From Toxic to Safe and Healthy Cleaning Products Guide

Conventional Products	Non-Toxic Alternatives	Comments
All-Purpose Cleaner	White vinegar, water, biodegradable soap	Add a 50/50 water and vinegar solution to a spray bottle and add a spoonful of soap.
	Biodegradable citrus cleaner	Choose from a variety of brands; regular strength or concentrated
	Borax	See directions on box. Borax has been around forever and is also a good laundry booster.
	White vinegar and baking soda	Combine when ready to use--makes a science-project like foam. I love this combo and constantly find new uses for cleaning with them. Here are some: o Stubborn stains (let sit, then rinse) o Stainless steel o Water fountains o Silver o Brass o Stained glass

Antibacterial products	1 cup water 25 drops pure essence lavender oil	Pour water into a spray bottle, add lavender oil and shake. Spray onto surfaces—no need to wipe. This spray is good for use on “high-touch” areas like doorknobs and phones when someone in the family is sick.

Brass Cleaner	Baking soda and white vinegar	See all-purpose cleaner

Carpet and upholstery cleaners	Cornstarch or baking soda	Sprinkle several pounds of cornstarch or baking soda on a nine by twelve carpet or liberally on upholstery, let sit for an hour and vacuum. For freshly soiled spots, use soda water or make a paste with baking soda and vinegar or soda water and scrub dirty area. A water-only steam machine is also an effective method for removing stains and dirt from carpets and upholstery.

Drain cleaner	Plunger	For clogged drains, a plunger, when used correctly, really works! The secret is to use water, as the weight of the water forces the clog to break through. T To unclog pipe, cover drain opening, turn on the water and allow some water to collect. Continue to allow water to run, remove cover and begin to plunge.
	baking soda, vinegar and boiling water	Pour ½ cup baking soda, then ½ cup vinegar into drain, wait five minutes and follow with boiling water.

Dust sprays	Microfiber cloth and sheep wool duster with extension pole	Dust clings to both these products, making dust sprays unnecessary. Just shake outside and wash cloth. Microfiber cloths work really well for cleaning bathrooms and kitchens, too.


Furniture polish	Olive oil, white vinegar, water	Mix ½ teaspoon light olive oil, ¼ cup white vinegar and water to fill a one quart container. Apply mixture and wipe with a clean rag.
	Lemon juice, vegetable oil	Mix 1 teaspoon lemon juice in 1 pint of vegetable oil. Apply a small amount with a cotton cloth (old undershirts work really well) and wipe wood furniture.
	Beeswax with oil	Several food quality brands are available and work well on furniture. Look for "food quality"; ie for salad bowls

Mold and scum removers (very tough to do without bleach)	Hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, castile soap	Mix a few drops of soap, about an ounce of peroxide and a handful of soda into a bowl. Dip a microfiber cloth into mix and apply to mold and scum. Work small sections at time, replenishing mixture when necessary. Don't make a lot at once, as the fizz created when combining ingredients acts to remove mold and scum. Scrub with brush if necessary and rinse. For tough problems, call a specialist.

Silver cleaner	White vinegar and baking soda	See all-purpose cleaner
	White toothpaste	Good for small objects, like jewelry. Rub on piece and rinse off with water.

Stainless steel cleaners	Bon Ami	Sprinkle on a cloth and wipe. Rinse cloth and wipe off any residue. This works extremely well on stainless appliances.

Toilet bowl cleaner	White vinegar	Pour 2 cups of white vinegar in toilet bowl and let stand overnight
	Pumice stone	If a watermark still remains, rub stain with a wet pumice stone. Pumice stone will not scratch porcelain.
	Borax	Apply and scrub.

Wax removers	Freezer, newspaper and iron	If possible, freeze item that has wax drippings and peel off. If not, remove what you can. Then place newspaper below and above wax and iron on low setting. The wax will transfer to newspaper. Keep moving paper until all the wax is removed and then launder.

Windows	ammonia, water, biodegradable soap, alcohol	1 gallon water, 1/2 cup sudsy ammonia, 1 pint rubbing alcohol, 1 teaspoon biodegradable soap. Note: ammonia is classified as an irritant, which makes it less than 100% non- toxic. However, this combo is the only I have come up with to make windows sparkle. Use a squeegee and rags to clean windows.
Glass and mirror cleaner	White vinegar and water	50/50 water and vinegar in a spray bottle cleans mirrors and glass.
Creosote on fireplace doors	Rubbing alcohol and straight edge razor	Creosote can be tough to remove. Apply alcohol on doors with a rag and rub. A razor can be used on tough spots. Remove haze with glass cleaner.
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		Copyright 2007-2009 Norma Lehmeier Hartie