DIY | Green cleaning products for the home

I read a rather interesting statistic in a magazine the other day that got me thinking. According to a Norwegian study, cleaning products (predominately sprays) may lead to a 14% reduction in lung function putting users at risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)*.

It's something I think about regularly when I spray my kitchen sides to banish any nasty bacteria or clean the bathroom. As far as I know, the sprays do the job well - my husband and I rarely have tummy bugs - but just what are these sprays doing to our bodies when we breathe them in?

And what about the environment? A quick scan of the labels of a number of cleaning products in my cupboard and I came across scary warnings such as, "Harmful to aquatic life to long-lasting effects", "Wash hands thoroughly after use" and "Avoid release to the environment".

Now, I'm no expert on these matters but it's certainly something I'm keen on researching further. While I do that, I thought I'd start making a few changes to my own cleaning regime namely starting with homemade cleaners.

My granny has always advocated the use of vinegar for cleaning. It works wonders on glass leaving mirrors and windows dust- and streak-free. Of course, it's a little smelly so for my cleaner, I watered some white vinegar down with distilled water and added a few drops of essentials oils to mask the vinegar's naturally potent aroma.

After a few attempts, I came up with a great basic cleaner that left my tiled, mirrored and glass surfaces sparkling. And, although the vinegar scent was still evident, it quickly dispersed.

Now obviously, I'm unable to test the environmental or biological effects of this spray but with such basic, safe ingredients and minimal chemicals, it can't be any worse. Plus, it's cheap to make too!

Here's my basic recipe for vinegar-based cleaner. I used an empty window cleaning spray bottle, which I rinsed first in hot soapy water.

A word of warning, I wouldn't use this spray on polished or wooden furniture as I'd be concerned the oils may damage the finish.

Ingredients

1 part white vinegar

1 part distilled water

10 - 12 drops of essential oil - I used lemon and peppermint but the beauty of this is that you can experiment with scents

Come back for more DIY, eco-friendly cleaning and home ideas.

Happy cleaning!

*Coach magazine, September