Cost-Effective Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips for Busy Parents

Parents are always cleaning, and little ones often come behind, undoing everything--such is the parenting life. However, many cleaning products we use are unhealthy for children or the environment.

Cleaning products often contain "safe amounts" of harmful chemicals for babies, young children, and the environment. Parents can opt for safer, eco-friendly cleaning products and methods to save money, protect their children, and help the environment.

Though eco-friendly cleaning products are often expensive, we have some simple and cost-effective cleaning tips for parents on a tight budget in this article.

Cost-Effective and Eco-Friendly Cleaning Supplies: Back to Basics

You do not need fancy wooden cleaning brushes made in Nepal or medical-grade essential oils to clean your house. Yes, they are nice, but they cost a lot. Many busy parents have a tight budget, so stock the cleaning closet with more affordable, eco-friendly options.

I suggest busting your cleaning closet back to the basics.

Eco-Friendly Cleaner Bases

The basics include common bases for homemade cleaning recipes that you can buy online or at a wholesale club like Costco or Sam's Club:

• white vinegar

• apple cider vinegar

• unscented and dye-free liquid castile soap

• baking soda

• borax

• washing soda

• lemon juice

Vinegar Warning

Amazingly cheap and powerful as vinegar is, you SHOULD NOT use it on natural stone countertops or tiles like granite and marble.

Vinegar will eat through protective sealants on natural stone and wood, so use a mild soap mixed with water on wooden floors and natural stone tiles and countertops.

Washing Soda and Borax Warning

Washing soda and borax are mined from the ground, but they are irritating or even dangerous if ingested, breathed in, or left on the skin (source, source). So, when using these in the cleaning recipes listed later in this article, wear gloves, don't make a cloud of dust, and work with small amounts.

Borax and washing soda are incredibly helpful, effective, and flexible cleaners. However, they must be stored properly away from children and pets, just as you would store bleach and dishwasher detergent.

The main reasons these ingredients made it on my list are that they are void of other harmful chemicals, they are dug from the ground (washing soda has four other steps), they are effective cleaners, and they don't harm the environment (as long as copious amounts are not dumped in the same place, as it will change the pH level).

Just use them with caution! Read 25 Common Household Things that Are Toxic to Your Baby or a list of common household toxins to be wary of.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are fantastic ways to add scent and cleaning power to the basic ingredients above, but you don't have to get caught up in paying high prices for those rated for internal use.

The most cost-effective essential oils you can buy (that are not likely diluted or faked) are from wholesale soap and candle suppliers, like WFMed, Sun Pure Botanicals, or Bulk Apothecary.

The trick is cross-checking prices for wholesale carriers and consulting reviews for smell and effectiveness. I have lists of oils I buy from various suppliers, but those lists change every few months due to changes in pricing, supplier, or supply and demand.

Even cost-effective essential oils are expensive. However, you should only use a few drops at a time, so one 16-ounce bottle should last months. When stored in a cool, dark place, most essential oils will store for two years (citrus oils will only last a year).

A little goes a long way!

Basic Essential Oils for Cleaning List

A solid assortment of essential oils for cleaning include the following:

Notes:

1. Avoid putting pure essential oils directly on your skin while pregnant or on your child's skin.

2. Avoid adding drops to a cleaner and touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

3. Wear gloves when cleaning with essential oils and allow surfaces to dry before touching them.

4. Store in a dark, cool place out of a child's reach.

Containers and Tools

If you wish to go a step further by purchasing containers and tools that are more eco-friendly than cheap plastic or one-use items, you can find some great options online.

These will be more pricey than plastic upfront, but they will last much longer, reducing waste.

• wooden scrubbing brushes

• wooden toilet brush

• biodegradable sponges

• organic cotton or bamboo cleaning cloths

• wool dryer balls

• glass or metal liquid soap dispensers

• glass or metal powdered laundry detergent container

• glass sprayers for homemade cleaners

Yep, I suggested glass for parents with little kids. The essential oils will not eat through or react with glass containers, so they are a great option. You can find silicone covers for glass spray bottles and soap dispensers to provide more protection from drops, but nothing is completely foolproof.

10 Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips

Now that we have stocked the cleaning closet with the basics, let's explore ways to use them to clean the house.

These tips and cleaner recipes are simple, effective, and cost efficient.

1. Simple Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner

You can make your own nifty all-purpose cleaner for gentle yet effective cleaning. I love this recipe because I can change up the scents with most of the essential oils in the list above.

My favorite essential oils for this cleaner are lavender, lemongrass, lemon, orange, peppermint, rosemary, eucalyptus, or any combination of these.

• 1/2 cup white vinegar

• 1/4 cup baking soda

• 6 cups hot water

• 3-5 drops of essential oil

That's it! Pour all these ingredients into a glass spray bottle, shake well, and start wiping things down—countertops, table tops, refrigerator shelves, door handles, shoes, shelves, stovetops, ovens, sinks, microwaves—you name it.

For more stubborn stains, mildew, shower scum, unsealed wooden furniture, or floors, opt for one of the more robust recipes below.

2. Unclog Drains

Sometimes, drains struggle to do their job well due to a partial blockage. Several homemade recipes can fix this.

When you notice a drain draining slowly, you may prevent a full blockage with these steps:

1. Dump 1/4 cup of baking soda down the drain and promptly follow that with 1/2 cup white vinegar.

2. Cover the drain with a lid or wet cloth and let it sit for 15 minutes.

3. Pour 6-8 cups of boiling water down the drain.

Alternatively, you can dump 1/2 cup of borax down the drain and follow that with 8 cups of boiling water.

