As a homeowner, you want your home to look its best. Some products used to clean your home could be doing more harm than good.

Cleaning products can contain harsh chemicals that can cause skin irritation, difficulty breathing, or damage to the environment. Green cleaning is using products that don’t endanger you, your family, or the environment.

Here are some ways to “think green” and use products that you might already have on hand:

• Using a vinegar and water solution can clean and freshen many surfaces around the home, including walls, kitchen and bathroom cupboards and windows.
• Baking soda can be used to help clean areas such as bathtubs that you don’t want to scratch with harsh products.
• You can also use baking soda to adsorb odors around the home, including inside refrigerators and closets.
• Lemon juice is great at dissolving soap scum and hard water deposits. When mixed with a vinegar/water cleaning mixture, it also helps tone down the vinegar smell.
• Cornstarch and baking soda can be used to deodorize your carpet. Sprinkle on your carpets, wait about 30 minutes, then vacuum.