2.24.2011

Green Cleaning - DIY Cleaning Recipes


One thing I like about this blog is that it sometimes spurs me to make changes sooner than I might have otherwise.  But more often, I am a better compiler than doer.  Such is the case with Do-It-Yourself cleaners.  I do use vinegar a fair amount for cleaning surfaces and floors, but I haven't ventured too far beyond it.  But I am hoping to expand my DIY repertoire soon (especially when my current cleaners run out), and when I do, here are the resources I will turn to:

Healthy Child Healthy World: Make Your Own Household Cleaners
All-Purpose Cleaner
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Rust Remover
Glass Cleaner
Furniture Polish

Healthy Child Healthy World: Recipes for Safer Cleaners  
Kitchen: countertops, ovens, microwave ovens, cutting boards
Bathrooms: tub and tile cleaner, all-purpose sanitizer, toilet bowl, drains
Living Room: dusting, furniture polish, windows
Metal polish: brass, copper, bronze, aluminum, sterling silver
Air freshener
Floors and Carpets: linoleum, floor sanitizer, wood floors, carpeting and rugs
Laundry: brightener, fabric rinse, detergent booster, bleach, dry cleaning
Mold

Martha Stewart Healthy Cleaning Habits: Do-It-Yourself Cleaners
DIY All-Purpose Cleaners
DIY Carpet Cleaners
DIY Dishwashing Liquid
DIY Drain Cleaners
DIY Fabric Refreshers
DIY Fabric Softeners
DIY Floor Cleaner
DIY Furniture Polish
DIY Laundry Detergent
DIY Silver Polish
DIY Oven Cleaner
DIY Spray Starch
DIY Stain Remover
DIY Tub and Tile Cleaner
DIY Toilet Bowl Cleaner
DIY Glass Cleaner

Green Guide's DIY Household Cleaners
All-purpose cleaner
Floors: wood, linoleum
Furniture polish
Metal polish: copper and brass, stainless steel
Bathroom: toilet bowl, tub and tile
Kitchen: countertops, other surfaces, drains, glass, oven, stovetop and oven grease remover
Laundry room: bleach alternative

Care2: How to Make a Non-toxic Cleaning Kit  
(PDF of shopping list and all recipes)
Creamy Soft Scrubber
Window Cleaner
Oven Cleaner
All-purpose Spray Cleaner
Furniture Polish
Vinegar Deodorizer
Mold Killers

Sierra Club's Green Cleaning Supplies
Creamy soft scrub
All-purpose green cleaner
Scouring Powder

Women's Voices for the Earth: Green Cleaning Recipes
All-purpose cleaner
Creamy soft scrub
Furniture polish
Toilet bowl cleaner (2 options)
Drain opener
Laundry detergent

Washington Toxics Coalition: Recipes for Safer Cleaning

Bathroom Cleaner
Window Cleaner
Drain Cleaner
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Oven Cleaner
Copper Cleaner


Healthy Child Healthy World: Ten Ways to Clean with Salt
Hand deodorizer
Metal polish
Burnt food remover
Chimney sweep
Wicker whitener
Oven and stove stain remover
Dish soap
Mildew manager
Red wine stain remover
Countertop cleaner


Green Upgrader: 6 Reasons Why You Should Be Cleaning Your House with Lemon Juice
Whitener
Degreaser
Deodorizer
Stain remover
All purpose cleaner
Glass cleaner


The Vinegar Institute: Uses and Tips
Household Hints

Laundry Hints
Food Preparation
Health
Kids Stuff
Berry Ink and Quill Pens

Arm and Hammer Baking Soda: Tour our House (uses by room)
Bathroom
Laundry Room
Garage
Family Room
Bedroom
Nursery
Outside
Play Room
Kitchen




DIY cleaners are a great way to save money and reduce your use of plastic.  Instead of buying new plastic containers of store-bought cleaners, you buy a couple of spray bottles and fill them again and again with your own cleaning concoctions (mixed from ingredients you bought in bulk in non-plastic containers, ideally).  If you are not up to making your own cleaners yet, here are some other ways to reduce your use of plastic related to cleaning:
  • Buy green cleaners! You will expose your family and the environment to fewer harmful chemicals while supporting green businesses.
  • Lower your standards and clean less. You'll save money on cleaners and reduce the amount of plastic packaging you recycle/discard.
  • Use cleaners that come in concentrated form. I use Murphy's Oil Soap on my floor, and the one bottle I bought has kept me going for well over a year now. I just mix up the concentrate with some water in my own spray bottle. 

The complete Green Cleaning Series:

What are your DIY cleaning tips? 

This post is part of
Labels: , , , ,

8 comments:

  1. What an amazing resource you have compiled here!!!!

    As for the popcorn, I too was baffled that you could do it on the stove and SHOCKED how incredibly yummy it was, with or without the caramel...love these surprises. ;) Thanks for commenting.
    I am also following you on twitter now- get excited. :)
    Emily/Miss Mommy
    http://www.theadventuresofmissmommy.com/

    ReplyDelete

  2. Just b/c you did such an excellent job of compiling this, I FB'd it and Tweeted it. thanks for your effort here!

    ReplyDelete

  3. Not sure why my sign-in changed...? I guess I am Emily & Miss Mommy, tho. ;)

    ReplyDelete

  4. What a great resource this is. I just found your site and will be adding links to here for others to find as well:) Thanks

    ReplyDelete

  5. Hi there! I also just found your website and am really enjoying it. (Came over from Emily's link on Facebook.) Just read the series you did about making your own bread--looks great! Making my own bread is one of the things I'd like to start doing this year.

    ReplyDelete

  6. I have been wanting to do this, too! Thanks for doing all the research for me! :)

    ReplyDelete

  7. Thanks, Emily/Miss Mommy for the social media love. I'm happy some of you can use this resource.

    ReplyDelete

  8. Wow, what a list! I love cleaning with baking soda, but it never occurred to me to check out the Arm & Hammer site. Thanks for the link!

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...