De-Tox Your Home: Replace Toxic Cleaners With These Easy Alternatives

(Conservation Currents, Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District)

Aerosols

Replace with products in pump bottle or wipe on liquids.
For an all purpose cleaner: Mix one cup of baking soda in one gallon hot water or;
Mix ¼ cup borax and one tablespoon liquid soap in one gallon of hot water.

Bug Spray

Eliminate food and water sources such as crumbs and leaky faucets.
Caulk openings around windows, floors, and pipes.
Use nontoxic traps. Boric acid is a good, less toxic powder to apply along cracks and baseboards.

Deodorizers

Baking soda is a good all purpose deodorizer.
Sprinkle cornstarch or baking soda on rugs, then vacuum.
Zeolite is a nontoxic mineral that absorbs odors, bacteria, and mold. It is available as a powder or in “breather bags.”

Disinfectants

Plain soap and hot water kill some bacteria.
Citrus-based products have anti-fungal, antimicrobial, antibacterial properties and act as solvents.
Mix ¼ cup borax with ¼ cup white vinegar in hot water for all purpose disinfectant.

Drain Cleaners

Use ¼ cup baking soda followed by ½ cup vinegar, and cover until fizzing stops. Then flush with boiling water.
A weekly dose of boiling water poured down the drain will help prevent clogging.
Use a plunger or drain snake on major clogs.

Glass Cleaner

Mix vinegar and water, 50/50, in a pump bottle, spray surfaces, then clean and dry with crumpled newspaper.

Household Batteries

Laundry Products

Use soap flakes and borax or washing soda and borax instead of detergent.
Use borax instead of bleach.
Treat stains immediately when possible.
Blood Stains: Soak in cold water, club soda, or hydrogen peroxide.
Perspiration stains: Dab with a sponge soaked in a weak solution of water with vinegar or lemon juice.
Ink Stains: Apply a paste of cream of tarter and lemon juice.
Chocolate stains: Soak in club soda.

Metal Polishes

Brass—Rub with olive oil to retard tarnish.
Chrome—Polish with baby oil.
Silver—Soak in boiling water with baking soda, salt and aluminum foil.
Copper—Use a paste of lemon juice and cream of tarter, leave on for 5 minutes, wash in warm water, rub with a dry, soft cloth.

Mothballs

Oven Cleaners

Cover the soiled oven surface with a baking soda paste, let stand from one hour to overnight, then scrub with a sponge or abrasive pad.

Scouring Powder

Toilet Bowl Cleaners

Leave borax to soak in the toilet, then scrub.
Pumice stone will remove stains.
For rings, mix borax and lemon juice into a paste, let sit for two hours, then scrub with a good brush.

Tub and Tile Cleaner

Use ½ cup of borax in hot water.
Wipe bath tubs with vinegar. Then sprinkle with baking soda, scrub with a damp sponge, and rinse.

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