Green Spring Cleaning

Usually when I walk down the grocery store baking aisle, I’m thinking about brownies and chocolate chip cookies. But did you know that the baking aisle also has ingredients that can be used to replace many common household cleaning products? Some of these everyday items are vinegar, baking soda, salt and cornstarch. Other natural cleaners at the grocery store are fresh lemons, castile soap, hydrogen peroxide and borax powder.

Here are a few of my favorite homemade cleaning recipes --- along with my favorite homemade brownies recipe, too. (We are visiting the baking aisle, after all.) Each of these recipes cleans my home, saves me money, protects the environment, and clears the chemical clutter from my cabinets.

And as for the cappuccino brownies recipe? They're just yummy! : )

Window Cleaner/Antibacterial Spray/Disinfectant
1 part distilled white vinegar
1 part water
Mixed together in a spray bottle, this is a great all-purpose cleaner. I like to use diluted vinegar to wipe down my kitchen and bathroom counters, sinks, mirrors, doors, windows, and any other surface (other than wood finishes) for a quick everyday cleaning. You can print a Heinz vinegar coupon here.

Scrubbing Bubbles
baking soda
distilled white vinegar
I use baking soda mixed with vinegar to clean my kitchen and bathroom sinks. Sprinkle with baking soda, spray with vinegar, and watch the bubbles as they go! Scrub and rinse clean.

Soft Scrub
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup liquid castile soap
1/4 cup water
1 or 2 drops of lavender oil (optional)
1/2 lemon (optional)
distilled white vinegar
This is hands down my favorite cleaner. Combine ingredients to form a paste until it has the same consistency as soft scrub. Apply the paste to the cut side of a lemon, and rub onto the shower using a circular motion. Spray with vinegar, scrub and rinse clean. The lavender makes my bathroom smell wonderful!

Mold and Mildew Remover
1 part hydrogen peroxide
1 part water
This simple formula is great for sinks, tubs, showers, toilets, you name it! The longer it sets, the better it cleans. Scrub and rinse clean.

Laundry Detergent
1 part borax powder
1 part baking soda (optional)
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar (optional)
Use 1/4 cup of powder per load. Add the vinegar during the rinse cycle. (It works as a natural clothes softener.)

Table Salt (as an abrasive)
Can be used in combination with any of the above cleaners.

Cornstarch (as a grease remover)
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Water
This works great for cleaning up spills. (And for oil spatters on the stove top after cooking.) Sprinkle with cornstarch, spray with water, and wipe up clean with a wet dish cloth.

So, there you go!

And for a really great read on going green, check out Environmentalist Sara Snow’s Fresh Living. Sara will walk with you step by step, and show you how to live a greener, more natural lifestyle. A greener lifestyle means a healthier lifestyle, and a healthier lifestyle means a happier you!

And finally, my favorite cappuccino cake brownies! (Photo courtesy of Taste of Home Magazine.)

Cappuccino Cake Brownies
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
6 teaspoons boiling water
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a small bowl, dissolve coffee in water; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl or saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips. In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, melted chocolate and coffee mixture. Combine flour and cinnamon; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Pour into a greased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Happy organizing, saving & green spring cleaning,

Cathy