Green Cleaning - Washington State University

Green CleaningIt’s in your cupboard!A do it yourself guide to make natural cleaners at home from simple ingredients.

Green CleaningIt’s in your cupboard!Grocery ListHave you ever looked foringredients on a cleaning product?If you can find the list, it’s usuallyvague like “cleaning agents” or aword that you can’t pronounce,let alone understand. This recipebooklet is designed to make creatingyour own cleaning products, safelyand inexpensively. There is far lessrisk to your family, your health, andto the environment with these nontoxic recipes. All of these recipeshave been tested extensively byWSU Snohomish County Extensionvolunteers, and handpicked fortheir ease of use and effectiveness.Time to get scrubbing!Common:Baking SodaBoraxHydrogen PeroxideLemon JuiceWhole LemonsOlive OilSalt (Epsom, Kosher, or Rock Salt)Shelled WalnutsWhite VinegarWhy Go Green? Keep Kids and Pets Safe Better for the Environment Reduce Health Risks Use Less Toxic Alternatives Save Money Prevent Allergic ReactionsLess Common:Bar Soap (like a Castile soap)Citric AcidConcentrated Liquid Soap(like a Castile Soap)Tea Tree OilWashing Soda

Table of ContentsGeneralWood PolishAll Purpose CleanerGlass CleanerLemon DisinfectantWood Scratch RemoverDrain CleanerKitchenDishwasher SoapOven CleanerBathroomPorcelain, Tile, and Grout CleanerKathy’s Easy Toilet Bowl CleanerLaundryBleach AlternativeKathy’s Stain RemoverLaundry SoapDryer SheetsOtherOil StainsFungicidePet StainsFour Most Common IngredientsSingle Ingredient 66Other777888

GeneralWood PolishGlass CleanerIngredients: 3 cups Olive Oil 1 cup White VinegarIngredients: 2 cups Water 1 cup White Vinegar 1/4 teaspoon ConcentratedLiquid Soap (like a Castile Soap)*Directions:Add olive oil and vinegar into aspray bottle and shake.Directions:Add 2 cups water, 1/4 cup vinegar,and 1/2 teaspoon liquid dish soapinto a spray bottle.How to Use:Shake before using. Spritz ontowood surfaces and wipe withcotton cloth.How to Use:Spritz onto windows and wipewith newspaper or microfiber cloth.All Purpose CleanerWarning: Do not use on tintedwindows, like ones found ona vehicle.Ingredients: 1 tablespoon White Vinegar 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice 1 tablespoon Borax 1 cup Water 1 tablespoon ConcentratedLiquid Soap (like a Castile Soap)**Important: Add water first becauseif you put the soap in first, you willlose a lot in bubbles.Directions:Add vinegar, lemon juice, boraxand water into a spray bottle. Thenadd the concentrated natural soapand shake well.How to Use:Spray on surfaces that need to beclean, and wipe off.1

Lemon DisinfectantWood Scratch RemoverIngredient: Whole LemonsIngredients: Shelled WalnutsDirections:Cut a whole lemon in half andusing the ends to as a naturalhandle to hold onto.Directions:Use shelled walnuts or shell wholewalnuts yourself. Break the meat intotwo flat pieces.How to Use:For cleaning and disinfectingcutting boards (or hard surface),you slice a lemon in half and rub itcut side down all over the cuttingboard, then wash as usual.How to Use:Take a shelled walnut half and rub itover the scratch in a circular motion.Wait 5 minutes while the oils from thewalnut soak into the wood. Takea soft cloth and wipe away anyremaining walnut pieces/residue. Yourscratch should be greatly diminished,if not gone completely.For drains and garbage disposals,you toss a halved lemon into thegarbage disposal and run it tofreshen and disinfect.Drain CleanerNote: You can pour lemon juice downyour drains to freshen them up. Makesure you let it sit for 5 minutes in thedrain before you add water.Ingredients: 1 cup Baking Soda 1 cup Vinegar 2 quarts Boiling WaterWarning: Do not use lemons toclean marble as this could leadto pitting.2How to Use:Plunge the clogged sink. Immediatelysprinkle into drain Baking Sodafollowed by Vinegar. Then pour 2quarts of boiling water. Repeat untildrain runs freely. It is normal for thevinegar and baking soda to froth up!

KitchenDishwasher SoapOven CleanerIngredients: 1 cup Washing Soda 1 cup Baking Soda 1 cup Borax 1/2 cup Citric acid 1 cup SaltIngredients: Baking Soda WaterDirections:Put water into a spray bottle. Usebaking soda from container.(Epsom, Kosher, or Rock Salt)How to Use:Apply in a COLD oven.Directions:Combine the washing soda, bakingsoda, borax, citric acid, and salt.Spray the whole oven down withwater so that it is damp and add athick layer (1/4 inch) of baking sodato top, sides, bottom. If any of thebaking soda is still dry, mist it withthe water bottle.Store the dishwasher soap in acontainer with an airtight lid.How to Use:Place soap into the dishwasher soapdispenser and run as usual.Shut oven door.Note: If your dishes are not comingclean, you can make your dishwashersoap super strength by adding moreCitric Acid.After a few hours, simply wipe upthe paste with a cloth and all thegrime comes with it. For heavilybaked on grime, this may take acouple of applications or use steelwool on those spots.3

