Green Cleaning Must-Haves
Want to ditch unhealthy cleaning products? Jennifer from Clean and Scentsible is stopping by to share her green cleaning must-haves. Check out these top 5 cleaning products.
I switched over to green cleaning products quite a while ago for environmental and health reasons. I’ve always been a bit of a clean freak, and breathing in those toxic fumes years ago to get a sparkling bathroom could not have been a good thing! If only we could go back to the times in our lives when we really didn’t know any better (fabric softener comes to mind) and erase their effects! Well, that’s just not possible, so all we can do is make better choices moving forward.
If green cleaning products are a new thing to you, you’re going to enjoy today’s post. I think we can all learn a thing or two, and I’ve asked Jennifer from Clean and Scentsible to stop by and share her green cleaning must-haves.
Hello! My name is Jenn and I am the girl behind the blog Clean and Scentsible. I like to share easy DIY projects, organization and green cleaning ideas, and lots of fun holiday projects to help you and your family celebrate in style! Today I’m going to be chatting a bit about my five must-have green cleaning products.
I switched over to a more green cleaning routine about four years ago – mostly because of the health concerns with all of the chemicals in most store bought cleaners. I had SO many bottles of cleaning products! Switching to a green approach has definitely helped me to stream line my regular cleaning routine and I love knowing exactly what is in every product that I use.
I take a very simple approach to my green cleaning and try to mix ingredients as little as possible. For those of you that are looking to get started on your own green approach, here are my five “must-have” products!
Top 5 Green Cleaning Products
Microfiber Cloths
For me a good microfiber cloth is my top “must-have” and I do A LOT of my cleaning with plain old microfiber cloths and water. It is important to purchase a good quality cloths, however, as the quality, durability, and effectiveness can really vary between brands. It’s kind of like comparing 150 thread count sheets to 800 thread count sheets.
I love my Norwex cloths. They are definitely not cheap, but they stand up well over time and have a much better anti-bacterial cleaning effect compared to regular microfiber cloths.
I also really love the Norwex window cloths. Combined with water, they work much better at cleaning windows and mirrors than any of the chemical window cleaners that I have used and they also work well for cleaning walls, stainless steel appliances, faucets, and stove tops.
Vinegar
White distilled vinegar is an amazing cleaning solution and is really easy on the budget! Vinegar loosens dirt, disinfects, deodorizes, and helps to remove mineral deposits and stains.
Although some people do not love the smell, it does dissipate quickly and will leave your home fresh. You can always add some essential oils to your vinegar mixtures as well if you can’t quite get over the smell!
Although there are many different ways to use it, a 50/50 mixture with water will get you started for basic cleaning.
One of the other main areas that I use vinegar is in our laundry room. It is wonderful for getting rid of smells in clothes and cleaning the washing machine. It also helps to soften clothes and will help to prevent color bleeding.
Note: DO NOT use vinegar on stone surfaces such as granite or marble as the acidic properties of the vinegar can eat away at the stone.
Lemons
I love the fresh scent of lemons and lemon juice is wonderful for bleaching and disinfecting surfaces. Although you can use bottled lemon juice, I prefer to use fresh lemons and usually pick up a bunch of lemons every couple of weeks.
Fresh lemon juice will stay good for about 4 days but works best if used right away. I just squirt the juice of one lemon in a water bottle (the tops of mine have a lemon juicer that will sit directly over the spray bottle) and use it to clean the kitchen or anywhere else that needs some quick refreshing (along with my microfiber cloths).
I also frequently use them for cleaning my microwave and garbage disposal. You can also use them with a little salt to clean cutting boards.
Note: As with vinegar, lemon juice is acidic and should not be used on stone surfaces.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is an amazing deodorizer and is great for removing smells from carpets and upholstery. It also works wonders in the bathroom and kitchen as a mild abrasive.
I like to keep mine in a salt shaker so I can just sprinkle it on areas that need a little extra scrubbing! Combine it with some Castille soap or water to make paste similar to soft scrub.
Castille Soap
Castille soap is made from 100% plant oils, is non-toxic, and completely biodegradable. It is available in both a liquid from or as a hard soap.
I love the Dr. Bronner’s peppermint and almond scents but you could also purchase the non-scented soap and add your own essential oils for a customized scent (or leave it scent-free).
Castille soap is a great all purpose cleaner that also works well for hand washing dishes and laundry care.
You can purchase the soap in many health food stores (or in many grocery stores with a health food section) or Target. This does tend to be one of the more expensive brands, so you may want to give some of the other brands a try too!
So there you have my top 5 items! Of course, there are lots of other products that can be used for green cleaning too but, if you are just getting started, these would be some great items to invest in.
Note: DO NOT mix the various chemicals unless you do some research (and I don’t mean finding an interesting cleaning recipe on Pinterest!). Remember that these are all still chemicals and will react to form different compounds when they are mixed together!
Thanks so much to Shauna for letting me visit her beautiful blog! I would love for you all to drop by Clean and Scentsible and say hello sometime!
Thanks, Jenn! I definitely love the versatility of lemons and I must try that castille soap. I bet the peppermint is lovely!
Are there any other green cleaning products you recommend? Any tips you’d like to share? Be sure to check out these other ways to go green at home.
One other thing before you head off… If you’re looking for more useful and pretty ideas in your life, make sure you’re on the email list! You can subscribe here.
Happy cleaning!
Such wonderful tips!!! Thanks so much :) XO
This is an excellent resource, and I’ve just come back from pinning! I didn’t know about the lemon juice or Castille soap – I’m ready to try both! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Fabulous tips! This is so much better than using chemicals to clean with.
Thanks for the great tips! I’ve used everything but the Castille soap, I don’t know that about it. It looks like it would be very useful around my house and I’m going to look for it! Thanks again Shauna and Jenn.
Jenn, thanks for the tips! I use many of the items you listed in my own home already, and I agree they are “must haves”! I also really recommend the Norwex cloths, especially the window cloth. Well worth the money. Thanks for sharing!
I have that window cloth as well and love it!