GREEN SPRING CLEAN - Part 1

I don't know about you, but when I used to deep clean my bathrooms, I used the heavy duty commercial products and believed the the higher the asphyxiation factor the more sanitary and clean my bathroom. A few years ago, when I did the research and decided to remove all harmful chemicals from my home, I had to find effective and safe ways to clean. I

took online courses through Aromahead Institute (see former blog post), purchased books on safe and effective cleaning, and experimented with all sorts of recipes. From all of the experimenting, I created different blends that serve me well. The beauty of these are that you can start with the base recipe and then vary the ingredients to suit your own needs. Even better, no longer am I asphyxiating myself every time I deep scrub my bathroom. I have provided the recipes below. Also, if you have some that you like, please share them in the comments. I would love to see an exchange of ideas, recipes, and experiences. After all, we learn from each other.

Windows, Mirrors, and Faucets: My base recipe is a variation that began in the book 501 Hints and Tips with Vinegar by Igloobooks, 2014.

Base recipe: 3 parts warm water to 1 part vinegar with a splash of dish-washing liquid

My recipe in a spray bottle:

1/3 of bottle - vinegar

1/5 of bottle - organic Castile soap,

15-25 drops of the essential oil scent (I use orange), and

2/3 warm/room temperature water.

Marble and Porous Stone Friendly: The key here is to avoid all acidic or potentially corrosive ingredients, such as, vinegar or citrus essential oils. When I researched potential recipes, the key combination of blends used organic Castile soap and water. I had some residue around my faucets that needed scrubbing, so I was curious if a 1/3 ratio of Castile soap and water would work. To my delight, it did a great job, and polished beautifully.

My recipe in a spray bottle:

1/3 of spray bottle - Castile soap and

2/3 of spray bottle - water with 25 drops of lavender essential oil.

Make sure you label each of your creations, and be sure to include the ingredients on the labels. This is helpful so you can refill the container and replicate your blend, but it is especially important if you plan to use your blend outside of your house (like in an office, classroom, or car). I was so glad I did this because I had this available in my classroom for clean-ups, and I learned that one of my students had an allergy to citrus. (That is a whole different story). Anyway, I checked all of my homemade products in the room and removed all the cleaners and hand sanitizers containing citrus and created new ones with lavender, tea tree, and peppermint. With so many allergies out there, one cannot be too careful. If a lot of people share your space, be sure to check for allergies.

Stay Tuned for Part 2: Heavy Hitting Cleaners