Today’s modern home is loaded with toxic and polluting substances designed to make domestic life “easier”.
The cost of these commercial, chemical-based products can be high — long term health concerns for the family, and environmental pollution caused by their manufacture and disposal. In the US, for example, 1 in 3 people suffer from allergies, asthma, sinusitis or bronchitis (US National Center for Health Statistics). Treatment for these conditions should include reducing synthetic chemicals in the home environment.
For many home-cleaning chores, you can make your own cleaning products using the simple formulas listed below. A growing number of commercial non-toxic home cleaning products are also available, as healthier and environmentally responsible alternatives. Your use of these products helps promote the growth of green businesses which are contributing to a sustainable economy.
Most modern synthetic cleaning products are based on age-old formulas using natural ingredients that were passed down through the generations because the chemistry was right. Going back to the original naturally derived ingredients is a way to make cleaning products that work, don’t pollute and save you money. Most are found in your kitchen cupboards. Mix and match with well-chosen and environmentally friendly green cleaning products found in health food stores, and you can easily and simply transform your home into a non-toxic and healthy haven.
Non-toxic cleaning can give you a deep feeling of gratification in knowing that your family’s health is protected, and that your home is a place for your bodies to rest and recuperate rather than promote harm.
Making your own nontoxic cleaning kit will take you no time at all with these simple, straightforward directions, and with these simple recipes, you will be supplied with enough cleaning product for months of cleaning.
As an added bonus, ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterpart—and that includes costly, but worthwhile essential oils, and concentrated, all-purpose detergents for homemade recipes.
Microfiber cloths are a great way to pick up dust without using any cleaner at all!
Exchange Indoor Air
Many modern homes are so tight there’s little new air coming in. Open the windows from time to time or run any installed exhaust fans. In cold weather, the most efficient way to exchange room air is to open the room wide – windows and doors, and let fresh air in quickly for about 5 minutes. The furnishings in the room, and the walls, act as ‘heat sinks’, and by exchanging air quickly, this heat is retained.
Image by catchesthelight via Flickr
Minimize Dust
Remove clutter which collects dust, such as old newspapers and magazines. Try to initiate a ‘no-shoes-indoors’ policy. If you’re building or remodelling a home, consider a central vacuum system; this eliminates the fine dust which portable vacuum cleaners recirculate.
Use Cellulose Sponges
Most household sponges are made of polyester or plastic which are slow to break down in landfills, and many are treated with triclosan, a chemical that can produce chloroform (a suspected carcinogen) when it interacts with the chlorine found in tap water. Instead try cellulose sponges, available at natural foods stores, which are biodegradable and will soak up spills faster since they’re naturally more absorbent.
Keep Bedrooms Clean
Most time is spent in the bedrooms. Keep pets out of these rooms, especially if they spend time outdoors.
Use Gentle Cleaning Products
Of the various commercial home cleaning products, drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners and oven cleaners are the most toxic. Use the formulas described above or purchase ‘green’ commercial alternatives. Avoid products containing ammonia or chlorine, or petroleum-based chemicals; these contribute to respiratory irritation, headaches and other complaints.
Clean from the Top Down:
When house cleaning, save the floor or carpet for last. Allow time for the dust to settle before vacuuming.
SUPPLIES
Baking soda
Washing soda
White distilled vinegar
A good liquid soap or detergent
Tea tree oil and other
6 clean spray bottles
2 glass jars
Here are some recipes for natural cleaning products:
Tea tree oil can be added to these recipes as a natural antibacterial/antimicrobial.
From The CoOp Advantage Flyer: Natural Cleaners
Alice’s Wonder Spray
use this recipe for sink, tub, toilet, tile and floors
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tsp borax
32 oz. hot water
1/4 cup dish soap (added last)
20 drops essential oil (optional)
Dissolve borax in hot water (otherwise the spray will be grainy). Add vinegar, borax, and water to 32 oz. spray bottle. Add liquid dish soap and essential oil if desired. Shake ingred. to mix.
Scouring Powder
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup borax
drops of essential oil (optional)
Mix all ingred and put in a shaker and use as you might Comet.
