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So, when I was pregnant with my daughter I had pregnancy induced asthma. It got pretty bad so I had to go to the doctor for an inhaler. As the doctor was checking me out, he asked what cleaners I was using in my house. I said what I thought was typical: all purpose cleaner, bleach, wood cleaner et cetera. He said, ‘Whoa!’ He thought that was irritating my sinuses and helping to trigger some of my asthma attacks. He recommended cleaning with a bucket of warm water and basic liquid soap. So, fast-forward several months, after my daughter was here. One day, I was cleaning the tub before her bath and I realized that I was spraying these harmful cleaners into the air that were triggering asthma attacks for me not so long ago. So, I thought “what is this stuff doing to her itty-bitty lungs?”

 

And, I decided the way I felt most comfortable cleaning was using something natural. And, since I was on maternity leave I needed to find ways to save a buck or two. So, I started to research natural cleaners. So, here is what I found and now use myself. Using these items (and recipes) give me peace of mind cleaning around my daughter and helps me save money.

 

Baking Soda

So, I think we all have heard of cleaning with baking soda. It is great for deodorizing and scouring.

 

Vinegar

So, studies have shown (a study by Heinz) that 5% vinegar kills 99% of bacteria, 82% of mold and 80% of germs. Also, vinegar is a great weed killer. But, it should be noted that it will also kill your grass so make sure you put it DIRECTLY on the weed. If you use a spray bottle get super close to the weed.

 

Lemon

Lemon is acidic and can kill some bacteria. Also, it helps to cut the smell of the vinegar. I use it mostly because I hate the smell of vinegar.

 

Cornstarch

Cornstarch is great for deodorizing. So, I sprinkle cornstarch on the rug, let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes then vacuum it up. I have also heard of people adding some essential oils to the cornstarch and that apparently makes it smell really nice.

 

General Cleaner

¼ cup 5% vinegar

2 teaspoons basic liquid soap

1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

¾ cup warm water

 

I put the general cleaner in a spray bottle and use it for kitchen countertop surfaces, bathroom counter top surface and as a general cleaner. If you want it to smell a bit better and have a few bucks to spare, you can add a few drops (just a few) of an essential oil of your choosing. I personally like orange J

 

Bathroom Cleaner

1 tablespoon baking soda

2 tablespoons General Cleaner

 

I use this for the bathroom sink, toilet and tub to scrub and clean.

March 19th, 2009
Topic: Garden, Living Tags: cleaning, cleaning-products, Green

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 19th, 2009 at 11:35 pm and is filed under Garden, Living. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.