With the increase in allergies in children and cancer in adults, many people are concerned with the chemicals they are using in their home and garden. There are effective alternatives to clean your home using green cleaning supplies. These green cleaning tips will save you money and help save the environment. Best of all – you probably already have these supplies in your cupboard – so you can start green cleaning right away! Some of the best natural cleaning products are baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar, and water.

Lemon juice: Get rid of stains on your kitchen counter top by applying lemon juice and letting it sit for a few minutes. Then simply scrub the area with baking soda and wipe with a damp cloth. In your bathroom, clean your glass shower door by applying pure lemon juice onto the glass. Just spray it with warm water and wipe it off with a clean cloth.

Vinegar: Use vinegar to kill weeds that pop up between your interlock bricks in the driveway. It is best to spray the vinegar on the weeds after a few days of hot, dry weather, when the weeds will really soak up the liquid. Diluted vinegar also serves as a good floor cleaner for ceramic tiles – it leaves behind a nice shine & does not dull the finish. Vinegar is also a natural fabric softener. Add half a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle for soft, static free clothes.

Baking soda: Use baking soda to control odours around the home. Put an open box in the refrigerator to control odours from food. Keep a box in the locker or closet where you store shoes and sports gear. Sprinkle some baking powder in the garbage can or cat litter box before you insert the liner. Baking soda is also a natural stain fighter for fabrics. Just apply a mixture of 6 tablespoons of baking powder with a half cup of warm water to stains before washing.

For an all purpose cleaning spray, combine baking soda with white vinegar, water, and a few drops of antibacterial tea tree oil. Wash out empty spray bottles and reuse them with this natural cleanser.

Steam cleaners are a great alternative now that they make ones for the home costing around $ 100. Some brands are Haan FS20-Plus 800-Watt Steam Cleaning Floor Sanitizer, H2O and Shark, which come with reusable, washable cleaning pads. You can use the cleaners on tile, marble, wood, etc. You will be amazed how clean your floors will be using only water (turned into steam).  I own a Haan steam cleaner and absolutely love it. I have not needed any cleaning solution for my floors for over 8 months! Steam Cleaning Floor Sanitizer.

Rather than chemical sprays to make your home and bathrooms smell like flowers, why not put out some fresh flowers or potpourri in a decorative container? Potpourri lasts a long time and can be placed in decorative bowls in bathrooms, halls, bedrooms, etc. You can also make little satchels out of mesh bags and put them in your drawers to make your clothes smell nice.