Five Easy Ways to Start Cleaning Green

There's too much information out there now to deny it.

Household cleaners that many of us have used for years, are toxic, chemical-filled concoctions that can do more harm than good.

Here is our go-to, get started list of five affordable and easy to use products that can help you ease into a healthier, "cleaner" and often cheaper approach to cleaning:

1. Vinegar

So inexpensive and so effective!

White vinegar in an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial that will clean nearly any surface with ease.  It's a super easy way to integrate natural products into your cleaning routine.

​Pour into a spray bottle 50-50 mix with water and use it to wipe down your counters in the kitchen and bathroom. Use full strength in and around toilets and showers. Make a paste with salt to remove soap scum and build-up. Add to your wash to reduce static and eliminate odors. 

Be careful with natural stone like granite or marble, vinegar is essentially a very mild acid and can compromise the surface over time. And if you just can't stand the smell, even with essential oils added, try our Nellie's All Purpose Cleaner.

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2. Baking Soda

Another inexpensive and easy way to clean safely is with something you probably already have in your house...

Baking soda is ideal for cleaning everything from baked-on foods and bbq grills, to removing tarnish on silver and unclogging blocked or slow drains. It all lies in this little box that costs less than $5.

3. Lemon

How good to clean with what nature gives us on trees?

From freshening microwaves, garbage disposals and dishwashers to cleaning glass, removing stains and degreasing stove and counter tops. Lemon is a natural bleaching agent and smells wonderfully clean!

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4. Castile Soap

Castile soap, you've probably seen it and maybe wondered what it was or how it's different from "ordinary" soap — it's a natural plant-based soap made from vegetable oils that does not contain tallow or rendered animal fat.

Many anti-bacterial soaps today contain a synthetic ingredient (called triclosan, a registered pesticide with the EPA) which has been shown in studies to contribute to antibiotic resistance and interfere with hormone regulation, inflammatory responses and thyroid disfunction.

Why take chances? Switch to a certified Castile Soap when you need extra scrubby bubbles to clean everything from floors, to walls, to counters, windows and sinks.

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5. Essential Oils

There is so much information on using essential oils* for cleaning its hard to know where to start.

So start by adding it to your vinegar to create a pleasant smell. Add it to your baking soda scrub and your Castile soap too. Don't forget to shake it on your organic wool dryer balls!

​Pick the scent you like best because most of them — lemon, orange, peppermint, lavender, black pepper — have helpful and beneficial properties. Just get started!

​*Be sure to buy a reputable essential oil, we recommend Young Living and  DoTerra, email us if you'd like us to recommend a rep.

We heart green,
Onya&Sada