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All this talk of controversial chemical ingredients and toxins in home cleaning & laundry products makes one just want to run out screaming from the supermarket and never come back. It’s gotten to the point where we have no idea what is actually in these products. Feels like you need a special degree in chemistry to decipher ingredient labels. It’s all gotten too complicated and silly. There is no doubt that we need to curb our exposure to toxins in our home and a smart way to do this is to green your cleaning routing. There are some great eco household & laundry cleaning brands out there for the most time-crunched amongst us but how about a bit of old-fashioned DIY for those of us who are inclined? Below are some great, easy recipes and tips to get the job done…but first:
3 Things To Have In Your Eco Pantry At All Time
- Lemon Juice: a natural disinfectant with a great odor; also useful as a whitening agent. Great for dissolving soap scum and other hard-to-remove grime.
- Distilled Vinegar: an all-rounder- the perfect multi-purpose cleaner. Like lemon juice, it is also potent disinfectant.
- Baking Soda: great for stains, acts similarly to bleach without the fumes, perfect for deodorizers
Pretty much any cleaning solution can be put together from the three ingredients above. They are versatile, cheap and a must-have for any eco-warrior’s home!
Green Queen Shopping Tip: Gateway Supermarket in Sheung Wan has bulk sizes of vinegar and baking soda that are pretty well priced and most Jason’s Marketplace have large boxes of baking soda and gallon containers of vinegar 🙂
Make Your Own Wood Polish
Mix 1:2 parts lemon juice and olive oil.
Make Your Own Spray Cleaner
Mix 1:1 parts vinegar and water. Use this for countertops, toilets, sinks and any tiles.
Make Your Own Shower/Sink Cleaner
Mix baking soda with enough water to form a paste. Add a spoon of lemon juice and a spoon of liquid dish soap (eco friendly of course!). Use with a scrubbing brush on any stubborn grime and dirt.
Make Your Own Glass Cleaner
Mix a spoonful of vinegar with a 1 litre of water and put into spray bottle.
Make Your Own Fabric Softener
Replace softener with ½ cup of vinegar in your washing machine.
Make Your Own Deodorizer
Baking Soda is your nose’s best friend. It removes unpleasant smells. Here are some handy ways to use it:
- Put a small tray of baking soda in your refrigerator to keep things fresh.
- Line the bottom of your trashcans with baking soda to prevent any dumpster fumes from infecting the air of your home.
- Use it as a foot deodorizer in smelly shoes.
Keep Your Flower Bouquets Fresh
Stand them in lukewarm water to which you have added a spoonful of lemon juice and a pinch of sugar.
Hope you find these simple formulas as useful as we do.
Photo courtesy of Pexels.
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