Have recently started “cleaning green”. Love It. What a difference in the smell of my home. It doesn’t have a chemical smell to it anymore! And as my grandbaby is soon to be born there’s one less thing I have to worry about! essential oils, castile soap, vinegar and baking soda, What wonderful things these are!

My fiance is sensitive to the chemicals in cleaners. I’ve recently found an entirely natural line of cleaning products and I’m giving those a try… they smell wonderful, and aren’t nearly as harsh as what I’ve been using.

i find this fasinating and will try these , will let you know how it works

with lil ones in the house, i find it essential to clean with all non toxic products. vinegar is always my go to item. it is non toxic if consumed, and is a great disenfectant also, tougher jobs i use baking soda, but make sure to put it up, because it is not great for you if you consume alot of it. this way i can clean my house and not have to worry about my lil ones mouthing things that i just cleaned

I suffered from headaches and sinus pain for severl years. A wise chiropractor suggested that I get rid of all of my toxic cleaning supplies and go natural. I now use all natural Shaklee cleaning supplies. It is better for me, my family and the environment and it saves me a ton of money.

I have a lot of allergies and NOT using commercial cleaners & heavily fragranced things has made a big difference in how I’ve felt, especially my sinuses and my skin!
I use a lot of stuff like vinegar, baking soda or diluted dish soap and I am saving tons of money too!

i suffer from migraines and it doesn’t take much to trigger them. i use the method products that target sells, they work great and their nontoxic to the environment,plus no chemical smell.

I have been making green cleaners for about 3 months now. I don’t have to worry about my daughter getting into them. I personally think that they clean better than the commercial cleaners with all of the chemicals

I make Castile Liquid Soap from home, then add the following for a non-toxic cleaner. 1-TBS Baking Soda, 2-TBS Liquid Castile Soap, 2-Cups Hot Water, 2-TBS Lemon Juice and 2-TBS Vineger. Put into a spray bottle (Wal-Mart) sells them for $.98 cents. I use this to clean my kitchen and bathrooms.

I started using BON AMI to scub ceramic surfaces, it’s natural. I also use VInegar and water to wash the mirrors. I bought a plethora of other natural products for around the house. I feel better cleaning especially now that no chemicals are burning my eyes.

I just love white vinegar, buy it in quantity @ Costco. Cleans everything from floors, to counter tops, to mirrors. Once a month pour undiluted vinegar down sink-shower-bathtub-laundry sink drains, let stand for 30 minutes then flush with hot water to keep drains clean & clog free. Same for toilets just brush and flush after 30 minutes.

I too am concerned about toxins and chemicals inside my home, began using vinegar to clean 10 years ago to protect my pets, has been great for people too!

Micro Fiber….. so simple, saves time and money.

Duster – fabulous!!! The looped fibers pick up every bit of dust and locks it into the duster – does not spread into the air and re-deposit it somewhere else like electrostatic dusting wands.

Use it dry for everything – furniture, mirrors, glass, plants (inside and out), window ledges, patio furniture, car interior (keep a duster in my car), even takes the sand off my car!

Floor mop pad – use with white vinegar and water, fast + easy, works perfectly cleans floors and base boards.

Keep several dusters and mop pads (from QVC, Target, Home Depot) when they are all dirty just pop them in the washer (NO fabric softener), air dry and you are ready to clean again. Completely re-usable!!

I clean with baking soda and vinegar and find it is great. If you bbuy it in bulk, it really saves money.

Great tips. I did not know some of these!

I was wondering…does GreenWorks from Clorox actually good for the environment. I purchase an all-purpose cleaner one and it works OK. I’m not happy that they do not use Biodegradable packaging.

I recently changed my work’s cleaning company to an all natural cleaning service. I love them! The products leave no odor and they clean so well. I have not started cleaning my house with Green products, I should start soon!

Recently bought a cop of Greenup Your Cleanup by Jill Potvin Schoff. Hightly recommend it. Contains recipes for home made cleaners, also tells what to look for when buying green cleaning products in stores. Also has a boatload of preventive measures.
It is aimed mainly at homeowners, so there’s a lot of stuff about buying furnishings, flooring, wall coverings, etc too. Very cool book. Use the recipes often.

