The Green Cleaning Alternative

The next time you purchase a cleaning agent from the market, be sure you read the ingredients to see what it is made out of it. If it’s not a natural or organic product, chances are that it will contain a toxic chemical or two (or three or four) that could have major effects on your health. On many occasions, when I decide I want to save a few dollars, I would pick up a can of disinfectant for my home at the grocery store, read the label, see the word “formaldehyde,” and immediately put it back on the shelf.

Saving a few bucks suddenly didn’t seem worth it. Despite it’s strong cleansing power – it’s great if you want to kill stubborn bacteria – the use of formaldehyde should be avoided if possible. It is a very strong smelling, colorless gas and has been classified as carcinogenic. So why not make my own? I asked myself.

Surprisingly, many cleaning agents can be home made at a very low cost. In fact, you may have some of the ingredients in your cupboards already. Give these core ingredients a shot in this All-Purpose Counter Cleaner:

2 tsp. washing soda
2 tsp. borax
1/2 tsp natural liquid soad
1 cup hot water

Mix all of these in a spray bottle and use it to clean your counters.

Enjoy reading this article? Click here to read our other Earth Friendly articles.

Posted on 07 April 2008 by Cathy Ley in Green Talk

Leave a Reply



RELATED ARTICLES:


Green Halloween Treats

You might be committed to your green lifestyle, including eating lots of fresh veggies and fruit.  But if the neighborhood kids are expecting handfuls of candy when they show up at your door, you may end up being pranked if you try to fill their treat bags with apples instead.   So how can you maintain […]


Which Houseplants Give You Cleaner Air

In the late 1980s, NASA researched indoor plants to see if they would cleanse the air in tightly-sealed space stations. The good news is, you can benefit from their discoveries in your home. It is true that houseplants improve indoor air quality. They absorb some of the toxic chemicals that out-gas from building materials. Some plant […]


Patio Furniture Cleaning Tips

People who have patios often have patio furniture which remains outdoors all year long. Each year they have to clean the furniture before use. These patio furniture cleaning tips you may make the task less of a problem, especially if you have wooden or teak furniture. Teak patio furniture is popular because of the beauty of […]


Teaching Your Children Values Through Volunteerism

Erik A. Fisher, Ph.D., aka Dr. E… www.ErikFisher.com In today’s society, so many of us feel that children are growing up with unhealthy values and unproductive attitudes. Children and teens are sometimes viewed as self-centered, seldom thinking about others in their family or community. While there are many factors that contribute to their behaviors and beliefs, there […]


Wool Rugs: Adding Warmth and Beauty to Your Home

Wool rugs are commonly used in homes as elements in décor or as the focal point for home decorating. They are durable and provide a softness some other types of rugs can’t. There are many benefits of having a wool rug you may not have considered if you’ve thought about purchasing one. With the emphasis in […]


Advertise Here