If you find the price of supermarket –bought green cleaning products to be too steep, you could try making your own cleaning products at home. Some of the very best green cleaning products can be made at home, from products that you may already have in your kitchen cupboard. The prices of green cleaning products from stores are coming down; but to save even more money, make your own.
Brass Cleaner
Not everyone has brass in their home, or they might not think they do. Asides brass ornaments, you may have brass door knobs or even handles on your kitchen drawers. All you need to clean glass is white vinegar or lemon juice, and regular table salt. For this recipe you don’t even need to leave home. Dampen a cloth with either lemon juice or vinegar, and sprinkle on some salt. Rub lightly, and then rinse and buff for a perfect shine.
Best Green Cleaning Products : All Purpose Deodorizer
For an all-purpose cleaner and deodorizer, all you need is warm water and baking soda. Use around 4 tablespoons to a litre of water. You can clean the inside of appliances such as your microwave and fridge in this way, the baking soda neutralizing nasty odours. You can also clean your kitchen sink with baking soda and water. In fact, more people use baking soda for green cleaning than cooking nowadays!
Green Cleaner for Glass
You may have already heard that vinegar is great for getting windows clean. To get glass really sparkling, and without leaving the smell of vinegar behind, add a few drops of essential oil to your water and vinegar. If you can find concentrated alcohol in a cleaning store, this can be added too, for really getting to the bottom of dirt and grime. A tip here that you should remember is not to clean windows on a hot and sunny day. This is because the sun will dry the windows, leaving them streaky before you have chance to wipe them.
Borax
Borax is a typically American ingredient for tough laundry stains, but can be purchased in the UK from hardware stores. It can be used to tackle rust, dirty bathtubs, and anything which requires heavy duty scrubbing. To use borax, cut a lemon in half and dip in the borax, and scrub. Don’t use on delicate surfaces like granite or marble!
Degreaser
Your kitchen will get covered in grease and grime easily, especially around your cooker. In the past, people have found it challenging to find a cleaner for grease that doesn’t contain chemicals. In the US, sudsy ammonia is used for the purpose. Ammonia is also used a lot across the continent for deep cleansing, available in the supermarket shelves! If you have no joy tracking down some sudsy ammonia in hardware stores, you can buy online from Amazon. This cleaning solution will cut through grease and grime in a way that no shop-bought degreaser can!
Water Ring Marks
Have you ever put a cup down on wood or antiques and left a water ring mark? All is not lost! What you need to gently rub away the water ring is baking soda and traditional white toothpaste. Make sure the toothpaste is white, not striped, and that it is a paste and not a gel. This method will not damage your wood or antiques, and after the mark has been removed, you can buff up with your normal polish.
Stain Remover for Clothes
If you have clothes with stubborn stains, a last resort can be to use dishwasher detergent and chlorine bleach. This method should only be used for clothes that can be bleached, and you should not pour the bleach directly onto clothes, nor should you choose an ultra-concentrated brand. To remove stains, prepare hot water, a cup of detergent, and one of bleach in a stainless steel bowl with a gallon of hot but not boiling water. Soak the garment for 20 minutes, and then wash as normal with this solution, one of the best green cleaning products.
Marble
One of the best green cleaning products for marble is dishwashing liquid. Ensure you buy a mild one that is not citrus. Mix a few drops into warm water, and wash your marble tops with a sponge, rinsing thoroughly afterwards. Never use lemon or citric scented detergents for marble; they will harm the surface.
All Purpose Cleaner
For a pleasant smelling all-purpose cleaner, use white wine vinegar and water in equal parts, scented with lemon rind and rosemary. Leave the mix in a spray bottle for a few days before use, allowing for the lemon rind and rosemary to infuse.