Green Clean. Jill Potvin Schoff
Borax is a mineral similar in properties to baking soda, but it has a higher pH and is therefore stronger. Like baking soda, it can remove odor, soften water, and dissolve dirt. In addition, it has antifungal and antibacterial properties and can kill mold and mildew. Although natural, borax is toxic when ingested. Be sure to keep it out of the reach of children, and if you have babies or toddlers in the house, avoid using it to clean surfaces that they often touch. You can find it in the laundry-detergent section at the grocery.
Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate)
This mineral is highest on the pH scale and therefore has the most cleaning power and is also the most caustic. It is an effective abrasive cleanser and can boost the power of laundry detergents. Avoid using it on fiberglass, aluminum, no-wax floors, and delicate fabrics. It can irritate the skin, so use gloves when cleaning with it. Like borax, washing soda can be found in the laundry section at the grocery store.
White Distilled Vinegar
Vinegar is a mild acid that readily dissolves soap scum, cleans glass, disinfects surfaces, and is a perfect natural fabric softener. Always use distilled white vinegar because apple cider or wine vinegar can stain.
Lemon Juice
Another mild acid, lemon juice also has mild bleaching properties. It is a great stain remover and whitener. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice is best, but you can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch.
Oxygen Bleach
Powdered oxygen bleach is a great alternative to chlorine bleach and is friendlier to you and the environment because it is usually sodium percarbonate (a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and washing soda). It is especially useful for whitening laundry, removing stains from fabric, and cleaning grout. For maximum cleaning power, look for a content of 75 percent sodium percarbonate. Avoid those that have added artificial fragrance or dye.
Green Fact
Phosphates are banned from most cleaning products, but automatic dishwashing detergents have an exemption and can still contain up to 20 percent phosphates. Phosphates that end up in our waterways cause algae blooms that deplete oxygen and kill off fish.
Safety Rules
Even natural ingredients can be toxic if ingested, and some can be irritating to skin and eyes. Take the following precautions, especially if you have children in your home.
Label the cleaner containers clearly, and store them out of the reach of children.
Always tape the recipe for a homemade cleaner to its container. This is important in case a child ingests some and you (or a babysitter) need to tell the poison control center exactly what was in it.
Only follow recipes from reputable sources. Many highly questionable recipes can be found online. Remember that “homemade” doesn’t always mean “nontoxic.”
Be aware that some chemical combinations are hazardous—the classic example is bleach and ammonia.
Be aware that some essential oils are not safe for small children and pets to inhale. Especially avoid using eucalyptus, wintergreen, sage, rosemary, and peppermint around children under the age of six.
Essential oils come in small bottles, but you use just a few drops at a time, so the bottles last a long time.
Club Soda
This beverage contains the mineral sodium citrate, which helps it loosen dirt and soften water so that it dries without water spots. It is great for cleaning glass and appliances and removing stains from fabrics. Avoid types marked “low sodium” because they may have a lower mineral content, which would make them less effective.
Essential Oils
Essential oils make cleaning with homemade cleaners a lot more enjoyable. Common oils include lavender, lemon, orange, peppermint, and tea tree. Essential oils can also be used for their disinfectant properties. Lavender and tea tree oil, in particular, have been shown to have antibacterial and antifungal properties. If you have pets or children under the age of six in your home, do a little research on essential oil safety first because you should avoid some essential oils. Refer to the website Using Essential Oils Safely (www.usingeossafely.com) for more information.
Aloe extract is commonly used in eco-friendly dishwashing liquids for its healing properties.
You can find essential oils at health-food stores or order them online. Look for oils that are labeled “100 percent pure” to avoid unwanted additives. If you are using oils for disinfecting purposes, spend a little more and get high-quality organic oils. Note: use metal, not plastic, spoons when measuring them.
All-Surface Spray
This spray is effective on everyday dirt and grime, wipes up without leaving any residue, and is safe to use on most surfaces. Use it to clean counters, walls, spills, and more. In many situations, warm water and a microfiber cloth are all you really need, but when you need to add a little more “oomph” to your cleaning, try the following recipe:
2 teaspoons washing soda
hot water
¼ teaspoon liquid castile soap
Put the washing soda into a spray bottle, fill the bottle with hot water, shake until the washing soda is dissolved, and then add the soap. Spray the mixture on surfaces, let it sit for a minute or two, and wipe off with a sponge or microfiber cloth.
Using Store-Bought?
Avoid spray cleaners containing ammonia, bleach, alcohol, butyl Cellosolve, petroleum-based detergents, dyes, and artificial fragrances.
All-Purpose Liquid Cleaner
This formula is ideal for washing floors, cars, and any other large jobs for which you would want to make a large batch in a bucket.
1 gallon hot water
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 tablespoons liquid soap or detergent
Pour the hot water into a bucket and then add the baking soda and soap. (Adding the soap last prevents it from foaming too much.) Add 1 tablespoon of washing soda if you have heavy grease to remove, or add 1 tablespoon of borax if you also want to disinfect or kill mildew.
Using Store-Bought?
Avoid commercial liquid cleaners containing ammonia, bleach, alcohol, butyl Cellosolve, petroleum-based detergents, dyes, and artificial fragrances.
Glass Cleaner
Spray cleaners fill the air with a fine mist that you can’t help inhaling. Many of the commercial ingredients are irritating to the lungs. Also, conventional glass cleaners often include petroleum-based waxes, which leave a film on the glass.
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup water
½ teaspoon liquid dish soap (optional)
3–8 drops essential oil (optional)
Fill a spray bottle with vinegar and water and shake gently. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, add essential oil. Soap is needed to dissolve the waxy buildup left behind by conventional cleaners, so once the buildup is gone, you can leave out the soap.
Using Store-Bought?
Avoid cleaners containing ammonia, butyl Cellosolve, naphtha, glycol ethers,