Going Green?! Read these Natural Cleaning Tips

Switching to natural cleaning alternatives is an important part of going green. Natural cleaning alternatives can save money, time and minimize chemical exposure. Below are some tips for easy natural cleaning.

1. Oven cleaning with baking soda

Make a paste of baking soda and water. This paste is an amazing alternative for cleaning ovens without the hassle of the self-cleaning cycle. Apply for it on the bottom of the oven, leave it for about 3 hours and then wipe it off

2. Switch to multi-purpose cloths

You will save a lot of money when you decide to switch to multi-purpose cloths. Get a basic set of these cloths and use them daily. You can literally clean your entire house with just water and these clothes. To keep things simple, choose one color of cloth per room.

3. Make your own scouring powder

Make a homemade scouring powder clean soap scum on tubs and showers. Mix 2 parts baking soda with 1 part salt and 1 part borax. It will clean even the toughest scum!

4. Citrus infused vinegar

Pour citrus peels in a jar and fill it with undiluted white vinegar. Leave that mixture to rest for a few days (up to 2 weeks). Strain out the vinegar and use it as a natural cleaner. You can use it to clean windows (dilute with water), disinfect surfaces and mop floors.

5. Create a checklist

Create a checklist for each room. That way you will be able to clean more efficiently or assign tasks to children.

6. Use natural solutions to treat stains

Stain treaters and laundry soaps are some of the worst toxic chemicals. Fortunately, there are natural options that work pretty well. Knowing a little of chemistry can be quite helpful since different natural options work better on different types of stains.

Paint stains: Use rubbing alcohol to soak the stains in for about 20 to 30 minutes and wash.
Tea or coffee: Pour boiling water over the stain and wash it.
Mud: Let the stain dry, brush it off, and then treat it with a paste of borax and water Wash immediately.
Food stains: Pour baking soda on top and then spray with a 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and water mix before washing.
Oil or grease stains: Sprinkle with baking soda to absorb any loose oil or grease, then soak in diluted white vinegar and scrub with dish soap before washing.

7. Clean toilet

Dump a cup of baking soda into the toilet and let it soak for about an hour. Pour in a cup of white vinegar, leave for 5 minutes and flush. This will clean your toilet with scrubbing.