There was a time (many years ago now) when I defined effective cleaning by how the air smelled. It's not really clean unless I can smell the chemicals!Thankfully, that is no longer the standard by which I measure the cleaning prowess of the solutions I'm using. In fact, I now do everything in my power toavoid those toxic chemicals I believe are harmful to my health and the health of the environment. Why? Because you can make your own cleaners with items from your pantry that work just as well and smell better!

DIY Cleaner Basic Ingredients

If you're starting a DIY green cleaners pantry, the following are the top ingredients you'll want to have around. Some combination of these ingredients will make you almost all of the recipes you find below!

• Baking Soda
• White Vinegar
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Borax
• Essential oils, like tea tree oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, or lemongrass oil
• Castile soap (like Dr. Bronner's)
• Fresh herbs, citrus, or citrus peels
• Olive or vegetable oil
• Water

BATHROOM

1 How To Make Your Own Bathroom Cleaners
2 How To Clean Your Bathtub with a Grapefruit and Salt
3 How To Green Clean the Grout In Your Bathroom

KITCHEN

4 How to Make Your Own Kitchen Cleaners 
5 How To Clean Burnt Pans with Vinegar and Baking Soda
6 How To Green Clean Silver with Baking Soda and Aluminum
7 How To Green Clean Grease from Kitchen Surfaces
8 How To Clean the Stove Naturally

LIVING ROOM

9 6 Ways to Green Clean Your Couch Upholstery
10 How To Make Your Own Wood Polish
11 How To Deep Green Clean Your Carpets
12 How To Clean Brass with Lemon Juice and Baking Soda
13 Homekeeping Help: How To Clean and Maintain Marble

LAUNDRY ROOM

14 5 Ways To Get Great Smelling Laundry Without Softener
15 A DIY Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe
16 5 Homemade Natural DIY Fabric Softeners
17 Use Chalk to Rid Your Clothes of Greasy Stains
18 4 Ways to Clean Green with Fresh Herbs
19 How To Make Your Own Clothing Freshener and Dewrinkler

SPECIALTY

20 An Excellent Homemade 3-Ingredient All-Purpose Cleaner
21 An Easy Homemade 3-Ingredient Spray Air Freshener
22 5 Home Remedies to Remove Rust
23 6 Ways to Clean with Olive Oil
24 DIY Cleaning: Make Your Own Yoga Mat Spray Wash
25 How To Clean a Wool Rug with Snow

(Images: 1. Sarah Starkey; 2+5; Sarah Trover; 3. Sarah Starkey; 4. Adele Peters; 6. Kathryn Wright)

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