Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products
Cleaning products are the among the few household products regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission because they can be harmful to human health. Here are some non-toxic alternatives you might want to consider trying:
* For ants, sprinkle red chili powder at entry point.
* To remove perspiration stains, white vinegar and water works well on fresh stains on cotton.
* For synthetic blends or old stains on natural materials, pre-soak the stain in ammonia before applying vinegar and water.
* Polish chrome or remove pet odor with cider vinegar.
* For automatic dishwashing detergent, try ½ cup baking soda with liquid dishwashing detergent.
* Use a well-watered bowl of basil to kill flies.
* Repel moths with cedar chips in cotton sachets.
* Remove oil stains by rubbing white chalk into the stain before laundering.
* Get rid of mold and mildew with bleach and scrub hard. Note that you should use bleach in a well-ventilated area and never mix it with anything other than water. Equal parts of vinegar and salt with a little elbow grease will remove mold and mildew stains but will not eliminate the problem.
* Clean your drains by pouring ½ cup each of baking soda and vinegar into drain. Wait two minutes, add two quarts boiling water, and repeat.
* Throw away your air freshener and try herbal bouquets, pure vanilla on a cotton ball, or simmering cinnamon and cloves instead.
* Fertilize with composted yard clippings and organic waste from the kitchen (not including meat or grease).
* Clean your oven by washing it frequently with a mixture of warm water and baking soda or warm water with two tablespoons each of liquid soap and borax added. Soften burned-on spills by placing a small pan of ammonia in the oven overnight. Sprinkle salt onto fresh grease spills and then wipe clean.
* Scrub linoleum floors with one cup of white vinegar and two gallons of water; polish them with club soda.
* Wash windows and mirrors with a mixture of 1/4 cup ammonia and one quart water.
* Clean toilets using baking soda, a mild detergent and a toilet brush.
For more ideas on how to make your home a healthier and safer environment, visit www.worldwise.com and click on the Sustainable Living icon.
Submitted by: admin
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Added: Sun Apr 16 2006
