Living "Green" 

The following is information on alternatives to common household cleaning products found in the home.  It is divided into the following sections: Basic Ingredients, General Products, Kitchen Products, Bathroom Products, Laundry Products, Baby Care and Home & Garden Pests

Basic Ingredients
    Baking Soda- Cleans and deodorizes.  Good scouring powder.
     Softens water, increasing the cleaning power of soap.

    Bleach-  Cleans, deodorizes and disinfects basins, concrete, grout, sinks, 
    tiles, toilet bowls and tubs; removes mildew and stains from carpets, clothes,
    concrete, upholstery and wood floors.

    Borax- Cleans, deodorizes and disinfects.  Softens water.  Brightens
    all washable fabrics and costs less than bleach.

    Cornstarch- Removes stains, shampoo carpets and rugs, starch clothes. 

    Household Ammonia- Cleans carpets, copper, dishes, showers, ovens, jewelry
    windows and stainless steel; remove stains.

    Lemon Juice-  Deodorize, clean windows and other glass, removes stains from
    aluminum, clothes and porcelain. 

    Mineral Soap-   Polish furniture, wax floors.

    Soap- Sold as liquid, flake; powder or in bars. 

    Steel Wool-  Removes rust, rust stains and stubborn film.

    Washing Soda-  Disinfectant.  Cuts grease and removes stains.

    White Vinegar- Cuts grease.

General Products

   All-Purpose Cleaner- Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 1 teaspoon soap and 1
    quart water.  Store in spray bottle.  Add vinegar or washing soda to
    cut grease

    Disinfectant- Dissolve 1/4 cup borax in 1/2 gallon hot water

    Scouring Powder- Use a firm bristle brush and scrub with soap
    combined with either borax, table salt or baking soda.

Kitchen Products

   Oven Cleaner- Clean with steel wool, washing soda and water as soon as
    possible.

   Brass- Mix equal parts salt and flour with a little vinegar, then rub.

    Chrome- Rub with undiluted vinegar

    Copper- Rub with lemon juice and salt or hot vinegar and salt.

    Silver or Stainless Steel- Rub with paste of baking soda and water.  Soak silver in 1
    quart water, 2 tablespoons baking soda, 1 tablespoon salt and small piece of aluminum
    foil.

    Furniture Polish- Mix 2 parts vegetable or olive oil with 1 part lemon juice, apply with
    soft cloth.

Bathroom Products

   Tub, Tile & Toilet- Scrub with a powdered soap and a scouring powder made of
    baking soda, borax or salt.  Use white vinegar to loosen lime deposits.

   Glass Cleaner- Mix 3 tablespoons vinegar with 1 quart warm water.  For tough
    jobs, first wash glass with warm soapy water.  Hint: for any window cleaning job, rub
    dry with newspapers for professional results.

    Air fresheners- Instead, simply ventilate the area or place a box of baking soda
    in enclosed areas.  Set out vinegar in an open dish or fresh flowers and herds.
    Add cloves and cinnamon to boiling water and let simmer.

    Drain Cleaners- To keep drains clear always use a drain basket to catch hair.  Pour a
    mixture of 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup salt and 1/8 cup cream of tartar down the
    drain and follow with hot water.  To clear clogs, use 1/4 cup baking soda followed by
    1/2 cup vinegar, cover drain and sink until fizzing stops, then flush with boiling water.

    Mold & Mildew Cleaners- Make a concentrated solution of Borax and water and
    clean affected areas.  Baking soda sprinkled on a damp sponge will also remove mold.
    Ventilate an area properly to reduce mold growth.

Laundry Products

    Detergent- When you first switch from detergents to soap, wash laundry once with
    washing soda alone to get rid of detergent residue and avoid yellowing of fabrics.  After
    that, add 1/3 cup washing soda to water before placing clothes in machine and
    substitute soap flakes or powder for detergent.  For more cleaning power, add 1/2 cup
    borax.

    Fabric Softener- Add 1 cup vinegar or 1/4 cup baking soda during final rinse.

    Spray Starch- Dissolve 2 teaspoons cornstarch in 1 pint cold water in a spray bottle.
    Shake before each use.

    Moth Balls- Clean garments thoroughly before storing them since moths are attracted
    to dirt on clothes.  Store clean woolens in cedar chests or closets, or store with gauze
    bags containing either cedar chips or 2 handfuls each of dried lavender and rosemary
    plus 1 tablespoon each of fresh cloves and dried lemon peel, to repel moths.  During the
    year, vacuum closets regularly to get rid of moth's food sources.

Baby Care

   Baby Powder- Use cornstarch

   Diapers- Use cloth diapers

Home & Garden Pests

Prevention is best:

• Fix holes in screens, caulk around windows, doors and pipes 

• Keep kitchens, floors, closets and garbage pails clean to eliminate food source 

• Remove paper clutter to eliminate nesting sites 

• Vacuum up insect pests in the home 

• Manually remove insects from plants

Managing Household Hazardous Waste

Use environmentally friendly products such as:  Murphy's Oil Soap and Borax and others that will break down to their base elements quickly.

When purchasing toxic products:

• Buy only what you need 

• Use only as directed 

• Consider sharing leftovers with family or friends 

• Properly dispose of leftovers at a household hazardous waste collection

The following table lists household items and the safer alternatives.

Keep these and all household chemicals out of the reach of children.

To be sure that a child will not come in contact with harmful products, follow these safety rules to poison-proof your home:

• Store harmful items out of reach of children in inaccessible locations.

• Keep products in their original containers.  Don't put them in cups, bowls or bottles.  The original container carries a label identifying the product and essential information in the event of an accident.

• Maintain labels on harmful items.

• Read labels on harmful items.

• Destroy used containers.  Be sure containers are empty when discarded.

• Store medications separately from all other household products.

• Dispose of old medications and outdated prescriptions by flushing them down the drain.

• Never give medication in the dark.

• Never refer to medicine as "candy".  Call it what it is - medicine.

• Avoid taking medication in the presence of children.  Children imitate.

• Never give or take medications prescribed for someone else.

• Check with your doctor before combining medications.

• Use childproof containers with safety closures; keep them closed and sealed.

• Keep purse out of children's reach.

• Remember:  Out of reach, out of sight, out of danger.   

 For information on specific insects, check out the What's Bugging You web site by
    Dr. Tom Ellis, Department of Entomology Michigan State University.   

  Information source: Stepping Lightly On The Earth: A Minimum Impact Guide To The Home,
   MSU  Extension- Van Buren County & Van Buren Citizens for Recycling.

For further information, questions or comments, e-mail:
   Beth Clawson, Natural Resources/Resource Recovery Extension Educator

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Last modified: March, 2005