Make Your Own Green Cleaner

A few springs ago, I went on a "green" bender. While the cloth diaper washing and folding may not have lasted more than six months and the "green" deodorant was phased out with the first heat wave,  the all-purpose green cleaner recipe I found in one of my eco-friendly moms boards has stood the test of time.

The all-natural recipe is so easy to make and effective — it can obliterate caked on jelly stains off dining room walls,  leaves my granite countertops sparkling, and takes tape marks (and sticky fingerprints) off the stainless appliances. Plus it is gentle enough to use on my wood coffee table and even my laptop screen. There isn't anything (other than my grandmother's good mahogany dressers) that I haven't used it on — even my Burberry purse. (I feel like an infomercial...but its that good!) Best of all, it is cheap and easy to make. 

All you need is a 12 to 20 oz. spray bottle, white vinegar, borax, hot water, dishwashing liquid, and some essential oils to make it smell nice (optional).  Borax, a natural mineral, sold as a "laundry booster" in the laundry aisle, was likely a staple in your grandma's house. It has several different uses, but it's best-known quality is that it enhances other cleaning agents. (And is sells for about $3 for a 3-pound box.)

Rebecca Abma's All-Purpose Green Cleaner

In a spray bottle, dissolve approximately 2 Tablespoons of borax in 2 Tablespoon of white vinegar. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until borax is dissolved. Fill spray bottle with hot water and add a squirt of liquid dish detergent. To make it smell nice, add 10 to 20 drops of essential oils.

I like to use geranium and lavender oil for the bathroom cleaner and sweet orange and lemon for the kitchen cleaner. You can also use the recipe on a larger scale to wash floors.