When you hear the word “clean”, vinegar probably is not the first thing that comes to mind. Rather, you probably think about bleach, hand sanitizer, or some other popular chemical product. This is a problem. The increased use of products like these is associated with many problems, from bacterial resistance to lung problems to birth defects to ecological damage. Common sense would tell us to stop using these harmful products that are a veritable mix of toxic substances. A sustainability standpoint would also encourage us to eliminate these from our arsenal of cleaning products since bleach is very toxic to waterways, aquatic life, and other ecosystems.
Now that I have scared you into not using bleach and other chemical-ridden products, you may be asking yourself what is left to use for cleaning. Never fear! As we learned in our Sustainability class, Vinegar is one of the super-heros of green cleaning. It is biodegradable, good for the environment, and non-toxic to humans and pets. From personal experience, I have found that it is an incredible cleaner, and I would like to share some of my findings with you.
In class, we made two products with vinegar mixtures, one all-purpose cleaner and one window cleaner.
I will start with the all-purpose cleaner. This was an incredibly simple recipe: equal parts vinegar and water mixed into a spray bottle. I was initially skeptical that this would work, so as soon as we made it in class, I brought it back to my Cabin and tackled the kitchen. Sure enough, this cleaner cut through the grime that accumulates in a kitchen used by eight girls! I will say that, even though we added a few drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil to the mixture (which also has incredible anti-bacterial and cleansing properties on its own), this mixture does not smell very good (unless you like the smell of vinegar). However, I found a natural solution to this! Whenever I sprayed the cleanser, I would add 1-2 drops of Lemon Essential Oil (purchased from the Traveler’s Rest Farmers Market) to the same surface. This greatly improved the smell and made this cleaner exceptional.
The window cleaner was INCREDIBLE. I actually prefer this homemade, eco-friendly window cleaner to Windex. The recipe for this is also fairly simple: 2 cups water, 1/2 cup white or cider vinegar, and 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol (70% concentration). A few drops of your favorite essential oil can also be added to improve the smell. I am incredibly impressed with this window cleaner– it leaves our bathroom mirror streak-free and shiny.
Overall, making green cleaning products was a great experience and showed me that sustainable cleaning products work just as well as store-bought products, but they are healthier for both people and the environment because they do not use harmful chemicals. This is transferable to many other experiences. The sustainable choice may take a little bit of extra thought or effort, but has many benefits to your health and the health of the environment.
-Catherine Lippert