Usually I am quite skeptical of green cleaning methods, as the people who conjure these methods are usually much closer to hippies than chemists. However, I feel I must share an effective cleaning method that I have come across and with which I have been very pleased.
The method involves nothing more than using a slightly moistened paper towel and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). The baking soda acts as a mild abrasive and is quite effective at removing troublesome substances that will not come off with a simple spray of water or liquid cleaner. In the lab I quite frequently use this method on the counter tops to take off pencil and pen marks, as well as gummy residue that do not come off easily with any solvent I have used.
The great thing about using baking soda is that it is often already used as a deodorizer in refrigerators and freezers. Rather than tossing away the old baking soda (which is no longer effective at deodorizing and has no cooking value either) it may be reused as a cleaner. Not only is this an eco-friendly option, but is also smart economically.
One drawback to using baking soda is that it is fairly soluble in water (10g/100mL @ 20 deg C). Using large quantities of baking soda, therefore, may leave a baking soda residue when the water dries. To correct for this just use as little baking soda as possible and rinse the area throughly with deionized water (or tap that isn't too hard) when finished.
Anna is a big fan of using vinegar to clean...any thoughts on that?
ReplyDeleteI am all for the use of vinegar as well! Vinegar as I'm sure you are probably aware of is composed of acetic acid, which is weakly acidic and can be used as a general disinfectant. That being said, it won't kill everything, so if you want something extra sanitized I would still recommend using bleach. Don't use the two together though, as chlorine gas can be released when bleach is mixed with an acid or a base (it wouldn't be concentrated enough to kill you, but not good for you either). I have kind of gotten used to the smell of vinegar and associate it with a cleansing agent, but I know many people find it offensive. In this case a source of citric acid may be substituted, such as lemon juice, which should yield similar cleansing/disinfecting properties.
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