by Jamie Rider

Created on: March 05, 2008   Last Updated: April 19, 2009

Have you ever had to leave the room you were cleaning because the "fumes" were getting to you? This was your body saying "this cleaner is NOT what I want to be breathing". You can breathe easier, and feel that you have made a contribution to reducing waste and protecting the environment by taking a little time, and some common household products, to make your own natural cleaners. There are some basic ingredient that you will want on-hand:

*Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate): neutralizes acid, softens fabrics, as well as deodorizes,cleans and polishes metals and plastics

*Borax: deodorizes, prevents mold and mildew, and removes stains
*Cornstarch: cleans windows and carpets, and polishes furniture
*Isopropyl alcohol disinfects
*Lemon juice: deodorizes, cleans glass, and removes stains
*Mineral oil: polishes furniture
*Vinegar: removes mildew, grease, and wax; deodorizes; cleans windows, brick, and
stone
*Washing soda (sodium carbonate): removes grease, and cleans laundry Castile Soap: (a natural oil soap such as Murphy's Oil Soap) Tea Oil disinfects and acts as an antifungal (Source: retrieved 4/12/2008 from CharityGuide.org

One enjoyable aspect of transitioning from commercial to natural cleaning is that you don't have to buy all of these at once. Instead, you can purchase them as needed to add to you line-up of cleaners as you exhaust your traditional ones. Don't forget to still protect yourself when cleaning. Even with these natural based formulas, always wear gloves when handling a cleaner to avoid skin irritation.

A variety of recipes are available throughout the internet. The first site that is highly useful is LessToxicGuide.ca. This site is provided by the government of Nova Scotia, and they have done a phenomenal job of collecting as many effective green household cleaner recipes as possible. Below are just a few which address the most common cleaning needs. Be forewarned, there are some people who object to the scent of vinegar and it is used widely in natural cleaning. For those who object to that smell, add approximately 10 drops of your favorite essential oil to mask the scent. This makes cleaning less of a chore.

1. All purpose cleaners:

Multipurpose Cleaner
1 tsp. borax 1/2 tsp. washing soda 2 Tbsp. vinegar 1/2 tsp. liquid castile soap
2 cups very hot water
Add the first four ingredients to a spray bottle, then slowly add the hot water and shake until dry ingredients are dissolved. Label the bottle.

Vinegar Cleaner

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

Wipe on, or mix in

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