Drains
For slow drains pour once cup each baking soda, salt and vinegar down drain. Wait 15 mins and flush with boiling hot water. Pour boiling water down drain ever 2 weeks to prevent buildup.
Glass Cleaner
Add 1/4 cup white vinegar to one quart warm water in a spray bottle. Use as you would Windex.
Oven Cleaner
Sprinkle water on bottom of oven, and then sprinkle with baking soda. Sprinkle with water again. Let sit overnight. Wash and rinse.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
1 cup borax
1/4 cup vinegar
Drops of essential oil (optional)
Pour ingred. into toilet and let rest up to a few hours. Scrub with brush and flush.
Scrub
2 cups baking soda
Mix with 1/2 cup Dr. Bronners Castile Soap
1/4 cup distilled water
Drops of Tea Tree oil added last
Furniture Polish
1/2 cup white vinegar
3 tsp olive oil
Antiseptic All-Purpose Cleanser
Up to one tsp. antiseptic essential oil (thyme, sweet orange, lemongrass, rose, clove, eucalyptus, cinnamon, rosemary, birch, lavender, tea tree, or Thieves.)
1 tsp washing soda
2 tsp borax
½ tsp liquid soap or detergent (Dr. Bronner’s)
2 c hot water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake to dissolve and blend the minerals. Spray this on the surface and leave for 15 minutes before you wipe it with a rag, to give the essential oil’s antiseptic qualities time to work.
Dishwasher Detergent
1 Tbls. Borax
1 Tbls. Washing Soda
Put distilled white vinegar in the rinse compartment.
Laundry Detergent
3.1 oz bar Ivory soap, Dr. Bronner’s, or Fels Naptha etc.
1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
½ cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
Water
5 Gallon container
Knife or grater
Pot large enough to hold 5 cups of water
Long stirring stick/spoon (for 5 gallon container)
Instructions: Shave the soap into small strips and place in the pot with 5 cups of water. Bring the water just shy of a boil and stir until the soap is completely melted. When the soap is just about melted, pour 3 gallons of hot water into the 5-gallon container and let it sit until the soap in the pot is totally melted. Once all of the soap shavings are melted, pour the mixture into the 5-gallon container and stir.
Once the soap and water are thoroughly stirred, add the ½ cup of washing soda and stir until dissolved. Once the washing soda is dissolved, pour in the cup of borax and stir again until dissolved.
Optional: Essential Oils for fragrance. If you like fragrant detergent, now is when you can add a few drops of your favourite essential oils.
Now you’ve got a huge container of hot soapy looking water. Cover the container, place it somewhere out of the way and let it sit overnight. Once it’s cooled it will gel. It will not gel uniformly so it will be lumpy and watery. It may not be very attractive, but it works. It’s best find smaller storage containers for convenience. I use empty, thoroughly washed milk jugs. Usage: ½ cup per laundry load is adequate to clean your clothes. This homemade laundry detergent works well in high efficiency washing machines since it is low sudsing.
One word of caution, if using a high efficiency machines: Before pouring the lumpy gel into the detergent receptacle, stir it to break up the lumps. Very large lumps may not fully dissolve, stirring the detergent with a spoon, pencil, or whatever you have available (or your finger), works fine. Yield: 110 ½ loads of laundry
Powdered Laundry Detergent
2/3 bar Fels Naptha Laundry Soap (equivalent of 1 cup grated)
½ Cup 20 Mule Team Borax
½ Cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda.
Container large enough to hold 2 cups of laundry detergent
Directions: Grate the Fels Naptha laundry soap with a grater or use a
food processor. Approximately 2/3 of a bar of soap will make 1 cup of
grated soap.
Add the ½ cup of Borax and ½ cup of washing soda to the grated soap.
Shake and/or mix well.
Use: One tablespoon of detergent is sufficient per load of wash. If
you have a high-efficiency machine, you might want to experiment with
using a little less detergent for normal loads. If your clothes come
out feeling stiff, lower the amount of detergent. For clothes that
are heavily soiled, add a teaspoon more of the detergent.
Yield: The recipe yields 2 cups of laundry detergent. If you use 1
tablespoon per load, you will be able to wash 32 loads of clothes.
Sources:
Clean House, Clean Planet by Karen Logan
www.care2.org
