Green Cleaning Supplies: Do It Yourself

Ever wonder what's in Windex?  Or perhaps in your toilet cleaner, sink cleaner, shower curtain cleaner, counter cleaner, tile cleaner, wood cleaner, drain cleaner, linoleum cleaner, dish and clothing detergent?  No?  

Do you know what's in here?...
Do you WANT to know what's in here?

Here in the states, cleaning products (in fact, ALL of our PRODUCTS including personal care products, medicines, childrens' toys, and even our food) follow the super logical, morally-incorrupt principle of "Innocent Until Proven Guilty".  This means that chemicals used in the production and synthesis of our products do not undergo rigorous, unbiased testing for the sake of the consumers health.  

What is the Gleaning Project's reaction to this? BOYCOTT!!! I know it may be hard for our consumer-based society to wrap our brains around this idea, but believe me, it's for our own good!  

So put down that toxin-laden sponge and squirt bottle full of mysterious blue liquid, and pick up a rag, a bottle of vinegar, a box of baking soda, and hey, why not an apron? Let's get started.

Here are some go-to recipes for all-around the house cleaning.

P.S. You can purchase Borax (a mined mineral) essentially at any grocery store and it is super cheap and lasts for a long time.  

Scouring Powder

• 1 C baking soda
• ¼ C borax
•  Drops of essential oil (optional)

In a bowl, mix the borax and baking soda with a few drops of essential oil. Store in a shaker and shake onto that pesky soiled surface slated for cleaning.

All-Purpose Cleaner

• A spray bottle (if you don't have an empty one, just go to the dollar store and pick one up)
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 10-20 drops of essential oil (if you'd like, I use lemon or peppermint)

Put the lime in the coconut and mix it all up. Meaning, just mix it all together in the spray bottle.

Alice’s Wonder Spray

• 2 t borax
• 32 oz. hot water
• ¼ C white vinegar
• 20 drops essential oil (optional)
• ¼ C liquid dish soap (look for a biodegradable, non-petroleum based product from a company above. We used Dr. Bronners Castile soap. Find it in Tops’ natural cleaning section.)

Dissolve borax in hot water. Add to a 32-oz spray bottle along with the vinegar and water. Then add the liquid dish soap and essential oil (optional). Shake it up and apply to sinks, tubs, tiles and floors.

What cleaning your drain looks like at the molecular level

Drain Cleaner

• Baking Soda
• Apple Cider vinegar

Fill your drain with baking soda. Pour down apple cider vinegar.  Watch the magic happen. If you need to, take a plunger to your drain (it helps!).