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This week's eco-adventure: Purge the toxic household cleaners!

Monday Jun 05, 2006.     By Julia Steinberger

Lifestyle Feed

A few years back, when my crunchier-than-flaxseed college roommate proposed washing our rancid sinks with vinegar (not to mention gently coaxing our fruit fly problem out with a sonar device), I turned up my nose. Can something that lists tea tree oil as an ingredient possibly do the job as well as the blue liquid my mom swore by?

But I didn't have to be a biologist to know that the grease-cutting cocktails in my cleaning closet are toxic, and the effects are more worrisome than the occasional bleach spot or funky smell. According to Ideal Bite's library, today's average home contains more than 62 chemicals, and Americans spend 90 percent of their time indoors. (And that doesn't include the damage those chemicals do once they're down our drains).

After Googling recipes for DIY natural cleaners, I picked three formulas from Healthy-home-cleaning-tips.com to test for myself.

My homemade cleaners won't be safe enough to drink, but they are gentle on the earth and fume-free in the home. A trip to Jewel yielded a spritzer bottle, white vinegar, distilled water, baking soda, Borax and washing soda (the last two, which I'd never heard of, are found in the laundry aisle) for a total of $11.60. A few items required a run to Whole Foods (glycerin, natural castile soap and soap flakes) ringing up another $13. The recipes call for only a few ounces or teaspoons of most of these items, so shelling out now means I'm set with several refills.

Dish soap: This took the most time to make. I couldn't find all-natural soap flakes, so I took a knife and shredded a bar myself. I melted the crumbs in hot water and added glycerin and my version of lemon essential oil: lemon peelings and a few drops of olive oil for texture. Once the glycerin cooled into a gel, I transferred it into a rinsed-out shampoo bottle (bonus points for re-using!).

I tackled my dirty dishes with mixed results. Everything came out streak-free; my hands felt clean and soft, and the smell was light and pleasantly natural. The absence of bubbles (conventional cleaners often contain extra chemicals just to make them foam) is hard to get used to, but not problematic. At room temperature, though, the soap was water-thin and seemed to take a lot more applications to get the job done. Conclusion: I'm sold on natural dish soap, but I'd rather leave it to the pros and go with an all-natural brand like Seventh Generation.

Laundry Detergent: A piece of (organic) cake. No need to pre-mix ingredients; just measure and dump one by one into the machine. On this method, I'm sold: My clothes were clean, the lemony scent was light and barely detectable, and knowing that the wastewater was non-toxic left me guilt-free.

All-purpose cleaner: For the greasy stovetop, bathroom sink and ring-around-the-tub, it worked fine. On my mirror and a table, though, the cleaner left a streaky film that I wouldn't want to live with. Rinsing with water improved the situation, but one of the perks of conventional cleaners is that they don't demand a rinse. Conclusion: This one is good to have around, but check out other options for glass cleaning. Searching my cabinet for alternatives to clean the mirror, I found that a spritz of hydrogen peroxide (almost as harmless as water) worked great and dried streak-free.

Before you go dumping your conventional cleaners, know that the safest way to dispose of them is to use up what you've got, being careful to follow directions. Dump them all in the trash and they're likely to mix and spill in more harmful amounts. Protect yourself by using gloves and keeping the windows open, and replace each empty bottle with a healthier, happier alternative!

If you want to get started in your own home, the following non-toxic products are good ones to have on hand:

Borax (sodium borate): Its uses seem to be endless: bleach alternative, antibacterial cleanser and stain remover. Mix with vinegar for non-toxic disinfectant spray. Combine with lemon juice to clean your toilet bowl. Mix with brown sugar and flour to make a pesticide (for those against actual pest-killing, cucumber peels are said to repel roaches without poison).

Baking soda: The stuff you've probably been using it for years to deodorize the fridge and bake cookies can be a viable alternative to Drano. For slow drains or disposals, pour in baking soda, followed by vinegar. Allow the mixture to foam for several minutes, and then flush with boiling water (Oh, and don't use a caustic like Drano, ever. Call a plumber).

Vinegar: A main ingredient in almost every recipe I found, vinegar cuts grease, removes stains and softens water. For no-streak glass cleaner, try mixing 1/4-cup white vinegar with one tablespoon cornstarch and one quart warm water. And don't worry about smelling things up; the odor disappears as soon as the liquid dries.

Washing soda (sodium carbonate): This powder cleans clothes, cuts grease and is a natural disinfectant. Combine with vinegar and vegetable-oil based liquid soap and water for a light-smelling but powerful floor cleaner.

Herbs and essential oils: These can be mixed with water in a misting bottle for natural air fresheners, or burned with candles for non-toxic aromatherapies. Put a few drops (or a few leaves) into your homemade cleansers for a customized fragrance that won't overpower.

After four greener-than-average college years as a co-op dweller-turned-aspiring-permaculturist, Julia Steinberger finds it hard not to feel guilty about her one-bedroom apartment, daily commute and indulgence in the occasional dollar burger. She'd like to dream that she could live in a tent/treehouse/rabbit hole, but the truth is, she'd rather stay in the city while doing her best to leave a lighter footprint on the earth. You can contact her here.