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Environmentally Friendly Products for Home Use
Are you interested in using products around your home that are safer for your family and environment than many commercially
available cleaners? You are not alone. Hazardous chemicals can often be found in these common household products: drain cleaners,
floor-care products, oven cleaners, window sprays, bathroom cleaners, furniture and metal polishes, pesticides and laundry
products. You can learn to avoid these chemical by reading the labels. Those labeled Danger or Poison are typically the most
hazardous. Others maybe labeled Caution or Warning because they are skin or eye irritants. Near these signal words will be
a phrase that describes the nature of the hazard, such as "vapors harmful" or extremely flammable".
Most products have environmentally friendly alternatives that are effective, less costly, and much safer for people, pets,
and the natural world. Some are now available in stores, or you may also choose to make your own.
Questions you may have:
So what else should I know about environmentally friendly alternatives?
Be aware that some of the products may take longer to clean effectively or get rid of pests. You may have to let the
product sit on the surface for longer than usual, apply more than once, or use more elbow
grease. But by making your own products, you can save money and reduce the amount
of hazardous chemicals that your family is exposed to. Be sure to label any containers carefully and store them out of
the reach of children.
Where can I find the ingredients to make my own alternative cleaning products?
You can find most of the items at your local grocery store. Some of the other items (essential oils, castile soap, Brewers
yeast, and glycerin) can be found at health food stores or can be ordered by mail or over the internet. What can I do with
unwanted hazardous products? Hazardous products should not be disposed of in the
trash, flushed down the toilet or sink drains, or poured into storm drains or onto the ground. If you have any hazardous
products in your house and do not wish to use them up, bring them to a local household hazardous waste collection.
Drain Cleaner - Pour - ½ cup baking soda followed by a cup of white vinegar down the drain. Let it sit for about 20 minutes
and then rinse it down with boiling water. To clear a badly clogged drain, use a plunger or a metal snake.
Marble-Cleaning and Polish - Use mild soap and water only. Rinse with diluted vinegar and dry with soft cloth.
Brass and Copper Cleaner and Polish- Mix 1/3 cup pour into 1/3 cup white vinegar in a small bowl. Add ¼ cup salt and mix
well. Spoon onto tarnished item and let sit for at least 1 hour. Rinse and wipe clean to prevent corrosion. >Polish with
a small amount of olive oil.
Cleanser- Use baking soda on a damp sponge.
Oven Cleaner - To remove baked on grease and spills, scrub with a baking soda, salt and water paste. Sprinkle the bottom
of the oven with baking soda and spray with water periodically to keep it damp. Be careful to avoid the heating element. Let
it set overnight. Scoop out baking soda and rinse well. Use steel wool to scrub stubborn spots. To prevent grease build-up,
always clean spills as soon as the oven cools down.
Burnt Pans - Add water to the pan to cover the bottom and sprinkle in a few
Tbsp. of baking soda. Bring it to a boil and turn off the heat. Wait until the
pan is cool and the burnt material will easily come off. (Note from writer Catressa, foil balled up also makes a great
homemade scrubber for things like this, also to be used on an Iron, and curling iron. Only do be careful and make sure they
are off and not hot.)
Window and Glass Cleaner - Mix ¼ cup white vinegar in about ½ gallon of warm water in a bucket. Then add 1/8 tsp. liquid
castile soap or hand dishwashing liquid, and a pinch of cornstarch to the bucket. Wipe down the glass with this mixture and
dry with a lint-free cloth. Use a spray bottle with club soda (not seltzer) for touch-ups.(another note here Newspaper works
much better than paper towels when cleaning a mirror , doesn't leave little bits of lint behind. Try it trust me cleanest
mirror you ever saw.)Stainless Steel - Use baking soda on a sponge to scrub and rinse well
Chrome - Use club soda (not seltzer) in a spray bottle and dry with soft cloth
.Silver- Rub gently with baking soda and damp sponge or use non-gel toothpaste. For small objects, place in a hot pot
of water on stove with a small piece of aluminum foil; add 1 tsp. baking soda and 1tsp. salt; boil 2-3 minutes. Pour water
into an aluminum or enameled pan lined with aluminum foil on the bottom. Fill to a depth of 2-3 inches (enough to cover silver
with water). Add 1 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. salt. Heat until water boils. Add tarnished silver and boil for 3 minutes.
Remove silver, wash in soapy water, and polish dry.
(Not for use on silver jewelry, silver items with glued components, or flatware with hollow handles.)
Refrigerator Smells - Keep an open box of baking soda inside the refrigerator.(hmm thinking here if it smells ? Take everything
out and clean it... ha ha)
Ants- Locate entry points and seal with caulk. Remove all sources of food and water.(rain causes them to move inside a
lot oft times) Kill any visible ants. Use chili powder or the herb "tansy" at points of entry outside the house
(another homemade remedy I have used and it does work? Chalk, they don't cross a chalk line, it gets on there legs and makes
them
heavy and hard to walk.)
Roaches - Remove all sources of food and water. Remove hiding places such as old newspapers, garbage bags, and cardboard
boxes. (They should have said that they eat the glue that is in the boxes) Caulk and plug cracks and crevices.
Last resort is to use boric acid (this must be kept away from pets and children.)
The basic thing here is don't just throw chemicals away, they do get into the environment, whether you know it or not.
Most of us are in the theory of "out of sight out of mind" here is how we have a problem. Yes it can be a hassle,
and a pain but if we don't start this? Who will? Everyone is passing the buck so to speak. I am not saying throw out all your
favorite cleaning supplies, because if your like me you're frugal with them because they are so expensive anyways, these
are just some alternative ideas.
By Catressa.
Recycle with Catressa
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