Mean Green Cleaning

Early this spring I was fortunate and able to leave my full time job, becoming instead, a full time house keeper. Pays way less, and keeps me far busier.  I find myself reaching for a paper towel and spray bottle more times than not, as I continue to notice the unending dirt, dust and grime. After a couple of months I also noticed how entirely potent cleaning products were.

Not only is it unsafe to ingest these common under-the-sink "life savers," I was noticing the skin on my hands was dry and irritated. If I had to scour the bath tub, I had to wear something over my mouth, or my throat would ache from inhaling the fumes. After a while, it got me thinking.  Isn't there a better way to do this???? I mean, how did our grandmothers and great aunts get by circa 1950???  

...and with that, I began doing research on old house keeping remedies, and cleaning recipes. I'll admit, there's a TON on the Internet about this stuff. I sifted through a bunch, talked to some wise grandmas, and used some creativity and common sense. I tried a few concoctions, and found some really effective FOOD SAFE spray cleaners!  I must say, the recipes do not need to be followed precisely (since mixing these ingredients are far safer than mixing harsh chemicals) but the basic principles remain the same.  After purchasing a few new spray bottles at the dollar store, and trying my new cleaners I am excited to report, almost all have been  more effective than the store bought, and remain only a fraction of the cost. My skin, lungs, and empty change purse all agree. Going Green, is the best Clean. ;)

Here are the basic ingredients and why they work...

Baking Soda- acts as a scrubbing agent and deodorizer. 

Hydrogen Peroxide- oxygenated bubbles help scrub and lift grime. Also a bleaching agent and anticorrosive. 

Dawn dish soap- I use this stuff for LITERALLY everything in my house. It's a grease cutter, disinfectant, detergent, oil/water soluble, dog shampoo, environmentally concsious company, kid safe and it smells good. Dawn wins everytime (Different brands will actually be less effective. Don't ask me why) and I buy the original blue by the half gallon. I'm sure other "scents" would work, I just prefer good ol'Blue. 

Distilled White Vinegar- another player of the year. If you can get past the stink, it works wonders as a disinfectant. You can use it to preserve dying veggies, or mix it in your laundry for brighter whites. Most of my cleaner recipes use this guy. 

Pure Castile Soap- liquid stuff. This can run a bit pricey, but if you purchase one decent bottle, you'll be able to make dozens of cleaners. Literally. The pure soap scrubs, sticks and cleans the grimiest of all grime. Especially greasy messes. If you go to the grocery/drug store you will most likely find Doctor Brown's line. It's in the body soaps. 

Essential Oils- oil and water don't mix. That's why Windex won't clean a casserole pan. Vinegar flat out stinks, that's why we dont bathe in it. Essential oils help with both. They allow the cleaner to stick to the mess, and smell way better than they would alone. These are also pricey, and can be found in many craft fairs, or co-ops. But, same as the Castile, one little bottle will take you a long way. Not to mention, these are crafted by extracting the raw essence of a plant. Plants are therapeutic and relaxing. Not harmful, and certainly the best way to make the "greenest" cleaners. 

With this general knowledge, you can make almost anything. But here are a few of my personal favorites:

ALL PURPOSE 

3Tbs Vinegar

1Tbs Dawn

2C warm water

1Tbs Peroxide

DUSTING SPRAY

2 tsp Olive Oil

5 drops Essential Oil

1 tsp lemon juice 

1/4C White Vinegar

1C Warm Water

Combine all ingredients in new spray cleaner bottle and shake until mixed. 

DEGREASER

2C Warm water

1/4C Castile soap

2 TBS Dawn Dish Soap

10 Drops essential oil

Combine all ingredients in new spray cleaner bottle and shake until mixed. 

BATHROOM

2/3C Baking Soda

1/2C Castile Soap

2Tbs White Vinegar

1/2C water 

5 drops essential oil 

Combine all ingredients in new spray cleaner bottle and shake until mixed. 

TOILET SCRUB

1/4 C baking soda

1/4 C Borax (washing soda) 

1 C White Vinegar

Combine all ingredients in toilet and let set 30min before scrubbing. 

GRANITE CLEANER 

1/2 C Rubbing Alcohol

1 tsp Dawn Dish Soap

2C warm water

Combine all ingredients in new spray cleaner bottle and shake until mixed. 

GLASS CLEANER

1/4 C Rubbing Alcohol

1/4 White Vinegar

1 TBS Cornstarch 

2 C warm water

Combine all ingredients in new spray cleaner bottle and shake until mixed. 

ANTIBACTERIAL SPRAY

1 C warm water

20 drops lavender Essential Oil

Combine all ingredients in new spray cleaner bottle and shake until mixed. 

THAT'S IT! It's really that simple. Add and amend as you see fit for your castle-keeping duties. But don't forget and mix the baking soda and vinegar and expect the spray bottle to stay closed. (Remember 6th grade science?  You'll have a mean green volcano in no time). 

Stay tuned.... Going Green Skin Care post coming next.

Keeping it Awkward,

XO