Going chem-free

Clean & Green
Because housework is “toxic” enough!

By Shelly Bokman

We all know that if our bathrooms don’t sparkle and our floors don’t shine, we are complete failures at life. At least that’s what the media and the cleaning product industry would have us believe. This industry has taken hold of our desire for a clean and orderly life and spawned an $18 billion market. To keep up with the demand for ever-cleaner homes, by ever-more-convenient means, these products now contain a frightening array of toxic chemicals. Call me crazy, but if I can’t pronounce the list of ingredients, do I want to wash my family’s clothes and dishes in it? Or clean the carpet with it before I set my baby down to play?

These chemicals leave behind residues on surfaces where the cleaner has been applied, and they are easily absorbed through the skin when we come into contact with them. And to make it even scarier—when two cleaners come into contact with each other, they have the potential to form new toxic substances! (Not only do these chemicals poison our air, but they can seep into our ground water, leaving it contaminated, too.)

Because of all these household chemicals, the EPA has found the air quality in our homes to be 5 to 10 times more toxic than the air outside. This is especially true in winter, when doors and windows stay shut against the cold, and ventilation becomes an issue. (For more tips to “green” your indoor air, check out the Green Scene column in this month's issue.)

Want to keep your home clean and healthy without doing harm? Try these green solutions, made from safe, simple ingredients. As an added bonus, most homemade cleaning solutions cost about one-tenth the price of commercial products, and they’ll leave your house smelling fresher, too.

The basic ingredients you’ll need for chem-free cleaning are:
• baking soda
• washing soda
• a good liquid soap or detergent
• white distilled vinegar
• tea tree oil
• clean spray bottles and glass jars

You can also use borax, cornstarch, isopropyl alcohol, and lemon juice to clean and disinfect your home. Make sure to label all your homemade cleaning products, and keep them away from pets and children.

Tub Scrub
This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn’t leave grit. Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make its texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface. Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make as much as you need at a time.

Window Cleaner
-1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
-3 tablespoons vinegar
-2 cups water
-spray bottle
Combine all ingredients into a spray bottle, shake, and use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.

Oven Lovin’
-1 cup or more baking soda
-water
-a squirt or two of liquid detergent
Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface it totally white. Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight. You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven. (If this recipe doesn’t work for you, try using more baking soda and/or water.)

All-Purpose Spray Cleaner
-1/2 tsp. washing soda
-a dab of liquid soap
-2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

Olive & Lemon Furniture Polish
-1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
-1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely.

Vinegar Deodorizer
Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in your kitchen near your cutting board, and in your bathroom, and use them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board before going to bed at night, and don't even rinse, but let it set overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours. Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just spray it on and wipe off.

Tea Tree Mold and Mildew Killer
This spray is the absolute best natural answer to mold and mildew. Tea tree oil is expensive, but a little goes a very long way. The smell of tea tree oil is very strong, but it does dissipate in a few days.
-2 teaspoons tea tree oil
-2 cups water
Combine ingredients in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. Makes 2 cups, and it can be stored in the spray bottle indefinitely.

Green Cleaning Made Even Easier
Not in DIY mode? That's cool. For ready-made green cleaners (and some very smart tips), check out:

SimpleGreen.com
From birdcages to air filters, this site has tips and suggestions for cleaning it all, as well as a line of non-toxic cleaning products.

HolyCowProducts.com
Non-toxic and nature safe, this line lets you clean green even if you're not into mixing your own.

SeventhGeneration.com
This is a cool site for all kinds of resources on living green. Sign up for their free e-newsletter, and check out their line of products.