ATLANTA— Did you know that ground cinnamon is an effective and organic way to control ants? How about using a combination of sea salt and lemon to clean chrome, copper, and brass? It doesn’t take harsh chemicals to get the house cleaning job done well. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that indoor environments may be two to five times more polluted than the outdoors, in part due to the regular use of traditional cleaning supplies laden with harmful chemicals.
Detox your home this spring with the Maid Brigade Spring Cleaning Go to Guide authored by Green Cleaning Coach Leslie Reichert and Maid Brigade Consumer Health Advocate Marie Stegner. Below are some natural, green cleaning solutions as featured in the guide to minimize asthma and allergy triggers and improve your family’s overall health.
1. Daily All-Purpose Cleaner
1 cup white vinegar
1-cup seltzer water
8 drops tea tree oil
1/8-cup hydrogen peroxide
Mix ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray on surface to disinfect and let soak for several minutes before wiping away. Hydrogen peroxide eventually loses its strength so you will need to add more to the mixture each time you use the solution.
2. Furniture Polish
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. water
Juice of 1 lemon
Mix liquids in a spray bottle. Shake well and apply to furniture. Allow polish to sit for 5 minutes before buffing with a dry polishing cloth.
3. No Wax Floor Cleaner
1/4 cup lemon juice
8 drops dish soap
3 tbsp. skim milk or powdered milk
2 cups warm water
Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and spray directly onto floor. Use a microfiber cloth to clean, then rinse the floor as needed. This method does not require a bucket and uses less cleaner and water than traditional methods.
4. Ant Repellant
Ground Cinnamon
Find where the trail of ants is entering your home and spread ground cinnamon around the entire area. Ants do not like the smell and will go back to the nest with cinnamon stuck on their legs, moving out shortly after.
5. Chrome, Copper, and Brass Cleaner
1 whole lemon
1 small dish of sea salt
Cut the lemon in half and dip it in the salt. Rub the salted lemon on the tarnished metal. Then squeeze the juice of the lemon out slowly to cover the metal. Once clean, wash in warm water with a gentle dish soap.
For even more green cleaning recipes and healthy house cleaning tips visit www.maidbrigade.com.