If your drain is already fully blocked, borax and hot water could help, but you may need to use a plumber's snake to physically unclog the drain.

3. Clean Hard Food Spots in the Microwave

The microwave is my least favorite place to clean because the food splatters are hard to reach and wipe out. However, this nifty process makes it so much easier.

Mix 1 cup of water with 6 tablespoons of baking soda in a glass container. Bring it to a boil in the microwave and let it steam for 15 to 20 minutes. The steam loosens that grim to make it easier to wipe down, and the baking soda removes any old food smells.

4. Homemade Toilet Cleaner

That bright blue cleaner from the store is effective but loaded with chemicals your tiny tot can reach. For a safer solution, try one of the following options.

This recipe works for light cleaning:

• 1/4 cup baking soda

• 1 cup vinegar

If you didn't get around to cleaning the toilet before some stubborn stains set in, try this recipe:

• 1/2 cup borax

• 1 gallon of hot water

You could also try making time work for you by sprinkling a decent amount of borax around the sides of the toilet bowl and spraying white vinegar on it. Let it sit overnight, scrub well with a toilet brush, and flush.

5. Wipe Away Shower Mildew

You've already noticed that borax is the preferred cleaning agent for tough stains, but it also works wonders on mildew in the shower.

Mix 1/2 cup borax with 1/2 cup vinegar in a 32-ounce spray bottle and top it off with hot water. Then, spray the mixture evenly on the shower, tub, or tiles and scrub.

You can prevent a lot of mold and mildew in the shower by using a squeegee regularly after use to remove water from the walls and floor. Removing damp towels, repairing leaks, and ensuring grout lines are sealed will also help prevent a mold problem before it starts!

Tub and Tile Cleaner

For tubs and tiles made of natural stone or marble, try this recipe:

• 1.5 cups baking soda

• 1/2 cup unscented dye-free liquid castile soap

• 1/2 cup water

• Optional: 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Mix all of this in a bucket and use it to scrub the bathtub and tile. Rinse thoroughly.

Do you have a particularly grimy shower or tub? One option is to use Dawn dish soap (though it has a lot of ingredients I don't like around little ones) (source):

• 32-ounce spray bottle

• 1 cup blue Dawn dish soap

• Fill the rest with white vinegar

Shake the bottle until everything is mixed. When using this mixture (not on natural stone tiles or marble), spray it liberally on the shower or tub and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then rinse everything away.

6. Homemade Glass Cleaner

This homemade glass cleaner is much cheaper than store-bought options. Simply mix everything in a spray bottle and wipe with a clean cloth. Follow up with another clean cloth to clear up any streaks.

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar (strain out the mother or use distilled white vinegar)

• 1 cup water

7. Homemade Laundry Detergent

For a simple powdered laundry detergent, you can use a 1 / 1 / 1 ratio of baking soda, washing soda, and borax, or you can use the following recipe for a liquid version.

• 1 cup washing soda

• 1 cup borax

• 1 cup liquid castile soap

• 13 cups of water

• 5-10 drops of any essential oil in the chart above

Bring half the water to boiling while you pour the other ingredients into a large jar (a gallon jar will work well). Pour the boiling water in and mix well. Then add the rest of the water (cool water is fine).

Let the mixture sit for a day or two to gel, and shake it up whenever you are ready to use it.

8. Use Wool Dryer Balls and Vinegar

Wool dryer balls are the most economical and eco-friendly option for replacing dryer sheets in a dryer. Line drying your laundry is the best option, but if you plan to use a dryer, add 3 to 6 wool dryer balls.

Dryer balls break up laundry so it dries faster. To lightly scent your laundry, add 3 to 6 drops of essential oils to one or two balls. Wool dryer balls last around 1000 loads and break down in compost when you're done with them.

Instead of using a fabric softener loaded with fragrance oils and chemicals, add 1/4 cup white vinegar to your rinse cycle. You may be surprised at the result for a fraction of the cost of a normal fabric softener!

9. Use a Diffuser with Essential Oils for Scent

Scenting your home with essential oils is a quick way to make your space more welcoming and homey. You can do this with natural wax candles (soy or beeswax), reed diffusers, or a normal diffuser.

Do some research on essential oils before you use them. Options like lavender, thyme, cedar, or rosemary are safe for pets in a diffuser, but you may be surprised at what isn't.

10. Homemade Furniture Polish

Furniture polish for wood is excellent for controlling dust, brightening wood, and scenting your home. However, many polishes come loaded with ingredients that are terrible for the environment.

Try this more eco-friendly recipe instead:

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

• 10-15 drops of orange or lemon essential oil

Add these ingredients to a glass spray bottle and mix well. Spray onto a towel and rub your furniture down. A little goes a long way here, so it's advisable to follow with another clean cloth.

In a Nutshell

Some thrifty parents have blogs dedicated entirely to eco-friendly and cost-effective cleaning tips, but these ten will cover many bases. Since my family has had skin problems from the start, busting my cleaners back to the basics was a crucial step toward being free of breakouts, steroid creams, and Vaseline.

Since I've gotten into the groove of cleaning with these recipes, I cannot imagine going back to the cost and smells of typical store-bought cleaners. I'd rather stick with simple recipes! What about you?