It’s time to make a commitment to green cleaning and here’s why— to prevent harmful chemicals from contaminating your home and family, and from going down the drain. Spend less on cleaning products, simplify your choices and have less of a negative impact on the environment.

Ingredients in conventional cleaners are far from “clean,” they often contain toxic chemicals and feature warnings about their potential harm. There are simple, natural alternatives such as baking soda, vinegar and lemon. These items might already be in your cupboard!

This simple cleaning ‘Starter Kit’ includes essential steps to set you up for a more conscious and economical way of housekeeping—one that’s good for your body and the planet!

Supplies List

• 2 – 1L Spray Bottles – good, heavy-duty ones
• 1 Shaker Jar with holes in the lid – such as an old spice jar or a mason jar
• 60mL Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap – your favorite scent
• 480mL White Vinegar
• 1L + 480mL Water – Reverse osmosis water makes for a crystal-clear solution, but tap water works too
• 400g Baking Soda – bicarbonate of soda
• Essential Oils (optional) 20 drops/recipe – tea tree for an extra cleaning punch, and any other essential oil that makes you happy

Glass cleaner

Pour 480mL of water and 480mL of white vinegar into a 1L spray bottle. That’s it. It performs exactly like conventional glass cleaner, is much less harmful and costs less than one dollar to replenish. Use a microfiber cloth with this cleaner on your glass surfaces.

Scouring Powder

This contains simply baking soda, with a little bit of essential oil. Baking soda—the same stuff you are using in your kitchen to bake. Baking soda is useful around the house for other cleaning duties like laundry, and it’s a safe ingredient.

For the powder: put 400g of baking soda into a mason jar and add 20 drops of essential oils of your choice—it can be orange, tea tree, lavender, eucalyptus or any oil you prefer while you clean. The baking soda will quickly absorb the essential oils as you stir it in. It works well if you have a perforated lid for you mason jar or use an old spice container, so you can lightly shake it onto a surface.

All-Purpose Spray

Fill a 1L spray bottle with just under a liter of water. Then, add a 60 mL of Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap in the scent of your choice. You can also use Baby Unscented if you have a sensitivity to essential oils. *Pro Tip*: add the soap after adding the water so that you don’t end up with an overflow of soap suds. An optional step is to add 20 drops of Tea Tree essential oil to give your spray an extra antibacterial punch. Now you are ready to spray and wipe your surfaces, and it costs about $2.00 to refill!

Now put these green products to use! Combine efforts and use both the all-purpose spray and scouring powder to tackle areas that easily build up dirt and scum. For example, to clean the bathtub, sink or toilet sprinkle scouring powder, spray and then scrub and wipe clean.

You’ve been meaning to do this for ages. Today is the day you put together your Green Cleaning Starter Kit. The kit is so simple that you’ll be amazed at how it will indeed clean your entire house. No hazardous warnings. No funny business. No fancy gimmicks. Just clean and green. Go get started!

About the Author: Dr. Bronner’s

Dr. Bronner’s makes Pure-Castile Soap, hair and body care products of the highest quality. They are committed to making socially and environmentally responsible products. This guide was inspired by Lisa Bronner, author of the blog, “Going Green with a Bronner Mom,” and granddaughter of Dr. Emanuel Bronner, founder of Dr. Bronner’s. For more green cleaning recipes, visit Going Green with a Bronner Mom at https://www.lisabronner.com/