Green Your Housekeeping!

I caught a headline on the Huffington Post a month or so back about safe, renewable housekeeping techniques that won't damage the groundwater. They actually work hella well! Here are my top choices:

All Purpose Spray Cleaner--glass, countertops, toilets, pergo floors, etc. (it does contain a weak acid, so don't use on sensitive stone like travertine or unsealed grout); it is at least as good as Windex & 409

White distilled vinegar
Isopropyl alcohol
water (tap or distilled)

mix in 1:1:1 ratios; pour into a spray bottle and spritz your troubles away!

Laundry Detergent (powder)--1/2 c. per load, 1 c. if heavily soiled

1 c. baking soda
1 c. washing soda (I got mine at Ace Hardware; made by Arm & Hammer)
1 c. white vinegar
1/4 c. castile soap (got it at Walgreens; Dr. Bronner's comes in lavender & peppermint flavors)
* some recipes also put in a cup of Borax, but I'd start with this, and troubleshoot via Borax only if you see evidence of hard water or you think the detergent needs a little more strength*

I highly recommend the use of a kitchen aid stand mixer, or something similar. Otherwise, it'll be hard to keep up when you get to the "clumping" stage.

1. with mixer on low, combine washing soda & castile soap together, then add baking soda
2. add vinegar in small amounts, allowing for the foaming to stop in between increments
3. continue mixing until paste breaks down into a heavy powder.

Some recipes use a rag soaked in white vinegar in place of a Bounce sheet in the dryer. I have not tried this.

The baking soda acts like a fabric softener.

Dishwasher Detergent (powder)--fill the open and the closed cups

2 c. Borax
2 c. Baking soda
4 tbsp. citric acid* (you can order this online or maybe find it at Ace)

*The citric acid aids in keeping a film from developing on your dishes but is not mandatory; if you don't have hard water, you might not notice; you may also be able to substitute sugar free lemon kool-aid packets instead, but I haven't tried it.

1. Whisk ingredients together.
2. pour white vinegar into the Jet Dry spout to act as a rinse agent

I bought all the ingredients at Costco, Walgreens, Ace Hardware and Safeway. I spent maybe $40 and I have enough ingredients to keep me going for months.

Somewhere around here I also have recipes for soft scrub and silver polish but I haven't gotten to them yet. I'll keep you posted. 

Happy cleaning!