People have started to realize the bad effect of our existence on this planet. More and more people today are trying to live in an eco-friendly way. But what about cleaning? We all want our homes to provide a clean and healthy environment, right? It’s true that some situations require harsh chemicals, but for most of them, you can use simple, natural ingredients and basically create your own natural cleaning detergents. Keep reading to find out which are the best products for green cleaning, as well as some of the most popular and efficient green cleaning recipes to spruce up your kitchen.
List of the Best Products for Green Cleaning
White Vinegar
Vinegar is something that can be found in every household. It’s one of the easiest to find and use ingredients for green cleaning. Its acidic nature is what makes it a good cleaner.
It’s great for dissolving away soap scum and leftover glue, as well as brines left by hard water. It does wonders with mirrors and glass surfaces as well. Combined with baking soda, it can dissolve wine stains and even get cat and dog urine out of your carpets. Generally, it works well on all slightly acidic stains. However, it can also harm some surfaces, as expert cleaners from Australia advise.
Here is when you should NOT use it:
- Marble – as it may have a corrosive effect on the marble’s porous structure.
- Cast-iron utensils and aluminum – vinegar can create a bad chemical reaction with metals. However, it does work well on stainless steel.
- Oily utensils – it simply won’t work. Better use dishwashing detergent.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is another green cleaning product that is easy to find and use. It makes a great abrasive cleaner for difficult stains.
Mixing equal parts of baking soda, dishwasher, and salt makes a great abrasive cleaning solution for many surfaces. It deals well with stains in the bathroom, removes limescale, as well as stains on fiberglass and grease residue. Baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda and 1 part water) is also great for polishing silverware. Baking soda can even be used as a dishwasher.
But here’s where NOT to use it:
- Glass surfaces – and basically any surfaces that can be easily scratched, such as glass and mirror surfaces. Better stick to the vinegar for this one.
- Wooden furniture – Baking soda can be too harsh on some sealants and ruin the finish of your furniture.
- Anything with deep grooves and cracks – baking soda leaves behind residue after it dries, so it’s not a good idea to use it on surfaces with cracks.
Essential Oils
Essential oils can serve not only for adding to your cleaning solution and improving its smell but also for actual cleaning purposes. They can be mixed with water and/or vinegar for an easy household cleaning solution. Here’s a list of the best essential oils with an antibacterial effect, which is perfect for cleaning:
- Tea tree oil – Best for kitchen and bathroom cleaning. Add it to the dishwasher or laundry detergent. It has amazing anti-fungal properties.
- Lavender oil – Lavender is known for its ability to chase off moths. Pour it in the drier and your drawers.
- Lemon oil – Mixed with a little bit of olive oil it makes a great natural cleaning product for rustic furniture. It’s also great for eliminating bad odors.
- Beech oil – This one you can basically use anywhere. The great idea is to add it to the water for mopping the floor. Your home will smell amazing.
- Eucalyptus oil – Best known for killing dust mites. Add it to your laundry detergent to stop them from lurking in your bed. Also, its minty fresh smell is perfect for dealing with stale odors.
- Lemon juice
Lemons are a true gift from nature because they contain acids that have strong whitening abilities and can remove all kinds of persistent stains. Here are merely a few of the items you can clean using lemons:
- Remove smells from your hands – lemon is used in various air fresheners for a reason. The aroma is so strong that it can remove all kinds of bad odors from your hands, like garlic, onion, fish, and all kinds of other stinky substances. If you have been in touch with something smelly, just cut a lemon in pieces, grab a few, and rub your hands with them to neutralize the odor.
- Disinfect your cutting boards – cutting boards gather all kinds of stains and dirt over time, especially around the cut lines, and some of it may look permanent. A lemon cut in half can help you remove these stains in an instant, all you need to do is rub the cutting board with half a lemon to loosen the dirt a little and disinfect the surface. Then spread small amounts of baking soda on top of the lemon juice and leave it alone for at least 15 minutes. The baking soda is a base in reaction with the lemon. It will eat through all the dirt deposits. Afterward, all you’ll have to do is rinse it like usual.
- Clean the kitchen countertops – similar to the cutting boards; you’ll need to cut the lemon in half and sprinkle some baking soda on it. First, use the lemon to wipe the countertop and then repeat the wiping with a damp cloth. In the end, dry off the countertop and enjoy the results!
- Battle grease stains on dishes – some dishwashing detergents claim that they contain lemon juice, but nothing beats the original. If you need to clean very greasy dishes, just add a spoon of lemon juice to your dishwashing detergent or to your dishwasher and proceed as usual. You’ll be surprised by how easy the dirt will come off.
Best Recipes for Green Cleaning:
All-Purpose Cleaner
- 2 cups of water
- 2 cups of white vinegar
- Essential oils if desired
Mix them in a spray bottle and apply on all kinds of kitchen surfaces – countertops, tiled surfaces, the sink, and anywhere else where you need to wipe out some stains.
Carpet Freshener
- 1 cup of baking soda
- 10 drops essential oil
Mix them together and use them to sprinkle the carpet. Let it sit overnight and vacuum it up in the morning. It will make your carpets or rugs smell amazing.
Silver Cleaner
- ¾ cup of baking soda
- ¼ cup of water
Mix them well and rub the paste on your silver pieces to restore their shine. Rinse it off with water and dry with a soft cloth.
Tile Scrub
- ½ cup of water
- ½ cup of baking soda
- ½ cup of liquid soap
- 2tbsp. white vinegar
Mix the ingredients well. Add the vinegar last. Apply immediately as the vinegar reacts with the baking soda.
Furniture Polish
- ½ cup of lemon juice
- ¼ cup of olive oil
Mix them in a spray bottle. Spray the solution onto the furniture and polish with a soft cloth. Wipe dry with a clean cloth.
Drain Unblock and Cleaner
- 1 cup baking soda
- 2 cups white vinegar
One of the drainage paths in your home is clogged? Guess what, there’s a green solution for that, too. Dump a cup of bicarb of soda over your sink’s central part, or wherever your drain opening is located. Then, the universal ingredient called vinegar comes in. You’ll hear the typical fizzing sound, and you’ll see the bubbles – there’s no better proof that everything is working as expected. After half an hour, let water pour down the drain and clean what’s left.
Oven Cleaner
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
If your oven is greasy and there’s a lot of burnt food stuck to the walls, then you need to try this lazy yet efficient oven cleaning solution. The amounts of baking soda and vinegar depending on the size of the oven. Just sprinkle large amounts of baking soda all over the oven, then use a spray bottle to spread the white vinegar all over it. The mixture will start fizzing and foaming, which is totally normal. Leave it to work overnight, and in the morning, all you’ll have to do is wipe it clean because all the stubborn dirt will dissolve!
