Meal Monday
Last week, I wrote about saving money with DIY spa treatments. This week, I want to share another way you can money by whipping something up in your kitchen.
Have you ever considered making your own household cleaners? You should.
It is easy, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly, too.
Think about how many plastic containers you can avoid buying and discarding if you mix up your own cleaners. Another advantage is that you can make cleaners that are non-toxic and safe to use around pets and children.
Last week I tried two recipes for cleaners that I found on RecipeZaar. The first one, Wonderful Kitchen Sink Scrub that Makes Your Sink Glow, was a real winner. All you do is mix up some baking soda with enough vinegar to make a smooth paste.
The recipe calls for essential oils, but I left that out. Why does my sink need perfume?
The paste worked like a charm on my sink. It is inexpensive, uses stuff you have in the house anyway, non-toxic, environmentally safe, and really, really effective. Can you ask for anything more?
I also tried a homemade scrub with borax and soap. It worked well, particularly on my stovetop, but I liked the non-toxic aspect of the baking soda cleaner a little better.
There is another recipe for a scrub that uses the baking soda and vinegar formula and adds in a little liquid soap and water to make a green “Soft Scrub” type cleaner. That is something I want to try next.
There is a whole lot that you can do with just a little vinegar, baking soda, soap and hot water. When I had a tile floor installed, I asked the installer for some maintenance tips. He said, “Wash the floors with a little vinegar mixed into a gallon of water. That’s it. That is what is best for tile floors.” If you need an exact recipe or some more testimonials, take a look at this recipe.
A little vinegar and water and some crumpled newspaper is also all you need to clean your windows. Here is a version that uses a bit of soap, too.
These safe ingredients can also be used to make a wash for cleaning your produce.
So, look online and experiment a little. It may be that some commercial cleaners are able to do what homemade cleaners cannot do, but at what cost? To some extent, we have been brainwashed into thinking that we must buy pre-made cleaners. Not true! Try it for yourself and see.
Please check out Green Cleaning Parties and recipes at www.womenandenvironment.org/greenclean/
Posted by: Lisa Woll | Monday, May 04, 2009 at 11:25 PM