Solar Energy & Power

Most cleaning products available these days rely heavily on caustic and toxic chemicals that seriously damage the environment. They can sometimes be bad for your health too.

If you're thinking about not using these unnecessarily harsh products, you could use an equivalent but more environmentally friendly cleaner. There are ways of cleaning your home while being gentler on the environment. Here are some ideas to consider:

Simple Green. Simple Green is an excellent industrial strength cleaner that happens to carry the Green Seal certification for environmental responsibility. This objective, third-party certification guarantees that a product meets strict standards of environmental stewardship in the way it’s manufactured and used. It also indicates a product that is easily biodegradable. Simple Green is versatile, extremely effective and will clean the toughest jobs. It’s very strong in its original concentrated form, so you may want to dilute it in water. This has the positive benefit of allowing you to control its strength when cleaning more delicate objects. Use it to clean your kitchen, bathroom, car, or just about anything else--while being confident you're not harming the environment.

Baking Soda. Baking soda is great for scrubbing, cleaning and deodorizing. It's also known to be environmentally friendly. It has a large number of uses, including many you may not have thought about. In addition to its popular use for removing unpleasant odors from the refrigerator, it can be sprinkled on carpets and rugs to deodorize them. You can sprinkle it on a sponge and wipe your counters without scratching them. You can dilute it in water and wash your vegetables. It's a wonderfully versatile product.

Tea Tree Oil. If you’re attacking mold, there are several natural ways to get rid of it. One of the best is tea tree oil, which is a great antimicrobial and antifungal substance. Mix a teaspoon of it with two cups of water, spray it on the affected area and allow to dry. The scent can be very strong, but it will dissipate in a day or two.

Going green often requires sacrifice, but not when it comes to cleaning. Cleaning your home should not force you to endure harsh chemicals. You can do a great job with a green cleaner that won’t put your family’s health at risk or harm the environment.

Tags: green cleaners, green cleaning, green home