No More Chemicals! 5 Green Options for a Clean House

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There is a lot of talk about the safety of the various chemicals we are using for our daily cleaning tasks, but the good news is you can get your house just as sparkly clean and fresh smelling with green options! No need for the store-bought chemical cleaners. Here are 5 alternatives for a naturally clean home! Bonus: they're also less-expensive that the traditional cleaners.

1. Glass/Window Cleaner

Vinegar is a great alternative to the pricier glass cleaners that contain chemicals. With a clean, lint-free cloth add some vinegar and wipe away handprints and other grime from your windows. The vinegar will remove tough messes and leave a streak-free shine. You can also add the vinegar to a spray bottle and coat the glass to remove the residue on extra dirty windows.

Related: 25 cleaning solutions you'll wish you knew sooner

2. Tile Shower/Floor Cleaner

If you have tile walls or floors, grout can get messy. You don't need a bleach-based or harsh chemical cleaner to eliminate the grime. White vinegar can do a lot of good for a household and works great on tile. Add a bit of table salt and use a clean sponge to scrub the grout to remove mildew.

3. Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Again, do away with the bleach cleaners and grab the vinegar. You can use an adequate amount of baking soda all over the inside of the bowl. Pour in white vinegar and the combination will begin to foam up and help dissolve tough stains. Use your toilet brush to scrub in the foam and flush it all away.

4. Kitchen Sink Messes

If you have copper pots that need polishing or cutting boards full of germs, slice a few lemons in half and rub on the surface of your pots and other germy kitchenware. The lemon juice will help remove the stains (add some salt for tough messes on pots and pan) and will also help eliminate germs. The lemon juice will also leave behind a nice, pleasant smell and no chemical residue.

5. Garbage Disposal Sanitizer

Boil a large pot of water. You'll then pour a cup's worth of lemon juice into the garbage disposal followed by the hot water. The hot lemon mixture will help eliminate germs in the disposal and reduce the bad smells that can build up in the system. Once a week treatments can keep the disposal clean without chemicals.

-By Anna Newell Jones

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