Four green solutions for keeping it clean

Published 12:01 am Sunday, August 21, 2011

We have been unwittingly encouraging the use of “organic cleaners” for more than two decades. We knew the cleaning products we had always promoted were safe, cost-effective and readily available in most households, but we just never looked at them as “organic.”

Could it be that, after years of recommending these cleaners, we can now claim that we are “old-time, dyed in the wool cleaning greenies?” Nontoxic or organic cleaning products that are safe enough to drink are definitely no threat to the environment and, without question, are safe to use.

Citrus

Citric acid is a dynamite organic cleaner. It is not only a fantastic cleaning agent but a great deodorizer as well. You can choose orange, lemon or grapefruit; they all work beautifully to freshen your drain and garbage disposal, or squeeze the juice on your countertop and spray with water for a quick stain removal.

Use a tray of vinegar ice cubes to clean your disposal. Throw the ice into the disposal while it is running. When the ice is gone throw in a quartered lemon rind. Pure lemon juice, like vinegar, also disinfects.

It is nearly as potent as vinegar but with a much more pleasant aroma. Lemon juice is also helpful when it comes to removing oily substances. This means you can use it to remove soap scum from glass.

Vinegar

While vinegar may not have the most pleasant odor, it can do wonders from cleaning windows to coffee-stained coffee makers. Use white vinegar as a cleaning agent mixed with equal parts of water to remove solid stains, waxy build-up on mirrors and countertops, as well as mildew.

It leaves windows and mirrors shining and streak free, and coffee maker glass carafes free from old coffee stains. Vinegar also works well for cleaning paintbrushes. Vinegar also is a strong disinfectant and can kill germs and bacteria.

Baking soda

Baking soda is commonly used in the refrigerator to absorb odors and to increase the longevity of foods therein. Baking soda also is a terrific cleaning agent that can remove dirt and grime from ceramic tile and tile grout.

The trick is to use it as a paste, which can be made by combining it with water. Simply scrub it on, wait for it to dry and then rinse it off. For tough jobs, first apply the baking soda paste and then spray it with lemon juice.

To clean and shine polished chrome plumbing fixtures such as a faucet, shower head and the like; use baking soda and salt will dissolve hard water stains and tarnish. These qualities make these ingredients a remarkable combination.

Mix together 1 cup of baking soda and a teaspoon of salt. You then add a few drops of water to make a paste. Apply and allow it to sit for several minutes before rinsing off and buffing the metal finish.

Once mixed with an equal amount of water, baking soda is a superb cleaner. Baking soda helps to clean and deodorize, and serves well as serve as a scouring agent, polisher, stain remover and fabric softener.

Besides tile and plumbing fixtures it also can be used to safely clean plastic, vinyl, carpet, silver, stainless steel and drains. Using baking soda in stinky areas of the house helps neutralize foul odors.

Here’s how to make your very own Laundry Deodorizer: Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your wash to deodorize clothes. You also can buy detergents that contain the baking soda. Baking soda can be used to deodorize closets too.

Fabric softener

Fabric softener also can eliminate ugly odors in garbage cans and laundry baskets. Place a sheet at the bottom of the wastebasket or hamper. Remove unsightly dust from venetian blinds by wiping the slats. Keep rodents away from stored pantry items by placing a fabric softener sheet in the pantry area.

They also serve as economical deodorizers for shoes or sneakers; place a sheet in them overnight. Dryer sheets can also help collect work room shavings from woodworking, sandpapering or drilling similar to what a tack cloth can do.

For tips from James and Morris Carey, go to www.onthehouse.com or call the listener hot line, 800-737-2474, ext. 59. The Careys are also on KRKO (1380-AM) from 6 to 10 a.m. every Saturday.