My favorite natural cleaning products for a more greener home include:
1. Baking Soda, what can't it do? Pour baking soda on one of those textured showers, squeeze the juice from a couple lemons, go have a latte, come back, use the lemons as sponges, and scrub the grime away! You can then toss those lemons down your disposal and have double duty - they make a great disposal refresher!
2. Baking soda in the washing machine along with any natural detergent such as Method or Arm & Hammer's Essentials will make your clothes nice and clean. If you really want them bright, add a scoop of OxiClean or just put your machine to soak, add a cup of Borax and let it sit while it whitens.
3. Laundry is always a chore; you can try the baking soda and borax for added brightness. I use vinegar and baking soda for whites also, it does help keep them clean. I also love Mrs. Meyers anything.
4. Dishes, I will never love looking at a sink full but if I have to plunge my hands into a gallon of hot, sudsy water, why not do it with some aromatherapy? I love Mrs. Meyers lavender dish liquid. I also love Method's lavender dish liquid.
5. All purpose cleaning for the walls, car, washing machine gunk, bathroom sink is any of the ones I mentioned above or Lemon Simple Green. Simple Green has been around forever and you can pick up a gallon jug at Home Depot. Pick up a spray bottle also and you can mix the concentrate, reuse the spray bottle, and save the environment about 16 more pieces of plastic! Simple Green doesn't have an oil-base like some of the direct-to-consumer Melaleuca products so it is safe to clean some of those Jacuzzi jet bathtubs.
6. I believe every home should have a gallon of distilled water and a couple microfiber cloths. If you get a spill on a sofa, just dampen that microfiber cloth and wipe it up. That same cloth, slightly damp, can be a great dust-catcher on all those pieces of wood furniture and knick-knacks.
7. A microfiber mop is great on wood floors as well as tile. It is good for everyday dusting and with a little water, can be a great cleaner. The cloth can be taken off the mop and tossed in the wash - recycle!
8. There is nothing like using the old Sunday newspaper and a spray bottle of vinegar, water, and a squeeze of lemon to get those windows clean. You can use this to clean the car windows also and have streak-free shine. A reusable polishing cloth can also work.
9. Ok, that toilet, it is disgusting and no one really wants to look at it, forget cleaning it. Don the gloves, grab the brush and get to work with a cup of Borax and a few squeezes of lemon. Pour in the borax and let it sit for about 1/2 hour - enough time to grab another latte. Squeeze in the lemon to get a fresh scent and then scrub away!
10. Last tip for those quick clean-ups. Mix a little Simple Green in one of those Reusable Containers - think a big margarine tub or yogurt tub or simply go to the store and buy one of those Rubbermaid tubs. Make one for each bathroom, keep it above the toilet for those quick cleanings. Cut a roll of Viva paper towels in half (this works great on those big, round baby wipe tubs) and soak it in the mixture. Pour a little mixture on top, seal it, and voila! You can also take the time to pull off each paper towel, fold it, and soak it in a square tub, either way, instant, ready cleaner!
These are some of the tips I use to clean up after a husband and five kids in a male-dominated household. It also makes it a quick, no-excuse way for my teenage sons to tackle that scary place called their bathroom!
Happy and breathable cleaning!