Affordable Green Alternatives to Household Cleaning Products

Save Money and the Environment While Keeping Your House Spic and Span

by Kathy Koewler

Commercial cleaning products claim to be able to remove any stain, leave a fresh smell and kill even the invisible germs we can’t see. But what the advertisements don’t say is what the chemicals are doing to humans and the environment. The phosphates that enhance the cleaning ability in many detergents also cause algae overgrowth when they hit natural waterways. This depletes the oxygen in the water and causes the fish to die. Formaldehyde is a common carcinogen that is used in cleaners and disinfectants. One of the most commonly found ingredients, chlorine, depletes the ozone and is the leading cause of household poisonings each year. But the good news for environmentalists is that there are some easily made and inexpensive alternatives that will provide environmentally safe cleaning products.

Glass cleaner has become a multi-use item in many homes. It not only provides sparkling windows, but it also can clean spills off the counter, fingerprints off appliances and muddy footprints from the floor. Paying almost five dollars a bottle, though, is not cost effective and the damage to the ozone is not acceptable either. A simple alternative is two cups of water, ½ cup of vinegar and ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol. A few drops of orange or lemon essential oil will add the fresh scent of the commercial products. The glass cleaner can be dispensed from a plastic spray bottle found at a local dollar store, and the cost of a one year supply will be less than the cost of a single bottle of the commercial stuff.

A simple surface cleaner for sinks, bathtubs and even the oven can be made with water, vinegar and baking powder. Simply mix them into a paste and apply with a rag or sponge. For oven cleaning, apply to the oven and let it sit for several hours. Then scrape the paste off with a spatula and rinse with a wet rag.

Dishwasher detergent is another product that is expensive and contaminates the environment. An affordable and easy solution is to mix equal parts of borax and baking soda in a large plastic tub. Then fill the powdered soap dispenser on the dishwasher as usual. This mixture contains no phosphates to contaminate the local ground water but will provide clean dishes for a year for just a few dollars.

For hard to clean messes such as cooked-on grease on the stove or on pots and pans, ½ a cup of sudsy ammonia and a gallon of water will do the trick. The sudsy ammonia is found in many heavy duty household cleaners and will break down the tough grease. This cleaner can be used with a sponge or mop but be sure to rinse any surface with clean water to thoroughly remove the cleaner.

When preparing for a holiday gathering or party, there is no need to spend a lot of money on an expensive silver cleaner. A tube of regular toothpaste will do the job for less than five dollars. And the toothpaste will not leave a smelly residue on the ornate designs of fine silver pieces.

Cleaning is never a fun job, but it must be done. Finding ways to reduce the damage to the environment and reduce the cost of expensive specialty cleaners is a welcome surprise for most. Affordable green alternatives to household cleaning products are a great addition to any home.