by M.R.

Created on: April 09, 2009   Last Updated: August 18, 2009

Save money, stay healthier, and help the environment using simple, inexpensive green cleaning methods. Powerful commercial solvents can worsen asthma and allergies as well as take a big chunk out of your budget. Check out these tips for homemade, natural, and easy ways to get your home sparkling clean without compromising your health.

1. White distilled vinegar can do countless chores around your house. Use it undiluted to clean counters and porcelain sinks, remove the film from glass jars, take stickers off walls and windows, keep ants and fruit flies away, and remove soap scum and mildew from tubs and showers.

2. A staple of natural cleaning, baking soda absorbs odors from the air, from laundry, and from carpets, and also cleans counters, sinks, and ovens without being abrasive. Add cup baking soda, cup of vinegar, and gallon of water to clean bathtubs, showers, bathroom fixtures, windows, mirrors, and counters.

3. Get rid of dangerous drain cleaner. Commercial drain cleaner is among the most dangerous of household cleaners. This quick, easy, and inexpensive mixture will do the job safely. Add cup salt to 1 gallon of water, heat it up, and pour it down the drain. For even more power, pour 1 cup baking soda down the drain, then 1 cup vinegar. Use boiling water to clear out the drain after about ten minutes. NOTE: Don't use this directly after attempting commercial drain cleaner due to possible reactions and the resulting dangerous fumes.

4. To clean windows and other glass surfaces, mix cup vinegar with 1 gallon water. Or, for a fresher-smelling cleaner, use lemon juice and a cloth. Club soda and a newspaper for scrubbing is yet another option.

5. For floors you can eat off of, stick with the basics. If you have babies or pets traveling across your floors, wood floor cleaners are of particular concern Plain old hot water and a micro-fiber mop can do wonders on wood floors without any dangerous chemicals, build-up, or the risk of damage to the wood. To wax wood floors, mix olive oil and vinegar in equal parts, then rub a small amount into the floor with a towel or cloth.

If you can save money and time on your cleaning while reducing the environmental toxins in your home, you owe it to yourself to give these non-toxic strategies a try. Your health and your wallet will thank you.

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