Household Cleaning

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All-Purpose Cleaner: Combine 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar, 1/2 tsp liquid vegetable oil-based soap (eg. Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap), and 3/4 cup warm water in a spray bottle. Shake to blend before use. Spray the problem area and wipe with a clean cloth or sponge.

Kitchen and Bathroom Disinfectant: For kitchen cutting boards and bathroom fixtures, use a white distilled vinegar spray followed by a 3% peroxide spray, then wipe clean.

Spills: Blot up quickly with cotton towels. Club soda or purified water is effective on some types of stains, including alcoholic beverages, coffee, or tomato-based food. Pulverized chalk will absorb grease. Odours: Sprinkle baking soda over the entire carpet. Leave on overnight. Sweep off as much baking soda as you can, then vacuum up the rest.

Urine: A solution of 50% white distilled vinegar and 50% water can be sprayed or sponged onto the stain. Let it stand for about 10 minutes before blotting the mixture up with a sponge.

Tile: Mix 1/2 cup baking soda, enough vegetable oil-based soap to make a frosting-like consistency, and 15 drops of tea tree oil. Scoop the creamy mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface, and rinse.

Linoleum: Dampen mop using 2 tbsp vegetable oil-based soap in 4 litres of warm water. Vinyl: Dampen mop using 1/2 cup vinegar in 4 litres of warm water.

Wood Floors: For unvarnished floors, dampen mop using 2 tbsp liquid vegetable oil-based soap, 1/4 tsp glycerin, 2 tbsp white distilled vinegar, and 4 litres of warm water. For varnished floors, dampen mop using 11/2 cup vinegar to 4 litres water.

Wood Cupboards or Furniture: Combine 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 tsp liquid vegetable oil-based soap, a few drops of jojoba or olive oil, and 3 to 5 drops essential oil (optional) in a bowl. Saturate a sponge with the mixture, squeeze out the excess, and test wood surface to be cleaned. If tested area looks good, wash the entire surface. Rinse sponge in warm water between washes.

Metal Polishes: Bronze, brass and copper: To remove the lacquer cover on new brass, bronze or copper submerge it in boiling water with a few teaspoons each baking soda and washing soda (wear gloves). For general polishing, make a paste by mixing white distilled vinegar into a mixture of 3 tsp salt and 1 tbsp flour. Use a clean sponge to polish, rinse with hot water, and buff dry with a soft cloth. To remove serious tarnishing, soak the item in a 50% white distilled vinegar, 50% water solution overnight, then rinse in hot water, and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

Aluminum: Never use baking soda on aluminum; it will pit the surface. Use natural acids like vinegar and lemon juice.

Silver: Rub white toothpaste into silver, then polish with a soft clean cloth.

Chrome: Use apple cider vinegar to clean chrome. Polish with club soda.

Oven Cleaner: Sprinkle baking soda to cover the bottom of the oven. Spray the baking soda with water until very damp, and keep moist by spraying every few hours. In the morning, remove the baking soda and grime with a spatula. Rinse the oven well. Washing soda can be substituted for 1/2 the baking soda for really tough jobs, but requires more rinsing and is caustic (wear gloves!)

Toilet Bowl Cleaners: Combine 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar and 2 cups water in a labeled spray bottle. Spray along the inside rim of the toilet. Leave on for 15 minutes before you scrub using a toilet brush. Or, combine 2 tsp tea tree oil with 2 cups of water in a labeled spray bottle. Shake and spray along the inside rim of the toilet. Let stand for 30 minutes before scrubbing. Or, put 1/2 cup borax into the toilet, swirl, scrub, and let sit overnight. Swirl with a toilet brush in the morning. Iron rings will disappear! Be sure to close the lid if you have a pet that drinks from the toilet.

Window Cleaner: Many commercial window cleaners leave a wax build-up. The first time you clean your windows using the following formula, you will need to add a little soap to help remove the residue. Combine 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar with 1/2 tsp vegetable oil-based soap and 2 cups warm water in a labeled squirt bottle. Shake to blend, then spray on windows and wipe clean using a cotton cloth diaper.

Drain Cleaner: Pour 1 cup baking soda or 1/2 cup washing soda down the drain followed by 3 cups of boiling water.

Laundry Detergent: Commercial laundry detergents that are less toxic to the environment are available. Seventh Generation, Ecover, Life Tree and Earth Friendly Cleaner provide concentrated, vegetable oil-based (not petroleum) laundry detergents without synthetic fragrances. These products can be purchased at health food stores, or on the Internet.

Bleach: Look for a commercial non-chlorine bleach (eg. Seventh Generation) or try using 1/2 cup 3% hydrogen peroxide in the rinse cycle, or 1/2 cup lemon juice in the rinse cycle, or 1/2 cup washing soda to warm or hot water wash cycles.

Room Air Fresheners: Locate the source of the odour problem and take corrective action (cleaning) first. If that isn't possible, set out a dish of vinegar, or simmer cinnamon and cloves, or pour vanilla extract in a dish with a cotton ball. These solutions can be used in your car, home or refrigerator.

Hand Wash Disinfectants: Soap itself is an antibacterial agent. Combine 1/2 cup vegetable oil-based soap with 10 drops of tea tree oil, which has antifungal as well as antibacterial properties. Shake to blend and store in a pump container.

Hand Cleaners: To remove grease or oil, combine 1/2 cup sand, 2 tbsp pumice powder, and enough glycerin to moisten in a labeled screw top jar. Use about 1 tbsp at a time, rubbing into the hands thoroughly. Or, try rubbing your hands in margarine.

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