So many of the products that we buy to clean our homes contain toxic ingredients that can be harmful to people and the environment. What can you do? You can choose less toxic products to clean your home. Doing that can protect your family and the environment. Additionally, you will save money by using simple and safe ingredients to make your own cleaners.
Here is a brief list of safe ingredients to make your own eco-friendly cleaners:
Baking soda - Absorbs odors and is a mild abrasive. It is easy to find in the baking section of your grocery store.
Glycerin - Usually found in pharmacies or health food stores, this water loving liquid has antiseptic properties and is good to moisturize the skin.
Hydrogen Peroxide - Use this for a great disinfectant. Buy the household concentration (3%) which is typically found in your local pharmacy.
Liquid soap - Vegetable oil based soap sometimes referred to as castile soap. Found in most health food stores.
Liquid detergent - most dishwashing liquids are detergents. Try purchasing vegetable oil based soaps, which are more environmentally friendly than petroleum based products. Vegetable oil based soaps can be found in health food and many grocery stores. Petroleum is a limited resource (unlike vegetable oils) and its extraction and refining causes pollution.
Vinegar - Removes soap scum, grease and mineral deposits and acts as a deodorizer. Use only white distilled vinegar for most of these recipes. You can try apple cider vinegar for windows, since it has a more pleasant scent.
Washing soda (sodium carbonate) - It is slightly caustic and a great grease cutter. Don't use it on waxed floors unless you want to remove the wax. It may also damage fiberglass and aluminum. Found in the laundry section, it is made by Arm & Hammer.
Essential oils - These are generally used for deodorizing or scenting cleaners. Essential oils, such as mint, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon and tea tree, can be found in health food stores or herbal supply shops. Tea tree oil is currently in the process of being registered as a disinfectant in this country. PLEASE NOTE that oils are non-toxic in small quantities BUT may be toxic in concentrated forms. Keep away from children.
When you choose us to handle your Vancouver Washington real estate needs, you choose a team of realtors® who care about you and your family. Buying or selling a home is always more enjoyable when you work with professionals who will listen to your needs and who will work together with you to achieve your objective. We are very familiar with all types a real estate in Clark Countyand we specialize in Vancouver, Ridgefield and Battle Ground. We are also very experienced with new home and custom home construction having assisted several local builders in selling new neighborhoods in the Vancouver Washington area. Additionally, we have helped numerous families build their own dream homes. We are dedicated to helping you make intelligent, informed decisions and to providing you with exceptional service. Go to www.ernw.org for more information.
Comments(3)