 Go Green
Solution: Furniture polish: Mix 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1/2 cup lemon juice. Apply with a soft cloth, rubbing into the grain. Buff with a clean corner of the rag.Mix 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar and a few drops of food-grade linseed oil, jojoba or olive oil. Test on wood first, and then polish. Wood furniture polish: Contain petroleum products. Petroleum products are flammable. Solution: Mix 3/4 cup olive or mineral oil, 1/4 teaspoon vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon lemon oil (optional) in a squirt bottle. Squirt on furniture or rag and rub into wood. Shake well before each application. (provided by metro-region.org, recycling and waste disposal for Portland Oregon ) Glass Window Cleaners: These generally contain ammonia and other caustics. The fumes can cause mucous membrane irritation. Solution: Put 1/4 cup of white vinegar in the spray bottle and fill to the top with water. Spray on the surface. Rub with a lint-free rag. For outdoor windows, use a sponge and wash with warm water with a few drops of liquid Murphy's or Castile soap in it. Rinse well and squeegee dry. (from the Public Health Dept. of the kings County Washington) Paint: Many products contain petroleum distillates and can be flammable. Paint vapors can cause dizziness and harm to small pets and they can irritate the skin . Solution: Use latex water-based paints and apply with a brush or roller whenever possible. Paint stripper: highly toxic skin irritant and bad for the environment Solution: Use a scraper, rasp or abrasive block, heat gun or sandpaper to remove paint without chemicals. Use water or alkali-based paint strippers rather than solvent-based products. (provided by metro-region.org, recycling and waste disposal for Portland Oregon ) Oven Cleaner: Highly corrosive and the vapors are extremely toxic Solution: Mix 1 cup of baking soda with enough water to make a paste. Apply to oven surfaces and let stand a little while. Use the scouring pad for scrubbing most surfaces. A spatula or a bread knife is effective to get under large food deposits. This recipe will require more scrubbing effort, but it is not toxic to you or your child. Commercial oven cleaners are severe irritants. Do not use this cleaner recipe on self-cleaning ovens. (from the Public Health Dept. of the kings County Washington) Roach and Rodent killers: They are highly toxic and are carcinogenic Solution: Dusts: Boric acid is a readily available dust that roaches ingest when they groom themselves. It acts as a stomach poison, but is one of the safest control products to use around people and pets. Look for these dusts in hardware stores, drug stores, supermarkets and even web sites that sell pest control products . Apply dusts in very thin layers underneath appliances and inside void areas (such as wall voids and voids around cabinets). Only apply dusts in areas inaccessible to children and pets. Mildew Remover: These are strong toxics and are suspected carcinogens. Solution: Mold can generally be removed from hard surfaces by wiping or scrubbing with water and detergent. Always follow the cleaning instructions on product labels. Surfaces cleaned by damp wiping should be dried quickly and thoroughly Laundry Bleach: Highly Toxic to water animals Solution: 1/2 cup 3 percent hydrogen peroxide in the rinse cycle 1/2 cup washing soda to warm or hot water wash cycles 1/2 cup lemon juice in the rinse cycle (provided by metro-region.org, recycling and waste disposal for Portland Oregon ) Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Toxic and corrosive, it can cause long term damage to kidneys and liver function. Solution: Sprinkle baking soda inside the bowl as you would any scouring powder. Add a couple drops of soap in also. Scrub with a toilet bowl brush and finish outside surfaces with a rag sprinkled with baking soda. (from the Public Health Dept. of the kings County Washington) Pool or Spa chemicals: Highly carcinogenic and toxic to the landscape Solution: Use ozone or ultraviolet bacteria and algae. they will reduce the need for pool chemicals. ** All of these recipes have been excerpted from reputable sources, but no claim is made that they are safe under all circumstances. we have not tried all of these recipes and urge you to do your own research.
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