Favorite Frugal Finds: Green Spring Cleaning

I’m going to try out a new series and post my Favorite Frugal Finds at least every other month.  Every now and then I find some really awesome products that I love and I never get around to posting about them because I don’t want to come off like I’m giving you a sales pitch.  I’m hoping that if I do it as a roundup of my favorite things then it will make for a fun series.

My first one is on green spring cleaning.  Spring is almost over, but that doesn’t mean you get out of spring cleaning.  With a second baby here, I’ve put off Spring cleaning for far too long!  I’m hoping this post will help me get in the mood.  These are my favorite green spring cleaning supplies that consistently save me money.

Hand soap and dish soap:  Sure, I could get the cheapest off brand soap, but I love the eco-friendly options.  They smell awesome and I feel safe using them.  I love stocking up on Seventh Generation and Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day any time I find them on sale.  Keep an eye out for sales because theses products end up being cheaper than the mainstream non-green products, especially if you have a coupon.  Publix and Target regularly have sales on both brands.  Amazon has them in their Prime Pantry program.

Essential oils:  Sometimes I like to make my own cleaning supplies.  When I make my own, I like to add scents to them.  It would defeat the purpose of “green” cleaning if I added fake fragrances.  Instead, I like to go with essential oils because they are derived from natural ingredients.  My current favorite essential oil company is doTERRA , although you can find some pretty good ones at Whole Foods too.

Cloths:  I rarely clean with disposable products, it makes much more sense, environmentally and economically, to clean with reusable cloths.  I’m still loving my e-cloth for cleaning.  They are well made microfiber cloths that actually work.  I can’t tell you how many microfiber cloths I’ve bought only to have them not work at all.

Swiffer handles:  I know I just said that I rarely clean with disposable products and here I am recommending Swiffer!  Let me explain.  Sometimes I have a mess that actually needs a disposable product.  Once a year (or less) I buy Swiffer wet mop cloths for emergencies.  I’ve had my Swiffer mop handle for over two years and I almost exclusively use cloth in it instead of disposable Swiffer products.  I’ve had higher end handles that come with cleaning cloths and I prefer my Swiffer.  It’s light and super easy to use.  It’s also extremely cheap compared to other products.

Laundry detergent:   I’m a big fan of always keeping Washing Soda, Baking Soda, Borax and Fels Naptha in the house.  Nine times out of ten you can make any cleaning product with these ingredients.  Laundry detergent is one of my favorites to make.  Grate a bar of Fels-Naptha, add 1 C. borax and 1 C. washing soda and you’re done!  Use 1/4 tbsp. per load.  This has worked in my regular and HE washing machines.

Wood polish:  I’ve stopped buying fancy wood polish because it is so easy to make my own with 2 parts olive oil and 1 part vinegar.  I pour it into a stainless steel spray bottle, shake, and use on wood furniture once a week.  While I’m on the subject, I’ve got to convince you to buy stainless steel spray bottles.  They are the only kind of bottles that work well for me.  I love these:

I use stainless steel because they hold up well and oil won’t deteriorate the bottle like it does with plastic.

Dishwashing detergent:  This one is so easy and works very well!

• 1 part Kosher salt
• 2 parts Borax
• 2 parts washing soda
• lime juice/ lemon juice/ citric acid
• white vinegar

Mix the first 3 ingredients together and store in an airtight container.  Use 2 tablespoons for each wash.  Before washing add a couple squirts of lime or lemon juice to the mix.  Fill your rinse compartment with white vinegar.

Carpet deodorizer:  All you need is baking soda and your choice of essential oils.  Add 5-10 drops to 2 C. of baking soda, sprinkle over your carpet, let sit for at least 10 minutes, and vacuum as usual.

As stated earlier, the powers of Borax, washing soda, baking soda and vinegar never cease to amaze me.  Throw Fels Naptha and bleach into the mix and I never need to buy any special cleaners.  With these six products you won’t need much more to clean your home.

What are your favorite green cleaning products?  Anything new I should try?