I've had this on my mind lately because we are all sensitive to scents. Even good EOs will make DD sniffly. So, scent free we go, if we can get away with it.
And after playing around with using vinegar and baking soda, I decided that actually, plain water does a really really good job of cleaning a lot of stuff. I have several microfiber cloths and scrubby sponges that are used for heavy duty work. Here's what I've found so far and it's been a few months of doing this.
Flat surfaces (kitchen counters, hardwood and linoleum and tile floors, bathroom counters, table, outside of appliances) can be wiped down with a wet microfiber cloth. I try to pick up any messes as soon as they happen so I don't have to deal with dried on stuff but if I do, the scrubby side of a sponge usually picks it up. I try blue ones first and then the green ones. If it's amazingly greasy, I do end up using some dishwashing liquid (7th gen, unscented).
In the bathroom, I realized that what removes a lot of soap scum off the shower and the sink is using a cheap pair of nylon stockings (the cheaper the better!) with hot water. Maintenance is key so I try to do this before things get out of hand. I did use a terribly stinky commercial cleaner to clean things up before I started but haven't had to use it since. This works for me here because the water isn't as hard as it used to be but I don't think it would have worked at my old place where the water was horrible. Well, maybe if I did it daily. Right now, I have a pair of old nylons wrapped around one of those bathroom cleaning wand deals and I give the shower a once over every few days. I do the sink daily.
The toilet gets a swish every day and that seems to help keep it sparkly. I think that was a flylady thing. Starting with a clean toilet is better but even if you start with a dirty one and just swish it daily with the brush, it helps. In the original directions for this it was said to put something in the toilet brush bowl, like old shampoo or liquid soap and I keep forgetting to do this. I just use the brush plain and some days squirt a little of something foamy into the toilet.
I can't think of any other areas I clean where a cleaner might be used. I hope this helps. I've had this on my mind a lot lately as I saw a friend spend quit a bit of money on environmentally friendly cleaners at the HFS.
And after playing around with using vinegar and baking soda, I decided that actually, plain water does a really really good job of cleaning a lot of stuff. I have several microfiber cloths and scrubby sponges that are used for heavy duty work. Here's what I've found so far and it's been a few months of doing this.
Flat surfaces (kitchen counters, hardwood and linoleum and tile floors, bathroom counters, table, outside of appliances) can be wiped down with a wet microfiber cloth. I try to pick up any messes as soon as they happen so I don't have to deal with dried on stuff but if I do, the scrubby side of a sponge usually picks it up. I try blue ones first and then the green ones. If it's amazingly greasy, I do end up using some dishwashing liquid (7th gen, unscented).
In the bathroom, I realized that what removes a lot of soap scum off the shower and the sink is using a cheap pair of nylon stockings (the cheaper the better!) with hot water. Maintenance is key so I try to do this before things get out of hand. I did use a terribly stinky commercial cleaner to clean things up before I started but haven't had to use it since. This works for me here because the water isn't as hard as it used to be but I don't think it would have worked at my old place where the water was horrible. Well, maybe if I did it daily. Right now, I have a pair of old nylons wrapped around one of those bathroom cleaning wand deals and I give the shower a once over every few days. I do the sink daily.
The toilet gets a swish every day and that seems to help keep it sparkly. I think that was a flylady thing. Starting with a clean toilet is better but even if you start with a dirty one and just swish it daily with the brush, it helps. In the original directions for this it was said to put something in the toilet brush bowl, like old shampoo or liquid soap and I keep forgetting to do this. I just use the brush plain and some days squirt a little of something foamy into the toilet.
I can't think of any other areas I clean where a cleaner might be used. I hope this helps. I've had this on my mind a lot lately as I saw a friend spend quit a bit of money on environmentally friendly cleaners at the HFS.
