safe natural cleaners

[QuilterMom]

http://www.publix.com/wellness/green...2&childId=1155

Does your cleaning-supply cupboard look like a recycling station on hazardous waste day? If so, try using natural products. You can polish, deodorize, disinfect, and cut grease safely and effectively with basic ingredients from your local Publix: baking soda, lemon juice, and white vinegar.

Disinfect & Deodorize
Vinegar cuts grease, dissolves calcium and lime deposits in coffee pots and on bathroom fixtures, and cleans and sanitizes countertops and cutting boards. Mix one part water to one part vinegar in a spray bottle for an all-purpose cleaner for counters, sinks, and floors. Add a cup of hot vinegar to a cup of baking soda to unclog and freshen a drain. Just pour the mixture into the drain, wait a few minutes, and flush with hot water.

In the laundry room, use vinegar to replace stain removers and fabric softeners. Blot stains with a mixture of one-third cup vinegar and two-thirds cup water. Stubborn stains may be soaked in the same solution. To soften fabrics, add one-quarter cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.

Need an effective window cleaner? Mix one-quarter cup white vinegar to a quart of warm water for sparkling, streak-free glass. Wipe windows with crumpled newspaper for a lint-free shine.

Don't combine vinegar with ammonia, any detergent that contains ammonia, or bleach. Deadly fumes can result! Mix your homemade solutions in spray bottles, and label the contents with a permanent marker.

Lemon Aid
Instead of buying lemon-scented cleaning products that contain only a hint of lemon juice, go straight to the source. Mix lemon juice with baking soda for a cleaning paste. Cut a lemon in half, sprinkle the cut surface with baking soda, and use it to scrub dishes, surfaces, and stains.

When the dust from all that cleaning settles, attack it with real lemon oil. Use one part fresh lemon juice to two parts olive oil. Apply lightly to furniture and rub in with a soft cloth. Then send leftover citrus rinds through the garbage disposal to give it a fresh smell, too.

Not Just for the Fridge
Did you know that baking soda is also an effective cleanser? Sprinkle some on a damp sponge to scrub countertops, sinks, tile, and toilets. For ovens that are not self-cleaning, mix a paste of baking soda and water. Apply it to oven surfaces, wait 15 to 20 minutes, and then use elbow grease and a copper scouring pad to clean. To freshen carpets and upholstery, sprinkle with baking soda, wait a few minutes, and vacuum.

SELECTED SOURCES
"Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Commercial Cleaners and Other Household Products," Environmental Media Services, www.ems.org
"Safe Substitutes at Home: Non-toxic Household Products," EnviroSense, http://es.epa.gov



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Don't pour toxic household products down the drain or throw them in the trash. Contact your local environmental agency or public works department to find out about hazardous waste disposal in your area. Log on to Earth 911 at www.cleanup.org and enter your zip code to get details for your area.

[babymav]

I also opt for safe natural cleaners... I converted about 3 years ago. Only because of my kids.. ex-specially Zach I am always afraid that he would get his hands on something hazardous Better safe than sorry

[Tara2126]

Thanks so much! I really want to start doing this