You can also create your own nontoxic cleaning supply by using the following suggestions. A guide to do-it-yourself nontoxic cleaning Air freshener Find the source of the odor and remove it. Odors are often produced by molds and bacteria. Empty the garbage frequently, keep things clean and dispose of rotting vegetables. Open the windows. Ventilation will dilute and remove any odor. Make your own air freshener. Baking soda and the natural mineral zeolite will absorb odors without adding fragrance to the air. You can also add a few drops of any essential oil to a pump spray bottle of water to add your favorite scent to the air. Natural commercial air fresheners are available in the form of herbal potpourris, sachets, essential oils and sprays. All-purpose cleaners. Make your own by mixing one teaspoon liquid soap into one quart warm or hot water. A squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar will help cut grease. Basin, tub and tile cleaners Baking soda works great, or use Bon Ami scouring powder. Bleach Bleach is used to whiten fabrics, but often it isn't necessary. Fabrics become dull and dingy from soap scum and mineral deposits that build up, particularly in hard water. Use a water softener to prevent buildup. Water softeners work by adding salt to the water, which exchanges the hard calcium and magnesium ions in water for soft sodium ions, so any salt will do, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is fine. Just add enough so that the water feels slippery. There are a few environmentally friendly brands of bleach that are basically hydrogen peroxide, which is used as a bleach in the textile industry. Experiment with different concentrations to find the level of whitening you need. The bleach I have found to work best is Oxyclean, which is made from mineral-based nontoxic oxygen bleach. Start with a little at first, you can bleach something more, but once it's bleached, you can't undo it! Dishwashing liquid Use a plain, liquid soap, such as Dr. Bronner's. Look for products specially formulated for dishwashing that are soap-based. Ecover is another line of safe products. Disinfectants Plain vinegar is the simplest and most natural disinfectant. Numerous studies show that a straight 5% solution of vinegar, such as what is sold in the supermarket, kills 99% of bacteria, 82% of mold and 80% of viruses. Vinegar producers, however, can't claim on their packaging that vinegar is a disinfectant without registering it as a pesticide with the EPA. In December 2000, the CBS news show 48 Hours featured homemaking expert Heloise reporting on tests from The Good Housekeeping Institute that verified the disinfectant properties of vinegar. Drain cleaner Preventing clogged drains is easier than unclogging them. Use a drain strainer to trap food particles or hair strands. Don't pour grease down the drain. Dispose of it in the garbage or in a grease can instead. If you do need to unclog a drain, start with an old-fashioned plunger. If the clog is farther down the pipe, you can use a device that creates water pressure with water from your garden hose to push the clog through. As a last resort, use a mechanical snake or call a professional. Mechanical devices are sold in hardware and home-improvement stores. Biological enzyme products remove the soap, hair, grease and other organic materials that coat the entire length of pipe and cause slow drains. These, too, are generally available in hardware stores. Hydrogen peroxide may also open clogged drains that have defied other methods. Pour one-quarter cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide down the drain. Wait a few minutes, then plunge. Repeat a second time if needed. Furniture and floor polish Use a soft cloth to apply mayonnaise or a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar to furniture. Polish until absorbed. Glass cleaner Make your own by mixing vinegar and water in equal amounts. Apply with a soft cloth or pump spray bottle. Wiping the mixture off with an old newspaper will really make glass shine. Laundry soap Use a natural laundry soap, rather than a synthetic detergent. Soapworks makes a good soap-based product that is specially formulated for washing machines (available at many supermarkets or www.soapworks.com). You can also use any plain powder or liquid soap, or grate bar soap. One problem with soap is that it can leave a residual scum on fabrics when used in hard water. Using a water softener such as baking soda can eliminate this problem. Detergents were developed to clean synthetic fibers, and are unnecessary for natural fibers such as cotton, linen, silk and wool. You don't always need to use soap or detergent to get clothes clean. If you need to wash clothes to freshen them or remove perspiration or odors, rather than to remove dirt, a cup of plain baking soda or vinegar per washer load will do the trick. Mold and mildew cleaner Keep rooms bright, dry and warm. Mold is a living organism that will only grow in dark, damp, cold places, so if you have a recurrent mold problem, bring in more light and heat, or fans to circulate the air. A dehumidifier may be needed to dry the air in very humid rooms. For major mold problems, put a portable electric heater in the room, and turn it to the highest setting. Close the door and let the room heat all day or overnight. The mold will dry up into a powder that brushes right off. For concentrated areas, use a hair dryer to dry the mold in just a few minutes. Oven cleaner You'll never have to clean your oven if you take steps to prevent spills in the first place. Cook food in proper-sized containers, or put a cookie sheet on the lower rack to catch spills. If, after your preventive measures, food still ends up at the bottom of the oven, clean it as soon as the oven has cooled to prevent it from baking on even more. Make your own oven cleaner by mixing two tablespoons liquid soap, two teaspoons borax and warm water. While wearing rubber gloves, sponge the mixture on the surfaces to be cleaned. Leave the solution on for 20 minutes, then scrub with steel wool and Bon Ami. Baked-on black spots can be rubbed with pumice, available in stick form at hardware stores. Scouring powder Baking soda makes a great scouring powder. Pour some in a waterproof shaker and keep it by the sink. Bon Ami scouring powders are the safest commercial scouring powders because they use an oxygen bleach (hydrogen peroxide) instead of chlorine. They are available in supermarkets and hardware stores. Spot remover Spots are easiest to remove the moment they occur. Get in the habit of treating spills when they happen, before they become stains, and they will be easier to remove. Club soda is the best natural spot remover. As soon as the spill occurs, simply douse it with club soda. While the spot may not completely come out at first, it should when the fabric is washed in the laundry. www.alternativemedicine.com Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.