Another of my library finds, a book recommended to me by my friend Kim from work. I'm actually picking up another green cleaning book tomorrow so maybe I'll have some more tips to add after I read that, but I really did learn a lot.
For those of you not all that interested in the topic- please at least read this- you don't need all those ridiculous chemicals nor do you need a specific cleaner for every feature in your home (its REALLY expensive to do it that way, so even if you have NO interest in being green- think with your wallet). You can clean most things with white vinegar, which is a disinfectant. It was used as far back as the 1300's during the Black Plague when people washed their hands in it and helped stop the spread of disease. It works. I've been using only green cleaners for over a year and Dan and I have not been getting sick any more than usual... and I don't have a thousand bottles under my sink. It makes life easier. And so do these tips. Enjoy!
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Organizing Tips:
- label each organizational space with a number. Then label the shelves/sections with letters.
- When you place items in the spaces, make an index/rolodex with a list
- Label the shelves/spaces where each item goes so you know what goes back there.
General Cleaning
- Vinegar can be made from petroleum (instead of grain) so read the label (fortunately the giant 3 1/2 gallon jug I buy from BJs which is Heinz bran is made from grain. phew)
- Soot Stains- dry clean (something like a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser). Use something wet as a last resort. Try an art gum eraser or rubber dry sponge.
- Windows- if you use traditional cleaners you'll need to get the waxy build up off first- use 2 cups of water and a half a cup of white vinegar with 1/2 tsp of dish liquid. Thereafter, the vinegar/water will work just fine.
- Screens- uses a soft dushbrush attachment from your vacuum.
- Wood- make your own oil- 1 part lemon juice, 2 parts olive oil or 1 part vinegar and 3 parts olive oil (I use something closer to the second one, with some essential oils dropped in)
- Water rings on wood (in case you have a little Monica Gellar in your)- 1 tbsp white vinegar and 1 cup of olive oil- ue a clean cloth to apply. rub dry then oil the rest of the wood to blend.
Floor
- a dutch rubber brook (euroshine.net) can be used as a broom-then attach cloths to make it a mop.
put rags/cloths in bin with water and vinegar, wring them out and have ready to mop
Bathroom
- castile soap does not produce soap scum
- clean existing soap scum with hot vinegar and a stiff brush
- mineralized deposits in toilet bowl -- use plunger to force out most of the water, add 1-1 1/2 gallons vinegar
let sit overnight or while at work , scrub then flush. might take a few tries. (I did it once. No luck yet). - fiberglass sinks/bathtub- clean with heated murphy's oil soap to get rid of soap scum (be careful because it can get slippery- don't use on the floor). this should prevent soap scum for about 3 weeks
- deposits on shower heads- soak in a quart of vinegar for at least 1 hour
- mildew- scrub with vinegar. if that doesn't get it- rub with hydrogen peroxide (but test out first- it can bleach out color)
Recommendations for routine bathroom cleaning
- sweep
- wipe hair out of sinks
- clean toilet inside and out with vinegar
- spray the sink and mirror- clean those. dry with the slightly used towel (on mirror first then sink)
- spray the floor and mop
- get in the shower, clean the shower with vinegar
- dry off- then use your towel to dry off the towel (then put it in the laundry)
Kitchen
- unbleached wax paper can be composted (better to use this than plastic)
- to disinfect raw produce or meat- spray with vinegar, then spray with 3% hydrogen peroxide until the bubbles stop. there is no need to rinse. the hydrogen peroxide leaves no taste or smell.
- do not use vinegar on marble. it dissolves it. peroxide may also damage marble.
- Stainless cookware should be 18/10 (% of chromium and nickel)
- avoid buying oil in plastic bottles
- to moisturize hands while cooking- use leftover oil or avocados
Dishes ----do NOT use sponges
- I feel like everyone should know this, and yet there are some (ah hem- Dan) who don't believe it. A study of sponges from 1000 kitchens in 5 cities found e. coli, salmonella, pseudonmonas and staph on at least 2/3 of sponges. ICK! A damp sponge can harbor bacteria for up to 2 weeks where as bacteria survives only a few hours on a dry surface.
- putting sponges in the dishwasher doesn't work either. the dishwasher doesn't get hot enough AND it spreads all those germies to everything else in the dishwasher. bad idea.
you can put a sponge in the microwave for 30-90 seconds however it has to reach boiling temperature which is almost impossible to know for sure. - best bet- use a dishcloth. wash the dishes. wash the counter. do a spot clean of the floor near the sink or stove. then toss it in to be washed. get a new one next time.
- Use the mesh 'bag' that onions come in to wash dishes- it will give you some extra scrubbing power. you can put the dishrag right inside it.
Dishwashers
- most dishwasher detergent contains enzymes which react with and break down organic matter (aka food). if the dishes are too clean beforehand there is nothing for those enzymes to stick to, so they fly around… effectively sandblasting the dishes. lesson- don't really need to rinse (with the exception of cheese which will just melt to the plates).
- dishwashers can dull sharp knives. better off washing those by hand
- this book recommends:
use a rubber spatula to remove large chunks , remove all cheese, don't pre-rinse, use as little detergent as possible (to clean the dishwasher- put 2 cups of vinegar in a bowl on the bottome rack and run it. it will come out sparkling clean.)
Electronics
- Dell recycles computers -- even ones that aren't their own
- Computer- use water on a cloth- no alcohol or ammonia-based cleaners
Pests
- for ant problems- add a pinch of borax into mop water and do not rinse
Bedroom (kids/pets)
- Urine on mattress: dampen with water, then sprinkle with borax (or baking soda), rub it, let dry then vaccuum up.
Laundry
- Tip: an extra spin cycle will dry out clothes using less energy than extra time in the dryer.
- Borax- use an equal amount to your detergent
- Vinegar will help get smells out- put it in the fabric softener compartment of the washer
- Stains- if protein based(meats, milk, mud, vomit, blood): use detergent not soap with cold water and soak; if sweat: spray with vinegar after wearing, or soak with water and 1 cup of vinegar, you can also rub with ammonia. 3% hydrogen peroxide works too.
- Use distilled water in your iron. Otherwise the minerals from regular water can build up and clog the holes.
Car
- Bug guts on the window- baking soda and water mixture will take it off (and will not scratch your paint)
- Propylene glycol antifreeze is less toxic than traditional antifreeze
Lawns/Outdoors
- If you're planting a new lawn, use a mix of tough grasses like White Dutch Clover (trifolium repens) and low growing ground covers (chamomile, creeping thyme, english daisy, Irish and Scotch moss, creeping speedwell)
- Mowing- set blades as high as possible. Longer grass makes it harder for weed seeds to hit soil, and conserves moistures.
- Leave 1" of less clippings on the lawn
- Fill bare spots with grass/clover seed and cover with compost or grass clippings to prevent weeds
- Avoid PVC hoses, many contain lead-- which makes it very dangerous to drink out of. ALWAYS buy a "drink-safe" hose.
- Cooking oil can be put into standing water to keep away mosquitos
- DEET is especially harmful to kids with effects ranging from agitation, weakness, disorientation, seizures, coma and death.
- Plant based Bite Blocker is smade from soybean, geranium and coconut oils and its 97% effective over a 3 hour period (which DEET is only 86% effective for the same time period).
