A great homemade cleaner, courtesy of former THS posters.
Mix 1/2 cup ammonia(not sudsy), 1/3 cup rubbing alcohol, a drop or two of Dawn in a spray bottle. Fill remaining space in bottle with water. Works great on everything, except wood, especially with microfiber cloths.

Clean from the top down. Do the floors (vacuum or wipe up) last.

Dusting Swiffers will cut dusting in half.

Flannel can be used on floor Swiffers in place of the purchased pads and can be washed instead of tossing, cutting cost.

Long handled dusting Swiffers make short work of fans, corners, etc.

No...I don't have stock in the Swiffer Company, just find that they are cutting cleaning time in half.

Murphy's Oil Soap does a good job of cleaning real wood (in spite of the fact that you are using water on wood).

Set a timer for jobs you have been putting off. Just start somewhere and when the timer goes off ...quit. A few days of this and those detested jobs will be done.

Good luck with your move and have fun in your new house...

Check out the Clean Machine's website. great cleaning tools and products.

I appreciate all the suggestions offered by Gumbycat, but wanted to note that nearly every flooring manufacturer specifically warns against using oil soap on wood floor finished with poly. It makes it difficult or impossible to screen and recoat the floor, meaning that you'll have to have the whole thing sanded and refinished. Most warn against vinegar, too, though many people swear by it.

You are so right, Joann. I should have excluded wood floors. I used Murphy's Oil Soap on my wooden kitchen cabinets last week and they are so clean and bright now. I have also wiped down wooden funiture before polishing and it takes off all the buildup. Also, I wring the cloth almost dry when using Murphy's Oil Soap and water.

How about uses for vinegar? And/or for baking soda? Hydrogen Peroxide?

And I just wanted to share that I just put in an order at "Solutions" for a bunch of miracle cloths. :) Can't wait to get them. I got some mits, and the regular cloths.

To clean mirrors, windows and granite. Put water in spritz bottle. Spritz surface to be cleaned. Dry with micro-fiber cloth. This works better for me than purchased products. Also better than my mother's vinegar-and-water, dry with newspapers.

Same method can be used for laminate floor; we have a mop with microfiber head.

Ceramic floor - solution of vinegar and water. I don't recall the proportion of each. My sister loves this - she scrubs on her hands and knees. My knees won't let me do this, so for using with a mop, a purchased product works better for me.

I use Shakley Basic H for all basic cleaning. I had a cleaning lady in the early 90s (those were the days...) and she preferred toxic free products. I am still using the same bottle of concentrate! For most things I use 3-4 drops diluted in a plastic sprayer nearly full of water. It is PH balanced so it's even ok for granite. It really is an all purpose cleaner that does a great job.
Raves for miracle clothes as well!

I use Quick n' Brite (enviromentally friendly) for most of my cleaning (bathrooms, windows, some dusting). A tub of it usually lasts me a couple years since I water it down considerably. I also use it in my carpet shampooer and DH uses it to wash the house siding and the cars. For my laminate I use equal parts vinegar, rubbing alcohol and water and a slightly wrung out mircofiber cloth.

Here is a link that might be useful: Quick n Brite

With stone everywhere incl showers I am very limited as to what I can use without etching/damaging surfaces. Add to that extruded bronze windows that can have no chemicals used to clean and you have a potential cleaning nightmare. I just invested in a vapor steam cleaner. This week I did a sixth of my windows, 64 panes, with steam and micro fiber cloths only!!! My countertops are not only clean looking they are also disinfected without harsh chemicals, just hot steam. As I sit here I am trying to think of anything that might require chemicals, perhaps the toilet bowl! That's it. I am planning to do the BBQ and ovens with the steamer after I get through the windows. So far I am very pleased!

I agree wtih Bosche. Be sure to include "steam cleaning" on your list of non-toxic cleaning processes. I don't have a vapor steamer and my steamer is a bit antiquated and bulky but I do bring it out now and then and it always does a great job. Wouldn't be without it. The cleaning it DOES seems to last a long time, kind of like restoring your wood or porcelain to new so it takes longer for the grungies to set in than if you were using an all purpose cleaner on old wood or porcelain.

Thanks for the post, by the way. I support he idea of non-toxic cleaning 100%.

--Alice

What steam cleaner do you use?

I have a Tidy Vap vapor steam cleaner, and I love it. I also have severe asthma, so it was great to find something that I could use that worked and didn't make me sick.

