Green Cleaners for the Home: Be a Super Hero; Save the Planet, Your Health and Money All at Once! Part 2

THE BATHROOM

Most cleaners for the bathroom can be deadly. Someone always had a story of near death by overuse of one single product in an attempt to clean the toilet bowl. Here are some far-less toxic ways to clean the dreaded toilet bowl.

TOILET BOWL CLEANERS

Combine ¼ cup of white distilled vinegar and 2 cups of water in a labeled spray bottle. Use as you would any commercial toilet bowl cleaner. For stubborn stains, spray the solution and leave it on to soak for 15 minutes. Swish with a toilet brush.

Pour a cup of white vinegar into the toilet bowl and toss in a handful of baking soda. Let soak and swish with a toilet brush.

Combine 2 teaspoons tea tree oil with two cups water in a labeled spray bottle. Shake and spray as you would commercial toilet bowl cleaners. Let stand for 30 minutes before scrubbing.

For serious stains try using a wet pumice stone directly on the surface of the toilet bowl. When wet, the pumice stone will not scratch the porcelain bowl.

Rust Remover; Try scouring with cream of tartar. Its mild abrasive properties clean effectively and without harming the environment.

TUB AND TILE CLEANER

1 2/3 cups baking soda

½ cup vegetable oil-based liquid soap

½ cup water

2 tablespoons vinegar

A few drops of your favorite essential oil

Mix all ingredients and apply the mixture with a sponge or other non-abrasive cloth. This works best when used on the same day it is made. Make sure to rinse the surface thoroughly to avoid leaving a residue.

SUPER CLEANERS: VINEGAR, BAKING SODA AND LEMON

Here are a few super simple recipes to tackle common cleaning problems around the house. Between vinegar, baking soda and a bit of lemon you can tackle almost all areas of cleaning.

VINEGAR

All Purpose Cleaner:

2 tablespoons vinegar

1-teaspoon washing soda

2 cups hot water

Mix everything together in a spray bottle then add ¼ cup liquid soap and mix gently. Apply and wipe clean. This is great for countertops, woodwork, and appliances.

Mold and Mildew: Use equal parts vinegar and water in a clean spray bottle. Spray and wipe clean.

Plastic Shower Curtains: Add vinegar to your laundry soap and add a few towels to make things agitate in the cycle better.

For Urine Stains: Mix equal parts vinegar and water, sponge the stain with the mixture and wait 10 minutes. Blot with a paper towel.

Vinyl Floor Cleaner: Mix 1-cup vinegar to 1 gallon of water to damp mop vinyl floors.

No-wax Floors: Add ½ cup vinegar and 2 tablespoons liquid soap in 1 gallon of hot water. Mix, mop and wipe clean.

Tile Floor Cleaner: Mix 1-cup vinegar to 1 gallon of hot water. Mix, mop and wipe clean.

Wood Floor Cleaner: for varnished floors and no-wax floors such as polyurethane, damp mop using 1 part vinegar to 10 parts warm water.

Silver Cleaner: In a shallow basin or sink dissolve 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon vinegar in 1 cup of hot water. Cut a 3-inch square of aluminum foil and place in the solution. Add the silver to be cleaned. The salt and vinegar react to the aluminum to eliminate tarnish. Wait 1 hour. Rinse silver and wipe dry. For extra tarnished stains on silver try using toothpaste (not the gel type), rub, rinse clean and wipe dry.

LEMON

Stain Remover: Liberally sprinkle surface with salt and squeeze lemon over the area. Let sit and rub out. This can even remove rust if allowed to sit for a few hours.

Kitchen Sink Disposal Freshener: As easy as dropping a few slices or wedges of lemon into your disposal turn disposal on and instant good smell.

Cutting Board Deodorizer: Rub cut lemon onto a washed cutting board to eliminate lingering odors. Lemons also work on getting rid of not so pleasant odors on your hands as well. Just rub over hands rinse and dry.

Furniture Polish (Wood): Mix 1-teaspoon olive oil and ½ cup lemon juice. Apply with a soft cloth rub into the grain. Buff with a soft clean cloth.

BAKING SODA

Soft Scrub: Combine ½ cup baking soda with enough vegetable oil-based liquid soap to make a mixture the same texture as frosting. You could add 15 drops of tea tree oil to add an extra boost. Scoop the mixture on to a sponge and go to town on the bathtub, sinks, Formica countertops, shower stalls and rinse for a super clean shine.

Antiseptic Soap Spray: Mix 3 tablespoons liquid soap, 20 to 30 drops tea tree oil and 2 cups water in a spray bottle. Use as needed. 3 percent hydrogen peroxide works as an antiseptic as well.

Bathroom Deodorizer: Using a 1-pound box of baking soda and 10 to 20 drops of essential oil can make a safe and thrifty deodorizer. Place the open box under the sink. You can add more essential oil as needed. Just as you would replace the box of baking soda in your fridge, you should replace the baking soda mix every three months.

For fresher carpets: sprinkle baking soda, leave overnight and vacuum in the morning.

Scouring Paste: Mix 2/3 cup baking soda and ½ cup liquid soap and add enough water to make a paste. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and stir. Store in a recycled tub/container with a secure lid. Keep near the kitchen sink to scour pots and pans and the kitchen sink itself.

Scouring Powder: Pour baking soda into a shaker with holes large enough. Scrub with a scouring pad and rinse clean.

Heavy Duty Scouring Powder: Mix ½ cup of baking soda and washing soda. This formula may scratch fiberglass. Make sure to use gloves, as washing soda is caustic.

Oven Cleaner: Mix equal parts baking soda and salt, make a paste and apply to walls of your oven. Let stand five minutes and for extra tough stains let stand over night remoistening just before you go to bed. Wipe clean. Make sure not to touch heating or wiring.

Chrome Cleaner: Mix ¼ cup baking soda with 1 to 2 tablespoons water to make a paste. Apply and rinse well with warm water and polish with a soft cloth.

There are many websites on line to help find even more recipes for green cleaners and tips on how to keep your home less toxic.

Environmental Protection Agency – http://www.epa.gov./osw/wycd/catbook/alt.htm

National Institute of Health – http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov

Washington Toxic Coalition – http://www.watoxics.org

Green Cleaning Program NYS – https://greencleaning.ny.gov/entry.asp

Simple Green - http://www.simplegreen.com

The Daily Green – http://www.thedailygreen.com