The Old-fashioned Green Cleaning Remedies

Not too long ago, there were no options for “green” commercial cleaners. While it’s true the available cleaners did a great job cleaning our homes, they contained questionable chemicals that got absorbed in our skin, inhaled in our lungs, and flushed into our waterways. In short, they contained poison chemicals.

Nowadays there are many green cleaners available. Just check the store shelves and you will find many new products that are much better for the environment. If the product is green, it will shout green at you. They’ll proudly list their ingredients and some will even tell you what each ingredient does. Go with plant-based over petroleum-based as it is usually better. If you are not sure about an ingredient and if it sounds menacing to you then go online and get the facts.

Now that you have made the commitment to go greener, consider your cleaning materials as well. Paper towels should be chlorine-free and made from recycled paper. Better yet, use soft, absorbent cloth diapers as they do an excellent job cleaning, and last a long time. New on the market are microfiber kitchen cloths. They are multi-purpose and are great for spills as they are super absorbent. In the spirit of reduce, reuse, and recycle, use old tshirts for general cleaning jobs.

Way back in the good old day, cleaners consisted of regular household items like baking soda, vinegar, and elbow grease. These “old-fashioned” remedies work just as well today as they did back then. These products are another non-toxic option for cleaning that you might consider revisiting.

Baking Soda

clean surfaces
remove odors
clean silver
remove scuff marks
remove grease
clean hairbrushes and combs
remove burnt food from the grill
remove mildew
clean outdoor furniture

Vinegar

clean windows
clean silver, pewter, brass or copper
clean spills
clean no-wax floors
clean wood paneling
spray shower stalls to prevent mildew
keep ants away
remove odors
remove soap residue

Some commercial green cleaners are more expensive and some are not, but expense may certainly weigh in, along with health and environment issues, when considering your choice of cleaner. If you can, choose the products that are better for you and the environment AND that do the job just as well.