EcoLiving Ideas

By Chryso D'Angelo on May 26, 2009

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Dangerous bleach, ammonia, and alcohol make up most household cleaning products. For options that don’t leave a chemical residue, stay away from store-bought concoctions and go au naturale. You’ve probably got these simple products in your kitchen already: baking soda, vinegar, lemon, club soda and cornstarch. As an extra bonus, these cleaning agents are often more affordable than store-bought brands. Follow these hints and you’ll feel safe enough to eat off the floor—literally.

Baking Soda
Made of the natural mineral sodium bicarbonate, baking soda is the perfect scouring agent. Sprinkle a touch on sinks, tubs, tile, chrome, steel, enamel or plastic and rub with a damp sponge or cloth. According to Arm & Hammer, baking soda is abrasive enough to lift dirt and stains, but it won’t scratch shiny appliance surfaces.

Vinegar
An acidic liquid processed from the fermentation of ethanol, vinegar cuts through grease and grime like a charm. According to The Vinegar Institute, you can add ½ cup of white distilled vinegar to a half-gallon of warm water to clean non-wax floors. Fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and white distilled vinegar to clean windows, wipe down refrigerators, stoves, bathroom shower doors, bathroom fixtures, and toilet bowls.

Lemon
If it’s a fresh smell you’re after, look no further than lemons, one of the most acidic foods with a pH so low that it can kill most household bacteria. Fill a spray bottle with lemon juice and use it to deodorize hands after handling fish, garlic, onions or other smelly foods. Lemon juice can also be used to sanitize toothbrushes, shine jewelry, and deodorize smelly garbage disposals and drains.

Club Soda
Club Soda is simply plain water into which carbon dioxide gas has been dissolved and it’s great for removing stains! In fact, the liquid laundry detergent Cheer even offers tips on the best ways to use Club Soda on fabrics and carpets. Simply pour club soda on the stain and blot with a rag. The soda's carbonation brings the spill to the surface, and the salts in the soda thwart staining. Club Soda may also be used to clean gems (soak them overnight), clean your car windshield of bird droppings, and remove rust.

Cornstarch
It’s derived from corn kernels. How much more natural can you get than maize? Use cornstarch to polish furniture, shampoo rugs, and deodorize a stubborn dog that refuses a bath (simply rub cornstarch into his fur and then brush it out. The cornstarch will absorb dirt and oils).

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Reviews

By Koula Christodoulou on Jul 12, 2009

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Comments: Yes, baking soda, vinegar, lemon tools my mother used and continues to use. Very good article

By nicole perrone on Jul 6, 2009

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Comments: This is one of the best articles I have read in awhile. I never knew that these house hold products work just as good as the ones we pay a fortune for in the stores. Definitely going to start looking into using some of these

By Mara Bragg on Jun 29, 2009

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Comments: Just yesterday I bought an empty spray bottle to make my own cleaning supplies but was unsure about which ingredients to use. Thanks for providing the recipes I was looking for--inexpensive and toxin-free--in such an informative article.

By Angela Czarnecki on May 30, 2009

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Comments: Great tips to save money and keep the house smelling fresh. Keep them coming!

By Tracy Bourandas on May 29, 2009

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Comments: Thanks for the very simple advice on how to clean naturally. With three kids and a puppy it is so important to use natural cleaners but I never know how to use them so thanks for the products to use, how to use them and how much to use. We are going to start making some cleaning changes this weekend!

By julie jockel on May 29, 2009

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Comments: I'm so happy to see the benefits of these cheap / non-toxic ingredents being wrote about!!! The less chemicals we all use the better and with the saved money we (ladies) can stimulate the economy. HA!

By lee kartis on May 27, 2009

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Comments: This article is too the point.It is great to know don't need all of those chemicals to keep our homes clean and for a lot less money.

By Jane Englese on May 27, 2009

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Comments: I love this article, I am going to print it and keep it taped to the inside of my cabinet for quick reference.
My mom (and grandma) have been using these techniques since before it was 'cool' to do so -- I'm happy to see a natural comeback! Does anyone know if simply adding baking soda to water will create the same effect as "soda water" for cleaning? My immediate guess is yes, but what is the proportion?

By Maria D'Angelo on May 27, 2009

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Comments: After all the advertisements for store-bought products, it is good to be reminded of the "old fashioned" products we already have in our kitchen that will do the same job for a lot less cost.

By Karina Yalamas on May 27, 2009

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Comments: I personally use method and seventh generation products in my household. However, I found this article to be extremely helpful. I have 7 month old who is always spilling something on our couches and the other day we were looking to see if we had upholstery cleaner...and now after reading this article, I don't know why I did not think of using club soda?? This is great reminder of products we already have in our homes and a huge $ saver.

Suffolk County, NY

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