Let's talk about GREEN cleaning products, shall we?!
 

Soooooo.....I was a little stressed last night, so I CLEANED and I actually used up all of the cleaners I had in my house. (I love scrubbing bubbles and arm and hammer oxy clean bathroom spray and lysol)

I am really into the all natural or GREEN products....I like the fact of no harsh chemicals, good for the earth, less waste, etc.

Have you used any, what product have you used and how did you like it?

Also, what are some "home-made" cleaners? And what can you clean with them?

THANKS!:aimeeyork

Jenn I use a mixture of white vinegar and water (50/50) to clean, mop, clean puppy messes and even as a substitute for Clorox. I tell you it works well. The smell is there for a couple minutes after usage but you can buy some essential oils of your liking and add a drop or two to the mixture to give a nice scent.

I recently did a look up on the stuff because the clorox was damaging my clothes..even though it's made for the dang thing.

I have been using the v/w mixture instead of natures miracle and all that stuff to clean up puppy accidents....works like a charm.

You can use vinegar/baking soda to clean the tub, sink and even the drains. To uses as a scrub mix as you need to make a paste and spread on. To use to clean the drains...you dump in baking soda in the drain and then put in about a cup or so of the vinegar afterwards and it bubbles like a bugger and breaks up the gunk in the sink. After a while you run very hot water and clean the drain.

I have been putting a lot of thought into this stuff. Making your own cleaners like that is so much cheaper. I have to check my pc at home. I bookmarked a recipe to make natural clothes detergent. It was on a mommy savers site so you can be frugal and green. I will post it here for you.

I have also been thinking of using a natural deoderant product. A year or so ago I had enlarged lymphnodes by my breast. I was checked by a specialist and she said they were ok. After some heavy reading I found that deoderants and antipersperants are not good for you. They have aluminum which is harmful to the body and can clog pores and nodes...might have been what cause my problems.

i have to make a mixture and keep it handy. if i put it in a spray bottle,
it wont disintegrate will it? i do put vinegar in a bowl and just leave it there to cut the smells when lexi pee pees on her pad and im at work and cant change it. 3 days later i have to put more in the bowl. it disappears

Nope I mix up a huge bottle of v/w and keep it in a spray bottle. It's really good because it doesn't cover up the odors. It's also great because it won't damage the hardwood floors.

Gina Lexi might be drinking it...the smell usually goes away within five minutes when you leave it out in the open like that. So my guess is the smell is gone and Lexi needed to replenish her fluids :p

no no your too funny,,, its in a bowl on top of the dresser, im sure she cant
reach it... just a bowl of vinegar.

I've been using Mrs. Meyers all purpose and Bon Ami for pretty much everything. I got a handmade all natural peppermint cleaner from a local boutique that I'm liking a lot too. Peppermint is supposed to deter ant and in FL I have to always be on guard for sugar ants. I just found this really cool site though and it's inspired me to start making my own. Green Living Tips cleaning articles This is the one I'm going to make:

32 oz. (around 950ml) spray bottle - try to use a bottle made from recycled materials, or is recycleable. Maureen recommends #2 plastic
- water
- White distilled vinegar. It should be vinegar made from grain or plant material. Believe it or not, some is made from petroleum based (crude oil). It gives a whole new meaning to fuel as food.
- Genuine lemongrass essential oil. Lemongrass has anti-bacterial properties. For increased disinfecting power, you can use Tea Tree oil which also ahs anti-viral and anti-fungal properties.
- Earth friendly dishwashing liquid. This can be found in just about any supermarket. The dishwashing liquid is necessary to clean mirrors and glass streak-free. Many commercial window/glass cleaners have chemicals of a waxy nature in them; so when you switch to vinegar/water, there will be streaking unless you have the dish detergent in your cleaner.

Method

1. Fill bottle half with water

2. Top it up with white distilled vinegar, but leave a little room for the additional ingredients and for shaking

3. Add 10-14+ drops lemongrass essential oil. Maureen says she uses around 30 drops, but started off with 14 to minimize the chance of skin irritability.

4. Add 2-3 drops of the earth friendly dishwashing liquid.

5. Cap and shake. There should be a thin layer of foamy bubbles at the top - but not too many.

6. Label container clearly. Shake before using and store out of direct sunlight.

Instead of dish washing liquid I'm going to use peppermint Dr. Bronners soap. I'll probably play with the essential oils too.

I never read that it dissipates...I will check around...lol.