BathroomPorcelain, Tile, andGrout CleanerKathy’s Easy ToiletBowl CleanerIngredients: 1/2 cup Baking Soda 1/4 cup Hydrogen Peroxide 1 teaspoon Concentrated LiquidSoap (like a Castile Soap)Ingredients: 1 3/4 cup Water 2 tablespoon Baking Soda 1/4 cup Concentrated LiquidSoap (like a Castile Soap)* Optional: 5 drops Essential OilsDirections:Mix the baking soda and hydrogenperoxide. Then add natural dishsoap in a small squeeze-topcontainer (or small tub with a lid)and mix well.Direction:Mix water and baking soda (Ifdesired, the essential oils) in a 16-ozsquirt bottle. Add the concentratednatural soap and shake well.How to Use:Use cloth, sponge, or toothbrushto apply and let sit 5‒10 minutes.Rinse and dry if needed.How to Use:Squirt mixture in a swirl and usetoilet brush to scrub bowl. This isquick so you can use often.Note: Use any essential oils you like,like Peppermint. It makes the choreseem almost fun!*Important: Add water first becauseif you put the soap in first, you willlose a lot in bubbles.4

LaundryKathy’s StainRemoverHydrogen Peroxide is a nonchlorinebleach. It will whiten and brightenclothes, disinfect laundry, andremove stains. It is gentler andless toxic than chlorine bleach. Itis safe for most fabrics and dyes.Like any color safe bleach, take carewhen using on dark colors; test iton a swatch of fabric before usingand always wash right away afterspraying on stain.Ingredients: 1 teaspoon Hydrogen Peroxide 1/2 teaspoon ConcentratedLiquid Soap (like a Castile Soap)Directions:Mix together hydrogen peroxideand dish soap in a small cup.How to Use:Dab it on the problem area. Let sita couple minutes. Throw the articlein the wash.Bleach AlternativeIngredients: 1 1/2 cups Hydrogen Peroxide 1/2 cup Lemon Juice 1 tablespoon Citric Acid Water to Fill a Gallon JugDirections:Pour hydrogen peroxide, lemonjuice, and citric acid into a gallonsize jug. Swish around until citricacid dissolves. Fill the rest of thejug with water.When to Use:Use in place of bleach. Rinse well.5

Laundry SoapDryer SheetsIngredients: 1 cup Borax 1 cup Washing Soda 1 Bar Soap (like a Castile Soap)Ingredients: 1/2 cup White Vinegar 8 drops of Tea Tree OilDirections:Mix the vinegar and tea tree oil ina small bowl. Cut up cotton clothsand put into anair-tight container. Pour themixture over the cloths until theyare dampened but not soaked.Directions:Grate the bar soap, then pulverizeit in the blender. Add borax andwashing soda then mix thoroughly.Put in an airtight container.How to Use:Use one heaping tablespoon perload. For extra-large loads, addanother tablespoon of laundry soap.Keep in a securely closed container.How to Use:Remove a cloth and squeezeany excess liquid back into thecontainer. Toss into the dryer. Afterthe clothes are dry, return clothback into the jar to reuse.Note: Makes about 40 loads of laundry.Borax, like baking soda, couldcause minor skin irritation. Whenstudying borax in regards to health,it is considered similar to salt andbaking soda with the same healthrisks. Ingesting borax in largelevels could possibly disrupt thereproductive system. Using boraxfor cleaning (not ingested) has notshown any health risks. Borax isa natural ingredient that does notcause cancer, absorb through theskin, nor builds up in humans. Boraxis not caustic to the environment.Tip: To reduce static cling in clothes,reduce the heat temperature of yourdryer and do not over heat.FYI: Vinegar is a natural softenerand Tea Tree Oil is not onlyfresh smelling but also a naturalfungicide for socks and towels.6

OtherOil StainsPet StainsIngredient: Baking SodaIngredient: 4 cups Hydrogen Peroxide 1 splash of White Vinegar 1/4 cup Baking Soda 1 teaspoon Concentrated LiquidSoap (like a Castile Soap)*How to Use:Sprinkle a bunch of baking sodain the spot and rub it in. Vacuumthe baking soda off the carpet. Ifthe carpet still has baking soda stillvisible, wipe it off with a dampcloth. For clothing, rub in bakingsoda and then put into the washermachine and wash as directedon label.Directions:Mix the hydrogen peroxide,vinegar, and baking soda in a bowl.After baking soda dissolves, pourinto a squeeze bottle and add thenatural dish soap.FungicideHow to Use:Squirt onto carpet or bedding untilstain is soaked. Rub spot if neededthen press a dry cloth to removeall moisture or put into the washermachine and wash as directed onlabel. Store the cleaner in a dark,dry place.Ingredients: 1 teaspoon Tea Tree Oil 2 cups WaterDirections:Add tea tree oil and Water into aspray bottle. Shake well.One time use: 1/2 cup Hydrogen Peroxide 1 splash of White Vinegar 1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda 1 drop of Concentrated LiquidSoap (like a Castile Soap)*How to Use:Spray on surfaces that are moldy ormusty and wipe off.*Important: Add water first becauseif you put the soap in first, you willlose a lot in bubbles.7

Single Ingredient ListHere are quick 1-step recipes toreplace things you use every day.Baking Soda Refrigerator Deodorizer Interior Refrigerator Cleaner Oil Stains: Page 7 Oven Cleaner: Page 3Vinegar Cleaner for Repotting Plants Pots Garden Tool Cleaner Vinegar Disinfectant Hard Surface Floor CleanerLemons Lemon Disinfectant: Page 2Walnuts Wood Scratch Remover: Page 2Notes:8

Note: This drop-off facility is only opento Snohomish County residents. Pleasecheck with your county for HouseholdHazardous Waste disposal.

Baking Soda Water Directions: Put water into a spray bottle. Use baking soda from container. How to Use: Apply in a COLD oven. Spray the whole oven down with water so that it is damp and add a thick layer (1/4 inch) of baking soda to top, sides, bottom. If any of the baking soda is still dry, mist it with the water bottle. Shut oven door.