These days, there are many cleaning products to choose from. Supermarket and hardware stores are filled with different brands and types, most of them using harsh, powerful chemicals to do their job.
However, it is possible to clean just as effectively using natural green products which are less harmful to your health and the environment.
Baking soda is an effective natural cleaner and deodorizer. Mixing baking soda with lemon juice, vinegar, or even water and making it into a paste will create a fantastic all-purpose cleaner and stain remover. As a deodorizer, baking soda absorbs odors and also neutralizes them. Use it to deodorize the dishwasher by sprinkling one-half cup baking soda on the bottom of the dishwasher between loads. Baking soda can also be used to help mask pet odors.
Sprinkle baking soda on carpets 10 minutes before vacuuming to get rid of any unpleasant odors that are lingering in the room. Use baking soda to clean stainless steel items, and also to remove tannin stains from tea and coffee in crockery. You can even use it to remove crayon marks from walls and wallpaper by gently scrubbing with a damp sponge sprinkled with baking soda.
Vinegar is very effective on solid stains, such as limescale and calcium deposits (soap scum) from hard water because it is a mild acid. Use it to clean the shower and the bath and even to unclog the washing machine (once a month pour one cup of vinegar into the washing machine and run the machine through a normal cycle, without clothes). Vinegar can also remove mold and mildew from bathroom tiles and shower curtains.
Vinegar is a great stain remover, whether it is food stains in pots and pans, stains in toilet bowls, perspiration from clothes, or animal urine stains in the carpet. Like baking soda, it is also a great natural air freshener. Place a small bowl of vinegar in the room or spray some into the air to help deodorize the area.
Lemon juice is mildly acidic and dissolves grease very effectively. It also has a bleaching and deodorizing effect. Use lemon juice to clean and deodorize cutting boards, clean kitchen sinks, brass, copper, or stainless steel cutlery. Combined with salt, it can get rid of berry juice stains from fabric.
Salt is a fantastic stain remover. Mix it with alcohol (1 part salt to 4 parts rubbing alcohol) to tackle grease. Use salt to clean spilled red wine or to clean blood stains.
Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about our environment and health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com and maidbrigade.com. Watch our video on achieving work/life balance at greencleancertified.com/greentv. To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.
