Living Greener - A Way to Help Your Allergies AND the Environment?

2. Don't pay a premium price just because a product is green. In the past, that may have been necessary, but these days, there are many affordable green cleaning products available.

3. Make your own green cleaning product. Perhaps the easiest eco-friendly approach is to make your own. This involves relying on some of the old standbys your grandmother or great grandmother may have used before modern science started producing the sophisticated products on the market today. For instance:

• Lemon juice is good at cleaning grease and stains, plus it deodorizes to boot.
• White vinegar is a multipurpose solution that can be used to deodorize and disinfect just about any surface. It also cuts through grease, dirt, mold, and soap scum and lifts out mineral deposits. Mix it with water (1 T. vinegar per 1 qt water) and use it as a window cleaner or mirror cleaner. Add organic salts to it for a green scrubbing solution. It's even good for cleaning floors!
• Baking soda is another all-purpose green cleaner. It'll polish stainless steel and gets rid of acid stains. Like lemon juice and vinegar, baking soda is a great deodorizer and can be used in the fridge, in your basement, etc. It makes a great oven cleaner when mixed with water. Sprinkle it on your carpet before vacuuming to absorb odors.
• Olive oil, used alone or mixed with lemon juice, can replace your furniture polish.
• Substitute cedar chips, lavender flowers, rosemary, mint, or white peppercorns for mothballs.

In my opinion, it makes sense for both our environment and for your health to start using more green cleaning products this spring. You'll have less allergy symptoms and you'll also be doing something to make our world a better place!