I use it for just about everything -- floors, kitchen, bathroom.

Sue

I have an old Euro-pro. I'm kind of looking for a replacement. There have been a lot of changes since I purchased mine, 5 years ago (or so).

I'm hesitant to get a vapor steam cleaner because the documentation on these say they shouldn't be used on wood. I got a clarification once from an owner of one of these saying that a vapor steam cleaner works fine on woodwork if it is painted with an oil-based paint, that it was latex painted wood that could possibly not respond that well to a vapor cleaner or in other words, finish might be damaged if paint is latex.

I didn't want to have to deal with the worry. The non-vapor steam cleaner works well enough for me but I'm not sure what to get. When I get more serious, this forum will be the first place I look.

Here's a link to a gardenweb thread on the subject of the Ladybug which is another brand of "vapor steam cleaner". CLICK HERE

Let us know if you find out anything on these. I do know that you want to minimize the weight and size, kind of for the same reason you don't want a bulky vacuum cleaner, you want it easy to use and easy to store. I would use mine more if it had these characteristics.

Also, I think many of the steam cleaners seem to focus on the floor. I use mine more for walls, cabinets, around the base of the toilet, crevices, etc. than I do for plain simple floor mopping. So if this is the case for you, be sure the attachments are designed well. Course now you have to worry about storing attachments too. Still worth the space, though IMHO.

--Alice

I will have to look in to getting one of these. It sounds great!

Since I am a ferret owner (they have very sensitive resperatory systems) I have had to go non-toxic in all my cleaning agents. I agree with all above posts but would like to add :Vinegar and Baking soda mix. I use them to clean bathrooms: floor, tile, fixtures, and they are espcially GREAT for clearing drains in the tub an sinks. For the toilet I usually have to use something stronger.

I cannot believe how much money I've saved (not to mention SPACE) by not buying all those single purpose cleaners.

Thank you, diane pa. I was really hoping for a tip like that! I remembered vaguely hearing that these were great as cleaning agents, but was not sure how to use them. Do you have a particular proportion that you use them in?

Oh, yes, I have a particular proportion: glub glub of vinegar and shake shake of baking soda. (and I cook the same way!)

Seriously, if you put too much baking soda in, it will not desolve, so just add more water. ANother note - be careful, because it foams a LOT when the ingredients meet.

Sounds like me! Thanks for the advice. I will experiment. :)

I have just tried using white vinegar in my fabric softener dispenser. Not only did it remove all the built up fabric softener on the agitator, it works just fine. I have gone through almost a gallon of vinegar in three weeks. Vinegar will not cut static electricity, so for clingy stuff, I still use fabric softener. I used to mix a spray bottle for windows and mirrors--half rubbing alcohol and half water. After you scrub your wood cutting board, rub it down with mineral oil. Iused mineral oil on a raw wood bowl my son gave me -- made it so much richer in color and seemed to eliminate the brittle feel to the wood.

Since you are going through a lot of vinegar - someone on the cooking forum explained how to replenish your supply. Add boiled and cooled water to your bottle when you are running low, and let sit for a while. Can't remember how long, but you can find it under 'tips' or things you do that other people don't know about, or something like that.

Simple hot/warm water is best to clean windows, mirrors, picture glass, etc. Dry with paper or cloth towels. No chemicals=no streaks. Quick and easy.

If you google something like "easy recipes for natural cleaners" you'll get a ton of things to make, from dish soap to laundry detergent.

Besides vinegar I use 20 mule team or Arm and Hammer WAshing soda for toilet, laundry, some scrubbing.

Hydrogen peroxide and diswashing liquid for stains in clothing

Fels Naptha soap for stains as well.

Rubbing alcohol to polish chrome and in a pinch clean mirrors

Lemons in my dishwashing liquid and down the drain and to take stains out of whites, if isolated

That's really about all you need, if you add in the vinegar and baking soda as recommended above

Thanks, DruidClark. These are good ideas - I am taking notes!

I stopped by to say that I am solidly a fan of miracle cloths. They are the best. Definitely the ones I have from Solutions are superior.

Diane pa, and others - when you feel you have to use "something stronger", say on the toilet, what do you use? Druid Clark mentioned 20 Mule Team (borax, right?) and Arm & Hammer washing soda. I will have to look for these - I am hoping the grocery store will carry them? I'll be there looking for a gallon jug of vinegar...

