Everyone loves a clean house. When the maids and butlers complete their daily chores, we can enjoy the comforts of a sparkling clean home, without the worry of the drudgery of doing it ourselves. The smell of fresh flowers, picked daily, enhance the ambiance of the dream. A smile crosses our faces and quickly turns to a frown, as we open our eyes and realize the smell is not fresh flowers, but none other than the cat box we forgot to clean, for the last three days.

Odors penetrate our homes and refuse to leave. Chemical air fresheners cover the smell for a while; the odors return full force after the bouquet of spray has dissipated. Humidity and damp weather compound the problem leaving us at our wits end as to what to do. Plug in air fresheners waste our electricity, counter fresheners waste our money, and chemical residue rests on every available surface. Many natural or “green” cleaners do not work well enough to cover the extra cost of buying them. The answer to this smelly dilemma is as close as your kitchen cupboard.

Apple Cider Vinegar is not only for cooking anymore. Many claims have been made about the abilities of this vinegar, from health to cleaning. Due to marketing practices, most people did not believe the claims. Some claims are true. The ability of vinegar to eliminate odors is phenomenal. This product is an excellent cleaner, the vinegar smell last for about an hour. Once the smell has dissipated your home smells fresh. This is a perfectly safe alternative to chemical cleaners that actually works, and it is inexpensive.

Houseplants also have odor eliminating benefits. They release oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis and breathe in the carbon dioxide we release. Flowering plants will give us that fresh flower smell, further eliminating odors. Plants should be kept away from small children and pets because many are poisonous if ingested. Herbs can be an alternative to poisonous houseplants and give the benefit of fresh herbs for cooking. Herbs are also much more fragrant than many flowers.

Companies are now releasing their “green” lines of products. Check the active ingredients to see how green they really are. Many still use chemicals as a product base. Finding a “green” cleaner will take trial and error, some like vinegar will work beautifully, and others may not. Baking soda eliminates odors in our refrigerators; there may be other household uses as well.

“Green” is the new buzzword around the world. We each should make our own decisions as to how “green” we need to be. Saving our natural world is extremely important and perhaps cleaning with products that are more natural will be healthier for us, however, simply saying a product is green does not mean it is green. Always check labels and find the alternatives that work best for you.