SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
CLEAN YOUR HOME
while saving money, your health, and the earth:
Baking soda, from ordinary to extraordinary
This ordinary household item cleans kitchens and bathrooms, as well as eliminates odors from the home.
Soft scrubber
– 1/2 cup baking soda liquid soap or detergent, enough to make a frosting-like consistency
– 5 to 10 drops antibacterial essential oil, such as lavender (optional)
Place baking soda in bowl; slowly pour in liquid soap, stirring continually. Add essential oil. Scoop mixture onto sponge, wash surface, and rinse.
Unclog drains
– Baking soda
– White vinegar
Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda in and around the drain opening. Follow with a cup of white vinegar. Repeat if needed, and finally flush with very hot water.
Salt and Lime
(not just for margaritas)
Rust remover for sinks and tubs
– Salt
– Lime juice
Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the rust, then squeeze a lime over the salt until it is nicely soaked in lime juice. Leave the mixture on for two or three hours. Use the leftover rind as a handy scrubber.
Vinegar — sour, yet sweet
All-purpose cleaner
– 1/4 cup white vinegar
– 2 tsp. borax
– 3 1/2 cups hot water
– 20 drops lemon or lavender essential oil
– 1/4 cup liquid dish soap
In a 32-oz. spray bottle, mix the vinegar, borax, and water thoroughly. Add essential oil if desired. Finish with dish soap. An alternative is microfiber cloths, which lift off dirt, grease and dust (they’re formulated to penetrate and trap dirt).
Wood floor cleaner
Use 1/2 cup vinegar per gallon of water.
Wipe dry.
Simply Sparkling Club Soda
Window cleaner
Apply directly with a spray bottle
and wipe dry.
Carpet spot remover
Blot stain immediately. Sprinkle with baking soda, cornstarch, or borax and let dry. Wash with club soda and vacuum.
Recipes courtesy of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
