that show that all of these chemicals are the reason that so many people are sick (disease, upper resp issues) and why there are increased allergies and asthma in children.  These are among a few of the reasons I have chosen to go "green" with my household cleaners.  It's very easy and economical.  I suggest everyone give it a try, there is nothing to lose :)

I only have 2 cleaning supplies in my house, vinegar and baking soda.  Vinegar is super cheap and can be used to clean almost anything in your house!  It kills most germs and bacteria due to it's level of acidity and is environmentally friendly and safe for your children and pets.  I add an essential oil when cleaning certain rooms, tea tree oil in the bathroom since it has anti-bacterial properties.  And I add lemon grass oil when cleaning the kitchen for the wonderful scent and also because lemon helps fight grease. I make up a batch of Vinegar and water in a bucket and tackle each room 1 by one, I use a half water half vinegar solution and a few drops of the oil if I wish.  I clean everything in the kitchen with this solution ... counter tops, light fixtures, switch plates, garbage can, polish stainless steel, the inside and outside of the fridge, microwave and stove, the floor, tables and chairs (they get messy with a 2 year old around), the cats drinking fountain, toilets, bathroom sink, tile, bathroom floor, the TV's (no oil), my leather furniture, stains on the carepet from cat barf, windows, mirrors, toys, outside toys and tables... you name it and I clean it with vinegar!  The solution is non-toxic and won't leave a chemical smell in your house or contaminate your food  :)  I use baking soda in the sink and tub since I need the abrasive powder to help clean and remove stains. You can also use baking soda as a carpet deodorizer (way safer than the carper sprinkle most people use) and also use it to pull up stains - first dab with a vinegar water solution and then sprinkle with baking soda to pull the moisture and stain from the carpet.  And when I need a little extra boost I use a locally made product that can also be used to treat stains and whiten whites, natural choices oxi-boost.  As you can see, vinegar and backing soda have actually made cleaning a bit easier in my house.  All you need are a few (very cheap) products on hand and you are armed to clean anything!

P.S. remember to dispose of your household chemicals safely, most cities have a dump or a collection site where you can get drop off unused cleaners or other household toxic materials.