Most cleaning products available these days rely heavily on caustic and toxic chemicals that seriously damage the environment. They often aren’t great for your health either.

If you’re thinking about not using these unnecessarily harsh products, you may want to consider an equivalent but more environmentally friendly cleaner. There are ways of cleaning your home while being gentler on the environment. Here are some ideas to consider:

Simple Green. Simple Green is an excellent industrial strength cleaner that happens to carry the Green Seal certification for environmental responsibility. The Green Seal guarantees that a product meets strict standards of environmental stewardship in the way it’s manufactured and used. It also indicates a product that is easily biodegradable. Simple Green is versatile, extremely effective and will clean the toughest jobs. It’s very strong in its off the shelf form, so you may want to dilute it in water. This has the positive benefit of allowing you to control its strength when cleaning more delicate objects. Use it in your kitchen, your bathroom, to wash your car, or just about anything else–while being confident you’re using a product with minimal impact on the environment.

Baking Soda. Baking soda has well-known cleaning, scrubbing, and deodorizing properties. It’s also gentle and environmentally friendly. It has a large number of uses, including many you may not have thought about. In addition to its popular use for removing unpleasant odors from the refrigerator, it can be sprinkled on carpets and rugs to deodorize them. You can sprinkle it on a sponge and wipe your counters without scratching them. You can dilute it in water to deodorize your mop. It’s a wonderfully versatile substance.

Tea Tree Oil. If you’re attacking mold, there are several natural ways to get rid of it. One of the best is to use tea tree oil, which has great antifungal and antimicrobial properties. Mix a teaspoon of it with two cups of water, spray it on the affected area and allow to dry. The scent can be strong, but it will dissipate in a day or two.

Going green often requires sacrifice, but not when it comes to cleaning. Cleaning your home should not force you to endure harsh chemicals. You can do a great job with a green cleaner that won’t put your family’s health at risk or harm the environment.

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