By Wendy

There are so many household & carpet cleaner. being sold these days that are loaded with strong, artificial colors and fragrances and harsh cleansing agents like bleach, ammonia, and acids; as well as unneeded antibacterial ingredients like pesticides that can potentially make bacteria even stronger. So why not make your own all purpose household & carpet cleaner. Making your own will let you cut out all the unnecessary toxic and environmentally polluting ingredients.You can also contact professional painters and decoratorsif you need help, and if you need your cabinet painting there are specific services for this.

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What you need:

½ cup vinegar

¼ cup baking soda (or 2 teaspoons borax)

½ gallon water

What to do:

Combine all ingredients

If you don’t have time to make your own household cleaner, try one of these natural household cleaning products that are less harmful to the environment.

CitraSolv Natural Multi-Purpose Cleaner- CitraSolve all purpose cleaner is not only made of naturally derived products ideal for using on many surfaces. It’s also made with environmentally conscious packaging

green works All Purpose Cleaner- 97% naturally derived, this all purpose cleaner is tough on grease, grime and dirt. And it comes in original and lemon scents

Just Natural & Co. All Purpose Non Toxic Cleaner- Just Natural & Co all purpose cleaner is chemical free, soy based cleaner that’s safe to use all around the house

Mrs. Meyers Clean Day All Purpose Cleaner- this earth friendly all purpose cleaner will clean kitchens, bathrooms and ever other room in your home

Seventh Generation Free & Clear All Purpose Cleaner- Seventh Generation creates all types of household and personal care products that are good for your family and the planet. This all purpose cleaner will help get those tough stains out

Ausan Natural All Purpose Cleaner- this all purpose cleaner has ingredients that will naturally remove dirt and grime on any surface

what-EVER! Natural All Purpose Cleaner- gluten free and hypoallergenic, this all purpose cleaner is safe for waterways and marine life

So whether you create your own all purpose cleaner or buy a natural all purpose cleaner that is safe for the environment, you’ll be helping your family and the environment.

What is your go to all purpose cleaner?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.

By Wendy

Summer is officially here. It’s time take the grill out of the garage and start the barbeque! Call the family, make the salad, and get the hotdogs and hamburgers ready. They’re the perfect condiment. So perfect that a group of engineers at MIT have also created a new liquid called LiquiGlide used to coat the inside of condiment bottles for an easier pour and not waste a single drop.

My favorite ketchup is Krazy Ketchup. It was created by moms who wanted to give their kids a great tasting ketchup. It’s also 100% Certified Organic and rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Potassium.

For you DIY moms, here’s an easy homemade ketchup recipe you can make at home:

What You Need:

1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in puree

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

What to Do:

Blend the can of whole tomatoes in a blender until smooth

Cook onions in oil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until softened, about 8 minutes

Add blended tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 1 hour, stirring more frequently toward the end of cooking to prevent scorching

Puree ketchup in 2 batches in blender until it’s smooth. Chill covered, at least 2 hours to help flavors develop.

Cooks’ note: Ketchup can be chilled up to 3 weeks

But what else can you do with ketchup? Here are 5 things you can do with your new found ketchup besides putting it on your burger:

1. Shine Your Copper Pot and Pans- the acidity in ketchup helps to remove the tarnish build up, making your pieces shine like new. Apply a thin layer of ketchup on your copper pan for 20 minutes. Rinse and dry.
2. Keeping Your Silver Pieces Bright and Sparkly- ketchup can also remove the grime that builds up on silver jewelry and other pieces. Pour ketchup into a bowl and dip silver pieces right in for 20 minutes. You may want to scrub hard to reach places. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
3. Fixing of Chlorine Damaged Hair- it helps to remove the icky green that you sometimes get after being in swimming pools. Just apply ketchup all over your hair and let it marinate for about 20 minutes. Wash hair thoroughly and you should see results.
4. Making Fake Blood During Halloween- ketchup makes great imitation blood for those vampire and zombie Halloween costumes for the kids
5. Finger Painting for Toddlers- let kids use ketchup to paint their food to make it eating more fun and nutritious.

What other things do you use your ketchup for?

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Wendy Yu is a digital marketing professional living in New York City. When she’s not using the power of social media to share ideas on how to be more environmentally friendly, she is exploring the city, trying local foods, and learning more about how she can reduce her carbon footprint.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Green Halloween® or our partners.