We all know it’s important to keep our home clean and tidy, especially if you are considering selling your Augusta home, but it is important to remember how cleaning chemicals can affect the health of your family. Harsh chemicals in cleaning products can be harmful for a variety of reasons, including worsening allergies or asthma and irritation to your skin or eyes. However, there are many alternatives to cleaning with strong chemicals, including using products with natural ingredients that you most likely already have in your home. Check out these tips to clean your home the green way:

Rubbing alcohol can replace products such as Windex to keep your faucets and other fixtures sparkling clean. Just wipe them down with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. An equal mixture of rubbing alcohol and tap water can also be used to revive granite countertops and keep them shiny.

Lemon oil works wonders when you’re trying to remove hard water stains on your shower door or chrome fixtures, and a drop on a cotton ball will also clean up sticky surfaces. Instead of cleaning pots and pans with a scouring powder, spray a pan with water, sprinkle it with salt and then scrub it with half a lemon. The pan comes clean and will smell wonderful in the process.

One of the best natural cleaners is white vinegar. You can mix vinegar and water to clean mirrors, kitchen floors, stovetops, counters and even plastic shower curtains. When washing your sheets, towels or other linens, make sure to add ¼ cup of vinegar to your detergent to prevent mildew, or add ½ cup to help whiten your clothes.

Another staple found in most pantry’s that work wonders around the house is baking soda. After you shower, apply a small amount of baking soda to a sponge and wipe down the walls. You can also use it to whiten porcelain sinks again or clean the grease off of your stove. For stubborn hard water stains or soap scum, mix baking soda with vinegar and scrub. Baking soda and vinegar also work well to unclog a tub or shower drain. Pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain, and follow with a ½ cup vinegar. Cover the drain with a small class dish overnight, then run hot water down the drain in the morning to remove the clog.

At Keystone Homes, we pride ourselves on helping you stay earth-friendly in your home. For more information about our green-building methods in our communities, visit www.BuildKeystone.com.