As I unloaded my groceries into my filthy needs-to-be-cleaned fridge the other day, I heard a “whooshing” sound. It took a few moments for me to realize I had knocked over a box of baking soda, and the entire contents were whooshing from the top shelf to the middle to the bottom and into the drawers. Lovely. I had no choice but to stop what I was doing, unload ALL the shelves, and wash off the whole inside of my fridge.
Then a light bulb went off in my head. I’ve been meaning to use more natural products to clean with, and here one of them was practically knocking me over the head! So instead of pulling out my “Greenworks” cleaner (that was the extent of my “greening” up to this point– a commercial product that is probably only a shade better than the other toxic cleaners on the market) I simply took out each shelf, spread the baking soda around, added some warm water, and wiped.
WOW did it work well! And it smelled so clean, not a toxic fume in sight. I was glad I tried it, because I never would have believed it would have cleaned maple syrup, Coffee-mate, and a mystery sauce off the shelves so easily if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. The actual cleaning took less time than the unloading of the shelves!
Another product I found (also on that grocery trip, was this a sign or what?) was Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Countertop Spray. It was in the “natural” section of my grocery store with the other natural cleaners. The ingredients are all natural and biodegradable, and it smells like lemon verbena!!! The best part? It works beautifully! So now I feel happy that I’ve made two big steps toward being greener– a great new product, as well as an old standby (baking soda) which will be my new best cleaning friend. And just in case you are curious, here’s 50 more uses for baking soda.
Edited to add: Well, now, it appears blogging minds think alike! Look what they just posted on Young House Love: a guide to all natural cleaners. This is a fantastic resource, full of all-natural recipes and uses for the basics– baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide– to get your home sparkling clean.
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Emily S says
I may have to try that! My fridge is definitely in need of a good cleaning and I hate using regular cleaners to clean the areas where my food is stored. Thanks for the tip!
Misty says
Great suggestions! My fridge need a whole box of baking soda poured on it right about now! I will work on that this weekend!
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LB says
Happy SITS Saturday, what a great tip, I had never thought of using the baking soda to clean. Especially the box that has been opened in the fridge.
Thanks for sharing.
LyndiLou says
Thanks for the reminder to clean a little deeper! 🙂 I will be giving my fridge some extra attention tomorrow! 😉