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Green Cleaning Alternatives Do's and Don'ts of Green Cleaning Do: Use the least toxic substance first try elbow power instead of chemical power Don't: Use substances in a spray can or with a wide-area sprayer If it has a label with the word POISON or DANGER, find something else to use! Air Freshener: Leave an open bowl of white vinegar out-will remove odors mix dried lavender and rosemary in equal parts as potpourri in dishes-Change frequently! All Purpose Cleaner 1/2 cup borax and 1/2 cup water in a spray bottle All purpose cleaner and disinfectant in a spray bottle mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a spray bottle Disinfectant Cleaner 1/2 cup borax and 1 gallon of hot water Drain Cleaner always use a drain basket to prevent hair and grease from going down the drain to maintain clean drains: 1/2 cup of salt and 1/8 cup of cream of tartar flush with hot water clear clogs with 1/4 cup of baking soda followed by 1/2 cup of white vinegar cover drain and sink overflow vent until fizzing stops, flush with HOT water use a plunger for persistent clogs, use a metal drain snake Floor cleaners linoleum, tile, brick or stone 1 cup vinegar or borax in 1 gallon of warm water Wood Murphy's oil soap or castille soap Furniture Polish most furniture polish is made from mineral oil use a tine amount of mineral oil on a dry cloth use a little lemon juice to scent the oil 3 parts olive oil and 1 part vinegar or you can use mayonnaise on a soft cloth Metal polishes brass: dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup white vinegar add enough flour to make a paste, Apply to brass and let sit for about an hour. Rinse with clean water and dry off. Use olive oil to reduce tarnishing. Polish off. Silver mix baking soda and water to a paste. Apply to silver and rinse off. polish with a soft cloth. To polish silver flatware: boil 2 quarts water and 1 Tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. salt and a piece of aluminum foil with the flatware. Rinse and polish with dry clean cloth. Stainless steel same as silver Copper use lemon juice or hot vinegar with salt Chrome use white flour on a dry rag Aluminum dip a cloth in lemon juice, polish and rinse with warm water Mold and Mildew Cleaners 2 parts vinegar and 1 part water or 1 part vinegar and 1 part Borax and 1 part water Oven cleaners mix paste of baking soda and hot water-scour inside of older overns. Steel wool and pumice stone will remove black spots Toilet cleaners Soap and borax to clean and disinfect baking soda and vinegar to freshen remove stubborn rings with vinegar and pumice stone Developed by the Women's Health and Environmental Network (WHEN) Sources: Home Safe Home by D.L. Ladd; Hints for a Healthy Planet by Heloise.