Great Green Idea: Green Cleaning: Six Green Cleaners: Natural Cleaning to a Greener Planet

Six Green Cleaners

Natural Cleaning to a Greener Planet

Modern cleaning methods rely heavily on mild (and not so mild) manmade chemicals and bleaches. However, there are safe, non-toxic cleaning materials that you can pick up very inexpensively in town at the supermarket or fruit and vegetable store. Some of them I'll bet you have lying around the home, most in the kitchen more than likely.

Your grandma knew what she was doing, and when it came to safe, non-toxic materials, well it was probably the only things that grandma had to use. Cleaning, like most jobs and solutions in the home were passed down from mother to daughter, although nowadays, no experience needed, just get the cleaning material off the supermarket shelf, and voila, more chemical nasties washed down the drains.

Here are a few secrets revealed from our very own resident grandma, and all of them natural and safe non-toxic cleaning products.

1. Baking soda is a very mild, non aggressive or toxic cleaning agent. Take about half a cup of baking soda, mixed with a small drop of mild, bio degradable liquid detergent. Use with a cloth or a sponge, this simple recipe will clean bath, sink and toilet surfaces to the point where you can see your face in them; and the beauty of it is, it is non abrasive, non-toxic and does not damage the surface.

2. Mix together in these amounts, three tablespoons of vinegar, half a teaspoon of mild liquid detergent and 2 cups of water. Place in a trigger action spray bottle, and voila, you have a non-toxic, vinegar based window cleaner. (It also makes quick work of lime scale in those difficult to get to areas in the bathroom). And as a bonus, vinegar is a natural deodorizer and disinfectant.

3. Lemon. Good job the lemon law doesn't apply to this little baby. Slice a lemon in half; clean the barbecue grill, clean windows, mirrors, oven tops and indeed inside ovens (but not with the same piece of lemon, obviously). The bonus is it is also a good antiseptic, killing the bugs as you go along. And if you have half a lemon left over, may I suggest lemon tea to relax with after a hard cleaning session. You earned it.

4. Mix half a teaspoon of olive oil, and a quarter of a cup of fresh lemon juice or vinegar. Shake in a sealed container vigorously till it has emulsified (looks like a watery dip), dap a soft cloth into the solution and you have a wonderful, very inexpensive polish for natural wood furniture or fixtures and fittings. Use extra virgin olive oil for a much smoother, all over sheen.

5. If you have a pongy toilet (and let's face it, we all have one from time to time) keep a spray container in the bathroom with a neat vinegar solution in the container. Spray around the rim and bowl and wipe away after about 15 seconds to half a minute. Pong gone and no vinegar smell either, and it is a natural disinfectant to boot.

6. To get rid of mold, whether it is in the bathroom or behind the dogs ears, use vinegar from a trigger spray container, and leave to settle. The vinegar smell will dissipate, and the mold will just wipe off. Great for bathroom and kitchen floor or wall tiles, where the mold is on the grout.

So you see, just looking through the kitchen, there are many natural, safe non-toxic cleaning options available, and all very easy and cheaply put together. You will now start wondering why you ever bought that spray on cleaner or bleach.