Goal For The Green

Although it doesn’t feel like it here in Washington, ( only in the 40’s), it’s time to at least start thinking about making our homes all fresh and clean for the Spring and Summer months.

About a year ago to be exact, I spoke about Green Spring Cleaning Agents, to help you with that task.  There are some helpful tips there, that are cost free and available from your kitchen pantry.  Better yet, it’s more than likely you have these things on hand, without having to make a special run to the store to purchase cleaners.

Then there is the matter of the garage.  At least, I can park in mine, but there is plenty to get rid of.  I will more than likely, sort things, and start by having a garage sale.  What does’nt sell, I like to donate to my local Women’s Shelter.  Household goods are put to good use there, by women who are about to start their lives over, after leaving abusive relationships.

Another thing to do, is give  your things away.  Lyndi, over at Thrifty Creativity wrote an excellent post on freecycling.  She can tell you everything you want to know about, how you can get what you want, or need for free through The Freecycle Network.  Be sure to check it out.

My hope is that these tips and ideas will help you with these often dreaded and daunting tasks.  At least they can help you be more thrifty, frugal, and “green.”

You don’t have to spend a dime on cleaners and solvents, to do your Spring cleaning.  There are products in your kitchen or pantry right now, that will do the job nicely, and in an earth friendly way.

Most household cleaners, fall into the acid or alkaline region on a pH scale.  The scale ranges from 1-14, with 7 being the pure or neutral (like water) region.  Acidic solutions fall below 7, while the alkaline solutions are on the up side of the scale.  Cleaners that rank on the high end of the alkaline scale are considered caustic, and the very acidic cleaners are corrosive.  Usually, areas that are soiled with grease and oil are best treated with alkaline cleaners.  This is because alkaline cleaners work by separating heavy soil and grease from surfaces and fabric, so they can be easily blotted up, or rinsed away.  The most common alkaline cleaners are sudsy ammonia, borax, chlorine bleach, detergents and soaps, TSP (trisodium phosphate) and washing soda.

Common acidic cleaners, are white vinegar, lemon juice, commercial rust removing products, and metal cleaners that remove tarnish and corrosion.  These cleaners work best on particulates (such as smoke) and in hard water areas where lime scales are formed by calcium and magnesium deposits.

For kitchen clean-up, nothing more than 2 Tablespoons of Bleach to a gallon of  water and a few drops of your dish washing detergent, is all that is needed for sparkle and disinfecting.  For your copper bottomed pans, take half of a lemon dipped in table salt and work it like a scrubber on the pan.  Ketchup and table salt, also works well.  Wash and dry, and your pans will look like new.

My favorite, around the house cleaners, are white vinegar and baking soda. White vinegar is great for cleaning anything, from your coffee pot to windows, sinks, bathrooms and chrome fixtures.  It works well, at removing mineral deposits and stains. When paired with baking soda it will bubble, but works wonderfully well for cleaning out your oven and drip pans, if you don’t have a self cleaning oven.  For best results, just let sit over night. Its much better, than the fumes from oven cleaning products. Proper ventilation, should always be used, when using commercial cleaners, as some can cause burns to the skin, and shouldn’t even be breathed. Baking soda, is both gentle and powerful, and has many uses like removing odors and fruit juice stains, and as a mild abrasive in other cleaning applications.

When it comes to making home made cleaners, it is by far more, the economical choice. Most recipes make about a gallon, and you probably already have the ingredients on hand.  For pennies, you can make your own, and there is no waste.

If you prefer to buy ready made cleaners, look for brands such as Ecos, Simple Green, and the new line of green cleaners from Clorox, just to name a few earth friendly alternatives.

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