Green cleaning means using products that won’t harm you, your children, or the environment. Ingredients used in green cleaning recipes include: baking soda, white vinegar and liquid soap. You will need to purchase some supplies: a scouring pad, cotton washcloth or sponge, cotton rag (with minimal lint), and a 16-ounce spray bottle.

Following are green cleaning recipes for creating nontoxic household cleaners:

Tub and sink cleaner (baking soda and liquid soap)

Sprinkle baking soda on the porcelain fixtures. Rub with wet rag. Add a few drops of the liquid, Murphy’s soap to the rag for more cleaning power. Rinse well to avoid leaving a hazy film.

Window and mirror cleaner (white vinegar and water)

Put 1/4 cup of white vinegar in a spray bottle and fill to the top with water. Spray on the surface. Rub with a lint-free cotton rag. For outdoor windows, use a sponge and wash with warm water and a few drops of liquid Murphy’s or castile soap in it. Rinse well and squeegee dry.

Linoleum floor cleaner (white vinegar and water)

Mop with a mixture of 1/2 cup vinegar in a bucket of warm water. The vinegar odor will dissipate shortly after the floor dries.

Toilet bowl cleaner (baking soda and liquid soap)

Sprinkle baking soda inside the bowl as you would any scouring powder. Add a couple drops of liquid soap as well. Scrub with a toilet bowl brush and finish the outside surfaces with a rag sprinkled with baking soda.

All purpose cleaner (liquid soap)

Use Murphy’s liquid soap to remove spots from woodwork, tile and linoleum. Add a few drops of liquid soap to a wet washcloth and rub surface briskly.

Oven cleaner (baking soda and water)

Mix 1 cup of baking soda with enough water to make a paste. Apply the paste to oven surfaces and let it stand a little while. Use the scouring pad for scrubbing most surfaces. A spatula or a bread knife is effective to get under large food deposits. This recipe will require more scrubbing effort, but it is nontoxic for you, your children and the environment. Commercial oven cleaners contain severe irritants. Do not use this cleaner recipe on self-cleaning ovens!

Drain cleaner (baking soda, white vinegar and boiling water)

Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain first, then 1/2 cup vinegar. Let it fizz for a few minutes. Then pour down a teakettle full of boiling water. Repeat if needed. If the clog is stubborn, use a plunger. For very stubborn clogs, use a mechanical snake. This recipe will free minor clogs and helps to prevent future clogs.

Copper cleaner (white vinegar, water and salt)

Mix equal parts of vinegar and salt (a tablespoon of each) and apply to the surface with a rag. Be sure to rinse thoroughly with water afterwards, otherwise it will corrode. Don’t use this cleaner on lacquered finishes!

Use these green cleaning recipes to create homemade cleaners that are safe for you, your children and the environment.

Hilary Basile is a writer for MyGuidesUSA.com. At MyGuidesUSA.com (http://www.myguidesusa.com), you will find valuable tips and resources for handling life’s major events. Whether you’re planning a wedding, buying your first home, anxiously awaiting the birth of a child, contending with a divorce, searching for a new job, or planning for your retirement, you’ll find answers to your questions at MyGuidesUSA.com.

Find home improvement tips and resources, such as green cleaning recipes, at http://www.myguidesusa.com/homeimprovement