As of April 2008, sales of "natural cleaning products" leapt 23 % over the previous
year.
Many common cleaning products contain hazardous chemicals that impact our health
and the environment in three ways:
 When they are manufactured
 When they are used
 When they are thrown away.
Some of the many benefits of buying green:

Many green products have positive environmental impacts; e.g.,
biodegradability, low toxicity, low volatile organic compound (VOC) content,
reduced packaging, low life cycle energy use. Using these products can reduce
exposure, can minimize harmful impacts, improve indoor air quality, and
reduce water and ambient air pollution.

Buying cleaners in concentrates with appropriate handling safeguards, and
reusable, reduced, or recyclable packaging, reduces packaging waste and
transportation energy. Buy what you need.

Buying or making green cleaners reduces volatile organic compounds (VOC)
that can affect indoor air quality and also contribute to smog formation in
outdoor air.

Using green cleaners can reduce the hazard concerns to exposed populations
(e.g., skin and eye irritation in workers) or toxicity to aquatic species in waters
receiving inadequately treated wastes. Products containing phosphorus or
nitrogen can contribute to nutrient-loading in water bodies, leading to adverse
effects on water quality

Buying less hazardous cleaners may reduce costs when it comes time to
properly dispose of any leftover cleaners.
What to look for in Green Products:







Recyclable packaging
Recycled-content in packaging
Reduced flammability
Reduced or no added dyes, except when added for safety purposes
Reduced or no added fragrances
Reduced or no skin irritants
Reduced or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs)


