APPENDIX
Alternatives to
Household HazardsProducts and traditional cleansers that can be substituted as natural alternatives:
Product Natural Alternatives Oven Cleaner Avoid the use of harsh chemicals by wiping away grease and spills after use. For spills, let oven cool slightly, sprinkle salt on the spill, wait a few minutes and wipe area clean with a wet cloth. For scouring the oven, use baking soda (do not let baking soda touch wires or heating elements) and a damp sponge. Scour racks and burners inserts with steel wool. Drain Cleaner For clogged drains, try a plunger first. Dissolve 4 ounces baking soda and 8 oz. vinegar in a small amount of boiling water. Pour down drain and wait for fizzing to stop. Flush with tap water. Toilet Bowl Cleaner Sprinkle baking soda around the bowl followed by vinegar. Scrub with a toilet brush. Vinegar is a mild acid and should remove hard water scale. Abrasive Power Cleansers Sprinkle any of the following on the surface to be cleaned: baking soda, borax, or dry table salt and scour with a damp sponge. Rinse thoroughly with water to remove grit. Basin, Tub, and Tile Cleaner Cut a lemon in half and dip it in borax. Rub surfaces with lemon and rinse. Ceramic Tile Cleaner Mix 1/4 cup vinegar in 1 gallon of water. Scrub with a brush. Mildew Remover Dissolve ½ cup vinegar and ½ cup borax in warm water. Apply to tiles and grout with a sponge or brush. Wipe and rinse clean. Glass, Window, Mirror Cleaners Wipe away surface dirt with a paper towel or soft cloth.
Window cleaner 1: Mix a solution of 2 tablespoons vinegar to 1 quart water. Apply with a wad of newspaper.Window Cleaner 2: Mix 3 T ammonia, 1 T vinegar, 3/4 cup water in a spray bottle. Wipe down with a squeegee to prevent streaking. Avoid spilling cleaner on painted or varnished woodwork.
Window Cleaner 3: Mix ½ cup cornstarch in 2 qts. warm water and apply with a sponge. Wipe windows dry with a soft cloth.
Dishwasher Soap Mix 1 part borax and 1 part washing soda. Depending on how hard the water is, adjust proportions to avoid soap film on dishes. Furniture Polish Furniture Polish 1: Mix 1 part lemon juice with 2 parts olive or vegetable oil. Furniture Polish 2: Mix 2 teaspoons lemon oil and 1 pint mineral oil in a spray bottle.
Furniture Polish 3: Mix equal portions of denatured alcohol, fresh strained lemon juice, boiled linseed oil, and gum turpentine in a labeled jar. Shake before each use.
Liquid Floor Polish Melt 1/4 cup paraffin in a double boiler. Stir in 2 qts. mineral oil. Transfer to labeled containers. Silver Polish Clean silver items with toothpaste, mild dishwashing liquid, and warm water using an old toothbrush on tarnished areas. Brass and Copper Cleaners Combine 1 pint of soap jelly, 1 cup whiting, and 1 teaspoon ammonia into a paste and beat together before soap jelly congeals. Rub the paste on metal articles.
Wash them in hot sudsy water, rinse, and dry with a soft towel.
To make soap jelly:
* Dissolve 1 cup of shaved soap or soap flakes in 1 qt. of boiling water.
* After soap is entirely melted, pour it into a jar with a wide mouth and place it in a cool place until the mixture jells.
* Copper can be cleaned by rubbing a mixture of salt dissolved in hot vinegar.Rinse and wipe with a clean rag..
Aluminum Cleaner Scour with soap jelly and whiting using fine steel wool. Brighten discolored pans by boiling in a solution of 1 T vinegar and 1 qt. water. All-Purpose Cleaners General Cleaner/Disinfectant 1: Mix 1 T baking soda, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup ammonia and 1 gallon hot water.
General Cleaner/Disinfectant 2: Dissolve ½ cup borax in 1 gallon warm water.
General Cleaner/Disinfectant 3: Mix ½ cup ammonia, ½ cup baking soda, and 1 gallon warm water into a bucket. After cleaning, rinse with clean water. Unused cleaner can be stored in a labeled bottle or jar.
Other general cleaners include: #1 vinegar, salt, and water, #2 vinegar in water, #3 baking soda and water, and #4 soap pads.
Ant and Roach Sprays Roaches: Mix 16 oz. boric acid, 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar and pieces of finely chopped onion. Add water a little at a time to make a soft dough. Shape into small balls and place these where roaches travel and hide.
Ants: Mix 1 egg white, 2 T sugar, 1 T boric acid, and ½ cup water together until boric acid is dissolved. Spoon into jar lids and set lids in areas where ants appear and travel. Refill the lids when solution dries out. Allow three to four weeks for poison to take effect.
Keep out of the reach of children and pets.
Moth balls Place cedar blocks, lavender sachets and other dried herbs in closets and drawers. The nontoxic alternatives including baking soda, washing soda, borax, boric acid, and ammonia can be purchased at supermarkets and pharmacies. Linseed oil, turpentine, and whiting an be purchased at hardware and/or paint stores.
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