If you are adhering to living green then you’ve probably thought about replacing all those toxic and hostile cleansers with some homemade green cleaning solutions.

Not only will it save you some cash (you could spend more on Christmas presents), it will also protect surfaces and fabrics from fading and damage. PLUS, you will be creating a safe environment for the kids, if you have any.

Every room has different appliances, pieces of furniture and floor coverings to be cleaned, so recipes and ingredients should vary accordingly.

So, here is a checklist of items to keep in your cupboard:

• Baking Soda
• Vinegar
• Water
• Borax
• Salt
• Grapefruit

Here are 3 Green cleaning recipes for you to try at home:

1) Clean grease from kitchen surfaces

When you fry your food, tiny little drops fly out to the surrounding areas, like the top of your oven, stovetops, cupboards, splashback and even find their way into the extractor. These can be extremely difficult to remove, especially when left there for a long time. But don’t worry, the solution is simple.

Here is what you need:

• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Spray bottle
• Sponge
• Dishcloth

Steps:

1. Grab the spray bottle and fill it with vinegar.
2. Sprinkle in large amounts onto the greasy surface.
3. Leave for 5-10 minutes, then wipe with a dishcloth or non-abrasive scrubber.

If it isn’t clean to your standards, you can sprinkle some baking soda on a damp sponge and wipe down what’s left. That should do the trick!

2) Clean the carpets

Over time carpets usually become darker, compared to when they are first laid. If you start off by cleaning only the areas with stains, you will discover how dirty the rest of the carpet really is. You can find some green carpet cleaners who use similar ingredients. If you are going to DIY then this method works perfectly.

Here is what you need:

• Vinegar
• Salt
• Borax
• Vacuum cleaner

Steps:

1. Vacuum thoroughly, go in all different directions and get hair, dust and small particles out of the carpet.
2. Mix in equal proportions of salt, borax and vinegar and apply the resulting paste to deep stains or heavily soiled parts of the carpet.
3. Allow the paste to sit for several hours, or until it dries completely, then vacuum it away.

3) Clean the bath

Grapefruit is fresh and sweet, and can add a freshness to your bathroom that is usually achieved with heavily scented candles or cleaning products that aren’t so eco-friendly.

You can face some pretty stubborn rust into the bathtub if you are moving into a home which was empty for a long time or you’ve just never found the time to give it a real good clean. Rust is hard to handle, but this tip will do the trick.

Here is what you need:

• Grapefruit (one large grapefruit is enough to clean your entire bath or shower up and down, including all units and fixed appliances).
• 1/4 cup coarse kosher salt

Steps:

1. Cut the fruit in half with a knife and use only 1 grapefruit half at a time.
2. Sprinkle its top profusely with salt.
3. Wet your bathtub and sprinkle the remaining salt around the bottom and the rusted areas.
4. Scrub your grapefruit all over your shower or tub. Make sure to moderately squeeze some juice over each fixture.
5. Lift the grapefruit every few seconds to pick up fresh salt from the bottom of the tub, where you have sprinkled it earlier.
6. When you are done, simply rinse away all remaining pulpy bits and salt. Now everything is clean and shiny!

Do you have any homemade cleaning solutions to add to this? Feel free to share in the comments below.

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