Have you ever wanted to make a Green Cleaning Kit, but didn’t know where to start, or just didn’t have the time to pull all the information together?

In just over an hour, you can make your own Green Cleaning Kit and have enough product for months of cleaning. Plus, homemade cleaning formulas cost about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterparts – so it actually takes less green to be green.

Here’s what you’ll need

Baking soda, White distilled vinegar, washing soda (may need to buy this online), castile soap, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil (Trader Joe’s is cheap), clean spray bottles, glass jars, and labels.

As you make each of these products, clearly label them with the recipe. This way, when you run out, your ingredients and instructions are right there.

Product Recipes

CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER

• Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl
• Add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting.
• Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar to keep it moist.
• Optional: You can also add ½ teaspoon lemon essential oil.

Note: This is perfect for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn’t leave grit.

WINDOW CLEANER

• Place 1/4-1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent into a spray bottle. (The soap cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you may have used in the past.)
• Add ¼ cup white distilled vinegar
• Add 2 cups water

ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER

• Add 1/4 teaspoon washing soda or baking soda to a spray bottle
• Add a dab of liquid soap
• Add 2 cups hot tap water
• Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle

Note: You can also add ¼ cup white vinegar to this mixture, as well as 15 drops lavender and/or 15 drops tea tree essential oil.

MOLD AND MILDEW

• 2 teaspoons tea tree oil in a spray bottle
• 2 cups water
• Shake to blend
• Spray on problem areas and do not rinse. The smell of tea tree oil is very strong, but will fade in a few days.

Note: Can be used on a moldy ceiling from a leaking roof, a musty rug, moldy showers/baths, and a moldy shower curtain.

OVEN CLEANER

• Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven.
• Cover the grime with enough baking soda so that the surface is totally white.
• Sprinkle more water over the top.
• Let the mixture set overnight, and wipe up the grease the next morning.
• When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven.

Note: If this recipe doesn’t work, use more baking soda and/or water.

DISHWASHING DETERGENT

• Add 1 Tablespoon of Super Washing Soda to the dishwasher dispenser
• Add 1 Tablespoon of 20 Mule Team Borax to the dishwasher dispenser
• To remove the water spots that frequently occur, pour distilled white vinegar into the dispenser for the clear rinse gel.

Note: The cost for this recipe is less than 4 cents per load.

STOVE CLEANER

• For big messes, put baking soda in the burner trough. Drizzle with vinegar. When it foams up, get scrubbing.
• For aluminum surfaces: Mix two parts cream of tartar with one part water. Dip a soft cloth into the mixture and use it to clean aluminum surfaces

TOILET CLEANER

• Pour 1 cup of borax into toilet bowl and let sit for a few hours before scrubbing.
• Drain cleaner
• Pour one cup baking soda down the drain followed by three cups of boiling water. Or pour ½ cup of baking soda followed by ½ cup of vinegar and follow with boiling water. Remember volcano science experiments? Definitely some pressure there.

FLOOR CLEANER - LAMINATE

Combine 2 teaspoons of Castile soap with 3 gallons of water. Make sure to rinse well to remove any dulling residue.

FLOOR CLEANER - WOOD

• Use ¼ of a cup of mild liquid dishwashing detergent added to a bucket of warm water (for damp mopping).
• For scuff marks, use a sprinkle of baking soda on a damp sponge and rub.

FABRIC SOFTENER

Add ¼ cup of baking soda or vinegar to your wash cycle.

LAUNDRY BLEACH

For an average size load of whites, add 1 cup of 3% Hydrogen peroxide after you have filled the washer with hot water.


Note: Be sure to spot test because Hydrogen Peroxide may lighten fabrics.

A few (not so fun) facts:

• Many household cleaners are potentially hazardous. In 2005 the American Association of Poison Controls Centers reported 218,000 calls involving cleaning products
• After being rinsed down the drain, toxic ingredients from cleaning products are discharged into waterways where they harm wildlife
• Cleaning products account for 28% of the plastic debris sent to landfills

So Pinkies, are you up for the challenge? Have you thought about doing this before? What has stopped you? Do you have your own ideas and recipes for easy, natural homecare products? Please share your ideas and experiences!

Cleaning green,
Robeen