Ecofriendly Household Cleaning

Clean Your House Without Hurting the Planet

It's no secret that 'going green' is a rising trend. There are hundreds of ways to change your life to help protect the planet and keeping your house clean is no exception. Sure a little bleach takes a stain right up and any bottle with the words 'anti-bacterial' on it should make you feel like you're keeping your family safe. But the chemicals in these preparations won't keep the planet safe. There are four simple products that will put an end to hazardous odors and environmental contaminants.

White vinegar, baking soda, castile soap and water are all you need to clean, deodorize and sanitize your home. Baking soda is your basic scrubber. Abrasive, water-soluble and anti-fungal baking soda and a little bit of elbow grease will clean anything. Baking soda is cheap to buy and completely safe for the environment. Many people know that a box of baking soda in your fridge or a sprinkle in the bottom of your garbage can can help keep foul odors at bay. It can even be sprinkled on the carpet as a carpet deodorizer. But did you know that baking soda mixed with water can dissolve grease? This makes it a fantastic and effective method of cleaning kitchen counters, refrigerators and stove tops. Made into a paste it can easily remove counter stains made by things like fruit punch and grape juice. Pour 1/4 cup of baking soda down drains weekly followed by hot water to avoid clogs. Since it is non-toxic a solution of 1/4 cup baking soda to a quart of warm water is ideal for cleaning children's toys.