Thrifty Oreganic Thursday: Homemade cleaning part I
Everywhere we turn, it seems like we hear about going “green” or being sustainable. I very much agree with these notions, however I roll my eyes a little bit when businesses boast all of their “greenness” just to make a few extra dollars. And extra dollars you will pay, because if it’s “all natural” and free of all the “bad stuff”, it’s sure to cost you more!
Recently I had the epiphany that “less” shouldn’t always cost more; especially where cleaning products are concerned. Even though I love products such as 7th Generation and the like, I’m learning that it’s not too difficult to make one’s own cleaning products.
I will save all the details for a future post (as I’m learning more, I’ll share!) but I will offer a few useful ways to use items you probably have around the house in ways that you may not have thought of:
Cleaning
As the box says, there are lots of ways to use baking soda to clean. I like to mix a few drops of tea tree oil with a cup or two of baking soda to scauer the sink or bathtub.
Hydrogen Peroxide is an excellent disinfectant for countertops, shower curtains, cutting boards and toilet seats. Hydrogen Peroxide does not contain harmful toxins that other disinfectants have, which makes it safer to have around kids (although don’t drink it!) Do a 50/50 mix in a spray bottle and have it handy under your bathroom and kitchen sinks.
Corn Starch, according the the _Encyclopedia of Country Living_ can be used as an “extra-fine polish that imparts a sheen to glass and other surfaces”.
Vinegar (white) can be mixed with warm water to remove mildew in the shower or tub (2T vinegar to 1 quart of warm water).
Old Tee-Shirts and/or flannel receiving blankets ( www.freecycle.org) can be cut into cloths perfect for cleaning. (This one’s rather obvious)
Lemons smell wonderful and contain citric acid, which is known to oxidize. It can be rubbed on a wood cutting board to clean and disinfect.
To clean a toilet, lower the water level in the bowl. Sprinkle baking soda around the inside of the bowl. Pour in enough vinegar to dampen the baking soda and scrub with your toilet brush to remove stains. If you wish, you can always add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
For more ideas, visit Metro’s sustainability webpage!
What are your thrifty household cleaning tips?
