Most of the home cleaning products available contain toxic chemicals. Some of the harmful ingredients to watch for and to avoid are: chlorine bleach formaldehyde, petroleum-based solvents, phosphates, and synthetic fragrances. These products can pose health hazard for humans and animals, are a threat to the environment, including fish and plant life, and release fumes into the air.

Just watch your pets move away from the dishwasher after opening the door and hot air with a noticable strong cent coming out.

Make your own safe, simple and effective cleaners following these recipes. Best to test all homemade cleaning solutions on a small area before applying to the entire area. Always ensure to keep homemade formulas out of reach for children.

Bathroom mold and mildew
Use full strength white vinegar or lemon juice. Apply with a sponge or brush.
Or mix one part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray on areas with mold. Wait for a minimum of one hour before rinsing.

Carpets and rugs
Staines: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray on stain, let sit for several minutes, and wipe off with soapy warm water. Or mix 1/4 cup each of salt, borax and vinegar. Rub paste into carpet and leave for a few hours. Vacuum.

Shampooing your carpet
Sweep the carpet, then vacuum. If this doesn’t clean the carpet enough, sprinkle baking soda over entire area, wait for an hour or longer, then vacuum thoroughly.

Floors
Most floor surfaces can be washed with a solution of vinegar and water.
For linoleum clean the area with a mild detergent and a mop.
For wooden floors mix 1 part of vegetable oil and one part of vinegar and wipe in. Or use equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and water.
For ceramic tiles mix ¼ cup of vinegar into a gallon of water, and wipe surface.

Furniture
For finished wood furniture, mix 2 parts of oil and 1 part of lemon juice. Apply with a soft cloth and polish.
Or add a few drops of lemon oil with 1/2 cup warm water. Mix well and spray onto a soft damp cotton cloth. Wipe furniture with the cloth. Wipe furniture again using a dry soft cloth.
For unfinished wood, mix two tablespoons of each olive oil and lemon juice, apply a small amount to a soft cotton cloth and wipe surface evenly.
Mahogany
Mix equal parts of white vinegar with warm water, wipe surface and polish with very soft cloth.

Oven cleaner
Use ¾ cup baking soda, ¼ cup salt and ¼ cup water to make a paste, then apply to oven interior. Let sit overnight. Remove with spatula and wipe clean. Use steel wool for tough spots, but rub gently.
For spills, add some water to spilled area and sprinkle on some salt. Scrape away the spill and wipe area clean.

Toilet bowl and drain cleaners
Commercial drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners and oven cleaners are among the most toxic home cleaners.
Try the following solution:
Baking soda and vinegar. First sprinkle some baking soda into the bowl, then some vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes. Next scrub bowl with toilet brush.
Or make a paste with borax and lemon juice and use to scrub the area. Never combine bleach with vinegar, toilet bowl cleaner or ammonia as this develops toxic gas.

For clogged drains pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain. Add ½ cup of white vinegar and let sit for a few minutes, then pour hot boiling water down the drain to flush. Don’t combine this solution with any commercial drain opener. You can also use ½ cup of salt and ½ cup of baking soda, add some hot water and let sit overnight. Then flush to rinse.

Tub and tiles
Use baking soda just like you would use a commercial scouring powder. Rub in with a damp sponge and rinse with water.
For stains or build-up, mix ¼ cup of white vinegar with water and wipe surface with the solution, then follow with baking soda as a scrubbing powder.

Windows
Mix 2 teaspoons of white vinegar with 1 litre of warm water. Use cotton cloth to clean. Or use 2 tablespoons of Borax or washing soda in 3 cups of warm water, apply and wipe dry with cloth.