Healthy Natural Green House Cleaning Solutions

Did you know that many of the cleaners we keep in our homes are extremely unhealthy for people to use? We breathe in the fumes and it is absorbed into our skin as well. Unfortunately, as consumers, we cannot trust products simply because they are on the shelves for us to buy. Manufacturers often seem irresponsible in their mass production of products. So, it is left up to the consumer to determine what is safe and affordable as well.

According two experts Leslie Reichert, author of "Joy of Green Cleaning," and Sara Snow, author of "Sara Snow's Fresh Living, "If you go green, "No longer will there be chemicals absorbed into the skin or breathed in by the person cleaning," Reichert says. Health benefits extend to family members who are no longer breathing in cleaners lingering in the air and sitting on surfaces.

Studies have shown that using a household cleaning spray, even as little as once a week, raises the risk of developing asthma. Snow says that using green cleaning products can reduce the chances of developing asthma, which "today is the most common chronic illness and the leading cause of school absences due to chronic illness across the country," via Care.com.

Many new green house cleaning products are on the market, however they are pricey. For this reason, I've done some research of my own. Below is a list of nontoxic, healthy, natural, and affordable green cleaning solution alternatives that I am using in my own home now. I challenge you to make your home environment healthier and start green cleaning the natural way.

• baking soda (grocery store)
• white distilled vinegar (grocery store)
• olive oil (grocery store)
• borax (grocery store)
• spray bottles and permant marker (dollar tree)
• essential oils (add to any cleaning suggestion below for a lovely smell; lemon and peppermint are popular) (amazon)
• citric acid (amazon)
• soap flakes (amazon)
• washing soda (amazon)

1. All-Purpose Cleaner Cleaning Solution: Fill spray bottle with vinegar. Use this spray to clean windows, counter surfaces, cabinets, bathtub, and shower. Vinegar kills 99% of the germs present and it leaves no smell when it dries.

2. Toilet Bowl Cleaner Cleaning Solution: Spray toilet bowl with vinegar, then sprinkle in some baking soda. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before scrubbing and then flushing.

2. Abrasive Cleaner Cleaning Solution: Mix baking soda with enough water to make a paste. Use this semi-abrasive cleaner on harder-to-clean surfaces.

3. Furniture Polish Cleaning Solution: Combine equal parts of vinegar and olive to use as a furniture cleaner. Put in a spray bottle or easy-dispense container.

4. All-Purpose Cleaner Cleaning Solution: According to Dr. Oz, this mixture is a great all purpose cleaner: 1 tbsp of Borax powder, 3 tbsps of white vinegar, 2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of dish soap, 1 drop of essential oil.

5. Dishwasher Detergent Cleaning Solution: According to diyNatural, this mixture is an awesome dishwasher detergent: 1 cup borax, 1 cup washing soda, 1/2 cup citric acid, 1/2 cup kosher salt. Use 1 tablespoon per load.

6. Dishwasher Rinse: Use lemon juice or white vinegar as a dishwasher rinse aid.

7. Laundry Detergent Cleaning Solution: To make a laundry detergent, mix the following ingredients: 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup washing soda, 1/2 cup soap flakes. Store in freezer bag so that clumps can be broken easily. Use 1/2 cup for a full load of laundry.

8. Carpet Deodorizer: Sprinkle baking soda all over carpet. Leave for 15-30 minutes, then vacuum to leave your carpet odor-free and smelling fresh.

• Use a small amount of rice in dry mixtures to keep moisture out.
• Store mixtures and sprays in ready-to-use containers, kept near the places they are used. Think of how many plastic containers you will not be purchasing, because you are reusing the ones you have.
• Label all your containers with a Sharpie permanent marker.