I have several other articles to write today, but first I really wanted to get a quick one out on what you actually need to purchase to start cleaning green in your home. In the beginning it may seem more costly to make this lifestyle change, but this is only because you are having to purchase the items that you are going to continue to reuse for longer than those commercial cleaners could hope to hang around your house. I sometimes can go overboard and over budget when I start a new project. I have been working very hard to turn myself into a more frugal wife, in the hopes that my husband will appreciate my efforts. It has not been easy, changing the way that we live. At first, I seriously thought that this was a very daunting task to begin upon. Little did I know, this journey has not only been extremely educating, but also very fun. I can honestly say that I have NEVER enjoyed cleaning any of my houses until I began making my own cleaner. I have no idea what has hit me, but my house is in such top form now, that anyone can drop by unexpectedly and find it clean! That is very unusual for me, as I normally would scramble to hide things in closets and cupboards when I saw someone pull up outside of my house.
There really aren’t too many things that you will need to buy that often, if you are purchasing in bulk. I buy a few of my items from Sam’s Club and the rest online at Amazon. It really just depends on where you like to shop and what they carry.
ITEMS TO PURCHASE (ONE TIME)
GLASS/PLASTIC/STAINLESS STEEL SPRAY BOTTLES - You can find these just about anywhere. Walgreens even has spray bottles in the little garden section. Most recipes will fill up to 24oz.
MICROFIBER CLEANING CLOTHS - These are also found just about anywhere. I purchased mine on Amazon. They came as a set of 30 with divided up in three different colors. I use the color coding so that I know what jobs that cloth has been used for. (Green:counter tops, tables, windows. Blue: hands, clean dishes, etc. Yellow: all the icky jobs like floors, animal messes, etc.) I have a whole separate set in the bathroom just to keep it separate from the kitchen.
KITCHEN WASHCLOTHS & DISH SCRUB BRUSH - Are you aware of the bacteria that is harbored in those kitchen sponges? It’s pretty disgusting! From what I have read, putting them in the dishwasher or microwave doesn’t not kill all the germs harboring in the nooks and crannys. You can wash them in the washing machine and that can help, but it’s best to just switch on over to using a scrub brush and wash cloth or even those “tuffy” scrubbers!
MICROFIBER SPRAY MOP - Think of all the money you’ll be saving with one of these babies! I used to be a big fan of the Swiffer Wet Jet. I was always buying new containers of those wet pads and sometimes used several to clean my entire house. This was such a waste compared to how I mop now. I purchased the Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop. This mop has a microfiber cleaning cloth that is completely washable in the washing machine. It also has a refillable bottle for the spraying solution that you can put your own homemade cleaning solution in! This thing is totally awesome in my book! I believe that I purchased mine at Target, but I have seen them at Sam’s club as well as Walmart.
ITEMS TO PURCHASE (RECURRING)
BAKING SODA - Mostly likely you have a box of this sitting open in your refrigerator. Baking Soda is a fabulous deodorizer for just about anything; even those stinky shoes your son leaves by the front door. It works well as a mild abrasive and mixed with vinegar, its fizz will speed up your cleaning time; unclogging drains and cleaning toilets. I purchased a 13lbs. bag at Sam’s Club for around $6.
WASHING SODA (SODIUM CARBONATE) - Is in the same family as baking soda, but has a higher alkalinity. You can find it in your laundry isle at your local supermarket. Washing soda make a great stain remover in clothing and even on counter tops in the kitchen, or stubborn stains in the bathtub.
BORAX - Sold in the laundry isle at most grocery stores, Borax is a natural laundry booster and all purpose cleaner around the house. Borax is a powdered combination of water, oxygen, sodium, and boron.
VINEGAR - The backbone to homemade all natural cleaning supplies, Vinegar is an amazing cleaning solution. It deodorizes, disinfects, removes mineral deposits, cleans stains, and loosens dirt! This is your cleaning powerhouse! I found vinegar at Sam’s Club; 2 gallons for $3.49. That seemed like such an amazing price!
CASTILE SOAP - Castile soap is made from 100% vegetable oils, as opposed to animal fat. It works wonders as an all-purpose cleaner all over the house. This can be found in most grocery stores and of course on Amazon. I personally prefer Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Castile Soap, but they have an entire line of different naturally scented castile soaps, so you can pick whatever catches your nose!
ESSENTIAL OILS - It may seem, at first glance, that essential oils are a bit pricey, but you will find that they are a bang for the buck because a VERY small amount goes a LONG way. They will store for up to 2 years, but should be kept in a cool, dark place. I found the Tea Tree oil from Target, but I purchased all of the rest of them on Amazon.
LEMON JUICE - Lemon Juice, like vinegar, is an acid. It can be used for bleaching and disinfecting all over your house. You can even use the rind of the lemon to bleach your sink! You can buy bottles of lemon juice in any grocery store, but it’s far more economical to purchase a bag of lemons and juice your own.
I am learning all about herbalism online and you can too!
I have been on an on-going educational journey to keep my family healthy. Most recently though, through my studies at the Herbal Academy of New England, I have learned that health doesn’t come from plastic bottles, vitality grows naturally from the way you live your life. You can learn all about herbs and how to use them as food and as medicine, online at your own pace. Join ME and thousands of others around the world, in this convenient and comprehensive online herbal course provided by the Herbal Academy of New England.
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