I just had a meeting this morning with the woman who had been cleaning our apt, and will now be cleaning our house. I am nervous about it! I'm making up a sheet of general instructions - what to use where, and what proportions, what to do if there is stubborn dirt, etc. I will share it when I have it done. It won't include instructions for surfaces I don't have in our house, but it may be helpful to some!

And by the way, can we complain/do anything about this stupid links that keep getting put in our posts? I would happily pay $18 or $20/year to support the site instead of $15 if it would help.

caseyb,
By stronger stuff on toilets, I have to use Iron Out. My well water , full of minerals and iron (rust) makes my toilet an ugly runny brown after just about a week. After trying eveything on the market including mr clean magic sponge, those hard scrubbs that you can use on your heels(I'm having a senior moment and can't remember the name of them), straight clorox, bon ami etc my DH turned off the toilet (I didn't even know you could do that) and sprinkled Iron Out on the sides and bottom and "stuck" it on with toilet paper to let it soak in - and VOILA - a clean sparkling toilet!

Tell me about Iron Out. Is it a spray, cleanser, what type of consistency is it? Where can you buy it? TIA

Here's an article about using vinegar and peroxide one after the other in two separate bottles. Says it is as effective as commercial disinfectants. I was particularly interested in the claim that it is a disinfectant. Had heard about cleaning properties of vinegar but disinfectant properties is new to me. Not sure about the credibility of the author but sounds interesting..
Article is HERE

Here is a link that might be useful: Viengar and Peroxide cleaning/disinfectings.

Hey, very interesting about the spray combo.

I have purchased a box of Borax, and it does not specifically say anything about sanitising - only stain removal. Anyone know?

I have been having a thought for a long time that I can't get confirmation on - if you thoroughly clean a surface of dirt or whatever is on it (using water and maybe a soap-type product or vinegar, or whatever is needed to loosen surface grime), haven't you effectively disinfected it? I mean if nothing is left for bacteria to feed on, won't they die/have been removed with the dirt? Granted, this requires not 'moving dirt around' by being careful with your cloth/sponge/whatever. Any thoughts?

I think the key phrase is "thoroughly cleaned".. there are lots of microscopic organisms that are not visible to the naked eye, hence there can be lots of "food" on the counter even if it looks clean. I'm not a biologist or expert but just thought I'd comment ...

But I also think there are "degress" of sanitation. Not all disinfectants kill all germs. Some you have to leave on for 30 minutes to kill the serious germs. Think this may be the point where we try to do a "reasonable" job (whatever that is LOL), and continue with the idea that if we are not killing all the germs, we are improving our immune systems because we are allowing them to develop weapons against those germs that do get thru to our systems/bodies and need to be destroyed by those T-cells or whatever they are called inside our bodes that kill bad germs. Hopefully, it is obvious by now I'm not a biologist, LOL.

But the real question, in my mind is what is a "reasonable job". Is vinegar and peroxide a reasonable job? when do we need to get the bleach out or the pinesol disinfectant? When and how often?

for windows and mirrors a tip I read here: Corn starch & water--really makes things shine.

I tuck quite damp old washcloths on my Swiffer and use that with just water to mop up kitchen floor. I keep all of the dirty cloths & miracle dust cloths and just wash one load of cleaning things. Works pretty well.

alicesRestaurant: So, I'm with you... but I'm not a biologist either.

I just don't believe I need to, or am meant to (or that it would be a good idea to) live in a totally sanitized environment. But where do you draw the line? We will encounter bacteria and nasty viruses no matter how well we clean our homes (there is a name for people who take this too far), and that is what our immune systems are for! Plus, a whole lot of the killing (of bacteria) that goes on with these super-anti-bacterial agents is actually counter-productive, since you're basically tipping the balance and weeding out the weaker ones/breeding the tough guys. Creating super germs! *They say* that good old fashioned soap and water gets pretty much everything you need to get. At least, that's the word on hand-washing.

With these points in mind, I am more inclined to get things to where they look clean and smell clean (not flowery, but clean). And naturally I will not try to eat off the floor around my toilet or lick the rim. When kids come, that may put a new spin on things, but similar principals will hopefully/probably apply.

Hopefully I will find out that my inclinations are correct/will leave me safe, and that I don't need to use products that "sanitize" unless I have a serious situation (whatever that could be). I'm going to poke around and see if I can't find some scientific paper on the matter. Will let you know if I find something!