Amyers, I’d love to suggest that to my employer. Where did you find the name of the cleaning service? Do they operate in Illinois?

cachingwednesday, I live in Kansas and use a local cleaning service. However, she is a great resource and might know of someone in Illinois. The website is www.aveenaclean.com. The owner is a friend of mine and an excellent eco-resource.

Someone had mentioned finding a natural polish for furniture. The Method brand from Target has a furniture polish that’s very good, doesn’t leave a film or buildup on furniture. It has an almond scent that’s not overpowering. Also, for stainless steel stoves cleaning with straight vinegar leaves them spotless.

I started using the vinegar and water for windows, mirrors—works great since I have dogs that like to put their noess on the window :)
Have not tried the baking soda/lemon thing, but will do soon.

I’ll shall try these

I got a huge galon of white vinager and a huge box of baking soda, you combine in a spray bottle fill it with water and then add a 1/2 cup of baking soda and a cup of vinager and the rest of water, clean GREAT! THE TOILET NOT A PROBLEM 2 CUPS OF VINAGER AND SCRUB IT! you can leave it for 5 minutes moe when you finish scrubing. Lime, its is great with water, and baking soda to clean too!

I’ve been cleaning with a line of non-toxic products for 5 years now. Because of them, my dear Mother was able to get off her inhaler for the last 9 months of her life. And I know I am healthier, as well.
Now my son and daughter-in-law are experiencing migraines, and every time I visit them I smell the chlorine bleach she uses to clean and it makes me sick. But, they don’t seem to think that had anything to do with their headaches…sigh….

I usese vinegar instead of fabric softner. Does the same job. I also make my own laundry soap.

great tip for my steam cleaner. You can only use vinegar to clean a steam cleaner why not try keeping vinegar in while cleaning. Just be careful.

I shop wholesale online and I save a ton of money on safe cleaning products etc. The best products I’ve ever used.They are highly concentrated too which I love.

With the economy being as it is, as well as the aging process which has placed me on Social Security these days, being CHEAP wherever possible is very important to me. However, I refuse to lower my standards when it comes to clean and sanitary. I’ve begun using some of my old granny’s tactics. I don’t use products made for dusting anymore. I use old T-shirts and other cotton things that have seen better days. Admittedly, I use the wands and sticks that came with them (Swiffer) but I tuck in my own re-cycles to do the work. I save my used dryer sheets as they are excellent for cleaning windows, mirrors, and polishing up faucets, etc.

I’ve been using the Method furniture polish from Target. Works great and I’m so happy to be off the Pledge!!! I feel so much better after I clean my house since switching to green products. No fumes, or strong smelling chemicals. I never dreamed it would make such a difference!

I have used some of the methods mentioned. I’ll use the some of the others soon.

I was caring for my father who had cancer. I got the best advice from a nurse. Since order was a major concern for my father who suffered terribly from colon cancer, colostomy, radiation colitus due to over severe over radiation…odor control was key. It isolated my father and also contributed to his depression. The odor was shameful. What the nurse shared with me was so key to him gaining confidence. Using peppermint oil and simply applying it to a soft cloth and then dusting the surfaces with it, gave his room a wonderful smell. The nurse also confided that peppermint oil is used in aromotherapy and aides in a sense of well being and healing! You can find it at Bath and Body works sometimes during the holiday months. Although, this year they did not sell the oil. It is easy to simply put a few drops on linens too. It is a simple pleasure that everyone can enjoy.

When we moved, I switched to mostly vinegar and baking soda. It has been great…cheap and simple.

Does anyone have a recipe for homemade laundry detergent?

when ever i have to clean the microwave. i fill a mug with hot water and turn it on for 1 min. let the steam fill and wipe clean with a cloth. I also saved my kids receving balnkets and old bed sheet for rags. they work great. also if you use bounce sheets when the laundry is done they are great for dusting.

oh also mouth wash works great for cleaning toilets. i have pets that like to drink out of them and its safe to use. when i first heard of it i thought thet it was crazy but it worked. now thats what i use

Some really good posts here! I just started buying Mrs. Meyer’s organic cleaning products..they are awesome and smell so good!