Here are eco-friendly cleaning products—adapted from recipes in Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living by Annie Berthold-Bond.
Window Cleaner: Mix equal parts white vinegar (a natural disinfectant/deodorizer that reduces bacteria, mold, and germs) and water in a spray bottle.
Scouring Powder: Make a paste of baking soda and nontoxic dish soap (about 1 to 1 ratio, use less than you think you’ll need, it makes a lot; add water, if needed, to thin).
Wood Cleaner: Mix equal parts water and vinegar, plus a few drops of olive oil. Add essential oils for fragrance if you want. You can also add a small amount of nontoxic dish soap if needed.
Bleach: For laundry, add lemon juice (another natural disinfectant), borax, washing soda, or hydrogen peroxide to the rinse cycle. For general disinfecting, use nontoxic soap and/or white vinegar. Certain essential oils (including tea tree, lavender, orange, and eucalyptus) are antiseptic and can be added to water in a spray bottle to make all-purpose cleaners.
By Alexandra Zissu
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Comments (5)
Very interested in learning about this. What do you mean by “nontoxic dish soap”? Is this a liquid soap, such as Dawn (what I use) or something else. Would appreciate some brand names. Keep up the good work. Thank you.
Any ideas on laundry detergents that are less harmful to us and the enviroment?
I use Wintree laundry detergent. Seventh Generation, Ecover and Trader Joe’s all have great detergents, as well. Try looking at Whole Foods, Henry’s, Trader Joe’s and Wild Oats grocery stores; even Costco and Target have some of them now.
I found a great recipe for making your own detergent, and it is cheap – 1 cup of grated fels naptha bar soap (grocery stores place this usually by the spot cleaners) , 1/2 cup of washing soda and 1/2 cup of borax. 2 tbsp will clean a medium load, oh and it is safe for the environment, and you will not need to use a laundry softner, your clothes will be soft – hope this helps
#1 What the HECK is washing soda?
#2 Where do you find Borax?