Okay- the results of my research....

This article is from 1996, but seems to be very informative and well written:
http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arch/9_14_96/bob2.htm

This one gives more good ideas on *where* to clean (keep in mind it was sponsored by Clorox):
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/03-17-2005/0003204221&EDATE=

So, the more I read, the more I get the following:
1. Wet = safe harbor for bacteria
2. The kitchen is really where you need to be extra vigilant about cleaning (much more than the bathroom)
3. Be careful about *spreading around* the germs that you are trying to clean up (disinfect/replace regularly your sponges, towels, etc.)
4. Wash your hands! And wash the places that they frequently touch, such as phones, doorknobs, and faucets handles. Soap, water and a clean sponge will work wonders.

What I come away with is that it is more about habits and methods than it is about products. There is some good reading out there - I searched the words: "clean bacteria surfaces journal" (I was specifically hoping to find stuff from scientific journals). I also think that I might add clorox wipes or bleach solution to my cleaning repertoire, but I am not certain yet (where and how often).

Thanks caseby- your results are somewhat reassuring. I've recently started purchasing the Clorox wipes and use them in my weekly "house blessing". I quickly wipe all knobs (including outside door knobs) and phones and I also use one to wipe my chopping blocks (which are wood - another story but I DO wash them in dishwater throughout the week as well.)

Something about sponges which I read here eons ago is that they can be disinfected by putting them in the microwave for 2 minutes (of course not if they have metallic parts). I've been doing this daily when I fix my coffee in the morning. Makes me feel virtuous.

I just checked google and found a whole bunch of hits recommending that sponges be microwaved anywhere from 30 seconds to 60 seconds. So I guess I will continue. (Now I don't know exactly when to toss the sponges, always more questions, LOL).

Anyway, I think the microwave cleansing should be considered a non-toxic cleaning method (if you don't have a leaky microwave which could be toxic in other ways - check google for ways to test your microwave or just buy the cheap end of microwave ovens and replace every 5 years or so, that's what I plan to do. My last one I had for 25 years and was horrified to read here about someone who had actually had their leakage measured - it pentrates walls - yikes! always something to worry about, maybe I'm one of those obsessive compulsive wannabes's, LOL)

--Alice

Alice - one of the articles I read mentioned a study that demonstrated one minute for a wet sponge was effective. I just tried in on the nasty sponge here at work. Nothing blew up! I will start practicing this at home. I think I remember other things (like wooden cutting boards?) being microwaved to clean - I need to find that article again. I will definitely add this to the non-toxic cleaning list!

I am still working on my cleaning checklist for our house. I have a good many questions, but it is coming together. Will share soon, and hopefully get some suggestions. Maybe we can get an FAQ going?

My favorite window cleaner is club soda. It's okay if it's lost it's carbonation and it room temperature.

Des Arc, et all

I have'nt been around for a while, but will answer you question about Iron Out now. It was recommended to me by my plumber and it's great. It is a powder that you can put in the bowl or in the tank, or both. With a septic tank you should not use those clorine tablets, so this is the alternative. I buy mine at the local supermarket.

Teacats suggested this site on another forum thread - though I should share it here!

Here is a link that might be useful: green cleaning tips

I know this thread is for cleaning...... BUT while we're on the subject of vinegar you can spray it full strength on weeds preferably on a warm, sunny day and it will reduce weeds.

jerri

Walmart has Microfiber cloths for a lot less than most places- I recenly bought a stack of them for $5.00 & they work as well as one I'd paid $16.00 for. I cut several in half for small areas & my small hands, then serged the edges.

So I have not been here in a while either and since my house was on the market for over a year I am constantly cleaning!!! I am sick of paying all that money for products that really don't work that great either and wanted to find some things that were more environmentally friendly and less chemical based. My favorites right now have been the Swiffer dusters and Endust lemon wipes. But we live in an area with really hard water and its not in my budget to purchase a water softner system. I cannot find anything that works to get the soap scum and hard water residue off my tub and tile walls. The tile is a few years old and I don't want to replace it, and it can't we have an old porcelin tub that is an odd size. Any one have suggestions that live in the midwest and have dealt with really hard water.... :)

Thanks,
Melissa

I have used Limeaway or CLR and elbow grease. The hard part was keeping a vertical surface wet without keeling over from the fumes. It just took time. Once I got it clean, I use that type of spry that is put on after the shower. For maintenance I've wiped down with vinegar.