Simply Live- Cleaning with kids

Teaching children to work is so important, but often we avoid asking them to do chores that involve chemicals. This could be because of the threat of chemicals to their health or the threat of the chemicals to our new carpet. Either way, many times cleaners are not safe in the hands of children.

Consider learning about cleaning with natural cleaners such as vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice.

Instead of Windex, fill a bottle with a water and vinegar solution and watch your little one have a ball spraying the windows. Teach your older ones to wash the sink and counter with the same solution every day after they brush their teeth (this also forces them to put away all their stuff to clear the counter). At the same time they can polish up the mirror by rubbing it with a cloth misted with the same solution. Vinegar kills a lot of germs and is great for removing smells. Keep the bottle on hand for spills on the carpet. Kids can clean their own milk and juice spills.

To clean kitchen counters sprinkle the counter with baking soda and let your little ones spray the vinegar mix on. It makes a wonderful foamy reaction and then the baking soda helps remove stains and gently scrubs the counter tops.

A lemon cut in half and sprinkled with salt makes another great stain scrubber for counter tops.

You can mix up a super safe furniture polish by making a lemon juice, water, and olive oil mixture to keep on hand. Just a few drops of oil will do you.

For nasty smells in furniture or carpet spray on your handy vinegar mixture and allow to dry. Both the nasty smell and the vinegar smell should dissipate as the surface dries.

So get researching, find your favorites and put those kiddos to work!