Reduced packaging
No ozone depleting substances
Read labels:
Just because a cleaning product says "Natural," "eco-safe" or "environment friendly"
doesn't necessarily mean non-toxic. Avoid chlorine, ammonia, formaldehyde, ketones,
phosphates, hydrocarbons, hydrochloric acid, phenols, and artificial fragrances. If the
labels say, "Warning," "Danger," or "Poison," choose something else. Look for products
containing vegetable and fruit oils and extracts. Environmental benefits should be spelled
out: "biodegrades in three to five days" is meaningful. "Biodegradable" is not.
“Ecolabels”, or third-party seals of approval defined by the International Standards
Office, are one of the best bets right now for deciding which household goods are truly
green.
“Ecologo” is another mark you may find that indicates no known carcinogens or
mutagens among the ingredients
Making your own nontoxic cleaning products will take you no time at all. Most
everything in your home can be cleaned with a few cheap, safe, and easy-to-use
ingredients you can safely combine yourself; tap water, baking soda, vinegar, and plantbased liquid soap.
Modern synthetic cleaning products are based on formulas using natural ingredients.
These formulas have been passed down through the generations because they worked. It
seems only natural to go back to the original naturally derived ingredients. Doing so is a
way to make cleaning products that work, won’t pollute and save you money. These
non-toxic cleaning products can protect your family’s health as well as protect your
home.
Making green cleaning products will save you money, ounce for ounce homemade
cleaning formulas cost about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterpart.
Greener Cleaner Recipes Ingredients list:
Tap water
Baking soda
Distilled white vinegar
Plant-based liquid soap
Washing Soda
Lemons
Sponge
Squeegee
Spray bottle
Salt
Essential Oils (lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree)
Home Cleaning Products:
Tub and sink cleaner: Baking soda, liquid soap, water
Sprinkle water on the sink and tub surfaces, followed by a generous shake of baking
soda. Scrub with sponge or bristle brush. Add a little of the liquid soap to the sponge for
more cleaning power. Rinse well.
Window and mirror cleaner: White vinegar, water and a few drops of plant-based
liquid soap.
Combine 1/4 cup of white vinegar and a few drops of the liquid soap in a spray bottle and
fill with water. Spray on the glass surface. Rub dry with a lint-free cloth (don't use
newspapers – they streak). Wash outdoor windows with warm water. Use a squeegee to
dry. If you don't like the vinegar smell, add a touch of lemon juice.
Toilet bowl cleaner: Baking soda, liquid soap
Sprinkle baking soda inside the bowl. Add a couple drops of liquid soap. Scrub with a
toilet bowl brush. Wipe outside surfaces with a wet sponge sprinkled with baking soda.
Pour ½ cup vinegar into the bowl and let it sit to remove most lime scale.
Oven cleaner: Baking soda, water Make a paste from baking soda and water. Apply to
oven surfaces; let stand for five-ten minutes. Use a scouring pad or knife to remove
loosened grime.
Drain cleaner: Baking soda, white vinegar, boiling water Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda
down the drain first, then 1/2 cup vinegar. Cover the drain until the fizzing stops, then
flush with boiling water. Repeat if needed. If the clog is stubborn, use a plunger. If very
stubborn, use a mechanical snake. Never pour liquid grease down a drain. Always use a
drain sieve to capture food, hair, and other materials that could clog the pipe.
Copper cleaner: White vinegar, water, salt. Mix equal parts of vinegar and salt and
apply to the surface with a sponge. Rinse thoroughly with water, and then dry.
Silver polish: Salt, soda, aluminum foil/toothpaste. To remove tarnish from silverware,
line a large pan with aluminum foil. Add water to cover the silver, plus 1 tablespoon salt
and 1 tablespoon baking soda. Let the mixture rest for at least an hour. The tarnish will
transfer to the aluminum foil. Rinse the silver in hot water and dry. You can also use
toothpaste to polish individual pieces of silver.
Air fresheners: Locate the source of the objectionable smell and remove it, then open
the window, or use an exhaust fan to clear out musty air. Simmer a small amount of
cinnamon, orange peel, and cloves on the stove or in a small ceramic saucer over a candle
to give your home a pleasant fragrance. Fresh cut flowers will also pleasantly scent your
home. Indoor plants absorb volatile organic chemicals. An open box of baking soda will
help absorb odors in the refrigerator; sprinkling baking soda in the garbage can or diaper
pail will do the same.
Creamy soft scrubber: Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough
liquid soap to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash
the surface. Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed
glass jar, to keep the product moist.
All-purpose spray cleaner: 1/2 teaspoon washing soda, a dab of liquid soap and 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.
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.
Mold killers: 2 teaspoons tea tree oil and 2 cups water. Combine in a spray bottle,
shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. Makes two cups.
Vinegar Spray: Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white
distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy area, and let set without
rinsing if you can put up with the smell. It will dissipate in a few hours.
Caution
Make sure to keep all home-made formulas well-labeled, and out of the reach of
