Clean and Polish Your Wood Furniture the Green Way

Clean and Polish Your Wood Furniture the Green Way

You can walk into a room and tell right away when commercially made furniture cleaner and polish has been used. Even if it is lemon scented, it still has that smell of engine oil pervading the room. The furniture may be gleaming but the product used to make it that way could be the cause of that headache and irritability you feel coming on.

You might be using vinegar based homemade cleaners for all your other housecleaning but still use the same furniture polish you have been buying for years. It likely didn’t occur to you to use anything else because you don’t want to damage the finish on your wood furnishings. This is understandable so green cleaning took a back seat when it came to cleaning and polishing you fine wood pieces.

It isn’t necessary for green cleaning not to be considered here, though. It is just a matter of knowing the right combination of ingredients. You might have tried an old recipe for furniture polish at one time but found it left your pieces feeling too oily. It is possible you had the right ingredients, just the wrong ratio.

If you have tried the old quarter cup of olive oil with just a teaspoon or so of vinegar added, it may have made your furniture shiny and clean but left an oily feel behind. Try reversing the amounts of olive oil and vinegar. You may be thinking the vinegar would be too drying but that is what the oil prevents. The vinegar is also not as drying as you might think. It is what does the cleaning and just a little oil is enough to make your wood furniture shine without feeling oily.

If you don’t particularly like the smell of olive oil, there are several options. One of the first options is to add a few drops of lemon oil to get a nice, lemony fragrance. Olive oil isn’t the only option for oil, either. Nut oils such as almond or walnut work quite well as does jojoba, which is a liquid wax.

To make your own green cleaning wood furniture cleaner and polish, you can mix nine or ten drops of lemon oil, a couple of tablespoons of fresh lemon juice or vinegar and three or four drops of oil (olive, jojoba, walnut or almond) together. Now you have a homemade furniture cleaner that gets the job done well and smells fresh and clean.

A soft, lint free cloth should be used so you are not leaving tiny scratches or bits of lint behind should be used regardless of what cleaner you use. The first time you use this homemade mixture, you will find yourself wondering why you waited so long to find a green cleaning option for your wood furniture.

Sourced from: http://carpetcarenottingham.co.uk/

We are a professional cleaning company who specialise in Carpet, Rug, Hardwood floor, Stone floor, Upholstery and Leather cleaning for domestic an commercial clients.

 For more information about our services contact the team on 01223 863632 or at www.artofclean.co.uk to find out more.

10 Eco-Friendly Ingredients for Everyday Green Cleaning

Written by Karen Peltier

Green clean your whole house with these readily available products that are all natural, environmentally friendly, and cost effective. Already included in many major green, commercial brand products, they can be used for green cleaning on their own or incorporated as ingredients into many easy, do-it-yourself green cleaning recipes.  Plus, because they are safer and more effective than their toxic commercial counterparts, you can feel good about using them and tread more lightly on the planet while you’re at it!

1. Baking Soda (Sodium bicarbonate)

This versatile product is probably one of the top most important green cleaning ingredients. Very alkaline in nature with a high pH, it’s great for its ability to absorb grease and spills, neutralize odors, and scrub surfaces effectively, but gently without scratching. It also has bactericidal and stain removing abilities as shown in one dental care study published in the Journal of Periodontology and another in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry, respectively. So if it can work on your teeth, it definitely will work on other surfaces, too! 

 Economy Size Baking Soda Bag. Photo © Karen Peltier  

2. Castile or Natural Dish Soap

Indispensable for washing, soap helps loosen dirt and break down grease. Castile soap, which is made from olive oil, or natural dishwashing detergent that is free of synthetic fragrances, dyes, and additives, are an essential part of any green cleaning kit. They can be used in products, such as all-purpose sprays, cream cleansers, etc.

 Unscented Organic Castile Soap. Photo © Karen Peltier

3. Club Soda

Useful for treating difficult stains and spots (e.g., blood, chocolate, coffee, tea, wine, etc.), club soda is also an ingredient in some homemade cleaning and deodorizing sprays.

