Posts Tagged green cleaning pantry
Posted by Candice on August 31, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Cleaning Up Myths About Green Cleaning
You may be considering whether or not to make the switch to green cleaning and find that there is a wealth of information available about how to go about making the switch. You may have heard that green cleaning is not as effective as traditional cleaning methods. This is the most common myth. Let’s did a little deeper into this common misconception:
- Myth: Green cleaning products don’t work as well as more-toxic cleaning products.
While there are many cleaning products making claims of being green there is also a great deal of green washing. There are also legitimately green products which do not deliver when it comes to cleaning power. When making your choice diligently check ingredients and then narrow down your choice based on reviews that rate the products’ effectiveness. Sometimes different products from different brands are required for particular tasks. It is not always possible to choose a favorite brand and then just stick with their range. For example, after trying many we found our favorite dishwasher tab based on performance was the Ecover Dish Tabs but when it comes to our general multi-purpose cleaner and scouring product we like Clearly Essential’s natural range.
- Myth: The stronger the smell, the cleaner the clean.
We have all become accustomed to the strong chemical odor of the major brand cleaning products and associate that strong lemon scent with clean but when it comes to green cleaning products we do not need to sacrifice a pleasant odor we just need to adjust our expectations to allow for the subtler scents like tea tree oil, lavender and cinnamon. Essential oils which are an important adjunct to most natural cleaning products do add a pleasant odor and in part, such as in the case of tea tree oil, increase the effectiveness of the cleaner.
- Myth: Modern products are more effective.
When it comes to cleaning the old tried and true methods used by generations of home makers are still valid and effective. Good old soap and hot water are still effective ways to clean and sanitize your hands, cutting boards, sinks, kitchen counters and stove tops. If a little more grease cutting action is required the essential oil of Eucalyptus does a great job and the pantry staple cornstarch absorbs grease very well. There are many traditional pantry items which can be put to work around the house as part of a cleaning caddy.
- Myth: Green Cleaning does not have sufficient germ fighting power.
It is important to remember that certain bacteria are very useful to use. There bacteria live on our hands, in our mouths and form part of our gut. The indiscriminate use of anti-bactrial products seems to have done more harm than good. Eliminating all bacteria should not be the goal of your cleaning regime but rather to limit or remove the ones which can cause illness. There are natural and biodegradable options such as tea tree oil which is a good broad spectrum germicide, fungicide, and bacteriacide. Other options include vinegar and borax.
Bidmycleaning.com providers who are able to or who exclusively use natural cleaning products can be selected using a special filter in our marketplace bid request or by using our special green cleaning calculator located in our Eco-Friendly section.
Posted by Candice on October 19, 2009 at 17:12 pm
Green Cleaning Pantry
Castile soap is a very economical addition to your green cleaning pantry. Used alone or together with some of the other staples listed in our green cleaning pantry is can be used to clean just about everything in your home – including you! This all natural soap gets its name from the Castile region of Spain. Now the term Castile soap is used for any mild soap usually with only natural ingredients. While castile soap was originally made from olive oil there are now many variants using oils ranging from coconut to jojoba.
In your home castile soap is a great all purpose cleaner and can be used for everything from laundry to dishwashing and degreasing. If you need something with a little disinfecting punch add some tea tree oil and/or vinegar and when the job needs some abrasive action mix castile soap with some baking soda.
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Posted by Candice on September 30, 2009 at 17:04 pm
Green Cleaning Pantry
Cornstarch, or cornflour, is the starch of the corn (maize) grain. It has many applications in the home and is a useful addition to your green cleaning pantry. Some of the ways you can use cornstarch are to clean windows, to deodorize and clean carpets and rugs, polish furniture and several others.
One of the key ways you can use cornstarch is to cut grease because it does a great job of absorbing oil. When it comes to laundry – as it’s name applies – it is a great way of naturally starching clothes.
In the kitchen cornstarch is perfect for cleaning areas which becomes greasy such as stove tops, vent hoods and countertops where food prep takes place. To clean these surfaces create a paste of cornstarch and water and then use it like you would any regular commercial de-greaser.
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Posted by Candice on September 15, 2009 at 10:00 am
Green Cleaning Pantry
What does a clean home smell like? We’ve come to associate a fresh lemon or pine scent with clean but in the case of commercial cleaning products that scent is most likely anything but fresh. Typically the fragrance of these products is a cocktail of chemicals that are best avoided in our homes. The best way to avoid the chemicals in commercial cleaners is of course to make our own at home so we’ve been highlighting the staples you should have on hand to create your own cleaning products in our green cleaning pantry series.
So, how do you get the fresh clean scent for your homemade cleaners?
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Posted by Candice on September 3, 2009 at 18:07 pm
Green Cleaning Superstar
Vinegar is a key component of the green cleaning pantry mainly because of it’s antibacterial properties. Studies have shown that Vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (viruses). It is also very effective at dissolving mineral deposits on surfaces which may be damaged by more abrasive cleaning like cleaning with borax. Mildew removal is another use for vinegar. Vinegar is also useful as a water softener.
There are various varieties of vinegar from distilled white vinegar to apple cider vinegar. Vinegar is made from soured fruit juice, grain, or wine. It is a mild acid to due the 5% acetic acid it contains.
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Posted by Candice on August 25, 2009 at 17:47 pm
Green House Cleaning Pantry
Borax is a naturally occurring mineral composed of sodium, boron, oxygen and water. It’s also an ingredient in cosmetics, medicines, ceramics and building materials. It is included in our green cleaning pantry because it is more environmentally friendly than your typical commercial cleaners and is very inexpensive. We do add the one caveat though that you should store it where it is not accessible to your pets and children. Ingesting even small quantities can be toxic to animals and children while larger quantities will be toxic to adults.
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Posted by Candice on August 11, 2009 at 23:01 pm
Bidmycleaning.com's Green Cleaning Pantry
People of great worth and quality have been called the salt of the earth which implies that salt is of great worth and quality. The two major components of salt, chloride and sodium, are necessary for the survival of all known living creatures, including humans so you could say that it is indeed of great worth. Not only is salt essential for life as we know it but we have certainly come to rely on it for adding flavor to our food. Is there another role for salt? Is salt a possible addition to our green cleaning pantry?
There are many applications for salt in home cleaning; everything from removing stains from carpet to polishing sinks.
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Posted by Candice on July 16, 2009 at 15:12 pm
Green Cleaning with Tea Tree Oil
Let me start by saying that if you’re a cat lover you should skip this post since tea tree oil is toxic to cats. Some people can also be sensitive to it and it is important to keep it away from kids since it should never be swallowed – but it is a worthwhile addition to your green cleaning pantry if you can use it.
Tea tree oil is a colorless or pale yellow oil from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia (Australian Tea Tree). It is is a broad spectrum germicide, fungicide, and bacteriacide and It’s natural solvent properties make it an wonderful biodegradable cleaning product and deodorizer.
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