Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips
You clean your home thoroughly, but do you clean it with eco-friendly cleaning supplies? Commercial cleansers contain chemicals like bleach, formaldehyde, 1,4-Dioxane, PERC, ammonia, BCEE and more. They are known or suspected carcinogens, respiratory irritants, and dangerous substances that can cause adverse health effects. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to clean your home without exposing yourself or your family to dangerous chemicals? Oaks Dumpster has compiled a list of cleaners that are healthier, safer for the environment, and easier on your wallet.
Ingredients for Homemade Cleaners
Many of the items needed to create homemade house cleaning solutions are probably already in your pantry. If not, they are easy to get! Here’s what to stock up on: Baking Soda Castile or Marseille oil-based soaps Lemons White Vinegar Washing Soda (sodium carbonate – found near the laundry boosters in stores) Vegetable or Olive Oil Cornstarch Hydrogen Peroxide With these items on-hand, you should be able to tackle any cleaning you need to do!
Cleaning Solutions
All-Purpose Cleaner
Combine ½ cup vinegar, ¼ cup baking soda, and ½ gallon of water. Add lemon rind for scent, if desired. This works great for clean showers, bathroom fixtures, windows, mirrors, and much more. Use a natural fiber reusable cloth for best results.
Bathroom Mold Deterrant
Mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 2 parts water in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on areas with mold or mildew, wait for one hour, and rinse well.
Dishwasher Soap
Mix equal parts washing soda, baking soda, and kosher salt. Put in your dishwasher’s soap dispenser as you would any dishwashing cleaner.
Drain Cleaning
Add ½ cup salt to 1 gallon of water. Heat — but don’t boil — and pour down the drain. For stronger cleaning, pour ½ cup baking soda down the drain, followed by ½ cup vinegar. Wait 15 minutes and pour the hot salted water in to clear the residue.
Floor Cleaner & Polish
For vinyl and linoleum, mix 1 cup vinegar with a few drops of olive oil in 1 gallon of warm water. To routinely clean wood, use a solution of ¼ cup vinegar to a half gallon of warm water. Always test a small area of your wood floor first so you’ll know the finish will hold up to water.
Laundry Detergent
Mix 2 cups of washing soda with the gratings from one 5oz bar of castile or Marseilles soap. Use 1 tablespoon for small loads and 2 tablespoons for larger loads.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Combine ¼ cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar and pour into toilet bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes. Scrub with a brush and rinse.
Heavy-Duty Scrub
Prepare ½ lemon and ½ cup of baking soda. Dip the halved lemon into the baking soda and use it to scrub away stubborn stains. Once your home is squeaky-clean, you might decide to do a cleanout and get rid of clutter. If you need a dumpster to accomplish the task, call Oaks Dumpster Rental at 866-649-6257.