Vegetarian Culinarian

Sensitive skin runs in my family. Any kind of harsh cleaners (read: Clorox) make my skin turn red and peel. I used to have to wear gloves to wash dishes or clean the kitchen or bathroom, until I found out that homemade cleaners cleanse just as well without all of the skin-stripping chemicals. Not only are they so much better for my hands, lungs, and eyes, but they are better for the environment, because chemicals aren’t being washed down the drain. As an added bonus, they are inexpensive to make.

Before you start:

*Don’t use old cleaner bottles to store or mix your green cleaners. You don’t want any nasty chemical reactions.

*Use containers with tight-fitting lids, and label and date.

*I absolutely love liquid castile soap. You can use it to hand wash clothes, dishes, or your skin. It is a gentle, truly all-purpose cleaner. I carry a small bottle with me on trips to wash my To Go-Ware® and delicates, and to use as a body wash. I often mix baking soda with castile soap for a gentle scrub for dishes, sinks, and my face. 🙂 Find out more at Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps (fair trade!).

Other recipes:

All Purpose Cleaner:

Makes 10 oz. (296 mL)

1 tsp borax

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp lemon juice

8 oz. (237 mL) hot water

Note: I don’t always have borax on hand. Often times I’ll mix up a bit of baking soda with lemon juice or vinegar to scrub the sink or stove, and it works fine.

Glass Cleaner:

Makes 24 oz. (709 mL)

8 oz. (237 mL) rubbing alcohol

8 oz. (237 mL) white vinegar

8 oz. (237 mL) water

Note: For some reason, wiping the glass with newspaper instead of paper towel or cloth leaves windows and mirrors streak-free.

Furniture Polish:

Makes 12 oz.

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup lemon juice

Fabric Softener:

Add 1/4 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle

Microwave Cleaner:

2 tbsp lemon juice or baking soda

1 cup water

Mix in microwave-safe bowl, place in microwave, and heat 5 minutes or until liquid boils and condensation forms on interior of microwave. Wipe clean.

Chrome, Silver, and Jewelry Cleaner:

Toothpaste

Linoleum Cleaner:

Club soda

Recipes courtesy Tupperware®.

Photo Credits: Mantas Ruzvelta

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