Many conventional cleaning products don’t just remove dirt. They also leave behind chemicals that can be dangerous to breathe or touch and that can contaminate soil and water once washed down the drain.
For a less-toxic alternative, take an old-fashioned approach to cleaning: Use gentle soaps and basic kitchen staples, such as baking soda and white vinegar. You’ll have a fresh, clean house, and save money while you’re at it.
Do-it-yourself cleaners
Consider your idea of what “clean” means. Many of us associate fragrance or bleach with sanitation because we’re used to the odor of the chemicals in commercial cleaning agents. Yet a truly clean house smells air-fresh, not odor-laden.
Anyone who has taken high school biology knows that microorganisms, including beneficial ones that live inside us, are omnipresent. Yes, we want to eliminate E. coli from countertops and bathroom fixtures and minimize the spread of viruses.
But studies have shown that, in some cases, all you need is soap, warm water and a good scrub.
The next time you need cleaning power, look around the kitchen. Baking soda and salt are mild abrasives. Distilled white vinegar and lemon juice are acidic and are effective at removing substances such as soap scum; they are also gentle bleaches.
Add a few basic ingredients, such as liquid soap and borax (a naturally occurring mineral) to your cleaning cupboard, and you can tackle every room in the house. Here are some of our favorite recipes for homemade cleansers.
All-purpose cleaners
Try a solution of 2 tablespoons mild dishwashing liquid and 2 cups hot water. Sanitize countertops with white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide; spray the surface with one and then the other, and wipe (always keep them in well-marked bottles; never mix them in the same bottle, and do not dilute).
For a gentle scrub for countertops, sinks and faucets, make a paste with warm water and baking soda, or use dishwashing liquid instead of the water.
Dishwashing liquid
For greasy pots and pans (except those with nonstick surfaces): Try scouring with salt. For burned saucepans: Fill the pan half-full with water, spoon in baking soda, let it soak overnight, and bring to a boil. For baked-on grease: Scour with dishwasher powder.
Drain cleaners
Pour 1/2 cup baking soda, followed by 1/2 cup white vinegar, down drain, and cover with a plug or rag. The mixture will work to break down any fats into salt and harmless gas. Flush with boiling water. (Be sure not to attempt this method immediately after using commercial cleansers, since the substances may interact dangerously.)
Laundry detergent
Use a gentle, nontoxic soap or detergent, and boost the cleaning power as needed by adding 1/2 cup borax. This naturally occurring mineral has antiseptic, antibacterial, water-softening and whitening properties.
Oven cleaner
If you don’t have a self-cleaning oven (which burns off residue at very high temperatures), try a paste of baking soda and water. Coat the oven surfaces with the paste (avoiding bare metal and heating elements), let stand overnight, and, while wearing gloves, use a plastic spatula to remove it.
Tub and tile cleaners
Vinegar works well on soap scum and mineral deposits, but rinse thoroughly, since it can corrode some fixtures and etch glaze on tiles. You can also try tea-tree oil — 2 drops tea-tree oil with 1 cup water — in a spray bottle. A natural antiseptic and fungicide, tea-tree oil costs more than vinegar but will kill most types of mold and help prevent growth.
It should be used with caution since it can trigger allergic reactions. Pregnant women should consult a doctor before using it.
Glass cleaner
Use a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and hot water, or a few drops mild dishwashing liquid and hot water. If the latter solution leaves streaks, use less soap.
Address questions to Ask Martha, c/o Letters Department, Martha Stewart Living, 601 W. 26th St., Ninth floor, New York, NY 10001. E-mail mslletters@marthastewart.com.
&Copy; 2010 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.
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