Cleaning Recipes

A few months ago I went to my library's clean and green series on making your own eco-friendly cleaning products.  They handed out samples of the all purpose spray cleaner and the soft scrub.  I loved using them.  They did not bother me physically like other cleaners do (headaches and such).  I also tried the dishwasher powder, laundry soap, and the wood polish.  All of them worked out great (however I prefer the results of the store bought dishwasher powder more).  Well I ran out of my free samples and so I made replacements for them today.  I also got to test out my new dishcloth and small scrubby.  I used the all-purpose spray cleaner 1 recipe and the bathroom "soft scrub" cleanser recipe.  My castile soap already had tea tree oil in it.  The only essential oils that I have are lemon, peppermint, and pine, so I used them in the spray.  I also added a few drops of the lemon to the soft scrub.   The lemon is a antiseptic and antiviral essential oil.  The pine is a disinfectant, air freshener, and bronchial health essential oil.  The peppermint stimulates the senses and just smells good.  Tea tree oil is a broad spectrum antimicrobial.  After attending the class I learned that these essential oils work great together.  The oils can be a little pricey, so I am slowly buying them.  However with all the money that I am saving by making my own cleaners, its easier to splurge for the essential oils.  

Some more cleaning tips: You can clean your toothbrushes by soaking them in mouthwash.  By wiping your windows with newspaper when cleaning, you avoid streaks (I use the junk mail since I don't get the newspaper).  Hot water and distilled white vinegar goes a long way when cleaning (vinegar dries odorless).  Keep an old toothbrush on hand for cleaning between the bathroom tiles and around the faucets.