Toxic Free NC Tip of the Week: D.I.Y. All-Purpose Cleaner

Green and Clean

I’ve always liked the idea of Spring cleaning—throwing open the windows, cleaning everything from top to bottom, tossing out random items that have been wasting space since last Fall—it’s one of my favorite ways to mark the passing of cold weather.

However, I’ve also become a fan of the less popular Winter cleaning. Unlike its joyful cousin, Winter cleaning is more of a batten-down-the-hatches kind of ordeal. Once you’ve closed the windows in your house for the remainder of the year, it’s time to turn a critical eye to your indoor environs. There’s likely a ton of pollen, dust, neglected spills, funny smells, etc. lurking around that may not have caught your attention while you were flitting from cookout to cookout.

That said, I’d like to share this awesome do-it-yourself household cleaner recipe. I’ve been using it in my place for over a year, and it has completely eliminated my need to purchase commercial household cleaning supplies (besides dish and laundry soap, of course) and probably saved me a ton of money in the process. What I like most about it, though, is that unlike a lot of other commercial cleaning products, it doesn’t get absorbed into your skin, and there are no harsh fumes to deal with.

D.I.Y. All-Purpose Cleaner

2 cups hot water
2 tsp. Borax
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. liquid soap
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Mix well and pour into a spray bottle. Take care when handling the Borax, as inhaling the dust can irritate your lungs. Always label the bottle, and keep out of reach of children.

Borax can be found in the laundry supply aisle at any supermarket. A 4 lb. box usually costs around $4 and will last you FOREVER. You can use regular dish soap in this recipe, though we recommend that it be non-toxic and biodegradable. For a more strongly scented mix, you can use 6-8 drops of essential oil of lemon, orange, lime or whatever other scent you want to use instead of lemon juice.

I use this mix to clean my kitchen countertops, cabinets, linoleum, walls, bathroom sink, bathtub and toilet. I’ve also diluted it with hot water and used it to clean my hardwood floors. The best thing is that I don’t have to feel bad about my aversion to rubber gloves—with this recipe, I don’t need ‘em!

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Politics , Other posts by Ana Duncan Pardo.

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