children.
Pesticides:
First, fill in all cracks around baseboards, cabinets, shelves, sinks, bathtubs, and in pipes.
Sprinkle Borax around each point of entry. Borax is a crystalline salt used to manufacture
detergents and soaps. It is also used as a water softener and mild antiseptic. Borax has
been proven to be very effective against cockroaches.
General Pesticide: A great alternative to toxic chemicals for both indoor and outdoor
plants. Mix 2 tablespoons of liquid soap or dishwashing liquid with 1 quart water, and
pour into a spray bottle. Most indoor household plants tolerate this natural pesticide well.
Spray leaves, stem and topsoil to deter insects from coming back.
Ants : Spray ants with soapy water. Locate where the ants are entering your home, and
place citrus oil and/or cayenne pepper along their entry area. To make your own indoor
ant traps, mix together one-half teaspoon each of honey, borax and a sugar substitute.
Place the mixture into bottles and place the open bottles on their sides in the areas where
ants are present. The ants will take the mixture back to their nests as food, and it will kill
the entire colony. (Keep borax away from your children and pets).
Flies: Sprinkle clothe pieces with a few drops of eucalyptus oil, and place them on the
table where your food will be served, as well as near your pet’s food dish. Make sachets
with cheesecloth and stuff them with dried basil leaves, bay leaves, cloves and eucalyptus
oil. Place the sachets near doors or windows or anywhere else that flies are causing a
problem.
Cockroaches: If you do not have cats, make sachets with cheesecloth and stuff them
with dried catnip. Place the sachets where roaches are present. You can also make a
catnip tea and spray the tea behind counters, the back of cabinets and along all
baseboards. Spray roaches directly with soapy water to kill them. If you have cabinets
that drop down from the ceiling, place borax on top of them. The roaches will take the
borax back to their nest, and it will kill the entire colony. (Note: keep borax away from
children and pets, and do not place near food).
Moths: Make sachets with cheesecloth and either stuff them with cedar chips or a
stuffing material sprinkled with cedar oil. Place the sachets in areas where moths are a
problem.
Flea Powder: ½ teaspoon each dried eucalyptus, fennel or rosemary, and pennyroyal ¼
cup cornstarch. Grind the herbs into a powder in a spice mill or a blender. Combine with
the cornstarch in a glass jar. Shake to blend. Sprinkle on the pet and work into the fur.
Caution
Make sure to keep all home-made formulas well-labeled, and out of the reach of
children.
Other Cleaners:
Alkaline Cleaner: ½ teaspoon washing soda, 2 teaspoons borax, ½ teaspoon liquid soap
or detergent, 2 cups hot water. Combine the washing soda, borax and soap in a spray
bottle. Pour in the hot water, screw on the lid, and shake to completely blend and
dissolve.
Acid Cleaner: ¼ cup white distilled vinegar or lemon juice, ½ teaspoon liquid detergent,
¾ cup warm water. Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle.
Basic Formula for Antiseptic All-Purpose Cleanser: Up to 1-teaspoon antiseptic
essential oil (thyme, sweet orange, lemongrass, rose, clove, eucalyptus, cinnamon,
rosemary, birch, lavender or tea tree. 1-teaspoon washing soda, 2 teaspoons borax, ½
teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
2 cups hot water. Combine the ingredients in a labeled spray bottle. Spray onto surface
and leave for 15 minutes or so before wiping off.
Basic Carpet Cleaner: ¼ cup concentrated all-purpose liquid soap and 4 gallons water.
Fill the machine's water and detergent dispenser. Follow the manufacturer's directions.
Makes 4 gallons.
Basic Floor Cleaner Formula: ¼ cup liquid soap and up to ½ cup white distilled
vinegar or lemon juice, 2 gallons warm water: Combine the ingredients in a large plastic
bucket. Use with a mop or sponge.
Antibacterial Spray: 1 cup water, 20 drops sweet orange essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil, 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil. Pour water into a
labeled spray bottle. Blend the essential oils in a glass jar. With an eyedropper, add 8
drops of the essential oil base to the spray bottle. Spray on and let set for at least 15
minutes, or don't rinse at all.
Caution
Make sure to keep all home-made formulas well-labeled, and out of the reach of
children.
References and resources:
Body + Soul magazine
http://epa.gov/epp/pubs/cleaning.htm
The Five Basics for Nontoxic Cleaning
by Annie Berthold-Bond, Care2.com Producer, Green Living Channels
Better Basics for the Home
Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living
By Annie Berthold-Bond
The entire book is available from Three Rivers Press, New York
Recipes courtesy of Body + Soul magazine, USEPA, Care2.com, eartheasy.com.
Additional Sources:
Choose Green Report on General Purpose Cleaners, Green Seal, March 1998; Green Seal
Standard and Environmental Evaluation for General-Purpose, Bathroom, and Glass
Cleaners Used for Industrial and Institutional Purposes, October 2000; Hormonally
Active Agents in the Environment, National Research Council, National Academy Press,
1999)
Shop for Supplies
Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living by Annie BertholdBond
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0609803255/
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Clean and Green: The Complete Guide to Non-Toxic and Environmentally Safe
Housekeeping by Annie Ber
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1886101019/
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