First of all, I want to apologize for my temporary absence. I was having a tough week health wise, and I’ve kind of been blogging nonstop since I started and I just needed a break. The problem with blogging is it isn’t just writing. Once you get started, you want to learn more about how to use social media effectively, how to take better pictures, how to edit photos, how to get more traffic, etc. etc. and it kind of can turn into an obsession. So I took a little step back to remind myself about the other important things in my life.
But I’m back! And as promised, here is part three of my Green Bathroom Cleaner Series! Don’t forget to check out Part One and Part Two first!
Like I said in the first two parts, bathroom cleaning products are some of the worst offenders when it comes to harmful chemicals:
- Butoxydiglycol: toxic for the reproductive system
- Alkyl C12-18 dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride: Highly toxic to aquatic organisms, considered acutely toxic
- PEG Compounds: harmful to human nervous system and can harm development, potential carcinogen
- Artificial Fragrance: artificial fragrances can indicate up to 4000 ingredients, which can range from causing allergic reactions to being carcinogenic
- Isobutane: irritant to eyes and skin, may be toxic to human health
And that’s just the beginning of the long, long list.
The safest way to clean your bathroom is to know every ingredient you are using. When I use commercial cleaners to clean my bathroom, I have to step out and take breaks because the fumes make me feel dizzy and awful. When I use these homemade green cleaners, there is no problem. They smell like lemon and sometimes a hint of vinegar. And they work just as well if not better.
They are also really easy on your budget. The seven green cleaners in this three part series use only five different ingredients: borax, baking soda, liquid castile soap, white distilled vinegar, and lemon essential oil. And they all cost less than a dollar to make. You can’t beat that.
This image summarizes all the cleaning recipes I will go over. Scroll down for more details and photos of the cleaners in action.
Our first cleaner in part three…
Green Glass Cleaner
I used to always be a big fan of windex, but honestly, this works just as well. And it’s cheaper, healthier, and better for the environment. And it has no dye in it. Do you really want artificial dye on your glass?
Anyways, all you need is:
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 cups warm water
- 5-10 drops lemon essential oil (optional)
- An empty spray bottle
Simply combine all the ingredients in the spray bottle, and shake before use. Easy peasy.
So our mirror was kind of smudgy. Ok, really smudgy.
But after using the cleaner, it looked PERFECT!
You can really see the difference side by side:
It feels nice having a clean bathroom!
And for our final cleaner….
lisa says
glad you are back!
Erlene says
This is a fabulous list of green cleaners. I’ve been trying to slowly switch over, but my kids keep complaining about the vinegar smell…lol. I even put in the essential oils…maybe I need to add more. Thanks for sharing on Merry Monday Linky Party.