RSS
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
I have recently become obsessed with setting up an inexpensive, DIY arsenal of environmentally-friendly cleaning products. One by one, I am using up all the old weird god-knows-what-chemicals like mildew remover and Drano, and replacing them with the greenest alternatives I can find.
One big surprise has been the rediscovery of traditional cleaning products like Borax and distilled white vinegar. I have been really, really happy with the results so far, and want to keep going with this. I am excited to learn how to use more traditional products that are really cheap, powerful and green-- things like washing soda, baking soda, bluing rinse, lemon juice, lemon oil, and salt.
So far I am beyond impressed with Borax (you might say I've been "Boraxegelizing", haha), it really is amazing stuff that gets my clothes deliciously clean and great-smelling, it cleans the s**t outta the bathroom, it deodorizes everything and it even seems to mineralize my fingernails when I use it-- a weird but not bad side effect. My fingernails are very hard and very clean and white after I use it. It's kind of amazing.
I have mixed feelings about vinegar, I love the stuff for so many uses and it's great for hardwater stains and deodorizing-- except so many people don't care for the smell. I mix it half and half with water, making a weak acid, and then add a whole lot of my favorite essential oil to fragrance it a bit-- I find geranium oil is fluorescently clean smelling, just a hint mysterious but also familiar. Sure beats Glade Apple Spice or what have you, haha. Just a nice green-smelling (meaning vegetal, springy with a hint of ozone-- just like the air after a spring rain), mentally balancing aroma that keeps on giving. But any essential oil you like could be used-- lavender would certainly be classic for this, or lemon or any citrus really. It's nice to be able to have control over the fragrances, and know that they are healthful instead of chemical-laden masking odors.
Well, that's a start. I'd be curious to see what else anyone has tried. I just think it's nice to pick up some of these traditional ways of keeping house, because they are still very useful. I also don't like paying a bunch of money for fancy green cleaners, when most of them don't even work as well as the products they are "replacing".
Onward!
Launched in August 2010, TheMetropreneur.com is a local online resource devoted to small business development and entrepreneurship. Its aim is to tell the stories of Central Ohio's business community, foster regional economic development and assist entrepreneurs with its resource-heavy focus.