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Bath Cleansers
Chlorine Bleach
Chlorine bleach is highly caustic to you and the environment. Try these gentle, natural cleaners instead of bleach:
White vinegar helps kill bacteria, mold, and viruses. Use it full strength or dilute it in water.
Hot, soapy water kills food-borne pathogens such as Salmonella or Ecoli. Use it to thoroughly wash all surfaces that have touched raw meat or raw eggs.
Lemon juice is a natural bleaching agent.
Dishwashing Detergents
Dishwasher detergents contain phosphates that are highly caustic and destroy waterways. With conscious effort, we can clean green.
Try this alternative dishwasher detergent for about 8 cents a wash load:
Mix together,
1-cup borax
1-cup baking soda
1/4-cup salt
2 packets of unsweetened lemonade-flavored Kool-Aid
30 drops tea tree oil
Put the mixture in a container and use as you would a commercial brand.
Clean your dishwasher of soap buildup by filling the soap trays with 1-cup of white vinegar and running an entire cycle, while the machine is empty, once a month.
Clean crusted casserole dishes, and stainless and iron pans, by using a thick paste of baking soda and water. Scrub with a soft nylon brush then rinse with water.
Remove coffee or tea stains from the bottom of a cup by swishing the cup with 2-tablespoons of vinegar.
Clean a coffeemaker by swishing a mixture of cold water and ice cubes inside the pot.
Fill the reservoir of a coffeemaker with a mixture of vinegar and water and run it through a brewing cycle. Afterwards, run several cycles of water to rinse thoroughly.
Drain Cleaners
Drain cleaner’s corrosiveness can permanently harm eyes, skin, and the respiratory tract. Try these natural approaches:
For clogged drains, try using a plunger. If this doesn’t work, use a plumber’s "snake,” or a garden hose to clear stubborn clogs. The garden hose is a messy choice, and it takes two people to manage, but it works wonderfully. Bring the garden hose through an open window or door and put it in the drain as far as it will go. Fill the space between the hose and drain rim with a rags. Turn the hose on full blast, and the clog will disappear.
Once your drains are clear, pour 1/4-cup baking soda in the drain followed by 1-cup white vinegar. These two substances will react creating foam that will remove any remaining drain scum. Once the foaming stops, pour boiling water down the drain and you drain will be clean.
Deodorize a garbage disposal with white vinegar and ice cubes. After grinding, run cold water down the drain.
Floor Wax
Many floor waxes contain cresol and formaldehyde. Keep the indoor air you breathe healthier. Try this alternative:
Mix 1/2-cup white vinegar in 1-gallon of warm water and mop the floor. When the floor is dry, you can polish it to a glowing shine with skim milk.
Metal Polishes
No need for toxic polishes; Mother Nature provides many natural alternatives that are safe to store and use. Give them a try:
Brass
You can shine brass with a paste made from 1-teaspoon salt, 1-cup white vinegar, and 1-cup flour. Rinse the brass with water when clean.
Chrome
Rubbing alcohol added to hot water works wonders to polish chrome, as does white flour and a damp rag.
Copper
Polish copper using a cloth dipped in a solution of white vinegar and salt. Rinse the copper with water when clean.
Shine copper cookware by sprinkling a lemon wedge with salt and then scrubbing the pot.
Silver
Silver can be polished with toothpaste.
Stainless
Olive oil will bring the luster back to stainless steel.
Mirror Cleanser
Not only will your reflection be crystal clear, so will your conscience:Mix 1-part white vinegar to 6-parts water for cleaning windows. Wipe and polish with newspaper for a crystal clear shine. This also works on windows.
Oven Cleaners
Oven cleaners contain tissue-damaging lye and are among the most toxic of commercial cleaners. They pack a double whammy because they are aerosols. Try this safe solution:
Add 2-tablespoons liquid soap plus 2-teaspoons borax to 1-quart warm water. Spray the solution in the oven and wait 20 minutes, then wipe with a damp sponge. For tough stains, scrub the area with baking soda and fine steel wool.
To clean oven surfaces, coat them in a paste of water and baking and let stand overnight. In the morning, scrub off the paste to reveal a clean oven.
Scouring Powders
Commercial scouring powders contain chlorine bleach. Bleach plays havoc on the internal systems of all species. Try these natural cleaners instead:
A paste of baking soda and water will effectively remove soap scum, dirt, and some stains from sinks, tubs, and countertops.
Baking soda will erase crayon, pencil, ink, and furniture scuffs from painted surfaces and floors. Sprinkle baking soda on a damp sponge, lightly scrub the area, and wipe clean.
Shower Cleanser
Showers can be kept clean with regular maintenance, and wiping them with a squeegee or wrung-out sponge after each use. If mildew does appear, try this natural cleanser:
Mildew Remover
Dissolve 1/2-cup vinegar and 1/2-cup borax in warm water. Apply with sponge or spray bottle to the affected areas. When dry, scrub and rinse with water.
Toilet Bowl Cleanser
There is no need for harsh toilet bowl cleaners that flush away into our waterways and enter our eco system. Try this simple cleaning technique instead:
Sprinkle 1/4-cup baking soda onto the inner rims of the bowl, then drizzle vinegar over the soda. Let the mixture sit for half an hour, then scrub and flush.
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