Alternative Products

Instead of depending on potentially hazardous chemicals in the house and garage, this section suggests simple, common cleaning products, such as vinegar or borax, to do the same work as less environmentally friendly materials like chlorine bleach. Please note that ammonia, one of the alternative ingredients listed below, has its own set of risks and dangers. Many of these suggestions are traditional, sometimes obvious, solutions; others may be new to you, even a little surprising at first. Try and see what works best for you.

Source: Recipes for a Safer Home, Illinois EPA, 1992.

Avoid environmentally unfriendly products

Guide to Symbols:

SymbolUsage
green alternatives to common household products.
take note of the following remarks;
includes general information as well as
health warnings and usage tips.

1. Aerosol
2. Air Fresheners and Deodorizer
3. All Purpose Cleaner
4. Auto Body Repair Compound
5. Carpet and Rug Shampoo
6. Ceramic Tile Cleaner
7. Dishwasher
8. (Hand) Dishwashing Liquid
9. Disinfectant and Germicide
10. Drain Cleaner
11. Floor Wax and Stripper
12. Furniture Polish
13. Glass Cleaner
14. Glue
15. Mothballs
16. Mold and Mildew
17. Oven Cleaner
18. Paint
19. Paint Stripper
20. Silver Cleaner
21. Spot Remover
22. Toilet Bowl Cleaner
23. Turpentine
24. Window Cleaner

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AEROSOL

Use pump spray or other nonaerosol versions of cleaning and grooming products. For example, use liquid, paste or powder oven cleaners; use cream, stick or roll-on deodorants.
Beyond the hazards of the active ingredients in aerosol spray and the possibility of explosion, the propellants themselves may present a health hazard to the lungs when inhaled.
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AIR FRESHENER AND DEODORIZER

Open a window or use an exhaust fan--or do both. Sprinkle baking soda in odor producing areas or set vinegar out in an open dish. Place an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator to absorb food orders.
Air fresheners don't really freshen the air; they deaden our sense of smell or counteract one odor with another.
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ALL PURPOSE CLEANER

Mix 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup vinegar, and a handful of baking soda in a gallon of warm water.
Don't use this mixture on wood. Instead, use an oil soap.
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CARPET AND RUG SHAMPOO

Mix 1/2 cup mild dishwashing detergent with 1 pint of boiling water; let cool. Whip paste into a stiff foam using an electric mixer. Apply to the carpet with a damp sponge. Rub gently. Work in 4x4 foot sections. Wipe off suds with a clean cloth. To rinse, add 1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon of lukewarm water. Rinse each section and wipe carpet dry as you go. Change rinse solution frequently.
Clean carpet on a dry, sunny day with windows open to speed drying. Don't soak carpet or it may mildew. Test any shampoo first on an inconspicuous area to prevent discoloration.
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CERAMIC TILE CLEANER

Measure 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1 cup ammonia into a bucket. Add 1 gallon of warm water and stir until the baking soda dissolves.
This solution works well as a general multi-purpose cleaner.
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DISHWASHER

Use sodium hexametaphosphate in place of detergent.
Sodium hexametaphosphate does not remove dried on food. Never use dishwashing liquid as a substitute. The bubbles can clog the drain and inhibit water spray.
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(Hand) DISHWASHING LIQUID

Use a plain, liquid, vegetable-based soap (versus petroleum-based soaps), or rub a sponge with bar soap. You can add a few slices of lemon to the water to help cut grease and make dishes smell like lemon. Sodium hexametaphosphate should be used with hard water and will reduce the amount of soap needed by half. Dishes will dry spotless.
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DISINFECTANT AND GERMICIDE

Wash items with water and soap, borax or sodium carbonate monohydrate (washing soda). Wash large surfaces with a solution of 1/2 cup borax dissolved in one gallon of hot water.
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DRAIN CLEANER

Prevent clogging by covering drains with screens to keep out grease, food scraps and hair. To loosen blockage, mix 1 cup each of baking soda, salt, and white vinegar. Pour mix down the drain. Wait 15 minutes. Flush drain thoroughly with boiling water. Use a rubber plunger or plumber's snake if the drain is seriously clogged.
If you use a commercial drain opener that fails to work, you'll be left with a clogged drain filled with a highly caustic compound.
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FLOOR WAX AND STRIPPER

To polish linoleum and vinyl floors: mix one part thick, boiled starch with one part soap suds. Rub mixture on floor, then polish dry with a clean, soft, dry cloth. To remove old wax: pour a small amount of club soda on a section of the floor. Scrub well; let soak for a few minutes and wipe clean.
People who are sensitive to fumes and odors have been known to suffer headaches and other discomforts after exposure to fresh floor wax.
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FURNITURE POLISH

