It's sort of easy being green

The United States Environmental Protection Agency reports that the air we breathe inside of our homes could be from two to 100 times more polluted than being outdoors.

With most all cleaning products being petroleum based many are concerned they are the culprits of environmental and health issues.

Just as the trends in furniture and clothing come back full circle, so has the “green” methods of cleaning our homes. Using everyday items found in our pantries, green cleaning recipes are getting squeaky clean reviews.

The following are The Examiner’s Top 10 recipes for green cleaning along with the green websites they came from.

10 What’s that smell?  Skip the store-bought air freshener and instead try boiling cinnamon, cloves, or any other herbs you have a fondness for. Fresh chocolate chip cookies also have been known to create a friendly aroma. Also, plants may not make your house smell different but are good for filtering interior air - -pretty much any broad green leaf plant will do. Peace Lilies are a favorite choice. From www.planetgreen.discovery.com

9 You can feel the freshness. Fabric can be softened by adding one-quarter cup of baking soda to the wash cycle; this recently worked on several pairs of catalog-bought cargo pants made of a cardboard-stiff cotton that literally scraped a teenager's skin. A quarter cup of white vinegar will also soften fabric, as well as eliminate cling. From www.grist.org

8 Spray away the grime. All-purpose spray cleaner: 1/2 teaspoon washing soda, a dab of liquid soap, 2 cups hot tap water; combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag. From www.care2.com

7 For things that shine. Copper and Brass: 2 tbsps salt, white vinegar; add vinegar to salt until you've created a paste. Adding flour will reduce abrasiveness. Apply with a rag and rub clean.
Stainless Steel: baking soda, white vinegar; apply baking soda with a damp cloth, using the vinegar to eliminate spots. From www.thegreenguide.com
 
6 Carpet stains begone. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray directly on stain, let sit for several minutes, and clean with a brush or sponge using warm soapy water. For a heavy duty carpet cleaner, mix 1/4 cup each of salt, borax and vinegar. Rub paste into carpet and leave for a few hours. Vacuum. From www.eartheasy.com

5 For your appliances. Dry baking soda shines up small appliances and even removes bread wrappers burned onto the toaster. Try rubbing a teaspoon onto your grubby blender or food processor with a clean flannel cloth. From bhg.com

4 Polish your furniture. Mix olive oil and vinegar in a one-to-one ratio and polish with a soft cloth. Or look in a health-food store for food-grade linseed oil, often called omega-3 or flaxseed oil, rather than the type found in hardware stores to finish furniture. Linseed oil sold for furniture use often contains dangerous petroleum distillates to speed evaporation. From www.greenerchoices.com

3 If you are buggy. Here is a list of deterrents for ants: Cinnamon, Lemon Dishwashing Detergent, boiling water, equal parts Borax detergent and dugar (mix with water or use dry) ; Ant traps: 1/3 C molasses or honey, 6 T Sugar 6 T active dry yeast, mix together. Outside put the paste in a container near the colony. Inside put the mixture on a piece of cardboard in the areas ants come into the house. From www.creativehomemaking.com

2 Scrub-a-dub-dub. Non-Abrasive Soft Scrubber: 1/4 cup Borax, vegetable-oil based liquid soap (such as Murphys Oil Soap), 1/2 teaspoon lemon oil.
In a bowl, mix the Borax with enough soap to form a creamy paste. Add lemon oil and blend well. Scoop a small amount of the mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface, then rinse well. From www.geocities.com

1 And your troubles go down the drain. Once a week, pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain to flush it out. If the drain does become clogged, use a plunger, or try a simple, safe DIY recipe: Add one cup baking soda and one cup vinegar to a large pot of boiling water (they’ll fizz) and pour down the drain; the combination will dissolve fatty, greasy clogs. Flush with tap water until it clears. From www.greencleanbook.com