Safe Cleaning Products for Children
- When cleaning your home, you want to keep in mind the children who live there. Many cleaning products bring in harmful chemicals and vapors, as the items use toxic cleaning elements that do clean, but open the risk of ingestion of the cleaner or harmful vapors. Instead, use cleaning products that are all-natural, contain no harmful ingredients, and are safe for children.
- Baking soda is a natural cleaning element that is not harmful to children and will clean any surface. To deodorize carpeting, sprinkle baking soda lightly over the carpet, and vacuum up after an hour. Pour 2 cups baking soda into the toilet bowl, and scrub with your toilet brush for a natural toilet bowl cleaner and deodorizer. When cleaning showers and sinks, sprinkle baking soda over a wet nylon sponge, and scrub the surface, then rinse. For an all-purpose floor cleaner, mix 1 gallon water with 1 cup baking soda, and mop the floors as you normally would.
- White vinegar is a natural disinfectant that kills germs and bacteria without the use of any chemicals or ingredients harmful to children. To disinfect carpets and upholstery, fill a spray bottle with white vinegar, and mist it over the fabric, then allow it to air-dry fully. Clean windows and glass by spraying white vinegar over the glass surface, then wiping it off with a dry rag. Disinfect the toilet bowl by pouring 2 cups white vinegar into the bowl, and scrubbing it with your toilet brush. Disinfect tubs and sinks by scrubbing them with an equal mixture of water and vinegar. Floors can be cleaned the same way, again combining an equal mix of water and vinegar, and mopping the floors as you normally would.
- Lemon juice is another natural item that works well as a cleaning and disinfecting agent safe for use with children. Lemon juice works similarly to vinegar, except that lemons provide a fresh citrus scent. You can clean floors, sinks, and bathtubs by mixing equal parts water and lemon juice, and wiping with either a mop or rag. Clean the toilet by pouring two cups of lemon juice into the bowl, letting it sit for 30 minutes, and scrubbing it with your toilet brush.
