A Neutral Cleaner – Your Everyday Cleaner
What Is a Neutral Cleaner?
A neutral cleaner is one that is neither alkaline or acidic. Both ends of the spectrum are harmful to people, animals and your property. While we want and need alkaline products at times to clean our ovens, break down fats, grease and baked-on foods and acidic products to dissolve hardened minerals and rust, for our normal everyday cleaning we want a neutral cleaner. Neutral cleaners tend to be safe for the skin, safe to breathe (as long as scent additives haven’t been added), safe for the environment and safe for the item you’re cleaning – as long as it’s used properly.
Examples Along the Scale
1.0 – Highly acidic: Toilet Bowl Cleaner
3 – 5 – Acidic: Vinegar(5), Lemon Juice (3)
5.5-6.5 – Slightly acidic: Hair and body shampoos
6.0 – 8.0 – Neutral cleaners: water, mild dish soap, Shaklee’s Basic H
8.5 – 11 – Alkaline: Borax, Baking Soda (8-9), Dawn Dish soap (blue -9), Windex (10), toothpaste (9.9), hand soap, laundry detergent
11.0 – 13.5 – Very Alkaline: Degreasers, chlorine bleach, ammonia, tub and tile cleaner
13.5 – 14 – Strongly Alkaline: Oven Cleaners, drain cleaner
So now we know that the dish soap that says “safe for your hands” is mild and we can’t expect it to tackle REALLY greasy dishes. For that you would turn to a dish soap that says “tough on grease.”
Neutral Cleaner I Use
Many people like to make cleaners with vinegar. I don’t know what the PH of the cleaner will be once diluted in water. It might be interesting to test. I usually use Shaklee’s Basic H. I know it was reformulated when the new owners came in, so it’s now technically a cleaner. It is still safe. And I still use it. You only need 1/2 teaspoon in a quart spray bottle for your everyday “neutral cleaner” cleaning. I use this on everything. One 16 oz bottle of Concentrate cost me $12 a couple years ago. It makes 48 GALLONS of all-purpose cleaner. Try to buy 48 gallons of your regular all-purpose cleaner. Even the Dollar Store brand is $1 for 32 ounces, so that’s $192.00. A big difference! And you know you’re getting a green certified product with the Basic H. I am not a Shaklee Distributor. There is no monetary gain for me telling you this.
What Do I Clean With It?
I do all my regular cleaning with a neutral cleaner. Windows, floors, damp dusting, woodwork, mirrors, kitchen, bathroom, the stove, light fixtures, knic-knacs, crystal, everything. It is not designed to kill germs. A recent scientific study that I read said that the Shaklee Basic G (Germicidal) is an excellent germ killer. I believe she rated it as #1. I had been adding Thieves Essential Oils to the Basic H to kill germs but that same scientific study proved that didn’t work. So maybe I will look at a green germicidal that is safe to use around food. When I find one I like, I’ll blog about it. Meanwhile, I haven’t gotten sick with just using the Basic H, so I’m sticking with that until I find something better.
