An Eco-Trick for Making Stainless Steel Shine

I run a small house cleaning company called Kitsap Clean, and recently I had a customer who was having trouble keeping fingerprint marks and spots off of her stainless steel refrigerator. I tried many of my usual products - eco-orange spray, vinegar glass cleaner, etc. - but nothing was working long term.

So, to the internet to learn how to keep stainless steel appliances clean naturally. There are loads of questionable products out there that you can use to clean your refrigerator or stove, but I wanted a green cleaning solution.

After visiting numerous websites and watching several videos, I came upon a great solution: coconut oil! (Olive oil also works, but I love the smell of coconut oil and this is a great way to help our clients homes smell wonderful).

How do you use coconut oil to keep a refrigerator? Take a small amount on a microfiber cloth and run it into the stainless steel of a refrigerator, oven or other appliance. You don't need a lot, just a dab on your cloth.

Then you take another cloth (clean) and wipe the oil back off. This creates a shiny barrier to fingerprints and other marks.

Our client is happy - and so am I, as it makes our job so much easier now that we know the trick!

A Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Sometimes I use a commercial toilet bowl cleaning product (I like Ecover's pine scented toilet bowl cleaner). But you don't have to buy a commercial toilet bowl cleaner to do a great job cleaning your toilet!

Here is a simple recipe to make your own, homemade toilet cleaner. You can but this in a spray bottle if you want:

• 1 cup of white vinegar (use organic if you prefer)
• 1/4 cup of borax powder
• 1/4 cup of baking soda powder

Mix this well. Then apply to the stained areas of your toilet. It will work best if you let it sit up to thirty minutes before cleaning. Then scrub it well with your toilet brush. Soon you will have a sparkling toilet bowl cleaned naturally!

Homemade Glass Cleaning Recipe

It is easy to make your own green cleaning solutions at home! I've been doing it for years, and saving a lot of money over traditional cleaning products, while keep my family and pets safe. Did you know that the EPA has found indoor home pollution to be at alarming levels? Much of this is caused by store bought cleaners, some which have some really scary stuff in them!

Here is a recipe for my favorite Homemade Glass Cleaner:

• 2 cups of water 
• 2 Tablespoons of vinegar 
• A few drops of essential oil (I like lemon essential oil)

I use this on windows and mirrors, with great success. You don't need any artificial chemical cleaners for this!

In terms of the vinegar used, I go with just a plain white vinegar. You could use organic, if that is important to you, although I'm usually not too concerned about organic when it comes to vinegar used to spray my windows. I haven't tried it with other types of vinegar, but I would say save your aged balsamic vinegar for your salads.

And although I like using lemon essential oil in my glass cleaner, lavender would be my second choice.

I love the way lavender essential oils makes a room smell!

One thing I can guarantee - once you start making your own cleaners at home you will wonder why you ever paid for them in the store in the first place!