Use olive oil, or beeswax and olive oil. Or mix 2 teaspoons lemon oil and 1 pint mineral oil in a spray bottle.
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GLASS CLEANER

Mix equal amounts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle.
Chemical cleaners can leave a residue behind that will cause streaking if a water and vinegar solution is used. Rub the windows with rubbing alcohol before washing.
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MOTHBALLS

Place cedar (chips or sprigs) or dried tansy around clothes or store clothes in a cedar chest.
The powerful smell associated with mothballs comes from paradichlorobenzene.
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MOLD AND MILDEW CLEANER

Mix borax and water, or water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray on and wipe off. Borax inhibits mold growth, so you might consider washing with a borax solution without rinsing it off. Also, try drying mold using a hair dryer. If mold is all over a room, try leaving a small portable heater on all night (with the door closed). Be sure to take appropriate safety precautions when using a portable heater! Finally, make sure to provide ventilation and allow wet things to completely dry. To prevent mold, use a dehumidifier in areas subject to high humidity.
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OVEN CLEANER

Wipe away grease and spills after preparing each meal. Wipe away charred spills with a nonmetallic metal brush. To remove baked-on grease and spills, scrub with a baking soda, salt and water paste. Or sprinkle with dry baking soda and scrub with a damp cloth after 5 minutes. (Don't let baking soda touch wires or heating elements.) Scour racks and burner inserts with steel wool.
Aerosol oven cleaners are among the worst contributors to indoor air pollution. People with asthma, chronic bronchitis and other respiratory problems are particularly susceptible to fumes of strong oven cleaners. No matter how thoroughly you try to rinse these cleaners, a residue remains that begins to emit additional fumes the minute the oven is turned on.
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PAINT

Use water-based paint whenever possible. Seal all paint cans with tight fitting lids. Store away from children.
Ingredients in oil-based paint may cause flu-like symptoms when inhaled.
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PAINT STRIPPER, GLUE, TURPENTINE, VARNISH LACQUER, AUTOBODY REPAIR COMPOUNDS

Use outdoors or in a very large room with a steady current of dry (not humid) air. Ventilate well. Open all windows and doors and use a large exhaust fan to blow fumes out. Wear a paper filter dust mask when grinding or sanding. Use a dust attachment cleaner, not a broom. Don't soak brushes in solvents. Clean them immediately and soak them in plain water or soap and water. Always wear protective goggles, gloves and a work apron. Separate work area from living space as much as possible.
Solvents used in furniture refinishing can cause headaches, drowsiness, blurred vision, impaired motor response, and chemical intoxication. Paint solvents are of particular concern to people with heart conditions and those who wear contact lenses because methanol and certain other compounds can stress the heart, and contact lenses absorb strong vapors and hold them against the eyes, causing irritation or eye damage.
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SILVER CLEANER

Pour water into an aluminum or an enameled pan lined with aluminum foil on the bottom. Fill to a depth of 2-3 inches (enough to cover silver with water). Add 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Heat until water boils. Add tarnished silver and boil for 3 minutes. Remove silver, wash in soapy water, and polish dry. (Not for use on silver jewelry, silver items with glued components, or flatware with hollow handles.)
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SPOT REMOVER

For butter, coffee, gravy and chocolate stains: immediately sponge up or scrape off as much as possible. Dab with a cloth dampened with a solution of 1 teaspoon white vinegar and 1 quart cold water. For stains that have set, try a dab of full- strength white vinegar or put paper towels underneath to blot, and apply a solution of equal parts ammonia and water. (If an ammonia stain remains, blot it with a solution of table salt in water.)
Taking care of spots immediately, with nontoxic compounds, avoids a trip to the dry cleaners. Commercial dry cleaning agents such as perchloroethylene and tetrachlroethylene may cause light-headedness, dizziness and other central nervous system symptoms and as well as create disposal problems for the dry cleaner.
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TOILET BOWL CLEANER

To clean and deodorize porcelain, use mixture of 1/2 cup borax in 1 gallon of water. For stains, use a paste made of lemon juice and borax. Spread on paste and let it sit for 20 minutes, then scrub and flush.
Avoid using toilet bowl deodorizers that contain paradichlorobenzene ; evidence suggests it causes cancer in laboratory animals.
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WINDOW CLEANER

Measure 3 tablespoons ammonia, 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 3/4 cup water into a clean spray bottle.
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