Frannie LOVES having a clean house, but she knows using all those chemical cleaning products is bad for her friends that live in rivers, streams, and lakes! Most chemicals are removed from the water by waste treatment facilities before the water is returned to the rivers, streams, and lakes, but certain chemicals found in cleaning products (like nitrogen, phosphorus, and ammonia) are not removed by the treatment process.
That means when we rinse cleaning products down the drain or flush them down toilets, they are getting into our waterways and hurting the wildlife living there! These chemicals can also eventually get into our drinking water, making it unsafe for us to drink.
This is why Frannie uses chemical-free cleaning products! You can buy these from the store or make your own. Frannie likes to make her own because it saves money and is fun!
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Making your own cleaning products is really simple. Some common chemical-free ingredients include vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, essential oils, baking soda, and castile soap (made from 100 percent plant oils).
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Today, Frannie is going to show you how to clean the drain of your kitchen sink using only vinegar and baking soda!
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1. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into the drain.
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2. Pour 1/2 cup of white vinegar down the drain. {Listen and look for the reaction that happens when vinegar and baking soda are mixed together! It will make a cool fizzing sound and bubbles will form!}
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3. Wait 20-30 min. and then flush it with hot water. This should keep your drain clean and free from odor!
Want more chemical-free ways to clean your house? There are many websites that offer step-by-step instructions on how to make your own environmentally friendly cleaning products! Here's one of Frannie's favorites: greatist.com/health/27-chemical-free-products-diy-spring-cleaning
Do you have a chemical-free cleaning method that you use at home? Share it with us at http://www.groundwater.org/kids/share.html.
