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Hey everybody! It’s Allie here. This week, as a Greenbelt cohort, we got together and made our own green cleaning supplies. Most of the name brand cleaning supplies that people use are actually pretty toxic and, as you probably already know, are expensive. By making your own, you can not only significantly reduce cost but also have a product that’s a lot easier on the environment and on your body.
My roommate and I made an all-purpose cleaner and deodorizer that’s great for kitchen appliances and counters. This cleaner was 1 part baking soda and 16 parts warm water. We added a smidge of lemon essential oil so it would have a pleasant smell but you can choose to add any essential oil you would like or not include one at all. This was all put into a spray bottle which you can get for under $2. What’s nice about using your own bottle is that you can keep reusing it too! I included a picture of what our finished cleaner looked like!
Some of our fellow Greenbelters made window cleaners, lemon oil dusters, and drain cleaners. There are plenty of other types of cleaners and “recipes” that can be found with a quick google search if this is something you’d like to try! Also, I recommend visiting www.ewg.org/skindeep/. This website allows you to search for any product that’s used on your body like shampoo, conditioner, makeup, fragrance, sun care, and oral care among many others. Once you find the product you’re looking for, the website will provide a hazard score from 1-10 as well as break down the hazard score and concern for each ingredient in your product. Give it a try; I think you’ll be surprised. I definitely was.
