design finch

Today is Earth Day, y’all.

While I jumped on the “go green” bandwagon long ago, each year this holiday gives me reason to stop and consider what else I could do to be a better steward of the natural resources God has entrusted us with. Around our house we already do most of the typical things – recycle, eat organic meat and produce, grow our own veggies, compost, support local farmers, and shop with reusable bags to name a few. But on the flip side, we’re not doing any favors to the ozone layer by commuting a combined 650 miles per week in our gas-guzzling vehicles. So while I’m not exactly giving No Impact Man a run for his money, there is a long list of things I can do to reduce my carbon footprint…..and hopefully make my little corner of the world a better place.

My latest experiment is replacing our off-the-shelf cleaning products with natural, non-toxic alternatives that I can make at home from a few simple ingredients. Not only are these homemade cleaners better for the environment, they are also healthier and significantly cheaper. There are many variations, but here are some common recipes for natural cleaning products:

All-purpose Cleaner

• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 tbsp baking soda
• 1/4 gallon hot water
• a few drops of essential oil (optional)

Combine ingredients in a bucket, stir, then allow the mixture to cool before pouring into a spray bottle.

Glass Cleaner

• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 1/4 gallon water
• a few drops of lemon essential oil (optional)

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake. Wipe the glass surface with crumpled newspaper.

Furniture Polish

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well before use. Store extra in the refrigerator to prevent lemon juice from souring.

Dishwasher Soap

• Equal parts borax and washing soda

Mix the ingredients and store in a labeled container. Use the amount normally called for in your dishwasher.

Laundry Soap

• 1 cup unscented, dye-free soap (such as Ivory), grated or ground with a food processor
• 1/2 cup washing soda
• 1/2 cup borax
• a few drops of essential oil (optional)

Combine the ingredients and store in a labeled container. Use 1 tbsp for lighter loads and 2 tbsp for heavy loads.

Free Printable Labels for Homemade Cleaning Products
clockwise from left: Patterned, Birdies, Dots, Shapes

So far I’ve only tried the recipes for all-purpose and glass cleaner, but found them to work just as well as the store-bought varieties. I plan to continue replacing the traditional, chemical-filled products for my natural homebrew as they run out. I’m even saving the spray bottles so I can reuse those…..after attaching a cute label, of course!