My eco-friendly cleaning kit
September 1, 2010
When I had my full-time cleaning business, I used a large Rubbermaid plastic tote to carry around all my supplies to my clients' homes. Everyone commented on how organized everything was, and a few clients were curious about the products that I used, wanting to know more about eco-friendly cleaning. Here's my go-to list of basic eco-friendly supplies to have on hand for household jobs; you can tackle pretty much any day-to-day chore with these.
- reusable cloth rags (I prefer old terry towels, cut into wash-cloth sized rags)
- white vinegar
- baking soda
- eco-friendly dish detergent
- hydrogen peroxide
- trisodium phosphate (TSP)
- vodka
- pure lavender essential oil
- pure citrus essential oil
- a squeegee
- a used plastic gift card
- a razorblade in a protective holder
Michelle Lynne Goodfellow is a sometime professional organizer, eco-friendly consultant and crayon artist who works by day in nonprofit communications and resource development. Read her eco-friendly cleaning blog here
Lovely! Mine also includes
Lovely! Mine also includes lemon juice, tea tree oil (anti-bacterial) and table salt (which makes a nice abrasive for cleaning flat-top stoves). I have a few things mixed in spray bottles for specific purposes.
What to use for...
Hi Michelle, we've had a few people ask about the specifics products they should use for cleaning specific areas/items such as bathtubs, sinks, toilets, floors, wooden furniture (dusting), etc. etc.
Of the above list... what is used for what?
A few tips
In future posts I'll go into more detail about how to use the items in my cleaning kit to clean your home room-by-room, but here's a brief summary:
1. White vinegar is great for mirrors, windows and glass - sprayed full strength or diluted with water. Vinegar is also great added to water for washing floors.
2. Baking soda is a deodorizing, disinfectant scrub great for sinks and tubs, or anywhere else you need a little scrubbing action.
3. Eco-friendly dish detergent is a great all-purpose cleaner that can take the place of something like Mr. Clean or Fantastik. Dilute it with water in a spray bottle or bucket, or use straight from the bottle in tubs and sinks.
4. Hydrogen peroxide is a disinfectant. Use it in conjunction with vinegar (never put the two together in the same container!) for disinfecting power equal to chlorine bleach. Peroxide is also a great bleach for stains on fabric (test a small area first, and never use on wool or silk).
5. Trisodium phosphate (TSP) is for those nasty, heavy-duty cleaning jobs when you don't want to break down and use a harsh, conventional cleaner. It *is* a phosphate, though - so use judiciously. Great for several weeks' worth of grimy bathtub ring, or greasy kitchen messes. Also a laundry additive for very soiled clothes.
6. Vodka cleans stainless steel appliances sparkling clean, and is also a great substitute for a hand sanitizer.
7. Pure lavender essential oil is a disinfectant, but I use it for its scent when I want to jazz up an unscented eco-friendly cleaning product.
8. Pure citrus essential oil is great a getting gummy messes (from price tags, labels, etc.) off of plastic or glass. On plastic, check a small area first - essential oils may degrade some plastics or other finishes.
Hope that helps...
White Vinegar & Baking Soda as Laundry Alternatives
I use white vinegar as a substitute for fabric softener in the laundry. It does a great job of getting rid of soap residue and odours on fabrics as well. Don't worry, your clothes won't smell like vinegar after :). I also add 1/2 cup of baking soda to my white loads to subsitute for oxy clean or bleach.
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