I am working on more ways to be green this year. I am semi-green and I would like to pick it up a notch. I am out of cleaning supplies and I have discovered that vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice are great to clean almost anything. I have been listening to programs on cleaning and they say that vinegar is great to clean but you can't disinfect anything with it. I have been using diluted bleach water to help disinfect since we have had the flu and I don't want it back but, I was wondeing what it does to the environment? I went to Clorox's website and they say great things about bleach and that it doesn't harm the environment. But green people say it is bad or is that my misconception on the subject?

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I have only heard that you CAN disinfect with Vinegar. One member here uses vinegar to clean the medical equipment for her son. I have a hard time believing bleach is natural and doesn't harm the environment, but that is one of those things that it depends on who pays for the research and what the findings are. However, I have a spray bottle with on part acohol and 5 parts water that I sometimes use as a disinfectant.

eta: I just read that vinegar is better as a disinfectant if it is not diluted--just straight vinegar.

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I use and *love* tea tree oil. It's known as the "Universal Antiseptic".

"Tea Tree oil turns out to be one of the most useful of all essential oils, especially as an antiseptic. The antiseptic, germicidal, antifungal, antibacterial immune-boosting qualities of Tea Tree oil make it applicable to a wide range of health conditions. In addition, the antiseptic benefits of the oil allow its use as a natural cleaner and disinfectant within the household environment."

It's simply amazing, to say the least. If you google it, you'll read of many of it's benefits including it's use a disinfectant. Here is just one of many links. Also, google "tea tree oil recipes" for good cleaning recipes. I found one that called for a few drops of tea tree oil in a few cups of vinegar (to pour into the toilet to soak) , but most are tea tree oil and water.

I put a few drops in spray bottle of water and use it on everything - countertops, door knobs, upholstery, toilets, and so on. Or I'll add a small capful to a bucket of mop water.

The scent is fresh and very exhilarating - puts me in the cleaning mood!

I buy my oil from ebay, by the way.

I hope this helps and I apologize if this has been covered already here...I'm new

Tea tree oil from eBay?! I never even thought about it. How much do you pay per ounce?

I bought mine from WFMed (they sell on Ebay, too). They have their own website if you want to check it out though I haven't yet. (WFMED Discount Medical Supplies) You can check their listings on Ebay here for tea tree oil sizes and prices. You can buy from an ounce on up - whatever you need. I think I started with a 4oz bottle at about $6 or $7 dollars for the bottle. It lasts a long time, too!

I don't use tea tree oil because I cannot ABIDE the smell. I wish I could stand it, cause vinegar just doesn't 'cut the grease' well for us. I am supplementing with simple green,, looking forward to checking out the clorox green items when they get here in our area

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Yeah, it has one of those smells that you probably either really love or really hate. It is eerily similar to pine sol scent, which isn't surprising since tea tree oil is extracted from the Melaleuka tree - also an evergreen, or so I've read.

I use vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to disinfect. One spray bottle of each, not mixed together. It doesn't matter which you spray on first. Straight hydrogen peroxide also bleaches well on its own (especially on certain laundry stains).

For cutting grease, I use Dawn dishwashing soap. I use it on greasy laundry spots (let it soak a while), and I use it in my kitchen with a damp rag. Rinse with the vinegar spray. Works wonders.

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I have to say that I hate bleach. I only use tilex spray w/bleach when my shower gets moldy but I think vinegar is a disinfectant. My mom always uses it to clean wood floors since it cleans well and when it dries there is no vinegary smell. I'm also trying to find "greener" ways to clean. It's cheaper too. It's incredible how much cleaning supplies cost.

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