After my usual spring-cleaning meltdown about the toxic ingredients in various cleaning supplies, I decided to research the "old school" methods.  I know there are wonderful products by companies like Seventh Generation and Ecover, but what did people do before they had these options?

Some interesting things I learned from Re-nest, an insightful website about green living:

• Add half a lemon to the dishwasher and your dishes will emerge sparkling and spot-free. (Instead of the mysterious blue stuff that gets sprayed all over our dishes now.)
• Cucumber slices will remove tarnish from stainless steel.
• Lime scale and soap residue can be removed by rubbing lemon on them-faucets or porcelain.

I certainly can't employ all of the 27 Household Uses for Citrus or fully wallow in the Secret Super Cleaning Powers of the Mighty Cucumber, but it is a start, and certainly preferable over the usual toxic culprits.

What are some of your favorite eco-friendly cleaning techniques?

Tags: citrus, cucumbers, Ecover, household cleaners, Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, Re-Nest, Seventh Generation

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