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Bumpie Tip of the Week: DIY, Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

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profile picture of Kathleen Mulpeter
Updated March 2, 2017
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After having a baby, lots of moms become extra mindful of chemicals in many cleaning products. Luckily, it’s easy (and inexpensive!) to keep baby’s clothes, toys and your home germ-free by making your own cleaning products.

These eco-friendly ideas are from the moms on The Eco-Friendly Family message board. The best part? You probably have most of these ingredients lying around in your kitchen!

For laundry

“For laundry, (I have a top loader,) I start to fill the tub with water and add vinegar, probably about a cup. Then I add about half a cup of baking soda. My clothing always comes out looking and smelling clean. And I promise the vinegar doesn’t make my clothing smell!” –JustSomeChick

“Instead of traditional fabric softeners, use ½ cup of white vinegar in softener dispenser per large load of laundry.” –kms34

For an all-purpose cleaner

“Take orange peels or rinds and put them in a quart glass. Fill remaining space with vinegar. Let sit for around ten days, and then strain the liquid out into a spray bottle. This makes a GREAT all-purpose cleaner. Vinegar is a natural astringent and the orange makes it smell really nice.” –dmfan897

For DIY hand-sanitizer

“Mix 1 cup plain (natural) Aloe Vera gel, 1-4 teaspoons of witch hazel, 10-12 drops essential oils (you can use lavender, tea tree or lemon).” –kms34

To make your home smell good, naturally

“I just put orange slices and a cinnamon stick in the kettle, fill it with water, let it simmer, and add water as needed.  It makes the entire house smell great, adds a little humidity, and if it’s not eco-friendly then I don’t know what is.” -MrsLacy

“Leaving a small bowl out with vinegar in it can help to neutralize kitchen odors.” –JoeysLady

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“Put essential oils in cheap vodka and use that for a fabric or air spray.” –ArmyQM

“I make my own carpet sprinkles using baking soda and a few drops of essential oils.  Sprinkle the carpet and vacuum it up. I’ve been liking orange and bergamot lately.” –AlabamaMamma224

For an eco-friendly bathroom cleaner

Try this recipe from user kms34. You’ll need:

1 2/3 cups baking soda ½ cup liquid soap ½ cup water 2 tablespoons white vinegar 1 clean 16-ounce squirt bottle with closing cap

1.  Mix baking soda and liquid soap in a bowl.  Dilute with water and add the vinegar.  Stir the mixture with a fork until any lumps have been dissolved.  Pour the liquid into the bottle.  Shake well before using.

2.  Squirt on area to be cleaned.  Scrub with a nylon-backed sponge.  Rinse off with water.  Keep cap on between uses.

Do you use eco-friendly cleaning products? Did any of these ideas work for you?

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