Drop the chemicals: Green cleaning products you have around the house

We can likely all agree that cleaning isn’t fun but what’s lurking in common cleaning products can also irritate skin or cause respiratory issues.

Even some “green” cleaning products can contain toxic ingredients.

READ MORE: Spring cleaning: how to declutter and get organized

The good news is it’s likely you have some effective cleaning products in your kitchen cupboards right now. Here are some everyday natural products to get your home squeaky clean.

Baking soda – whitens, cuts grease, deodorizes and lifts dirt.

• Clean your fridge with a teaspoon of baking soda per litre of water.
• Remove stains from coffee and tea cups with a paste of baking soda and water.
• Clean your toothbrush by soaking it in warm water mixed with baking soda overnight.
• Wash your veggies and fruit in a large bowl of cool water with a few tablespoons of baking soda.
• Clogged drain? Pour a cup of baking soda and a cup of hot vinegar. Let sit for a few minutes, then flush with a litre of boiling water.

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Vinegar – cuts grease, deodorizes and disinfects.

• A vinegar and baking soda solution will help remove stubborn grease stains on and inside the stove.
• Deodorize your fridge by wiping surfaces with a solution of equal parts water and vinegar.
• Run your coffee maker with vinegar instead of water. Run at least twice more with just water before making coffee.
• Clean windows and TV screens with a solution of 10 parts water to vinegar and a soft cloth.
• Pour vinegar into toilet bowl and let sit for five minutes before flushing or scrubbing.

WATCH: All natural cleaning solutions get the job done 

3:51 All natural cleaning solutions get the job done

Lemon – deodorizes, cuts grease.

• Freshen your home by simmering sliced lemons in water on the stove for an hour.
• Mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with two tablespoons of salt to make a rust-removal scrub.
• Remove smells from wooden cutting boards and bowls by rubbing with lemon peel — don’t rinse.
• Remove discolouration from plastic utensils by rubbing with cloth soaked in lemon juice, then rinse.
• Remove odours from your skin by rubbing with fresh lemons.

You can also mix your own cleaners, laundry soaps. The David Suzuki Foundation has a list of “green cleaning recipes” online.

Here’s one for furniture polish:

• 2 cups warm water
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice

Pour all ingredients into a spray bottle. Shake well, spray, rub, and polish with rag.