Green Cleaning
Without too much effort most commercial cleaning products can be replaced by simple store cupboard items which are kinder to the planet, kinder to your body and kinder to your wallet.
I’m sure you have even better tips, please email them to me at WakeUpandBreathe@gmail.com and I’ll add them to my next report.
All Purpose Household Cleaner
Mix 4tsp of baking soda with 500ml tepid water in a spray bottle.
Add a little vinegar or lemon juice to cut through grease.
In a hard water area you can a spoonful of borax as a softener.
Furniture Polish
Mix two tbsp of olive oil with one tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar. Rub in well with a soft cloth.
Adding a drop or two of your favourite essential oil leaves a lovely scent in the room.
Carpets
Sprinkle baking soda generously over rugs and carpets before vacuuming. The soda will soak up nasty smells.
Laminate Floors
Generally laminate floors are best cleaned with just plain warm water and very little of it.
Wooden Floors
I add a good glug of vinegar to the water. When it’s dry I drip olive oil onto a cloth and rub all over the floor to bring up a subtle sheen.
Effective Oven Cleaner
Mix 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water and spray onto a cool oven. Scrub clean using baking soda on stubborn marks. Use steel wool if all else fails, but check the composition of your oven first as some modern ovens are self cleaning.
For glass doors use a knife blade.
Stainless Steel Appliances
I use plain water (add a dash of vinegar or lemon juice if greasy), then polish to a shine when dry with a tiny amount of oil drizzled on a cloth.
NB. DON’T use the oil on a stainless steel hob.
Dishwashers
I haven’t found a good alternative, but the eco products seem to produce sparkling dishes so I use these.
Washing Machine
Again, I use the eco versions and use as little as I can at the lowest temperature.
Laundry Rinse. Adding a scoop of Borax to the wash will soften the water and eliminate the need for softener.
Add 1/4cup of vinegar to the final rinse compartment instead of softener. This ensures that the detergent is thoroughly removed.
The juice of a lemon added to the wash brightens up whites and leaves a nice fresh smell.
Removing limescale deposits
Wiping down taps, sinks etc. with a solution of borax every day helps to minimise limescale, but once it’s there try using vinegar. Stubborn marks often respond well to leaving a paper towel soaked in vinegar over the mark for an hour or so and then scrubbing.
Toilets
After flushing sprinkle Borax around the bowl and brush in well, rinse with vinegar.
Windows
Again 4 parts plain warm water with 1 part vinegar works fine. I use crumpled up newspaper to dry and polish to a streak free finish.
Cleaning Vases/Decanters
The usual vinegar/water mix with the addition of a heap of crushed egg shells works well. Leave for several hours occasionally giving a really good shake, then rinse well. I have a long handled flexible brush which I use with a paste of water and baking soda to remove really stubborn marks.
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Filed under Lifestyle by on Aug 30th, 2009. 
