Our journey towards having a greener household all started when we went gluten free a few years ago.  Having to look at the ingredients on everything (not just food) really opens your eyes to what is in various products.  Our switch to eating gluten free helped us transition into a healthier and more organic diet.  In turn, this lead to us paying more attention to how different products made us feel.

We transitioned from traditional cleaning products with toxic fumes that gave us headaches to more kid-friendly, non-toxic cleaning products.  While we were doing this, we had to constantly be aware of what was in these cleaning products.  Even though they may be non-toxic and eco-friendly, they could still contain gluten.  I didn’t want to be cross contaminating my family with the cleaning products that we were using.

Thus began our journey to finding affordable, non-toxic, gluten-free cleaning products.

1. Use vinegar as an affordable, all-purpose cleaner

We quickly learned that one of our best friends was vinegar.  While it does have that “I’m dyeing Easter eggs” smell to it, it is a great inexpensive cleaning product.  We used it as an all purpose cleaner and a deodorizer.  We used it in the dishwasher instead of JetDry.  We put it in with the laundry as a fabric softener and deodorizer.  Thankfully, the smell goes away quickly, so you’re not left with a house (or clothes) that smell like vinegar.

Did you know that the one-two punch of vinegar followed by hydrogen peroxide has been show to work better at killing germs than bleach?  Well, it has, and it’s not going to leave your home wreaking of toxic bleach fumes.

2. Baking Soda makes an inexpensive, multi-purpose deodorizer

We started buying large containers of baking soda.  We created a paste with it to clean stubborn spots on the counters and stove.  We sprinkled it on the carpet before vacuuming to work as a deodorizer.  We sprinkled it on pet accidents to help clean up the spot.  We used it in the laundry to boost the laundry detergents cleaning power.  Once again, an inexpensive, multi-purpose cleaner.

3. Microfiber Cloths are a more affordable solution to paper towel use

While we didn’t completely do away with paper towels, we started using more cleaning cloths instead of paper towels for every day clean-up.  We found that our favorite cleaning cloths were the microfiber cloths.  They are soft and absorbent.  Dirt tends to cling to them, so it’s easier to pick up dust and crumbs.  When you’re done, you can just toss them in the laundry to clean them up.  We keep a little bin under the sink for the microfiber cloths.

4. Ditch the traditional broom

When I first heard and later saw the Eurobroom (aka Dutch Rubber Broom), I couldn’t figure out what the big deal was about this broom.  I finally ended up ordering 2 due to a really good deal that was offered online.  I sent one to my deployed hubby as he needed something at his location.  (He later had to leave it behind as he moved on to a new location – much to our dismay.)  The other one, I started using at home.  I loved that I could use it wet or dry.  I could use it to get up the dog hair (and people hair) that was on the carpet.  Soon, my old broom and mop disappeared (given to someone else).

5. Say Goodbye to Your Swiffer Sweeper

I can’t deny that this one was a hard one to give up, but the cleaning solution and toss away pads just weren’t cutting it.  Putting aside the fact that the cleaning solution did not meet our new standards, buying the specific solution and cleaning pads just wasn’t very good on the pocket book.  We put our microfiber cloths on the eurobroom and sprayed the floor with vinegar or another non-toxic cleaning solution.

We ended up adding a steam mop to our line-up.  While I really like the steam mop, it does take a little more time to get set up, and it requires electricity to run.  Granted, it’s not a huge deal, but it does need mentioning.

Recently, we added the new Rubbermaid Reveal to our cleaning supplies.  Since you can use your own cleaning solution with it and it has reusable microfiber cloth pads, it’s a hit at our house.

Tomorrow, I’ll continue the greener, cleaner series with tips on how we keep our home green and clean.

What are you favorite green cleaning tips?  What products can you not live without?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Mrs. Meyer’s blogging program, making me eligible to get a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.