Did you know that three really inexpensive items can go a long way to keeping your house clean while being environmentally safe and non-toxic?

• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Vinegar

Baking Soda

Pick up a box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda next time you go to the store and read all the great ways you can use this product in your home.  Aside from leaving a box in the fridge to absorb smells, you can use baking soda to:

• Scrub down sinks, countertops, pots and pans, coffee pots, silverware and cutting boards with out scratching.
• Remove dirt and soap scum from sinks, counters, tubs, showers, and toilets in the bathroom.
• Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain. Then pour in 1 cup of vinegar. Let the mixture foam for a few minutes. Then flush with a gallon of boiling water. Lastly if you have a disposal, finish up with some ice cubes to sharpen the blades and old citrus rinds to freshen up. (HT: LifeLearningToday)

Salt

Salt works  very well as a natural scrub. A few weeks ago I accidentally let a  pot of tomato soup boil over on my cooktop. It was such a mess. I was really worried about scratching the ceramic top, but had heard that salt is a safe scrubbing agent. I sprinkled salt over the mess and was amazed at how well I was able to remove the spill with just salt and hot water.

Vinegar

Vinegar is useful in cleaning so many things - either by itself or mixed with salt or baking soda. Here are just a few things you can do with vinegar:

• Dilute vinegar in a spray bottle of water and use to clean your windows and mirrors
• Once a month fill the reservoir with white vinegar and run through the brew cycle. Rinse thoroughly with two cycles of cold water. (HT: Because you value your body)
• Mixed with baking soda, vinegar is wonderful for scrubbing toilets and cleaning drains

Life Learning Today has 31 more tips for green cleaning. What are your favorites?

Posted on September 13th, 2007 by Char
Filed under: It Works For Me, Resources