Many commercial cleaners are bad for the environment and some of them can even damage your home's beautiful surfaces. These 10 tips will tell you how to keep the surfaces of your home immaculate using green cleaning solutions.
Granite Counters
Granite countertops are one of the latest trends in home kitchen design. While beautiful, granite needs special gentle care to ensure it's not etched or damaged by cleaning products. To keep your granite looking smooth and lustrous, simply use a dry cloth to wipe up spills as they occur. Soak up stains with a poultice made from baking soda mixed with water, then wipe the poultice away when it's done.
Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors add value to your home when they're properly cared for. Dry mop your hardwood floors whenever possible just to remove the worst of the dust bunnies, dirt and grit. When necessary, mix a solution of vinegar and water, and use the solution to dampen (but not soak) a mop. Wipe up the floors with the damp mop to keep the wood beautifully clean.
Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding is very durable and easy to clean. Simply mix a solution of half water and half vinegar and apply it to your siding with a scrub brush. Rinse the siding with a hose attached to a low-flow water nozzle.
Travertine Tile
Homeowners love travertine tile for its low-maintenance beauty. Over time, however, the grout can get stained. You can keep travertine tile looking its best by dry mopping on a nightly basis and wet mopping on a weekly basis. Use a non-acidic natural cleaner like Castillo soap mixed with water during the wet-mop phase.
Carpet
Homeowners love the plush feeling of carpet under their feet, but cleaning carpet can be tricky. Use a carpet rake to lift the carpet fibers before vacuuming. This makes it easier for the vacuum to do its job. When it comes to spot treating, treat stains with a solution of vinegar and water. Use a clean rag to dab at the stains until they're gone.
Windows
Spray your windows with a mixture of vinegar, and water and use newspaper to wipe the windows clean when you're done. This generally works on all types of windows, including the new low-e coated windows.
Walls
Wipe down your walls with a mixture of vinegar, water and baking soda--unless your walls are painted with eggshell paints. Many eggshell paints are considered unwashable and wiping them down with a solution of any kind can lead to staining. If your home is painted with eggshell paints, consider switching to semi-gloss.
Mirrors
Clean your mirrors like your windows, with a mixture of vinegar and water. For hard to remove streaks, wipe down the mirrors with lemon juice first.
Curtains
Vacuum your curtains with a soft brush attachment on a monthly basis to avoid necessary dry cleaning, which is known to be bad for the environment.
Shower Doors
Your beautiful shower doors can develop a layer of hard water stains if you're not careful. Squeegee your shower doors after every use to keep the minerals off of the glass. Then spray the glass with a mixture of water and vinegar, and let the mixture evaporate on the glass.
