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The trend towards eco-friendly and green has now hit big box stores across North America and store shelves are chalked full of products claiming to be environmentally friendly. While several products claim to be green it is buyer beware according to North America’s premier environmental marketing firm, TerraChoice Environmental Marketing.

In November of 2009 TerraChoice researchers went into big box retailers across the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia and documented product details for every single product claiming to be green. Within the USA and Canada, 98% of the 2219 products making green claims were guilty of some form of greenwashing.

As a consumer I don’t have the time or desire to try and sort out which products are both environmentally and health friendly. In order to save money, reduce my environmental impact, and experience a little peace of mind I am going to make my own cleaning products. Here are a few recipes I am looking to test out:

Flick Photo by Oh So Happy Together

Window Cleaner

• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
• 2 cups of water

Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle, shake it up, spray it on your windows.

Laminate Wood Floor Cleaner

• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 liq

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Wet a mop or sponge and wring it out.  Wipe down your floors.

Bath Soft Scrubber

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• liquid soap
• 5 drops essential oil

Put baking soda in a container and slowly add liquid soap while stirring the mix constantly.  Continue adding liquid soap until the mixture looks like cake icing.  Add essential oil.  Use mixture to scrub surfaces.  Rise to finish.

Wood Polish

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 Tbsp white vinegar
• 20-30 drops essential lemon oil

Mix ingredients in a spray bottle and shake before using.  Spray wood down and wipe with a cloth.

Kitchen and Bathroom Spray Cleaner

• 1/2 tsp liquid castile soap
• 2 tbsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp orange essential oil
• 1 tsp grapefruit essential oil
• 2 cups water

Mix ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes before pouring into a spray bottle.  Note: When you mix the vinegar and baking soda, the mixture will foam.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

• 1 and a 1/2 cups of white vinegar
• 1 cup of baking soda
• 1/4 cup of salt
• 5-10 drops of essential oil

Throw all ingredients into your toilet bowl, mix with toilet brush.  Once ingredients are mixed, let the mixture sit for 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes scrub the bowl with toilet brush and flush.

Do you have any homemade cleaning tips or favorite recipes?  If so, please do tell!

Photo Credit: Oh So Happy Together