If you keep your standard cleaning products in a cupboard or a box, you may notice the strong, unpleasant smell that emanates. From laundry detergent to window cleaner,

to getting rid of the baked on grease on your stovetop, the assortment of chemicals and formulas we expose ourselves and our families to are staggering. Not to mention expensive! And if you care at all about the environment, nagging questions remain about what happens when you

flush that blue stuff down the toilet after scrubbing.

If you have ever thought about making the switch to natural cleaners, there are new brands popping up from every manufacturer from Clorox to Arm and Hammer. These can be great, convenient options that take care of your home, your environment, and your health at the same time. But if you have a few minutes a week to go through your kitchen cupboards and throw a few things together into a spray bottle, you can make your own natural cleaning products for mere pennies. 

Three cornerstones of homemade cleaning products you most likely already have - and, since you can eat them, you can be sure they are safe to spray around your home!

They are: white vinegar, lemons, and baking soda. Check out some of these great, easy tips!

1. All-purpose cleanser: Mix one part vinegar with one part water in a spray bottle, and get to work!
2. Disinfectant: Vinegar works in your bathroom to disinfect and deodorize - just spray on, undiluted, and wipe off with a damp cloth.
3. Wood: Mix one part olive oil with one part lemon juice, then rub it into wooden floors or furniture with a soft rag.
4. Laundry: Use 1/2 cup vinegar in your rinse cycle in place of fabric softener, use salt and lemon juice to remove fabric stains in place of spot remover, and use 1/2 cup lemon juice in a gallon of water as a bleach alternative - just soak clothes from 1 hour to overnight.
5. Unclog Drains: Pour one cup baking soda down the drain, followed by one cup lemon juice. Wait twenty minutes, then follow up with some boiling water. 

Check out more recipes at Natural Cleaning Recipes,Natural Healthy Home Cleaning Tips. or just hit Google for a full listing and browse your heart out.

And if you try these easy tips, enjoy them, and want to take your foray into the cleaning product industry to the next level, you can check out a local workshop - one is regularly offered by Annares Natural Health. There are also Green Cleaning parties spreading across Canada and the US - hold one in your home or rent a space. For resources and details, visit

Women's Voices for the Earth

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