Simple and Green Cleaning Supplies
by Fisher Swanson

Description: Tips for using safe, natural cleaning products at home.

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Here are some simple and green cleaning supplies that you will want to have on hand when you start to do your spring cleaning.

Cleaning With Vinegar

White distilled vinegar is a great addition to your cleaning supplies. It works well for cutting grease and fighting odors. It's a wonderful laundry aid as it both softens water and fights odors, just add it to your rinse cycle or use as you would fabric softener. While vinegar has a strong smell, the smell dissipates fairly quickly so you don't have to worry about a residual smell. Put white vinegar mixed with water in a spray bottle and use it for quick cleanups in the kitchen or as a maintenance spray in your bathroom. It's also effective for cleaning mildew. You can buy white vinegar at your local grocery store in the salad dressing section. Buy it by the gallon and don't be afraid to use it, it's a safe cleaner. Warning: Do not mix with chlorine bleach!

Cleaning With Isopropyl Alcohol

Isopropyl Alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol, is effective in many cleaning projects. Put it in a small spray bottle and it works well for cleaning and shining chrome faucets. It also can be helpful when trying to remove ink stains from fabric and upholstery. Always pretest the alcohol in an inconspicuous spot before using on a stain. Isopropyl Alcohol can be purchased in the grocery store or the drug store. It's usually in the first aid aisle. Look for sales and save.

Cleaning With Salt

Salt makes a wonderful and ecological friendly cleaner. A paste of salt and vinegar help clean tarnished brass or copper. If you spill wine or grape juice on your carpet you can cover the stain with salt to absorb much of the stain. Soaking washable fabrics in salt water will help remove many stubborn stains. Salt can be purchased in the spice section of your grocery store. Buy in bulk and save. For cleaning purposes use plain salt not iodized salt.

Cleaning With Baking Soda

Baking soda is one of the most versatile substances you can have in your home. It makes a wonderful mild abrasive for surfaces that you want to be careful not to scratch. Just make a paste of baking soda with water. You can use it instead of Comet or other abrasive cleaners for cleaning bathroom fixtures. It works well for cleaning spots off chrome and stainless steel. It can be added to your laundry as a booster (1/2 cup should work) to help clean really dirty clothing or fight odors. Baking soda can be purchased in the baking section at your grocery store. Look for two pound boxes or bags at big box stores to save money and have plenty of it around.

Cleaning With Borax

Borax is an effective ingredient in many cleaning recipes and also is a good laundry booster. Add one tablespoon of Borax to 1 quart of water and use it as a safe all-purpose cleaner. Dissolve 1/2 cup of borax in a sink full of water to clean delicate dishes like fine China. Follow the directions on the box to use it as a laundry booster. If you do construction or landscaping work and have really dirty work clothes adding Borax to your laundry helps a lot. Borax can be purchased in the laundry section at your local grocery store. Sweeten musty basement floors by sprinkling around on the concrete, let it sit for a while, then sweep up.

Cleaning With Washing Soda

Washing soda is often confused with baking soda but it's quite different. For starters, you don't bake with it! It's not edible. It is great as a laundry additive, to boost the cleaning of your detergent. You can make an effective scouring powder out of washing soda and baking soda. Mix 1/4 cup washing soda with 1 cup baking soda and use it as you would Comet or Ajax scouring powder. Washing soda can be purchased in the laundry aisle of your local grocery store.

Cleaning With Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen Peroxide works well for cleaning cuts, so it should be no surprise that it is effective for blood stains. It can have a bleaching effect so you will want to pretest it before applying it to a fabric stain. Keep a spray bottle of peroxide handy to tackle tough blood stains, even dried ones. For blood stains on carpet, pour peroxide directly on the stain and blot with clean cloth. Pretest this solution on a remnant. Hydrogen peroxide can be purchased in the first aid section of your local drug store or grocery store. Always keep a bottle on hand.

Fisher Swanson writes for ThriftyFun.com. ThriftyFun.com has over 10,000 pages of useful information to help people save time and money. They also publish free newsletters. For more information visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/.

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