Go Green With Household Cleaners From Your Pantry

Going green is great for the environment, your pets and for your family. But it can seem costly when strolling the aisles and pricing out all the greener cleaning options. Lucky for us, a well-stocked pantry and some elbow grease can go a long way to making your house sparkle – and save you money in the process!

Here’s what you need to get started:

White vinegar – Dissolves dirt, soap scum and hard water deposits in your bathrooms and kitchen. It deodorizes, absorbing odors instead of masking them. It won’t stain or smell. It softens fabrics (cuts down on detergent residue). Diluting it is best for counter tops and surfaces, so mix 50% vinegar and 50% water when wiping down your benches. Undiluted white vinegar works well for scrubbing toilet bowls, leaving them with a crisp, white shine. It’s also the hidden tool for perfect poached eggs!

Baking soda – Abrasive and deodorizing, it’s perfect for tackling grimier surfaces or kitchen messes like baked on food on stove tops. An open box will last about six months but use fresh to ensure best results. Can be used to clean silver and drains. Baking soda is a great thing to keep around the house for kids science projects as well ie; exploding volcanoes!

Salt – Abrasive cleaner that also soaks up fresh stains and removes grease from dishes.

Olive oil – As well as being a more healthy and delicious cooking component, this multi-purpose oil removes glue residue. It can be substituted for an oil-finish wood cleaner, just don’t use it on stained or antique wood!

Lemon juice – Cleans copper and brass as well as windows. It can even remove lime scale and ink! So the next time that pen explodes in your pocket at the start of a work day, start scouring the fridge for lemons!

A couple of handy recipes to try:

• 1 cup white vinegar + 1 cup water – It’s an easy way to clean surfaces around your home, from backsplashes and counter tops to floors. This will remove fingerprints from stainless steel appliances
, too! Warming it in the microwave and spraying it generously on dirtier surfaces (e.g. shower walls, tub rings) improves its cleaning ability.
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup of baking soda – Pour down a slow-moving drain with enough water to wash it down. Let stand for a couple of hours (or overnight) before flushing it with hot water. (Or vinegar, if you’re feeling gutsy.)
• 3 parts baking soda: 1 part water – A deodorizing paste that’s perfect for cleaning counters, sinks, coffee pots, appliances and the inside of a fridge. Let it sit for 10-20 minutes before wiping with a sponge and rinsing well.
• 1 cup olive oil + 1/2 cup lemon juice ­– This mixture can be used to polish furniture.

If you want to go green in the garden, there are a lot of home made natural gardening products to help keep bugs and pests away. Need more ideas? Here are a couple spots to find more recipes and figure out which ones are best suited to your furniture and decor:

DIY Network

Good Housekeeping

Apartment Therapy