Club Soda. Photo © Karen Peltier









4. Essential Oils

Enhance the natural cleansing properties of your cleaners with these potent, natural plant-based oils that are environmentally friendly and biodegradable. Many essential oils, such as the top five for green cleaning, have antiseptic, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties so they are a great addition to unscented, green cleaning products and homemade natural cleansers, such as this aromatherapy cleanser. As a bonus, essential oils even provide some health benefits while you clean; for example, lavender calms the nervous system.
 Lavender, Thyme, and Oregano Essential Oils. Photo © Karen Peltier


5. Hydrogen Peroxide

This product is an earth-friendly alternative to chlorine bleach due to its gentle, non-toxic bleaching action and antiseptic properties. A study published in the PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology showed that nebulized hydrogen peroxide (which is peroxide delivered in a mist form) is an effective disinfectant for surfaces in research, animal labs, and hospital rooms, so why not try hydrogen peroxide at home in rooms where sanitation is key, such as your bathroom and kitchen?

Bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide. Photo © Karen Peltier

6. Kosher Salt

Think about how great salt is as a natural preservative in curing meat and preventing contamination and you can get a pretty good idea of how it might be great for cleaning. Salt, which is primarily sodium chloride, is beneficial for scrubbing and fighting mold and mildew. It also has some surprising uses; for example, when combined with lemons or limes, it’s an effective rust remover.

Salt. Photo © Karen Peltier



7. Lemons and Limes

The fresh citrusy scent of these fruits can’t be beat for their ability to cut through grease and grime. The low pH (i.e., 2.0 pH for lemon) and citric acid content of lemons and limes make it difficult for many microorganisms to grow, so they are great for combatting germs while you clean! In addition, their high acidity level helps loosen alkaline mineral deposits, such as calcium, and dissolve soap scum. And when you squeeze the rind of a lime or lemon “backwards” with a citrus juicer, such as suggested in this recipe for “Clean Everything Lemon-Lime Spray,” you also extract a little of the essential oils for added cleaning benefits!
Lemons and Limes. Photo © Karen Peltier

8. Non-GMO Cornstarch

Cornstarch made from non-genetically-modified (GMO) corn makes cleaning windows, buffing, polishing, and getting rid of grease, grime, and dirt a snap.  And, of course, it can also be used as a laundry starch!

Non-GMO Cornstarch. Photo © Karen Peltier












9. Organic Olive Oil


This is an awesome product for creating your own earth-friendly, safe cleaners and polishers for stainless steel and wood.

Bulk Size Olive Oil. Photo © Karen Peltier












10. Vinegar

With this absolutely essential ingredient, you can easily clean more than 90% of your home. Vinegar’s low pH (2.0) and acetic acid content make it an effective cleaner for combating soap scum, alkaline mineral deposits, inhibiting mold, and more. It’s also an effective disinfectant that kills viruses and bacteria as several studies have shown.  For example, a 2010 scientific study showed that a 10% malt vinegar solution was just as effective as commercial cleaning wipes in killing the Human Influenza A/H1N1 virus.

Heinz Vinegar. Photo © Karen Peltier








  

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Non-Toxic Cleaners You Can Make at Home

Written by Stacy Karen

Advertisers everywhere proclaim the germ fighting power of chemical-filled cleaners. Many would have us believe that there is no way to clean and disinfect without a chemical product. And doesn’t every good mother want to rid her home of germs and dirt?

May I encourage you not to buy into these messages? A little dirt won’t kill you or your children.

While it is true that some germs can be dangerous, so are the chemicals in the cleaners that claim to eradicate said germs! The toxins contained in most commercial cleaners are unhealthy for us and the environment.

In her book, The Naturally Clean Home, Karyn Siegel-Maier states:

“A study by the Toronto Indoor Air Commission concluded that, due to increased exposure to household carcinogens, women who work at home have a 55 percent greater chance of developing cancer than women who spend the majority of their time outside the home.”

