Cleaning Green
For a solution, we need to go back to the future. The truth is that almost any dirty surface in your home can be cleaned with one or a combination of the following:
Water Water is a natural solvent--think of the Grand Canyon. We just aren't patient enough to allow it to do its job. Saturate a dirty surface with water and leave it. Then come back and scrub. More than likely it will be clean.
Castile Soap Castile soap has been around since the sixteenth century. While most soaps are made from animal fat, castile soap is made from vegetable oil. It's commonly used as a body soap because of its gentleness, but this versatile cleanser has been used as a toothpaste, shampoo, and laundry detergent. How's that for versatility? Mixed with baking soda it makes a wonderful creamy cleanser for tubs, toilets, etc. For those of you addicted to your fruit-flavored bath bombs, not to worry. Castile soap comes in a smorgasbord of of varieties--peppermint, spearment, tea tree, etc.
Baking Soda (bicarbonate of soda) You probably already know baking soda is great for absorbing odors in the refrigerator. As a cleanser, its abrasive texture makes it great for scouring surfaces. For burnt-on food in the bottom of cooking pans, sprinkle some baking soda, then add hot water. Let it soak overnight, and the burnt-on food will wash off much more easily. To keep drains clear, pour in some baking soda then vinegar and cover the drain. The chemical reaction will help dissolve crud that would otherwise clog the drain, not to mention keeping down odors.
Vinegar Vinegar is a powerful cleaner--especially for any mess that involves grease. Keep a spray bottle with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water to clean glass surfaces. A quarter cup of vinegar with cool soapy water is great for cleaning stove tops and ovens. Spray on and let it set for a few minutes then wipe clean. This same mixture will clean greasy kitchen cabinets.
One added bonus is the advent of microfiber technology. Microfiber cleaning cloths are fabulous at grabbing and trapping dust, dirt, and debris without scratching surfaces.
With so many people on the planet, the chemical soup of cleaning products that leach into the water is an enormous problem. It's important to use multi-use products. They require less packaging, less transport, and cause less damage to the environment.
Related Tags: soap, cleaning, clean, toxic, toxin, cleanser, castile
© 2007, Clara Myers. Mind-Mart.com offers holistic and alternative products as well as information from around the Internet to strengthen mind-body health.
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