Green Cleaning....Where to start? (First step)

After a lifetime of using tried and trusted (but toxic) products, it must seem rather daunting to suddenly change over to green. As with all change it is best to take baby steps.

The easiest thing to try out is mirror/window cleaning where all you need is:

* White Vinegar in a spray bottle
* Newspaper

Spray the surface liberally and wipe till dry with the newspaper.

 I promise you the result will be amazing!

Hmm...Baking Soda? Bicarbonate of Soda? Sodium Bicarb?

All the one and same wonderful ingredient that makes bread rise. (It is NOT the same as baking powder though).Surprisingly, it is also a staple product for green cleaning. It's abrasive properties makes it ideal for cleaning sinks, taps, plugholes and bringing a shine to chrome, steel and aluminium. Bicarbonate of Soda is also effective to use for deodorising carpets, fridges, bins and drains.

Many of our clients are pet owners so we sprinkle bicarb on all their carpets and rugs as soon as we enter the home so that we can allow maximum time for deodorising.  After a minimum of 45 minutes, before we hoover it all up leaving the carpets and rugs looking fabulous and the pet odour all but eliminated.

To ensure the bicarb stays in mint condition, we store ours in glass jars.

Vinegar for cleaning! Really?

I remember the first time someone mentioned that I should try using green cleaning products at home to combat my daughter's then severe eczema. I did my research but I just really found it hard to get my head around using condiments to clean my house. I decided to give it a shot nonetheless.

Armed with malt vinegar (big mistake) from my kitchen cupboard and a piece of newspaper I set about cleaning my bathroom mirror. After ten minutes, I had a smeared mirror and my bathroom smelt like the local chippie. I was not impressed but decided to persevere.

I got my hands on Dri-Pak White Vinegar in a handy spray bottle and an old Evening Standard and within 2-3 minutes my mirror was picture perfect, smear and toothpaste free.

 Literally all it took was 3 light sprays, a crumpled page of newspaper and a little of bit of elbow grease and I had gotten the same results as my toxic, non-ecofriendly cleaner. Before long my cleaning caddy got a complete overhaul and was turned into a modern eco-cleaning basket and here we are three years later.

I can now honestly concur with the green cleaners of the world. White wine vinegar or white vinegar is an excellent household cleaning agent and is readily available in most supermarkets.  Because it is acidic, it dissolves mineral deposits from smooth surfaces such as chrome and glass and leaves most surfaces sparkling.

Many people ask us "what about the strong scent of vinegar?". Malt Vinegar is utterly and totally unsuitable as a cleaning agent but the scent of white vinegar does not last long at all. It will leave a shiny surface without smears and marks every time.