Most cleaners available these days rely heavily on toxic chemicals that seriously damage the environment. They can sometimes be bad for your health too.

If you're thinking about not using these unnecessarily harsh products, you could use an equivalent but more environmentally friendly cleaner. There are several ways to clean your home in an environmentally friendly manner. Here are some ideas to consider:

Simple Green. Simple Green is an excellent industrial strength cleaner that happens to carry the Green Seal certification for environmental responsibility. The Green Seal guarantees that a product meets strict standards of environmental stewardship in the way it’s manufactured and used. It also indicates a product that is easily biodegradable. Simple Green is versatile, extremely effective and will clean the toughest jobs. It’s so strong in its concentrated form that it should usually be diluted in one or more parts of water. This has the positive benefit of allowing you to control its strength when cleaning more delicate objects. Use it in your kitchen, your bathroom, to wash your car, or just about anything else--while being confident you're using a product with minimal impact on the environment.

Baking Soda. Baking soda has great cleaning, deodorizing and scrubbing properties. It's also Earth friendly. It has a large number of uses, including many you may not have thought about. In addition to its popular use for removing unpleasant odors from the refrigerator, it can be sprinkled on carpets and rugs to deodorize them. You can sprinkle it on a sponge and wipe your counters without fear of scratching them. You can dilute it in water and wash your vegetables. It's a wonderfully versatile product.

Tea Tree Oil. If you’re attacking mold, there are several natural ways to get rid of it. One of the best is tea tree oil, which is great against bacteria and fungus. Mix a teaspoon of it with two cups of water, spray it on the affected area and allow to dry. The scent is quite strong, but will dissipate in just a day or two.

Going green often requires sacrifice, but not when it comes to cleaning. You should not have to endure toxic chemicals when cleaning your home. You can do a great job with a green cleaner that won’t put your family’s health at risk or harm the environment.

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