I love cleaning with vinegar and water. I also like Mrs. Meyers and Method products. Method products are easier to find, I believe, because they are sold at Target. Mrs. Meyers smell so good and I love the Method shower spray. :)

beth, i swear , i swear..

Gina lexi has herself a straw link up and is sipping it like pina colada when your not looking...:D

I mix up a commercial spray bottle of the v/w and it goes down from my usage not evaporating...

yea, same thing beth... straight vinegar does it in the bowl.. dont get it though

Sent you a pm...it can evaporate because it's already slightly mixed with water. According to the information due to the water content it will evaporate if left out and subject to the elements.

i knew that.. lol

I didn't...I never leave it out like that. I always have it mixed in the spray bottle. So it's not exposed to evaporate.

I have to tell you it does a dang good job whitening things without tearing them up.

Jenn..I'm sorry Gina and I didn't mean to hijack your thread. Please forgive us. We will come over and make it right by cleaning for you with Vinegar and water mixes..just hollar :p

:):):)

We do the same here.

i switched to all the new grreen products made by clorox before getting bailee after hearing the horror stories of swiffer liquid and other things...they work well and they make a product for anything...alos a fan of the vinagar and water mixture...they arent that expensive,im a college student and was able to switch all mine over without breaking the bank

Going a green a little at a time.
 

I have decided to start using natural cleaning products in my home. I am not one to make my own things, I prefer to buy. I decided to use GreenWorks by Clorox. They got good reviews, priced right and easy to find. My main concern about going green with cleaning products was the fact that these products do not disinfect. I did some research and found an eco product that does disinfect. It is called Benefect Botanical Disinfectant. I had to order it on Amazon and am waiting to receive it and put it to the test.

My GreenWorks products are cleaning my home well. I love the fact that I am not taken over by fumes while cleaning the bathroom! I also picked up a Mrs. Meyers countertop spray at The Container Store that I am not sure I like. I have the Lavender sent and it is VERY strong smelling.

Just my two cents! Happy cleaning!

Everything in my house is cleaned with Shaklee "Get Clean" products ( Oprah had them on a show at one time) and steam cleaners :D Shaklee has great products for laundry , dishes , cleaning etc. Our family friend owns a maid /cleaning service and in all the houses she has under contract they use Shaklee exclusively and everyone loves it. I have also bought Method and Clorox green cleaners , but I prefer Shaklee.

I use green works products that I get from my grocery

It's funny you should mention this!...I was at Walmart a while back and I found a laundry soap called Ecos it also has the softener in it and it smells wonderful!....I went to their site and the have all kinds of stuff....

Earth Friendly Products

Their furnitiure polish is just .....Water, olive oil, orange oil, and emulsifier (non-coconut based)....so basic!!

I was basically cleaning with just baking soda, borax, white vinegar and olive oil.....

I bet someone on this thread can help me with a dilemma. I try very hard not to use chlorine bleach but the one thing I still use it for it to rinse my kitchen sink with every few weeks. I have a white corian sink. Even though I clean it out everyday and take Bon Ami to it every couple of days or so, it still gets dingy/stained looking after a while and diluted chlorine bleach is the only thing I've found that brightens it back up. I've tried non-chlorine bleach (peroxide based) and it literally does nothing. Any suggestions? Maybe Oxy-Clean?

I use soft scrub but i think it also has bleach in it. I have tried other things but they dont take away the dinginess

Make the banking soda and white vinegar paste and put it on there and let it sit some. Baking soda is what they use to make the oxyclean. The vinegar is a natural whitening agent and the baking soda will help as well in removing any stains. You can also add a little lemon juice to the mixture for the smell and the lemon oils and citric acid is a good natural cleaner.

I am not sure long term if the clorox whether it's diulted or not is safe for the corian.

Thank you. It is a very small amount- I use a 4 c measuring cup and do 1/2 c bleach and the rest water but still... I'd love to get away from chlorine bleach all together.

To make the paste and get it to cover all of the sink I'm guessing it would be easiest to first pour the vinegar all over the sink and then sprinkle the baking soda? My sink is nice and bright right now but I'll try that next time.

i LOVE Greeenworks, its the best! It smells good and cleans great. I love using that instead of clorox cause of the dogs

Nope it's best to take a small bowl or cup and mix it in there and then spread it on. That way you can control the consistency of hwo thick or runny it is.

Thanks. I'll let you know when I give it a try. I will love you forever if it works!:D