DIY Green Cleaning

When we began researching green and natural cleaners, we were completely aghast to learn what a murky and misleading industry has been created around these so called “green” products.

It turns out that the folks at the Environmental Worker’s Group have been on the forefront of this issue for some time.  EWG is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment. If you haven’t done so, we highly recommend that you research your cleaning products through their database.

To save you a bit of time, here are direct links to some of the most popular and widely-used products on the market.

Method
Mrs. Meyer’s
Seventh Generation
Simple Green
The Honest Co.
Green Works

Shocking, right?  So what are environmentally conscience cleaners to do?  For our part, we’ve decided to take it all the way back to the basics: soap and water, vinegar, baking soda and essential oils.  We especially love Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps Sal Suds All Purpose Liquid Cleaner, a cruelty-free, fair-trade, biodegradable and EWG A-rated product.  Check out all the ways you can use Sal Suds on Lisa Bronner’s Sal Suds Dilution Cheat Sheet.

It was important to us that our cleaning formulas be nontoxic, DIY (do it yourself), affordable, effective and that we share them with you.  So here goes…

General All Purpose Cleaner

Pro Tip: Add the soap AFTER you fill the bottle or you’ll be inundated with suds.

General Purpose Disinfectant

Pro Tip: Add the soap AFTER you fill the bottle or you’ll be inundated with suds.  Also, due to the acidity of the vinegar, this formula is not suitable for wood and soft stones such as granite.

General Purpose Soft Scrub

Blend together.  Pro-tip: my Ninja Juicer is perfect for this task!

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