New cleaners hit the market with advertising pitches like "with the added power of baking soda!" Why not just use the baking soda?

Our kitchen cabinets, the areas under our sinks, and bathroom cabinets are filled with cleaners labeled "Do not swallow," "If swallowed call a poison control center immediately," and "Do not allow contact with skin." The lists of ingredients on the bottles are barely pronouncable. The fumes are barely tolerable. We label things with poison stickers and use child saftey latches on our cabinets. But why?

There are safer and more natural alternatives! The suggestions below are better for our environment, our homes, and our children - and will save you $$$. So throw away those toxic cleaning solutions and clean naturally and frugally!

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

1. Make your transition slowly. Replace your commerical cleaners with a homemade substitute as you run out of each one. Be sure to mix up the new cleaner as soon as you run out of the commerical one so that it will be on hand and ready to use when you need it.
2. Always keep your cleaners in a baby/child-proofed area and store them in the area you will need them (bathroom cleaners in the bathroom cabinet, kitchen cleaners in the kitchen).
3. Store your cleaners in reusable, airtight containers. Do not reuse bottles from commerical cleaners. Instead, purchase empty spray bottles or recycle milk jugs. Be sure to label each container with the ingredients and purpose.
4. Don't forget to replace your expensive scrubbers and cleaning tools with cheaper, homemade alternatives!

Natural Cleaners

Baking Soda - Baking soda is a great all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. It cleans, deodorizes, scours, polishes and removes stains.

Borax - It deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. It also prevents mold and odors. Great alternative for those who do not want to use bleach.

Cornstarch - Cleans and deodorizes carpets and rugs and can be used in place of baby powder.

Ketchup - Cleans copper.

Lemon juice - Great for whitening items and removing grease and stains on aluminum and porcelain.

Pure Soap - Cleans almost anything and is mild.

Salt - Regular table salt makes an abrasive, but gentle, scouring powder.

Washing Soda - Cuts grease and disinfects.

White Vinegar - Great for whitening, cleaning hard surfaces and windows, and shining metal surfaces; also removes mildew, stains, grease and wax buildup.

Formulas and Solutions

Air Freshener

* Leave opened box of baking soda in room.
* Add cloves and cinnamon to boiling water and let simmer.
* Use fresh flowers and herbs.

Carpet Cleaners

* For deoderizing: sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on carpet, using about 1 cup per medium sized room; vacuum after 30 minutes.
* For deoderizing: mix two parts cornmeal with one part borax; sprinkle liberally, leave for one hour, then vacuum.
* To soak up big spills: dump cornmeal on the spill; after 5-15 minutes, sweep into a dustpan, then vacuum.
* Put 1/4 cup liquid soap or detergent in the blender with 1/3 cup water and blend until foamy. Use to clean spots on the carpet, then rinse with vinegar.

Copper Cleaner

* Pour vinegar and salt over copper and rub.

Disinfectant

* 2 cups water, 3 tablespoons liquid soap, 20-30 drops Tea Tree Oil; mix well (a spray bottle will work well) and squirt on everything from baby's bottom to the cutting board.

Drain Opener

* Prevent clogging by using drain strainer.
* Pour 1/2 cup washing soda into drain followed by 2 cups boiling water.
* Flush drain weekly with boiling water for prevention.
* Pour 1/4 cup baking soda down the drain. Follow with 1/2 cup vinegar and cover drain LOOSELY until finished fizzing. Do not cover tightly! Allow some air to escape while it's fizzing - you don't want anything to explode. Flush with one gallon boiling water.

Furniture Polish

* Mix 3 parts olive oil with 1 part vinegar. Use a soft cloth.
* Mix 2 parts olive oil to 1 part lemon juice. Use a soft cloth.

General Cleaners (Porcelain, counter tops, etc.)

* Mix baking soda with a small amount of water.
* For stained areas, use paste of baking soda and water, let set a while, then scrub off.
* Mix 3 tbsp. washing soda into one quart warm water.

Laundry Detergent

* Use washing soda or soap in place of detergent.
* Mix detergent half and half with baking soda (use 1/2 the recommended amount of detergent).
* Make a paste of washing soda and water for dirty spots.

