Staging our Green-Cleaned Home
When staging your home for sale there's no second chance to make a first impression! Cleanliness sells! You can make your own cleaning products, get rid of toxic products, and avoid toxic exposure while preparing your home to attract an enthusiastic buyer.
Fortunately there are now quite a few non-toxic cleaning products available to us in our search for safe solutions for a healthier life. But we must also beware of unsubstantiated green claims. Try making some of your own cleaners. It's simple to do and will probably remind you of what your grandma used.
Here's your basic shopping list:
- white vinegar - great for cutting grease because of its acidity; use for windows and mirrors and on laminate or wood floors
- lemon juice - another edible, grease-cutting acid and it also smells fresh
- baking soda - open a box in your fridge to absorb odors; besides deodorizing, it also can be used to soften water and to scour
- washing soda - like baking soda but it also disinfects
- Borax - cleans, deodorizes, disinfects
- Castile soap - find the one made exclusively from vegetable oils
- orange drink crystals - great for scrubbing toilet bowls, bathtubs and sinks
- soap flakes - their molecules attract dirt on one end but are water soluble on the other end
Your shopping list will save you dozens of dollars and the gentle earth will thank you!
At the same time do your best to avoid cleaning products that contain:
- clichlorine or common household bleach
- EDTA or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
- ethylene glycol
- formaldehyde
- nitrilotriacetic acid or NTA
- nonylphenol ethoxylate or NPE
- phosphates
- silica
Be especially vigilant with degreasers, moth balls, oven cleaners, spot removers, cleaning fluids,paint thinners, and paint strippers.
