How Green Is Your Clean? (NAPSA)—Cleaning “green” doesn’t have to mean you and your family need to devote hours of time—or many dollars—to the task. You can achieve an efficient, effective household cleaning using homemade cleaning products and reusable household items. Doing so will not only contribute to a healthier environment, it can help save you money and, in manycases, provide a more-thoroughcleaning. Here are some simple suggestions to make your cleaning routine a bit more “green”: Make your own cleaning agents. You need to look nofurther than your kitchen pantry for items that can double as cleaning solutions: White vinegar, which will kill bacteria, makes an effective linoleum floor cleaner when mixed with warm water. Baking soda is ideal for deodorizing and can be used to clean countertops or to absorb odors in carpets before vacuuming. Rub a bit of lemon juice or vinegar on rust stains. Rinse it away once the spot has dissolved. Add a quality broom and mop to your inventory of cleaning supplies. Both can be used repeatedly and save you moneyovertime. For example, the O-Cedar Angler Broom not only provides a thorough cleaning (thanksto its wide sweeping path and 40 percent more bristles than other brooms), its bristles are made from recycled P.E.T. (plastic bot- @ A broom with bristles made from recycled P.E.T. keeps plastic waterbottles out of landfills. tles). This keeps approximately 60 million plastic water bottles annually from landingin landfills. A traditional mop allows you the flexibility to use whatever cleaning products you choose. Additionally, the O-Cedar Pro Scrub, with its easy-to-change mop head and built-in scrub brush, can easily be used for a quick mop or a thoroughfloor cleaning. Find new usesfor old things. Try creating second uses for “trash” to save money and keep it out of landfills. For example: Old T-shirts make great cleaning rags. A bit of crumpled newspaper and some white vinegar will leave a streak-free shine on mirrors and windows. Slip an old sock on your hand to act as a dusting “mitten.” Learn more. For more infor- mation on cleaning, visit www. ocedar.com.
