谈到日用产品时，环保意识和经济利益有时会导致艰难的决定。家庭支出成本和环保概念之间的斗争是一个难题——买一瓶昂贵的全天然有机清洁剂还是相对廉价的传统化学配方清洁剂，很让人伤脑筋。在环保产品还未形成主流、难以购买的消费环境中和经济普遍不景气的情况下，这个问题尤其突出。解决办法就是自己动手（DIY）。很多家用清洁剂可以用容易购买到的材料自制，这样就可以节约一笔家庭开支了。这些自制清洁剂的效果和出售的清洁剂一样，甚至更好，并且更环保。自制清洁剂的常用材料包括：小苏打、柠檬汁和白醋。基于一些化学性质，以下是上述成分在与顽固污渍和细菌战斗时产生的反应。小苏打（Na HCO3）是一种碱性化合物，常用于温和腐蚀性溶液以清除污渍和中和难闻气味，同时具有抗真菌作用。柠檬汁，呈强酸性，可用于除水垢和除银器上的绣。白醋，呈强酸性，具有许多和柠檬汁相同的特性。此外，白醋能有效抗菌，是厨房和浴室中十分有用的清洁剂。而且，如果加入薰衣草、丁香或茶树精油等，不仅可以增添清洁剂的怡人香气，还可以增强上述原料抗真菌和抗细菌的特性。以下是家庭自制清洁剂的配方，它可以带领你走进一段家庭清洁的探秘之旅。以下材料来自美国环保署。 通用清洁剂：1、 将醋和盐充分混合。2、 小苏打。将4汤匙的小苏打溶解在0.95升（约1升）的热水中，或者将小苏打涂在湿润的海绵上。小苏打具有清洁污垢和除异味的作用，尤适用于厨房和浴室。 制作小贴士：1、 用涂有小苏打的湿润海绵将新鲜水果和蔬菜上的泥土和残渣清洗干净，最后用清水冲净。2、 在盛有清水的大碗中加入2到3汤匙的小苏打，然后把水果和蔬菜放入碗里洗。很多人认为这样可以去除残留的农药、泥土和蜡。 经验之谈：1、 抓伤擦伤：将柠檬汁和沙拉油等量混合，涂于伤口处直至擦痕消失。2、 将切花浸在小苏打溶液中可以延切花寿命。这比用商业包装溶液来得更有效。 The precarious balance between environmental activism and fiscal responsibility can lead to tough decisions when it comes to household products. The battle between economics and conscience can be a tough one- buying an all-natural organic cleaner at a significantly higher cost than traditional, chemical based products, is a hard argument to make, especially in a consumer climate where these products are not mainstream nor readily available and economic hardships are widespread. A viable solution to this common conundrum is to Do It Yourself (DIY). Many common household cleaners can be made at home with readily available ingredients and for a fraction of the cost of their commercial alternatives. These products clean as well as or better than their commercial counterparts and are more environmentally friendly to boot! Common ingredients for these DIY cleaning marvels include: baking soda, lemon juice, and white vinegar. For a bit of a science break-down, here is what the above ingredients actually do as dirt and germ fighting power-houses. Baking Soda, or Sodium Bicarbonate (Na HCO3), is an alkaline compound which is often used as a mild abrasive agent to remove stains and neutralize odors- it also has some anti-fungal properties. Lemon Juice, which is very acidic, can be used to dissolve some compounds, such as hard-water deposits or remove tarnish from silver. White vinegar is also very acidic and has many of the same properties as lemon juice. Additionally, white vinegar has strong antimicrobial properties and is a useful cleaning agent for bathroom and kitchen application. Furthermore, adding essential oils such as lavender, clove, or tea tree, not only add a pleasant aroma, but can also increase the anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties of the ingredients listed above. Below I have provided some recipes to get you started on your homemade cleaning adventures! These are some ideas from the EPA:All-Purpose Cleaners:1. Vinegar and Salt. Mix together for a good surface cleaner.2. Baking Soda. Dissolve 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water for a general cleaner. Or use baking soda on a damp sponge. Baking soda will clean and deodorize all kitchen and bathroom surfaces.Cooking Ideas:Cooking Tips: 1. Clean dirt and residue off fresh fruit and vegetables by sprinkling baking soda on a wet sponge and scrubbing away. Rinse with water.2. Wash your fruits and vegetables in a large bowl of cool water to which you’ve added 2 to 3 tablespoons of baking soda. This, many feel, helps remove pesticides as well as any dirt and wax.Random Things:1. For Scratches: Lemon Juice and Vegetable Oil. Mix equal parts of lemon juice and salad oil. Rub into scratches with a soft cloth until scratches disappear.2. Dip cut flowers in a solution of baking soda and water to extend their life, rather than using commercial package solutions.
