Clean Green with Organic Cleaning Products

Organic Cleaning: Safe. Easy. Responsible.

Many years ago your grandmother or great-grandmother did not have access to the myriad of chemical cleaning products that we are faced with in every supermarket today. Even if she had the choice of using them, it is more than likely she prefer to use the natural products that she grew up with.

She would be even less likely to use commercial cleaners if she happened to glance at the back labels and saw the warnings against inhaling fumes, flammability or dangers of accidental ingestion.

There are many natural cleaning products available around the home. Learning what they are and how to use them will not only have your home clean, sparkling and fresh but there will be significant savings on your shopping bill and you have the pleasure of knowing you are not flushing harsh chemicals down the drain to further pollute our seas, rivers and land.

Organic cleaning products that are available in every kitchen include baking soda, white vinegar, lemon and Hydrogen Peroxide. These products used alone or in combination are powerful cleaning, deodorizing and stain-removing wizards.

Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda)
Baking soda, much used by bakers for its ability to get dough to rise in cakes and bread, is non-toxic, anti-bacterial, an effective mild abrasive cleaner and a deodorizer. It is so safe that it can be used for personal hygiene as a toothpaste, acne treatment or as a healing soak for nappy rash but it is powerful enough to be a very effective organic cleaner around the home.

White Vinegar
Plain white distilled vinegar is an inexpensive, antibacterial cleaner and air freshener that can be used in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry and garden to provide non-toxic organic cleaning.

Lemon and Lemon Oil
Lemon is a disinfectant and whitening agent. It can be used alone, for example rubbed on chopping boards to disinfect them, or in combination with vinegar or baking soda.

Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide is germicidal and antibacterial. It is an effective sanitizer, stain remover and whitening agent. It makes a very effective household cleaner and it is non-toxic to the environment.

*Organic Cleaning Tips*

Kitchen

Rub half of a sliced lemon on chopping boards to disinfect them.
Use Baking soda as a mild abrasive on counter tops, sprinkle baking soda in the base of garbabe bins and in bin liners to deodorize.
Use white vinegar to shine up faucets, the stovetop and appliances.
Unclog sinks by pouring a mixture of half baking soda/half vinegar down, leave for a few hours then flush with hot water.

Bathroom

Spray all surfaces in bathroom with mixture of one third vinegar to two thirds water. Leave to sit.
Meanwhile sprinkle baking soda into bath and sink, scrub over with half lemon. Then rinse.
Wipe off vinegar spray with clean soft cloth. Tackle any left over stain with a baking soda paste.
Pour a capful of Hydrogen Peroxide down bath and sink plugholes to keep drain free and odourless.

For those who would still be more comfortable buying a prepared product there are an increasing variety of organic cleaners on the market though many are easier to find on the internet than they would be in the local supermarket. Some brands to look out for are Sun Earth, Method and Shaklee.