Green Cleaning Products:
Inexpensive & Non-Toxic

There are four good reasons to make your own green cleaning products:

1. Less Cost: each of the cleaners can be made from easily accessible ingredients—baking soda, borax, washing soda and white vinegar or lemon juice
2. Safer for Your Family: one in three Americans suffers from allergies, asthma, bronchitis or sinusitis; the U.S. National Center for Statistics says reducing chemical exposure is a reliable treatment
3. Non-Toxic to the Environment: each of the ingredients is natural, and buying in bulk saves on packaging and waste
4. They Do a Good Job: people had squeaky clean houses long before large chemical companies came to be, and the acidic and alkaline ingredients in natural cleaners have the same chemical action as synthetics.

If the convenience of pre-packaged products is important, there are several commercially available green cleaning products available. These will be more expensive than making your own, but you will be supporting green jobs.

Each of these green cleaning products is safe to mix without dangerous fumes, but wear rubber gloves when using washing soda, as its high alkalinity makes it effective but caustic to your skin.

General Household Cleaner

Recipe #1:

After cleaning surface, follow with cloth dampened with water only.

No Wax Floor Cleaner

Mop floor, then remop with water only.

Window Cleaner

After spraying or wiping the window, dry with newspaper to avoid streaking.

Oven Cleaner

Recipe #1:

Spread paste on all areas except wires or heating elements and let sit for 5 minutes. Wipe clean and rinse with warm watered sponge.

Recipe #2:

Apply and remove as above.

Carpet Spot Cleaner

Use in spray bottle. Let sit for several minutes and then clean with soapy water and a brush.

Carpet Heavy Stain Cleaner

Rub this paste into the carpet and allow to dry. Then vacuum the powdery residue.

Bathroom Tile Cleaner

Mix into a paste and brush grout with a toothbrush. The baking soda is abrasive but will not scratch. Rinse with warm water.

Drain Clog Remover

First pour baking soda into the drain, followed by the vinegar. Let stand for several minutes, then pour hot water into drain. Repeat if clog does not clear the first time.

Dishwasher Detergent

Odor Eaters

Air Freshener

Appliance Fresheners

Furniture Polish