green your house cleaning products

My friend Zinnia gave me these recipes to green household cleaners. These are all natural so you don't have to worry about the kids helping out with the cleaning or the chemicals you're breathing while cleaning. Thanks Z, these are fantastic!

These simple, easy-to-find ingredients are all you need to make green cleaners:
• Baking soda
• Borax (usually found near powdered laundry soap in supermarkets)
• Castile soap (We use Dr. Bronner’s)
• Distilled white vinegar
• Essential oils (we like to use orange, lemon, lavender, oregano, and bergamot)
• Purified/filtered water

All-Purpose Cleaner Spray

Replaces Formula 409 or the likes: Use for all surfaces, countertops, sinks, floors, etc.

RECIPE

• 2 Tbsp. castile soap
• 2 tsp. borax
• 3–5 drops each:
Lemon essential oil
Orange essential oil
• 5 oz. hot, filtered water
• 8 oz. distilled white vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine castile soap, borax, essential oils, and hot water in 32 oz. spray bottle Replace top and shake to mix contents.
2. Add vinegar and fill to 32 oz. line with hot filtered water. Replace top and shake again to mix ingredients.
3. Spray and wipe on counters/surfaces.

Glass & Degreaser Spray

Replaces Windex: Use to degrease all glass surfaces (mirrors, windows, microwave front) or to degrease sinks, countertops, cabinets, floors, and so on. (It’s perfect for removing mineral deposits and soap residue on sinks, too!)

RECIPE

• 8 oz. distilled white vinegar
• 24 oz. filtered water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in 32 oz. spray bottle.
2. Replace top and shake to mix contents. Spray and wipe dry.

Bathroom & Disinfectant Spray

Replaces Lysol: for all surfaces in need of disinfection (toilet surfaces, door handles, bathroom sink, etc.). Kills bacteria, viruses, fungi. Use on toilet/surfaces to disinfect and kill germs. Note: For disinfection, spray needs to sit on surface for 5–10 min.

RECIPE

• 1 tsp. castile soap
• 10–12 drops each:
Oregano essential oil
Lemon essential oil
• 5 oz. hot, filtered water
• 27 oz. distilled white vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine soap, both essential oils, and hot water in a 32 oz. spray bottle. Replace top and shake to combine contents.
2. Add vinegar, filling to 32 oz. line. Replace top and shake to mix contents.
3. Spray on surface to disinfect, let sit 5–10 minutes, then wipe dry.

Sink Scrub/Drain Opener/Toilet Bowl Cleanser

Replaces Comet and Drano: Green ingredients like vinegar and baking soda even work in a super-cleansing capacity!

Drain Opener

RECIPE

• 4 Tbsp. baking soda
• 8 oz. hot water
• 4 oz. distilled white vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine baking soda and hot water in an 8 oz. cup and pour into drain.
2. Pour white vinegar into drain, and cover. Let sit 30 min. and rinse with hot water.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

RECIPE

• 1 cup baking soda
• 8 oz. distilled white vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine ingredients in toilet bowl.
2. Scrub and let sit 30 min. or overnight.
3. Flush toilet to rinse.
4. To finish, spray toilet bowl with Bathroom & Disinfectant Spray and let dry.

Sink Scrub

RECIPE

• Baking soda
• Distilled white vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Sprinkle both ingredients into the sink and mix into a paste.
2. Scrub and rinse. For tough stains, let sit 30 min. before rinsing.

Air Freshener

Replaces chemical-based air fresheners like Febreeze: Essential oils and filtered water are all you need to keep things smelling fresh. (And at C&T Publishing, where everybody shares just 2 bathrooms, this is important!)

RECIPE

• 3–5 drops each:
Orange essential oil
Lemon essential oil
Bergamot or lavender essential oil
Castile soap
• 12 oz. filtered water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients with half of the water in a 12 oz. spray bottle. Replace top and shake to mix contents.
2. Fill to top with remaining filtered water. Spray as needed.