GO GREEN
for Spring Cleaning
TEXT: TIFFANY DOERR GUERZON
IN THE KITCHEN:
SURFACES: For general surface
ousehold cleaning
products can be
expensive, and many
aren’t friendly to the
environment. Commercial cleansers,
especially those used in the kitchen
or bathroom, can also produce
irritating fumes. So to spring clean
your grimy kitchen and bathroom—
without the need for a HazMat suit or
a gas mask—read on!
cleaning, fill a spray bottle with half
white vinegar and half water. Spray on
and wipe clean. Always test on a small
area of any surface before use, as you
would with any cleaning product. Do
not use vinegar on marble, as the acid
can etch it, and use with caution on
finished wood surfaces and tile.

SINK: For the sink, baking soda makes
a great scouring powder. Simply
sprinkle onto the damp sink basin, let
Most household cleaning and
disinfecting can be accomplished
using two main ingredients: baking
soda and white vinegar. Add liquid
dish soap and you have a full arsenal.

Baking soda makes a great scouring
powder, plus it neutralizes odors and
kills mold and mildew. Acetic acid,
the active ingredient in vinegar, acts
as a disinfectant and also inhibits
mold. Liquid dish soap helps to cut
through grease and soap scum.

sit for a few minutes, then scrub with
So arm yourself with baking soda,
vinegar and liquid dish soap, grab
some rags and a scrub brush, and
declare war on the germs, soap scum,
mold and mildew in your bathroom
and kitchen.

vinegar and water solution.

10 April 2016 washingtonFAMILY.com
a wet rag or sponge. Then, to clean
and deodorize the drain, pour one cup
baking soda and one cup white vinegar
and let this mixture sit for 15 minutes.

The bubbling and hissing sound you
will hear is the acidic vinegar reacting
with the baking soda, which is a base.

The two products together can help
loosen grease and clogs. Follow this by
pouring a kettle full of boiling water
down the drain. Then finish up by
shining the faucet with a spritz of your
MICROWAVE: To loosen cooked-on
food residue in the microwave, put one-
half cup of white vinegar and one-half
cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl.

everything has cooled, remove the
bowl and wipe down the interior with
a cleaning rag dipped in the contents of
the bowl.

OVEN: To clean the oven, spray water
on any dirty surfaces, and then sprinkle
with baking soda liberally. Spray in
some water again to wet the baking
soda. Let it sit overnight, and then
scrub the oven with a wet rag.

REFRIGERATOR: Wiping down
shelves and walls with a solution of two
tablespoons baking soda mixed with
one quart warm water will both clean
and deodorize the fridge.

FLOORS: Mop your no-wax floors
with one half to one cup white vinegar
per gallon of water.

WINDOWS: Use the same vinegar/
water solution you made up for surface
cleaning. If you notice smearing, add
a few drops of liquid dish detergent
to cut through residue that might
have been left behind by commercial
cleaners. Using newspaper or coffee
filters to wipe windows can reduce
streaking. IN THE BATHROOM:
Place the bowl in the microwave and
SINK: For the bathroom sink, use
heat the solution until it boils. Once
baking soda for scrubbing and your