Home Tips: Environmentally Conscious Cleaning

With a lot of us spending more and more time at home, we are finding ourselves cleaning more and more often. Switching over a few cleaning supplies to environmentally friendly supplies will be cost-effective, easier on all living things within your home, and better for the planet. Check out our tips below!

Natural All-Purpose Scrub

From the kitchen to the bathroom and many places in between, the uses for baking soda are almost endless. One way to get even more mileage out of this universal cleaning agent? Pour 1/2 cup baking soda into a bowl and add just enough liquid soap to make a creamy paste. Spread the mixture on the flat side of 1/2 of a lemon and scrub. The lemon acts as a sponge and leaves a natural citrus scent. Use a damp rag or sponge to wipe away any residue. You’ll find the paste will stay moist for a few hours.

Nontoxic Stain Remover

For nontoxic stain removal, there are many different formulas you can play with to remove stains. From mixing liquid dish soap (1 part) with hydrogen peroxide (3 parts) or liquid dish soap with vodka and lemon juice, as long as you have a chemical reaction, it should pull the stain right out!

Mold Remover

Using chlorine-based bleach to kill mold is kind of a double edge sword as bleach is arguable just as harmful to people and the environment. Soap and water will get rid of most mold or a solution of 2 teaspoons tea tree oil—a natural fungicide—and 2 cups water. But when it comes to mold and mildew, prevention is really your best bet.

DIY Tub and Tile Cleaner

Distilled white vinegar is the MVP of cleaning products that you can use to whiten laundry, deep clean vents, drive out pests, etc. Vinegar works well on soap scum and mineral deposits, but rinse thoroughly, as it can corrode some fixtures and stone (like marble), and etch glaze on tiles. You can also try tea tree oil—2 drops tea tree oil with 1 cup water—in a spray bottle to clean out grout from tiles.

Name-Brand Cleaners

Sometime’s it’s easier to buy than DIY. Newer eco-friendly brands of natural cleaners prove you don’t need high-octane chemicals to render a home spic-and-span. Look for biodegradable formulas and plant-based ingredients that don’t compromise on cleaning power. A few of our favorite brands are Dr. Bronners, Mrs. Meyers, Honest, Blueland, etc!