Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips

Switching to green cleaning products not only positively impacts the environment, but it can also improve your family’s health. In today’s eco conscious culture, we have a substantial selection of eco-friendly cleaners to choose from. Why not give some a test run and if you’re really feeling adventurous, try your hand at making some homemade solutions.

These cost-effective ingredients are likely already in your kitchen and can be easily transformed into grime and grease fighters:

White vinegar – The high acidity level makes vinegar effective for killing mould, bacteria and germs. Use it to clean your dishwasher, coffee pot and to remove soap scum in the bathroom. Window cleaning with vinegar will make your windows gleam and leave them streak-free.

Baking soda – This inexpensive ingredient cuts grease, deodorizes, lifts dirt and whitens. Use it to combat food odours in the fridge, soak up the grease in your oven, clean hairbrushes and as a solution to prevent your drains from clogging up.

Lemon juice – Known for its bleaching properties and its ability to work as a natural disinfectant, use lemon juice to clean your cutting board, disinfect the inside of your microwave and clean hard water stains on glass shower doors.

Olive oil – This little gem is best known as a natural wood polish, but consider these other uses: combine with salt to clean your cast-iron pans, pour onto a cloth to shine your stainless steel, or massage a small amount into your leather furniture to help repair scratches.

Salt - An excellent cleaning agent, either on its own or in combination with other natural ingredients. Rub in some salt to remove stubborn tea or coffee stains on cups, or restore your sponges by soaking them in cold saltwater after washing them.

For more homemade cleaning suggestions, visit the David Suzuki Foundation website where you can download a handy reference sheet on how to whip up green cleaning solutions like laundry soap, all-purpose cleaner, furniture polish, glass cleaner and stainless steel cleaner. www.davidsuzuki.org

If making homemade eco-friendly products isn’t your cup of tea, be sure to check out some of these popular green-cleaning brands at your local retailer:

·         Simply Clean 

·         Citra-Solv

·         Seventh Generation

·         Nature Clean

·         Ecover

·         Method

·         Soak

When choosing a cleaning product, it’s best to go fragrance-free since the fragrance can trigger allergies and asthma. It’s also best to avoid dyes because most dyes are derived from chemicals.