Green Cleaning

Best cleaning products already in your house. For those of you who would like to make their own. These common household food products for cleaning are inexpensive, readily available, safe and work as well or better than many off-the-shelf cleaners. They are: baking soda, vinegar, salt, food-grade citric acid, juice from a fresh lemon, ice cubes and mayonnaise. Baking soda is one of the most versatile cleaning agents on earth. It is highly absorbent, making it an excellent deodorizer. Best of all, it's nontoxic. As a matter of fact, if the thought of your next cleaning project gives you indigestion, half a teaspoon of baking soda stirred into a glass of water works as well as some over-the-counter drugs sold strictly for that purpose. check with your doctor before using this remedy. Vinegar and water is great for cleaning glazed tile and dark tile grout as well. Food-grade citric acid is super for dissolving mineral salt that builds up in water heater tanks. Lemon juice works well in cleaning oil and grease from plastic laminated counters. A 50-50 solution of salt and vinegar makes a terrific copper cleaner. Ice cubes are the best first-step in getting wax crayon stains off kids' clothing. Mayonnaise and a nylon scrubbing pad work wonders on white-rings on wood furniture. More uses for Baking Soda: Baking soda will put out a grease fire, clean scorched food from cookware, absorb odors from the refrigerator, clean and deodorize drains, soften and deodorize laundry, and it will also remove stains from porcelain, enamelware, glass, plastic, carpets, and rugs. For burned-on food, mix up a paste of baking soda and water. Actually, dry baking soda can be used in lieu of scouring cleanser and best of all, it's nonabrasive. Coffee pot stained? Tomato sauce remnants left in the plastic storage container? A paste of baking soda and water will do the trick. Keep a box of baking soda in the refrigerator to reduce odors. Once a week pour a handful down the drain and rinse with hot water. Your drain will stay clean and smell fresh. Price of fabric softeners got you down? Don't use that toxic stuff. Use either vinegar (our recommendation) or half cup of baking soda in the rinse cycle. To remove stains from carpets and rugs, follow this procedure: While the stain is wet, use baking soda to absorb the excess. Then cover the stain that's left with another application of baking soda, let it sit overnight and vacuum it the next day.

VINEGAR CLEANER. Having children with sensitive skin, I've learned to disinfect my home without the use of harsh chemicals such as bleach or ammonia. Vinegar in a spray bottle is my cleaner: full strength for the bathroom, and diluted for windows, wood floor, linoleum and tile. I use it to clean my car windows, vinyl upholstery, door handles and vinyl mats. I use vinegar once a month to clean my coffee maker and once every six months to clean my hot tub and dishwasher. Mixed with baking soda, I clean my refrigerator, porcelain kitchen sinks and bathtub.

Colleen, Arkansas Fels Naptha Soap Just to let everyone know—it is a petroleum created surfactant, not castile.