I use Bon Ami or baking soda as the scrubber. Bon Ami is made out of calcium carbonate and is a biodegradable detergent containing no phosphates, chlorine, perfume or dye. I've been using it for years as an alternative to Ajax (chlorinated). It is readily found in the cleanser section of grocery stores.

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, a naturally occurring crystalline compound that is mildly abrasive yet soft and dissolves in water so it doesn't scratch. It is anti-fungal, and neutralizes the acidic components in grease, dirt, and unpleasant odors. It appears to be nontoxic. Baking soda requires more "elbow grease" than chlorinated powders but it is friendlier to the environment and better for our health.

I also use baking soda to eliminate odors in the refrigerator and it is good to put into toilets to get rid of smells. It's also handy to keep a box in the kitchen to put on grease fires--with my cooking skills, I've had to use it on occasion!

Vinegar is the deodorizer and sanitizer. It is mildly acidic and helps kill bacteria and mold. I use apple cidar vinegar instead of white vinegar as I find the white vinegar too strong-smelling. And yes, the apple cidar vinegar I buy is food-grade, the stuff you make salad dressing from. If you really want to be a zealot, buy organic apple cidar vinegar for cleaning purposes! I use organic apple cidar vinegar in the kitchen and bathroom to help get rid of mold around the sink and tub. I keep a large bottle of it--nonorganic (for shame!) in the laundry room and use 1/4 cup in the rinse water for laundry to get any soap/detergent residues out of my clothes.

Soap cleans away dirt. Don't mix it with vinegar. I use liquid dish-washing soap diluted with water to clean my entire house. A little bit of soap goes a long ways: if you put too much in the water, you'll find yourself having to repeatedly rinse the soap bubbles off of whatever you are cleaning.

I use the simple solution of water and dish soap to clean the 'frig, wash the floors, counters, walls, windows (very diluted down), etc. I use the same solution, with a sprinkling of Bon Ami directly on the surfaces, to scrub bathroom tiles and sinks; after scrubbing and rinsing, I use the apple cidar vinegar if there is mold. For a deodorizer for the toilet, after I've scrubbed and flushed with the soap solution, I pour in some baking soda and let it sit there.

There are many eco-friendly dish soaps out on the market.  My favorite brands of dishwashing soap are Seventh Generation and Planet. Both are biodegradable, non-toxic, unscented, dye-free, phosphate free, and vegetable-based (vs. petroleum-based). Seventh Generation is safe for grey water or septic systems. See below for more product information. You can find these products at Whole Foods Market or your local health food store.

Be in Good Health!

Thanks for going Green!

Liora Leah

Eco-Friendly Cleaning & Other Household Product Information:

NEW!  ORGANIC Liquid Laundry Products! http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=2039179

Planet http://www.planetinc.com

Seventh Generation http://www.seventhgeneration.com

National Green Pages: Consumers can readily find information about all their eco-friendly household product needs and where to buy them through the on-line catalog National Green Pages put out by Coop America: http://www.coopamerica.org  and put in "cleaning products" in the search engine

Article:  Information about the hazards of chlorine http://www.care2.com/greenliving/chlorine-in-household-cleaners.html

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