Alternatives to Hazadous Products

By Cricket Raven

While looking for Recycling centers, I found information from MSU Extension Center on Alternatives to Hazardous Products, and thought I would share.

The following cleaners, aerosols, pesticides and fertilizers can be made from ordinary, non-toxic households products.

HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS

All-purpose cleaner = Mix vinegar and salt; Dissolve 4 Tablespoons baking soda in a quart of warm water; Mix 2 Tablespoons Borax in 3 cups water

Bleach = Use powdered, not liquid bleach. Mix baking soda with water.

Copper cleaner = Rub with vinegar and salt or half a lemon dipped in salt; apply paste of cream of tartar and lemon juice and wipe off after 5 minutes.

De-icer = Substitute sand or kitty litter for salt.

Drain cleaner = Pour 1/2 cup each of washing soda and boiling water down clogged drains; use a plunger or metal snake; flush weekly with boiling water; use a drain strainer.

Fabric softener = Add 1/2 cup white vinegar or 1/4 cup baking soda to final rinse.

Furniture polish = Mix 1 part lemon juice or vinegar with 3 parts mineral or olive oil; Mix equal parts mineral oil with lemon oil or Carnuba wax; (Do not melt over open flame)

Kitchen odors = Place cotton ball soaked in vanilla in fridge or on counter. Sprinkle borax in garbage can.

Laundry detergent = Use soap flakes, with borax and baking soda.

Linoleum floor wax/cleaner = Damp mop with Murphy’s oil soap; one cup white vinegar to two gallons water to remove grease film; polish with club soda; add skim milk to rinse water for shine.

Mildew remover = Mixture of lemon juice and salt, white vinegar and salt or borax and water.

Oil-based paint = Use latex and water-based instead. They don’t require thinners and solvents.

Oven cleaner = Sprinkle on baking soda and water; pour salt on spills while warm, scrub next day; 1/4 cup ammonia placed in the oven overnight; use oven liners.

Rug deodorizer = Sprinkle baking soda, cornstarch or mixture of 1 part borax to 2 parts corn meal liberally on dry carpet. Wait 15 minutes, then vacuum.

Rust stains = Wipe with full strength vinegar or lemon juice.

Silver polish = Soak silver in 1 quart water, 2 Tablespoons baking soda, 1 Tablespoon salt and small piece of aluminum foil; clean with toothpaste and warm water.

Spot remover = Lemon juice; club soda; immediate cold water; paste of corn meal (or starch) and water.

Spray starch = Mix 1 Tablespoon cornstarch with a pint of cold water in a spray bottle.

Tile walls = Scrub with a paste of borax and water.

Toilet cleaner = Brush with baking soda and vinegar, or borax to disinfect.

Window cleaner = Use 1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice in 1 quart water; wipe with newspapers

Wood floor wax/ cleaner = For cleaning: half mineral oil and vinegar solution; mineral oil; Murphy’s oil. For polishing: 3 parts olive oil with 1 part vinegar; 2 parts olive oil with 1 part lemon juice; melt one part Carnuba wax into two parts mineral oil.

AEROSOL SPRAYS

Air fresheners = Ventilate; place box of baking soda in enclosed areas; set out vinegar in open dish; fresh flowers and herbs; add cloves and cinnamon to boiling water, let simmer

Deodorants = Roll-ons, creams, sticks, non-aerosol pump type sprays.

Disinfectants = Borax and water; 1 Tbs. bleach to 1 gal. warm water; air out bedding; keep bathrooms dry.

Hair spray = Setting lotions, gels, non-aerosol pump type sprays.

Shaving cream = Brush and shaving soap

PESTICIDES, HERBICIDES, FERTILIZERS

Ant spray = Pour a line of cream of tartar, red chili pepper, paprika, or dried peppermint where ants enter house.

Fertilizers = Use peat moss or compost; use organic fertilizers containing blood or fish meal (high in nitrogen) or bone meal (high in phosphorous).

Flea and tick repellent = Feed pets brewers yeast, vitamin B and garlic tablets; sprinkle fennel, rue and rosemary or eucalyptus leaves near pet’s sleeping area; Boil rinds from 2 lemons, blend and rub into pet’s fur and rinse.

Garden pesticides = Use biological controls, such as ladybugs for aphid control; 1/4 cup cayenne pepper in 1 pint water to spray on garden plants.

Herbicides = Hand-pull weeds, mulch or cover garden with plastic in fall to prevent weed seed germination; cultivate with a hoe.

Insect repellent = Put up screens; wear protective clothing; drink brewer’s yeast; plant tansy or marigolds; use lavender oil, “Skin so soft” or some commercial bath oils on your skin.

Moth balls = Cedar chips and newspapers; dried lavender, rosemary, mint, or white peppercorns.

Pesticides = Apply soapy water to leaves, rinse.

Roach spray = Put equal parts borax or baking soda in dish with powdered sugar. Make a trap: smear Vaseline around inside rim of jar containing a banana and a ramp with a tongue depressor.

Rodent bait = Get a cat or trap; sprinkle chopped bay leaves or cucumber skins around cracks.

Slug spray = Put beer in shallow pans or overturn clay pots to lure snails; Collect and remove them.

Hope this helps turn some of those Mr. Yucks to Mr. Smiley….(Yes, I just dated myself.)