ATLANTA—Keeping the environment in mind as we clean our homes isn’t always easy. In honor of Earth Day, April 22, ditch your ordinary cleaning routine for a new green cleaning arsenal that’s safe for you and the environment.
“When in a pinch, we all go for the cleaners that are close at hand,” says Marie Stegner, consumer health advocate and blogger for the green cleaning leader, Maid Brigade. “I keep natural cleaning supplies handy at all times. It’s amazing that you can safely and effectively clean your home with everyday household items like olive oil, baking soda, salt, white vinegar, and lemon.”
Below are Stegner’s top green cleaning recipes to solve four common home cleaning challenges.
1. Got rings? Those coffee table rings left behind from a wet glass or can are a breeze to remove using white vinegar, olive oil, and a microfiber cloth. Mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply with a microfiber cloth moving with the wood grain. Use a second, clean microfiber cloth to shine it up after.
2. Self-cleaning leaving grime behind? Try this natural oven cleaner. Fill an ovenproof dish with water and place in the oven. Heat the oven until the steam softens the baked-on grime. Let the oven cool and mix 8 tbl each of salt, baking soda, and white vinegar into a paste to scrub the oven surfaces clean.
3. Scum got you on the edge? Tackle that nasty residue around the tub and shower with a scrub paste made from baking soda and a tiny bit of water. Rub with a microfiber cloth.
4. Disgusting drain a drag? Hot lemon juice and baking soda make a good drain cleaner that is also safe for septic systems.
For more green cleaning tips and recipes download the Maid Brigade Green Cleaning Go-To Guide at www.maidbrigade.com/green-house-cleaning/green-go-to-guide.
And tune in Tuesdays at 9 a.m. EDT to the Clean Green Talk radio show co-hosted by Stegner and green cleaning coach and author, Leslie Reichert, for more ideas on how to keep your home clean and healthy. To listen to old episodes visit https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/clean-green-talk-show/id664382328.
About Maid Brigade
Headquartered in Atlanta, Maid Brigade is the only house cleaning service that is Green Clean Certified® with more than 400 franchise service areas in the United States and Canada. Established in 1979, Maid Brigade is the green cleaning industry leader and has a longstanding legacy of providing quality customer service and consistent and thorough cleaning using the most advanced techniques and equipment. The company has also implemented a consumer advocacy program in response to reports from the Environmental Protection Agency linking chemicals in traditional cleaning products to a wide range of health risks. For more information visit www.maidbrigade.com or call 866-800-7434.
