Best Eco Stuff

Think you need a huge, expensive arsenal of fancy green cleaning products to keep your home in order minus the chemicals? You’re in for a pleasant surprise! Cleaning your home doesn’t have to involve the sorts of nasty, harsh, headache-inducing ingredients commonly found in conventional products, nor does it have to drain your bank account. Here are some cheap, easy, eco-friendly ways you can maintain a sparkling clean, fresh home.

Stock up on three simple, natural ingredients that will revolutionize the way you clean your home. Seriously, you’ll be amazed at how well vinegar, baking soda and castile soap work for everything from scrubbing the tub to mopping wood floors. Castile soap is made with vegetable and herbal oils, with no synthetic ingredients added – the most popular brand (which is now fair trade!) is Dr. Bronner’s. Make a thick paste with baking soda and castile soap and you’ve got the perfect soft scrub to polish those stainless steel sinks to a shine and get rid of the ring of gunk in the tub.

Vinegar is a must-have, and a gallon-size jug is just a few bucks at the grocery store. It can be used to rid showerheads of mineral buildup, clean soap scum off shower walls, freshen the toilet, kill mildew and even remove stains like red wine and chocolate. Check out this guide over at How Stuff Works for recipes and tips.

Always keep lemons on hand for tough cleaning jobs that require an extra-strength response. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut surface. Use it to clean dishes, countertops, cutting boards and other surfaces. Lemon juice mixed with some olive oil also makes a great furniture polish for wood.

Skip the disposable cleaning pads and cloths – reusable rags are best. One super-frugal and eco-friendly option is to cut up old towels that have lost their softness and use them as cleaning rags. If you’ve already got a Swiffer or similar cleaning contraption meant for use with disposables, try simply wrapping a damp cleaning rag around it instead. It really does get the job done just as well!

Kick the synthetic air fresheners to the curb. Instead, try simmering some spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves and ginger on the stove to give your space a warm and welcoming aroma. You can also keep the air in your home clean and fresh with indoor plants – many varieties actually filter toxins from the air.

For more green cleaning tips and recipes, check out Care2’s nontoxic cleaning section.