Have you wondered if there was a better (and simpler) product for cleaning?  There is a minor controversy about whether some of the well-known cleaning products could compete with more natural products.  Are they "just as good" as the products bought that are RTU (Ready to Use)?  I suggest that you try it for yourself to find out if there are things that you could easily replace and thereby reduce your inventory needs.

I offer the top ten natural cleaning products that you should try in some area.  Make your own judgment on this because there is a great deal of hype out there about Green and natural products for cleaning.  So, here are the top ten natural products: 

  1. White vinegar: An antifungal that also kills germs and bacteria.

  2. Baking soda: Eliminates odors and works as a gentle scouring powder.

  3. Borax: Borax, the common name for the natural mineral compound sodium borate, eliminates odors, removes dirt, and acts as an antifungal and possible disinfectant. Use with care around children and pets, as it can be toxic if swallowed.

  4. Hydrogen peroxide (3% concentration): A great nontoxic bleach and stain remover, as well as a proven disinfectant.

  5. Club soda (fresh): A stain remover and polisher.

  6. Lemon juice: A pleasant-smelling nontoxic bleach, grease-cutter, and stain remover.

  7. Liquid castile soap: An all-purpose cleaner, grease-cutter, and disinfectant. “Castile” means the soap is vegetable-based, not animal-fat-based.

  8. Corn meal: Great at picking up carpet spills.

  9. Olive oil: Makes a wonderful furniture polish.

  10. Pure essential oils: These are all-natural, organic oils that can be expensive, but can be used sparingly to add healthy and pleasant scents to your cleaning program.

What the more expert natural advocates have learned is how to mix these ingredients to create a wide variety of applications.  A little time researchin gthis on the Internet will yield some interesting results.  So, mixing lemon juice with olive oil can mimic some of the lemon scented furniture polish currently in use. 

Also use common sense club soda does a fantastic job on some stains, but if you use it for a carpet with heavy scrubbing, the fibers will be injured.  Astute cleaners know to use a white towel to press the carpet so the cleaning agent and stain are absorbed away from the carpet.  Of course, there are some stains that will not come out no matter what you use.  A carpet spot needs immediate attention for effective spot removal.

Liquid Castile soap is another interesting product.  It can be used at varying levels of dilution to make cleaning and degreasing products.  Add some essential oil, like almond, eucalyptus, or lavender, and you might discover a inexpensive cleaner that you can mix in large portions to supply your complete janitorial firm.

White vinegar is well known as a disinfectant because it does kill many common germs.  Of course, it does not smell good, but the vinegar odor quickly dissipates and the use of essential oils can provide the pleasant smell that people seem to want.

Get creative and do some research on these ten products.  I believe that the trouble of refining your own Green products will not only be rewarding, but it will help you understand that a different set of chemicals are not always a better solution.  I do not suggest that you abandon the products you have come to trust as Green and effective, but I do suggest that you give some of these ideas a try.  I think it will surprise you.

Earn your Green Clean Institute Certified Healthy Home certificate at www.GreenCleanInstitute.com/healthy-home.  Learn to be Green and make your home healthier for the people you love.