After the Swiffer Mop and Before the Vinegar
After the vinegar!
So I’m cleaning my apartment for the in-laws’ holiday visit and my kitchen’s tile grout looks filthy. I use my Swiffer mop and then scrub with Clorox (the new Green Works version available in stores) to no avail. In desperation, I seek google’s sound advice. The solution (literally)? One part vinegar one part water or a little baking soda paste. It sounds homey and environmentally friendly and inexpensive, but does it really work? Just look at the before and after pictures above!
When picking out cleaning products I try to moderate between price and environmental efficacy, so I have an assortment of ‘green’ cleaning products in my apartment. Some work, some don’t. But what seems to be most puzzling as peruse my way through all of the cleaning products I own is why have cleaning products in the first place? Nearly everything I clean, as I think about it, could be easily cleaned with three fully biodegradable, non-toxic household items: lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda. The Do-it-yourself website, has a new Going Green topic on its side menu, has a great article called How to Clean Green which lists several recipes for green cleaners. Here are two easy and useful examples:
Carpet Spot Remover
•Cornstarch or baking soda
•Club soda
Blot the spot and apply baking soda or cornstarch immediately. When dry, blot with club soda and vacuum.