Cleaning Green

[happymomof4]

Cleaning Green
I just did a lot of fall cleaning and found that I was using WAY too many paper towels. But these days I've been all about watching my impact on the environment, so I was discouraged when I realized that my cleaning habits weren't exactly green. I've often found that greening these habits is a bit more cost effective. What have you done to green your cleaning habits, if anything?

[RobertaD]

I use tube socks with holes in them for cleaning, baking soda for scrubbing and vinegar & water for sanitizing.

Roberta

[KSJEn6891]

I use a sponge and a sponge mop to clean with - usually soap and water - sometimes I use Simple Green all purpose environmentally and pet safe cleaner. For the wood floors that came with our house we use Murphy's soap. I use the paper towels mostly for cleaning up grease (in accordance with Simple Green) and cat uh-ohs (hairballs, vomit, etc). For the carpet we use a pet & environmentally safe cleaner-deodorizer and a hand vac. When I clean my coffee maker I use cidar vinegar and water - the pot is vinegar and rice.... helps keep the garbage disposal clean too. The refridgerator / freezer gets cleaned with soap and water and a sponge. the sponges are cleaned in either the DW (if DH is cleaning up, his RN mom does the same thing), or in the hot wash cold rinse cycle with other "clean" clothes (DH's old worn shirts and towles).

[Sammi1961]

I save thinning towels to use as bathmats but when they become too raggedy to use as bathmats I cut them up to use as cleaning rags. We often use those to clean up spills and as cleaning rags. I switched to a green cleaner as well - Clorox Green Works which I really like.

[Lisa Berry]

I think just NOT cleaning would be "Greener". LOL seriously I use vinegar or dish detergent for most jobs and we hang a dish/hand towel on refridgerator door so when handwashing we dont reach for paper towels. Easy to toss in laundry and saves paper. I do use paper towels for windows though but only wash 2x a yr so I dont feel as guilty as I prob should. I also use lemon juice in place of bleach in laundry. I havent used a dryer in over 20 yrs. I line dry 365 days a yr if temps are over 30' or hang on collapsible racks over heat registers to put moisture back in air in worst of winter.

[happymomof4]

I have started using old newspapers instead of papertowels to wash mirrors and windows. The newspapers don't leave lint. I wear rubber gloves so my hands don't get black from the paper.

[ziggee]

I try not use to paper towels and use clothes towels to pick up messes. I use them like I would paper towels. If I clean up a mess with them I immediatly put them in the hamper and clean them with the rest of the clothes.

I also use boiling hot watet to clean up grease spills or hard to clean up messes.

I use vinegar to clean the toilet. If we are going to be out for a while, I will put a gallon of the strongest vinegar I can and let it do it's job. I also use vinegar as a fabric softener. Vinegar does not leave a smell or residue like regular fabric softener does.

I like to clean our window's with water or vinegar with a microfibre cloth.

Those are only a few things we clean green with.

Ziggee

[bluebird]

I make most of my own cleaners. Vinegar is great so is baking soda. I like to use essential oils too.

[AnnaInOhio]

just subbing for now

Anna

[Pag36]

I love using vinegar too as well as baking soda. I have always used newspaper to clean windows and mirrors. Thank heaven for gloves. That print gets under your nails and HARD to get out.
Happy cleaning all