How Healthy is What's in Your Kitchen Cleaning Kit?
By Lynn Argent
Under many kitchen sinks sit a variety of cleaners, all sold to us to do a specific job. Do we really need all of them? The short answer is, "No!" It's the effect of good marketing to believe that only oven cleaners can clean ovens and sink cleaners can only clean sinks. While such ingredients are created with one job in mind, they are not the only way to clean. With a few, basic ingredients, we can tackle many household cleaning jobs, save money and improve health.
When it comes to the kitchen, most jobs can be done with an all-purpose cleaner and a few non-toxic, targeted ones. A comparison of ingredients will often show you just how similar formulations can be to one another. Take one brand and compare to see how to simplify and reduce the number of products you buy.
For countertops, try vinegar and hot water or an all purpose liquid soap to ease the need for elbow grease. Borax has disinfectant properties and is good for a deep clean and to tackle mold. The best combo for disinfecting countertops, dish trays and even food is the dynamic duo of vinegar and hyrdrogen peroxide. Don't put them in the same spray bottle, though. Keep them in separate bottles and spray in any order. Together, they kill more germs than chlorine bleach, without the fumes and harm to the environment.
To clean sinks, make a paste of vinegar and baking soda. Apply and let sit a while and rinse. They'll cut through grease and flow safely down the drain.
Don't you love it when you can buy in bulk, know what you're getting and reduce the need for a bunch of products? It's great to have options and making our own cleaners from safe ingredients can result in lower costs to both our bodies and wallets.
Copyright Lynn Argent, 2008. Reproduction is not permitted without written consent by the author.
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This article was posted by Lynn Argent
