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Washing soda, a caustic chemical cousin of baking soda, softens water and removes stains. Bond advises, “It’s a heavy duty cleaner as powerful as any toxic solvent,” so wear gloves.


Hydrogen peroxide is considered an ef- fective disinfectant and bleach alternative by the Environmental Protection Agency. Use it to whiten grout and remove stains.


HOMEMADE ECO-CLEANERS


DIY Recipes Keep Your Home Naturally Clean by Lane Vail


A


mericans use 35 million pounds of toxic household cleaning products annually. According to


the Children’s Health Environmental Co- alition, in Los Angeles, traces of cleaning chemicals can be found throughout the human body within seconds of expo- sure, posing risks like asthma, allergies, cancer, reproductive toxicity, hormone disruption, neurotoxicity and death. Equally sobering are the decades


of research suggesting a relationship be- tween the overuse of powerful disinfec- tants and the rise of antibiotic-resistant super bacteria like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), as well as concerns over these toxins entering water supplies and wildlife food chains. Cleaning product labels lack


transparency, says Johanna Congleton, Ph.D., a senior scientist for the Envi- ronmental Working Group, because “manufacturers aren’t required to specify ingredients.” One approach to assure safe ingre-


dients is do-it-yourself (DIY) products. For Matt and Betsy Jabs, the authors of DIY Natural Household Cleaners who blog at DIYNatural.com, creat- ing homemade cleaners is a rewarding exercise in sustainability and simplicity. “We’re cutting through all the market- ing and getting back to basics,” says Matt. Affordability is another benefit:


46 NA Triangle www.natriangle.com


The Jabs’ homemade laundry detergent costs five cents per load, compared with 21 cents for a store brand. Annie B. Bond, a bestselling author and pioneering editor of the award-win- ning Green Guide, dispels a DIY myth: “What’s time-consuming isn’t making the cleaners; it’s making the decision to switch and figuring it all out,” she says.


Nine Basics Find these multitasking ingredients in local groceries and health stores or online.


White vinegar effectively cleans, deodorizes, cuts grease and disinfects against bacteria, viruses and mold.


Castile soap in liquid or bar form serves as a biodegradable, vegetable-based surfactant and all-around cleaner (avoid mixing with vinegar, which neutralizes its cleansing properties).


Baking soda cleans, whitens, neutral- izes odors and softens water. It’s an ex- cellent scrubbing agent for bathrooms, refrigerators and ovens.


Borax, a natural mineral, improves the effectiveness of laundry soap. Although classified (as is salt) as a low-level health hazard that should be kept away from children and animals, borax is non-carci- nogenic and isn’t absorbed through skin.


Essential oils derived from plants infuse cleaners with fragrance and boost germ-fighting power. Tea tree, eucalyp- tus and lavender oils all boast antibac- terial, antiviral and antifungal proper- ties. The Jabs advise that although they can be pricy, “The investment will pay for itself many times over.”


Lemon juice or citric acid cuts through grease, removes mold and bacteria and leaves dishes streak-free.


Coarse kosher salt helps soften dishwash- er water and acts as a scouring agent.


Home Formulas All-purpose cleaner: Homemade Cleaners: Quick-and-Easy Toxin-Free Recipes, by Mandy O’Brien and Dionna Ford, suggests combining one cup of vinegar, one cup of water and 15 drops of lemon oil in a spray bottle. Use it anywhere, including glass and mirrors. For serious disinfecting, follow with a hydrogen peroxide spray.


Foaming hand/dish soap: Shake one cup of water, a quarter-cup of castile soap and 15 drops of essential oil in a foaming dispenser. Use in bathrooms and kitchens.


Dishwashing detergent: DIYNatural recommends mixing one cup of borax, one cup of washing soda, a half-cup of citric acid and a half-cup of coarse ko- sher salt. Leave it uncovered for several days, stirring often to prevent clumping. Cover and refrigerate. Use one table- spoon per load with a half-cup of citric acid in the rinse to combat streaks.


Laundry detergent: Combine one cup of borax, one cup of washing soda and one 14-ounce bar of grated castile soap. Use one tablespoon per load, adding a half-cup of lemon juice to the rinse cycle. Prior to washing, use hydrogen peroxide as a stain remover (test first, it may lift color).


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