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All-purpose cleaner really is all-purpose, non-toxic kind too
September 25, 2007

An average American family’s cleaning supply most likely include all-purpose cleaner, glass & surface cleaner, bathroom cleaner, kitchen cleaner, floor cleaner, shower cleaner, toilet cleaner and more. Bottles of chemistry lab solutions sit in the dark of a typical supply closet. About three years ago, I realized that common household germs and dirt were actually less insidious compared to the chemicals found in my common household cleaning products. Ever since then I have been experimenting with cleaning products and realized a few things:

1. All purpose cleaners really are all-purpose. Forget all the room specific cleaners. I think it is just a marketing trick to get people to buy more stuff. Gone were the kitchen counter cleaners, bathroom cleaners, shower cleaners and others. Really all-purpose cleaners do a great job in different rooms.
2. You can clean your windows with water. If you don’t trust the magic of water, add a few drops of vinegar. The result? Squeaky clean windows. Even if your windows have not been cleaned for 6 months, applying water and vinegar solution twice will still result in squeaky clean windows. My sister-in-law apparently loves the smell of Windex. Well, I think that maybe a whole different matter. Ammonia hydroxide addition? Me? It makes me nauseated.
3. Homemade solutions for the most part are as good as stored bought kinds, as long as you clean more than once every couple of months. Water and vinegar usually do the trick with a few pennies. Okay, maybe I am just cheap. I like a clean house without negatively impacting my healthy or my pocket. Here are some tested homemade recipes.

But for convenience, sometimes, I do break down and buy all-purpose cleaners. Have I mentioned that you really only need all-purpose cleaners? My favorites are: Seventh Generation all-purpose for spray and wipe; Bon-Ami for scrubbing surfaces with splatters, spills and sticky messes.

I use Seventh Generation all-purpose cleaner everywhere. It has not disappointed me, even on our greasy stovetop and carpet stains, yep carpet stains. I also use it to clean my toddler’s crusty and food-stained high chair. Very effective without selling like artificial cleaning solutions. All ingredients are disclosed, none nasty. Friends have told me that “green” cleaning products often do a poor job. I usually recommend Seventh Generation, free and clear kind or the citrus kind. Apparently using on brass is not recommended.

Bon Ami polishing cleanser is an awesome product. It is made from calcite & feldspar mineral abrasives and biodegradable detergent, so it does not give out the unbearable chlorine fume like Comet does. You can use it to clean counters, scrub dirty sinks (without scratching the surface), and perform the touch job of getting rid of crust on the bottom of burned pots or pans. And it costs less than $1.50 in most supermarkets! Effective, cheap, non-toxic, versatile. What else can one ask for? I love it so much that I force it upon all my friends.

I am clearly opinionated on this topic. But I am sticking to it. For other people’s views, check out a wide variety of all-purpose cleaners and their reviews.

Related posts:
My favorite laundry soap

CindyW at Organicpicks

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