It's easier than you think to clean your home in an environmentally friendly way. In this article, Sue Proctor, of The Earth Keepers, shows you how to keep a clean home AND a clean earth.

The most compelling reason to use green cleaners is to keep potent toxins out of your home. Many household cleaners contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination, nausea, and damage to the central nervous system as well as the liver and kidneys. In 2000, cleaning products were responsible for nearly 10 percent of all toxic exposures reported to the U.S. poison control centers (over 206,000 calls). The most acutely or immediately hazardous cleaning products are corrosive drain cleaners, oven cleaners, acidic toilet-bowl cleaners, and anything containing chlorine or ammonia.

Green cleaners contain ingredients to make them readily available and inexpensive. Basic ingredients for Green Cleaners are:

• White vinegar – anti fungal and anti bacterial
  
• Baking soda – scouring powder, odor eliminator
  
• Borax – odor eliminator, dirt remover, anti fungal
  
• Hydrogen peroxide – bleach, stain remover, disinfectant
• Club soda – stain remover, glass cleaner , polisher
  
• Lemon juice – bleach, grease-cutter, stain remover
  
• Liquid castile soap – all purpose cleaner, grease-cutter, stain remover
  
• Corn meal – carpet spill absorber
  
• Olive oil – furniture polish
• Essential oils – scent additive

Green Cleaner Recipes

All-purpose cleaning spray – Add 2 tablespoons white vinegar to 1 teaspoon borax powder in a spray bottle. Add very hot water (leaving room for ¼ cup liquid castile soap) and shake until borax is dissolved. Add the astile soap. Or simply use club soda in a spray bottle for an all purpose cleaning spray.

Glass cleaner – Use club soda in a spray bottle or use ¼ cup vinegar and fill your spray bottle with water. Use newspaper or a clean terry cloth rag to finish the job.

Bathroom cleaner – use the all purpose sprays listed above or use baking soda or borax as a scouring powder. Use club soda or baking soda to shine plumbing fixtures.

Bathroom bowl cleaner – sprinkle baking soda or borax or pour white vinegar into the toilet and let sit for a few minutes. Scrub with a good toilet brush.

Wood polish – Use a mixture of one teaspoon olive oil and 1/2 cup white vinegar. Apply with a soft cloth terry cloth and rub.

Mold remover – combine ½ cup hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar with 1 cut water. Spray on mold. Do not rinse.

Green cleaners are easy to make and you'll save money, too. To keep toxins out of your home and away from your family, clean with products that are good for the environment and will still get rid of dirt and germs.

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