Linoleum Floor Cleaner/Wax

* Mop with 1 cup white vinegar in 2 gallons water to remove dull greasy film.
* Polish with club soda.
* Adding sour milk or skim milk to rinse water will shine the floor without polishing.

Metal Polish

* 1 tbsp. flour, 1 tbsp. salt, I tbsp. white vinegar; combine salt and flour in a small bowl and stir until blended. Add the vinegar and mix into paste. Smear on the paste with a damp sponge or cloth and rub gently. Let the polish dry for about an hour. Rinse well with warm water and buff dry with a soft cloth.
* This is for brass, bronze, copper and pewter; DO NOT use on silver, silver plate or jewelry.

Microwave Cleaner

* Heat 1 cup vinegar in a microwavable bowl for 1-2 minutes (should steam and loosen food inside of the microwave). Wipe out with a washcloth and warm, soapy water.

Mosquito Repellant

* Oil of citronella can be burned in candles outdoors. It has a scent pleasing to people but not to mosquitos!
* Plant sweet basil around the patio and house to repel mosquitoes.

Oven Cleaner

* Sprinkle salt on spills when they are warm and scrub.
* Mix 3 tbsp. washing soda with one quart warm water.
* Use oven liners (trays) to catch spills and prevent a messy oven.
* Rub gently with steel wool.

Silver Cleaner

* Aluminum foil, baking soda, salt, very hot water; combine the above ingredients in a clean kitchen sink. Put your tarnished silver and silver-plated items into the sink and let sit for a few minutes. The tarnish will disappear from the silver and reappear on the foil.

Silver Polish

* Rub article with toothpaste and soft cloth. Rinse with warm water and dry.
* Place cut-up aluminum foil in jar with water, add about 1 tbsp. salt and mix. Place article in solution for 5-15 minutes. Remove and rub with soft cloth.

Sink Cleaner

* Combine baking soda and salt to scrub stainless steel.

Shoe Polish

* Polish leather with the inside of a banana peel, then buff.

Spot Remover

* Remove spots as soon as they happen.
* Blood stain - gently sponge with cold water, dry with towel. Repeat until stain is gone.
* Red wine - on rugs, dab out moisture with absorbant cloth. Cover stain with salt. Let sit for several hours. Vacuum when dry.
* Ink stains - soak in cold water, then wash as usual. If stain is on white fabric, wet fabric with cold water and apply a paste of cream of tartar and lemon juice. Let sit for 1 hour. Wash as usual.
* Perspiration stains - sponge stain with weak solution of white vinegar and water or lemon juice and water.

Upholstery & Rug Cleaner

* Clean stains immediately with club soda.

Window Cleaner

* 1/2 cup white vinegar to one gallon warm water. Mix and scrub.
* Use straight lemon juice, dry with soft cloth.
* Use plain club soda and scrub with old newspaper.

Wood Floor Wax / Cleaner

* Equal portions of oil and vinegar. Apply a thin coat and rub in well.
* Painted wooden floors can be washed with 1 tsp. washing soda per gallon hot water.
* Rinse with clear water.

Making / Recycling your own cleaning tools

Socks - good for cleaning walls, especially textured ones (sponges break off little pieces when you try to scrub textured walls).

Scrubbers - cut up pieces of mesh potato bags and tie into a small ball - works great for scouring dishes!

Sponges - throw your dirty sponge in the dishwasher or boil it with a bit of baking soda on the stove to make it look like new again.

Towels - cut up old towels instead of throwing them away and use them for dish clothes or in the garage.

Toothbrushes - save that old toothbrush! You can use it to scrub floors, stains on clothing, and more!

Mop - to make a new mop head, try cutting up strips of old towels, shirts or socks. Rubberband or tie the top ends of the strips together, then secure to the mop stick.

Window Cleaner - I've heard that newspaper works well to clean windows. You can also try old cloth diapers.

Important Note: The ideas presented in this article are used at your own risk. Author assumes no liability for your use of these suggestions. Please remember to keep ALL cleaning supplies out of the reach of children, and to spot test any cleaner if you are unsure of how it might react on a surface.