Cleaning solutions that are safe for you and the envrionment

 After years of using chemical cleaners, I finally tried a couple of environmentally friendly cleaning products- and they work great!  Vinegar and baking soda! 

According to the Good Housekeeping Institute, straight 5% solution of vinegar (the kind you buy at the grocers) kills 99% of bacteria, 82% of molds, and 80 % of viruses.                                                                                              
  Kitchen and bathroom:

I use straight vinegar on counter tops, in sinks, and in and around toilets, to remove germs.  Used in conjunction with baking soda, making a paste, it works great on sinks and bathtubs removing soap scum. Baking soda with a little water used on counter tops removes stains, even red wine and tea, and it doesn’t take off the finish. (You’ll need to rinse it a couple of times as it’s a little gritty.)  A vinegar/ water solution in a spray bottle makes a great window/mirror cleaning solution, and mixing ½ cup vinegar in 1 gallon (4 liters) of water is good for washing lino or vinyl floors (¼ c to 1 gallon for ceramic tiles).

Straight vinegar works really well on chrome to make it shiny, on shower glass doors to remove hard water spots, and soaking the shower head in a bowl of vinegar will remove the lime and calcium deposits that clog the holes.  It takes a little longer than the advertised ‘lime removers’ but I would rather use a natural product than a chemical that is corrosive and takes the color out of my shirt (as I always manage to get some on it).

I agree that you still need to turn on the bathroom fan, as vinegar vapors can be pretty strong, but they do dissipate quite fast.

It’s a product that’s safe around children, still kills the germs and it’s is friendly to the air, water, and you! 

photos of products by: www.armandhammer.com and www.bobvila.com