The real dirt on cleaning products

Everyone hates cleaning…and who can blame us? Not only is it tedious, it is also dangerous for your health and the planet. Most household cleaners are made from petroleum and a variety of toxic chemicals. This may seem like a good excuse for get out of doing your chores, but the toxicity of household cleaning products can irritate your eyes, skin, and lungs and even your central nervous system whether you are the one doing the cleaning or not. And whats more, once these toxins wash down the drain, they contaminate streams and ground water.

Did you know?

–Because of household cleaners and pesticides, the air inside the typical home is 2–5 times—and in extreme cases 100 times—more polluted than the air outside.

–Household chemicals are largely responsible for the more than 7 million accidental poisonings that occur each year, with more than 75% involving children.

-More than 150 chemicals that are found in the home are connected to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders.

–If every household replaced one bottle of petroleum–based dishwashing liquid with a vegetable–based product, we would save 82,000 barrels of oil a year–enough to drive a car over 86 million miles!
So here's what you can do:

Concoct your own cleaning products.

You can make your own cleaning products out of a few basic household items. This would make a great gift if you made your own labels with the recipe on the side, especially for Mother’s or Father’s Day.

Step 1: Collect empty spray bottles and glass jars with lids.
Step 2: Get a measuring cup and measuring spoons
Step 3: Follow these easy recipes!

Glass Cleaner
1/4 cup vinegar or 1 Tbsp lemon juice
2+ cups water

Fill a clean spray bottle with water and either white vinegar or lemon juice. After spraying on glass, wipe with a rag or old newspaper.

Furniture Polish
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil

Mix in a jar and apply with a clean rag to dust and polish. Reduce the olive oil if wood looks too oily.

(You can also swap the vinegar for lemon juice, mixing equal parts lemon juice and olive oil.)

All Purpose Cleaner:
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water

Mix in a sprayer bottle.

Mold Cleanser:
1 part hydrogen peroxide
2 parts water

Mix in a spray bottle. Spray on surface and leave to dry for one hour. Rinse the area off.

On the Spot cleaning formulas:

These recipes for homemade cleaners are best used right away. Some of these fun recipes fizz like science fair volcanoes!

Drains:
Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down drain, followed by 1 cup of vinegar. When the fizzing stops pour down a kettleful of boiling water.

Tub Scrub:
1/2 cup of baking soda
a little bit of water and lemon juice

Toilet Bowl
Baking soda
White vinegar

To clean and deodorize, sprinkle toilet bowl with baking soda, add white vinegar and scrub with a toilet brush.

Wood Floors
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 gallon warm water

Carpet & Upholstery
Rub a little shaving cream on stains and wipe with sponge