Cleaning Alternatives

All-Purpose Cleaner

Mix together for a good surface cleaner.

Dissolve 4 Tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water. Or use baking soda on a damp sponge. Baking soda will clean and deodorize all kitchen and bathroom surfaces.

Cleaner

Regular cleaning with plain soap and hot water will kill some bacteria.

Mold, mildew, and bacteria cannot live without dampness.

Borax has long been recognized for its cleaning and deodorizing properties. Mix ½ cup Borax into 1 gallon hot water and clean with this solution.

Drain Cleaner

To avoid clogging drains, use a drain strainer to trap food particles and hair; collect grease in cans rather than pouring it down the drain; pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain weekly to melt fat that may be building up in the drain.

Put ½ cup baking soda and ½ cup white vinegar down your drain and cover the drain. Let set for a few minutes, then pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain to flush it.

Furniture Polish

Mix 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Apply and polish with a clean, soft cloth.

Mix 2 parts oil and 1 part lemon juice. Apply and polish with a soft cloth.

To remove water marks on furniture, rub gently with toothpaste on a damp cloth.

Lime and Mineral Deposit Remover

Hard lime deposits around faucets can be softened for easy removal by covering the deposits with vinegar-soaked paper towels. Leave the paper towels on for about an hour before cleaning. Makes chrome clean and shiny. To remove deposits which may be clogging metal showerheads, combine ½ cup white vinegar and 1 quart water. Completely submerge the showerhead and boil for 15 minutes. If you have a plastic showerhead, combine 1 pint white vinegar and 1 pint hot water. Completely submerge the showerhead and soak for about an hour.

Pest Removal Alternatives

Ants

Mix 1 cup flour and 2 cups Borax in a quart jar. Punch holes in the jar lid and sprinkle contents around the house foundation. Keep Borax out of reach of children and pets.

Growing these plants around the border of your home will deter ants and the aphids they carry.

Fleas

Vacuum, remove the vacuum bag, seal it, and dispose of it immediately (outside your home).

A ratio of 1 teaspoon to 1 quart of water (per 40 lbs. of pet weight) in their drinking water helps keep your pet free of fleas and ticks.

Roaches

Commercial roach formulas containing boric acid are available. Apply these according to directions for effective elimination of roaches.

Mix ½ cups Borax and ¼ cup flour and fill jar. Punch holes in jar lid and sprinkle contents along the baseboards and doorsills.

* Ingredients marked with the asterisk (*) are safer alternatives but not non-toxic. Keep these out of reach of children and pets, and exercise caution while using them.