This is a sobering reminder that we should not be adding to our toxic load by using chemical laden cleaners day after day.

Thankfully more and more non-toxic cleaners are becoming available. However, these new choices can be expensive (and many are still not entirely safe).  Lucky for us, it is easy and inexpensive to make cleaners at home. And you don’t need a bunch of fancy ingredients to do it. Keeping vinegar, Castile soap, baking soda, and essential oils on hand will enable you to make just about every cleaner you need.

Today I’d like to show you how to make a variety of non-toxic cleaners using these four ingredients.

But first, here is a brief overview of each ingredient:

Vinegar

White, distilled vinegar is great for deodorizing, degreasing and general cleaning. It’s also extremely inexpensive and readily available.

The smell of vinegar does dissipate fairly quickly, but if you dislike it a great deal, try scenting it. To create scented vinegar, simply add 75 drops of lavender or tea tree essential oil to a one gallon jug of white vinegar (this combination came from Clean House, Clean Planet by Karen Logan, page 254-255).

Castile Soap

This gentle soap is made from vegetable fat/oil such as hemp, palm or olive (opposed to tallow). It is a versatile cleaner that works well with other ingredients as well as alone.

Baking Soda

The texture of baking soda makes it useful as a mild abrasive. It is also an excellent deodorizer. Many of us already have an open box of baking soda in the fridge to absorb smells, but it can also be used to scrub sinks and clean toilets!

To freshen carpets, add a few drops of essential oil to a box of baking soda, stir to combine, sprinkle on the carpet and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Then vacuum.

Essential Oils

These concentrated plant oils contain powerful anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-biotic and anti-fungal properties. While they can sometimes be expensive, one small bottle will last a long time.  They add a lovely fragrance to your homemade cleaners, which provides psychological benefits too!

My favorite essential oils for cleaning are: lemon, orange, peppermint, lavender, and tea tree.

Image by Rowdy Kittens

Simple Recipes to Clean the Whole House

Floors

My favorite floor cleaner is made by adding 2 to 4 tablespoons of Castile soap and 10 drops of lemon essential oil to a large container. Fill with 1 gallon of hot water and stir to mix.  If the floor is greasy, add up to 1/8 cup of vinegar.

Walls

The above floor cleaner will work well on walls too. If you wish to disinfect walls (or door knobs, crib rails, and so on), mix equal parts vinegar and water. Add 5 to 10 drops of essential oil, per 16 oz of mixture, if desired.

Mirrors

Mirrors can be cleaned well with water and a microfiber cloth. If you are looking for more shine (and germ killing power), combine 1 ½ cups of water with ½ cup of vinegar in a spray bottle and shake to mix. Add 5 to 10 drops of orange or lemon essential oil for extra cleaning power and added fragrance.

Counter tops

I often keep leftover floor cleaner in a spray bottle and use it on the counter tops. It works very well.

If this is not available I will make some disinfecting spray with lavender and peppermint essential oil and water. Adding two tablespoons of Castile soap to this mix will help loosen dirt or grime if necessary.

Toilets

Pouring a little straight or scented vinegar into the toilet bowl is a great way to clean and deodorize. For regular toilet seat wipe downs, keep some vinegar in a spray bottle. (Because it’s non-toxic and safe to use, why not give kids the job of swishing and swiping each day!)

Sprinkling baking soda into the bowl and scrubbing with a sturdy toilet brush is another good way to keep the toilet clean and fresh.

Bath and shower

The best way to keep the shower clean is to regularly spray the walls with vinegar, this helps prevent soap and scum from building up. Using a squeegee to remove excess water (a few times each week) is also very effective, especially on glass doors.

For a thorough cleaning, it is easy to make your own soft soap cleaner with  baking soda and Castile soap.

The recipes shared here today are just a sampling of the natural, non-toxic cleaners that can be made with four basic ingredients (or less). There are many other possibilities.

It is always a good idea to label your homemade cleaners. Writing the recipe on the container also helps make refills a breeze.

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