eHow launches Android app: Get the best of eHow on the go.

About

Green Cleaning

Contributor
By Melynda Sorrels
eHow Contributing Writer
(0 Ratings)
Green cleaning is safer and easier on the pocketbook
Green cleaning is safer and easier on the pocketbook

Keeping your home clean is an ongoing chore. Dust accumulates, and dirt finds its way inside no matter how careful we try to be. Neglecting it can leave your home not only unsightly, but unsanitary as well. Rather than putting a dent in your pocketbook for the latest cleaning supplies to help keep your home sparkling clean, it's easier, cheaper and safer for pets and children to simply make your own.

    For General Cleaning

  1. Mix a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water into a spray bottle and add about two tablespoons of dish soap. A grease-cutting dish soap will help clean up your kitchen. The natural line of Mrs. Meyers dish soaps also come in several scents that can help drown out some of that unpleasant vinegar smell. You can use this solution on just about any surface in your home. Vinegar is great for eliminating odors and cutting through tough stains as it's mildly acidic. This is also a handy solution in case of pet stains. Vinegar can freshen carpet and fabrics easily. Try adding a cup to the rinse cycle next time you wash your clothes to make them softer.

    For tough-to-remove stained areas, make a paste of baking soda and water and use it as a mild abrasive to scrub away things that aren't easily cleaned, such as drip pans on the stove or stubborn grout. Baking soda is also handy if you have odors that don't seem to dissipate. Place a bowl of baking soda in your microwave to help absorb the smell of reheated cuisine or sprinkle it on your carpets and leave it for a few hours to help diminish unpleasant smells.

    Vinegar and baking soda together have a caustic reaction that renders both their odor and stain-killing abilities useless and causes a bubbly mess. So be sure to keep them separate, unless you need to clean out your drains--then they are quite handy. Simply pour baking soda liberally down a stubborn drain and chase it down with white vinegar. The bubbles will help to loosen things that may have become lodged in the drain, so water can go down easier.
  2. Cleaning Electronics

  3. Keep a solution of hydrogen peroxide and distilled water for cleaning television screens and computer monitors. Mix hydrogen peroxide and water with equal parts distilled water into a spray bottle, and you'll have the only electronics cleaner you'll ever need. Spray the solution onto a clean, soft cloth and wipe the screen down gently, making sure everything is unplugged and turned off before you start.
Subscribe

Post a Comment

Post a Comment Post this comment to my Facebook Profile

Related Ads

Get Free Home & Garden Newsletters

Copyright © 1999-2009 eHow, Inc. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use and Privacy Policy .   en-US Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License. † requires javascript

eHow Home and Garden
eHow_eHow Home and Garden