Beyond the popular cleaning solutions that we are familiar with and have been using for years, the green movement dictates that there are common household products that can do the job of cleaning as well. These are generally products that we all have around the home and ones that we wouldn’t generally think of outside their other common uses.
Take baking soda for example. This can be an especially useful thing to have around since it has been known to clean and deodorize water. Effective for mostly light cleaning, baking soda is non-corrosive and only slightly abrasive. One of the more common uses for baking soda is in the refrigerator where it inhibits odor.
Borax also cleans, deodorizes, disinfects and softens water. It’s good for preventing mold growth and for cleaning lightly soiled clothing. Like baking soda, borax is non-corrosive and safe to use in the washing machine on slightly soiled clothing. While some of the other common household items might be able to be imagined as cleaning solutions, there are some that are more familiar for their medicinal purposes.
Hydrogen Peroxide is one of these. This chemical is also effective for mold removal and it’s suggested that the homeowner will do well with a 20% food grade solution for use in the home. Remember that you’ll need protective gloves to apply this to mold affected areas. As well, you’ll want to check the bottle before you buy it. Most of the H2O2 sold off the shelf is only 3% solution.
Soap can be used around the house as well, for other things than just washing since it biodegrades safely and completely. It is generally considered a safe effective cleaner with many uses. For your hands as well as dishes and laundry and some light cleaning, use the pure bar soap or soap flakes without any perfume additives.
TSP is commonly used to clean the surfaces that you’re about to paint but there are other uses for this common cleaner as well. It can be used, as per manufacturer’s instructions, for grease removal and the product is generally available in hardware and home renovation stores. Remember here that surfaces that are to be cleaned with TSP should de neutralized with baking soda before finishes are applied. Here’s another note. Fluids containing high levels of TSP should not be disposed of in sewer systems because they will contain high levels of phosphates.
Some of the other products that deserve a mention here have other uses that many might think are more appropriate. Vodka, for example, is very effective for dissolving alcohol-soluble finishes.
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