natural cleaning

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Bathroom and kitchen drains can easily become clogged with hair, food, and other gunk. But you don’t have to always use toxic drain cleaners to manage said clogs. In fact toxic cleaners and plumbers should be your last option. First try the following…

Prevention: This is the best way to avoid clogs, prevention first. Don’t put stuff down the drain that shouldn’t be going down there. You can compost food instead of grinding it in the disposal (even great disposals can clog at times) and you can make sure your hair doesn’t clog the shower drain with a simple, low-cost mesh screen drain cover.

Plunging: When you first see a clog, try plunging it to see if that can unblock the blockage.

Ah la natural: Put about 4 tablespoons of baking powder into your drain, follow that with a half cup of white distilled vinegar. Allow that to sit for an hour, then pour a kettle of boiling water into the drain.

Better cleaners: Try a natural drain cleaner first, before a more toxic one, like Earthworm Drain Cleaner.

Product: Emerald Cypress & Fir Toilet Bowl Cleaner from Seventh Generation

Uses: As you might guess this is for cleaning your toilet but cleans and deodorizes without the harsh fumes, harmful chemicals, or dyes that are found in most other toilet cleaners.

Cost:$4.99 for 32 oz. at the Seventh Generation shop, but I’ve seen it for less at my local grocery store. It’s also a product that goes on sale.

Ingredients: Aqua (water), lactic acid (plant-derived demineralizer), polyglucose, coceth-7, coceth-4 and deceth-5 (plant-derived cleaning agents), xanthan gum (natural thickener), peg-15 cocomonium chloride (plant-containing cleaning agent)*, essential oils and botanical extracts** (citrus aurantifolia (lime), abies balsamea (balsam fir), calilistris columellaris (emerald cypress).

Eco-perks: Read the rest of this entry »

Besides drain cleaners, oven cleaners are at the top of the list when it comes to dangerous home cleaning products. Oven cleaners are totally toxic – why else would you need gloves and a well ventilated work area to use the darn stuff.

Instead of toxic harsh chemicals, try plain old salt. If you notice oven spills, sprinkle table salt liberally on the spill before your oven cools down. After the oven is cool, take a damp cloth and rub off the spill. This even works on tough greasy stains; but you have to work with a warm oven. I’ve tried this on col ovens, and had less luck.

For more green cleaning tips, read:

Instead of toxic, chemical heavy home cleaning supplies, try these ideas…

Sparkling windows: Lightly spray windows (both interior and exterior) with a solution of 1/2 gallon cold water, and 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar. Wipe windows with recycled newspaper. If you hate the smell of vinegar (I HATE the smell), burn a candle or some essential oil in a diffuser nearby. You shouldn’t add essential oils to the solution to cut the vinegar scent (I tried once), because it’ll streak.

clean windows

A whiter toilet: Spray the inside of your toilet bowl with warm water – lightly, not dripping wet. Sprinkle with plain old baking soda. Let this sit for ten minutes, and then scrub with a toilet brush.

Mold-free home: Once mold arrives, it’s almost too late. The best plan of attack is to prevent, not cure mold. Spray areas where mold might develop (window sills, door frames, floor bases, etc.) with a solution of 1 cup water, 1 drop lavender essential oil, and two drops tea tree essential oil.

Tip: When looking for essential oils for home cleaning, go organic if you can, and make sure you’re buying pure essential oils which actually have cleansing and disinfectant properties. Plain old perfume scents are not the same as pure essential oils.