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Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

Vinegar  kills bacteria & can neutralise grease and soap residue. The smell dissipates quickly. Fill a spray bottle with straight white vinegar to replace your current spray cleaner. Use cider vinegar to promote blood circulation & regulate the pH of the skin. See more at http://www.care2.com/. Standard white vinegar from your supermarket doesn't have GST ('cleaning' vinegar does) and is around $1.25 for 2Litres.

Baking Soda Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is a deodoriser which neutralizes odours. Use it powdered or mixed with water. Keep bicarb in a plastic jar with holes in the lid. Use it on your body or in the laundry. Sprinkle on a damp cloth as a nonabrasive cleanser. See much more at http://www.armandhammer.com. Buy Bicarb near the flour in the supermarket for around $1.30 for 500g - OR - visit a pool shop and buy pool buffer which is the same product.

Essential oils (lavender, tea tree & eucalyptus)  Eucalyptus oil will remove grease, gum & stubborn stains on clothes. Use tea tree or lavender for anti-bacterial & healing uses on the body or in cleaning. Mix lavender in a carrier lotion or oil as an insect repellent. Oils should not be swallowed & may be dangerous if pregnant. See more at http://www.itssonatural.com/. These three oils are usually near the band-aids in the supermarket.

Lemon juice is a mild bleach, a deodorant & a cleaning & polishing agent that will soften stains & repel insects. Roll the lemon before you cut it to maximise the juice.

Salt can be used for scouring clean & disinfecting food preparation areas & utensils. To clean & disinfect a drain, use a handful of salt followed by a jug of boiling water. Salt helps prevent colours running in the wash & removes stains.

Borax is a naturally occurring mineral salt. It cleans, deodorises, bleaches and disinfects and is useful in the laundry as a soap booster. Borax is also used to control pests such as ants and cockroaches. Borax is poisonous if swallowed. In the supermarket, Borax is near the 'Draino' and costs around $2.80 for 500g

Washing Soda (sodium carbonate) cuts grease and removes stains. It can be used as a soap booster, to remove tarnish, soften water, as a drain cleaner or bath salts. Available in the supermarket near washing powders, washing soda is around $1.70 for 750g

Pumps, Sprays + Shakers
Save pump bottles & sprays from used products to put your non toxic products in. Contact your local council to find the best way to dispose of any unwanted chemical products (including cleaning products). Labelling is important as for safety as well as getting others in your household to use products!

Cleaning Equipment A micro fibre cloth will hold the dirt (not spread it) and can be washed with your general laundry (Enjo or Oates are two common brands). Old tooth brushes, paint scrapers, rubber gloves, a good scrubbing brush, old socks (as a cleaning mit), and old towels or tea towels to wipe dry and polish surfaces.

Products to Avoid  Petroleum based detergents - slow to biodegrade
Phosphates - stimulate algae growth in waterways
Bleaches, disinfectants and detergents have toxic vapours that irritate eyes, nose and lungs as well as creating poor indoor air quality
Synthetic perfumes and colours - usually petroleum based and often irritating
Optical brighteners - slow to biodegrade
Formaldehyde (a preservative) - highly toxic and carcinogenic
Excessive use of anti-bacterial solutions are said to encourage new strains of bacteria
Do not use poisonous chemicals on food surfaces

Assess Cleaning Jobs

Before you start, take a look at the cleaning job.
What result are you looking for?
What's important to you? Shine, smell, hygiene?
Be guided by your common sense rather than guilt or advertising 'greenwash'
Sensible standards of cleanliness and ventilation are important for good health
Keeping surfaces clean and dry reduces the need for disinfectants.

Tips

A bucket of hot water with ½ cup of vinegar can be used for general household cleaning. Add a cap of tea tree or eucalyptus oil to improve the anti fungal properties
For stains, try a paste of bicarb with water. Allow to dry and wipe or vacuum
Heavier stains may need a paste of borax with water
Wipe with a dry cloth after all cleaning to give shine and decrease the chance of bacteria benefiting from moisture.

Frost and sunshine both kill bacteria

Clean kitchen surfaces with a vinegar spray. If you can allow the vinegar to dry on the surface it has an improved anti-bacterial impact

Clean chopping boards with soap and water then wipe or spray with vinegar and allow to dry

Wash all vegetables and fruit to remove traces of pesticides - especially non-organic purchases. Put a little vinegar in water and soak for a few minutes (we would only feed our children organic, Lyn Eco studio).

Add 1 cup of vinegar to half a bucket of very hot water to clean glass. If very dirty, use hot soapy water before the vinegar rinse

Clean the oven using bicarb soda and vinegar

To whiten clothes add a half a cup of borax to a normal wash cycle then hang clothes in the sun to dry

Vinegar acts as a fabric softener or use less soap in your normal wash and make up the difference with Bicarb

Eucalyptus oil or spray can be used to remove biro, chewing gum, grass, grease, gum, glue, lipstick and nicotine. Place absorbent paper under the fabric and dab or spray eucalyptus. Work towards the centre of the stain, then wash as normal

Soak stained garments in dissolved washing soda then wash as normal

Mop wooden floors with water with ½ cup of vinegar added. In summer, add citronella oil to reduce flies and mosquitos

Leave a box of matches on top of the toilet and light one to neutralise odour(not if small children are around)

If possible, tip waste water from your cleaning onto grass rather than down the drain and remember the dust from the vacuum cleaner bag can go into your compost heap

Ammonia can be highly toxic, never mix ammonia and bleach - dangerous toxic fumes are formed

Use the following links to help with your research:

http://www.goodhealthdirect.com.au/index.php

http://www.ecologicalhomes.com.au/Cleaning_Products.html

Easyguides
http://www.resource.nsw.gov.au/easyguides.htm

Greenpeace cleaning guide
http://www.greenpeace.org.au/

Healthy living tips
http://www.care2.com/healthyliving/

http://www.itssonatural.com/home.htm

ALL about bicarbonate of soda / baking soda
http://www.armandhammer.com/myhome/tour.asp

Source
http://www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au/footprints/resources_cleaning.asp