Non-Toxic Household Cleaners

February 11, 2008 By Erica Barton

Many people are aware that flour is a quick and easy solution to kitchen fires. But are you also aware that there are many other common multipurpose kitchen products that are an easy and non-toxic solution to everyday cleaning problems? These items are “no worry” items because you will never have to worry that their usage will harm your children or pets. Try using the products below for green cleaning in your home.

BAKING SODA

This simple product is one of the most effective and inexpensive cleaners on the market. Not only can you place it in your fridge and freezer to remove unwanted smells, but you can also use it to clean a variety of products. Sprinkle in your bathtub and rub with a sponge to see soap scum wash quickly and easily away. Dump a cup of baking soda in your toilet weekly to help reduce clogs and keep the bowl smelling fresh. Use equal parts of baking soda and water to remove basic stains from fabrics. Plus, you can sprinkle it on your carpet for half an hour before vacuuming and your carpets will lose all offensive odors. Is it any wonder that it’s used in toothpaste, deodorant and carpet cleaners?

VINEGAR

Vinegar is one fabulously natural product that cuts through grease and soap scum in a snap. Mix it with water, lemon juice or rubbing alcohol, and nothing will be able to stand it in its way. Run your dishwasher once a month with only a cup of vinegar and you will greatly reduce the amount of soap scum in your appliance. Add a cup of vinegar to a pail of water to clean vinyl floors and give them a nice shine. (Be careful when using vinegar on hardwood floors as it can remove the top layer of wax.)

A CAN OF COLA

A can of cola can be used to clean stains out of a toilet. Simply pour one in, let it sit for an hour, and then watch as stains scrub easily away.

SHAVING CREAM

Clean your bathroom mirrors with shaving cream. As crazy as that sounds, this product will actually help to make your bathroom mirrors stay fog free.

LEMON JUICE

Like vinegar, lemon juice can also cut through grease and soap scum. However, you can also boil some lemon juice with water, let it cool and then spritz a pet two or three times a week to repel fleas.

YEAST

If you have a septic tank, pour a packet of yeast down your toilet once a month and it will go to work dissolving waste.

RUBBING ALCOHOL

This product is great for cleaning caulk around the bathtub and sinks. It can also be mixed with vinegar or lemon juice to create a powerful cleaner.

SALT

This product is an excellent choice for scrubbing away any kind of mess as well as picking up spills. Simply pour some salt on the mess, wait a few minutes for it to soak in, and then use a vacuum to quickly clean it away. For greasy stains on wood, sprinkle salt, let sit for a few minutes, then wipe away with a lemon-moistened paper towel.

CORNSTARCH

To clean your carpets, sprinkle cornstarch, wait half an hour, and then vacuum. Mix with baking powder and crushed lavender to freshen your carpet at the same time.

TOOTHPASTE

Toothpaste is terrific for filling nail holes as well as fixing old CDs and DVDs. Gently rub a bit on scratched media and wipe gently away and you will quickly improve the quality of your videos.

Posted in environment, food, getting green, home improvement