Natural clean recommended

Most people love the feeling of walking into a newly cleaned home. But did you know that some of your most often used household cleaners include ingredients that are toxic to children and pets?

Products such as laundry detergent, furniture polish, drain cleaners and window cleaners can contain chemicals that may irritate the skin and eyes, as well as cause respiratory problems. These chemicals may include ammonia, chlorine and formaldehyde. Read labels on your favorite products carefully and, if you are concerned, consider making a change.

Don’t pick your poison

You might be wondering how to get rid of household dirt without commercial cleansers. Believe it or not, you can easily find safe, nontoxic substitutes with a quick trip to the store. For example, rather than using bleach or bleach products to rid your showers and sinks of mold and mildew, pick up some baking soda and make a quick paste by adding water. After the paste sits on a shower or sink surface for an hour, scrub the paste off, and the mold or mildew will come with it.

Other swaps include: • Ditching the dusting spray and investing in a microfiber cloth, which picks up dust off your furniture and windows without added chemicals.

• Adding a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil to a damp washcloth to use in place of dryer sheets.

• Mixing a paste of baking soda and water to use as an oven cleaner. Just avoid the heating element, and let it sit overnight before scooping out the paste and wiping down the oven.

Create a cleaner home

One great way to ensure your household cleaners are made of only the safest ingredients is to make them yourself. Most cleansers can even be made with things you already have in your home or that can be easily acquired.

To clean counters and other hard surfaces, combine the following ingredients in a spray bottle.

Natural Home Cleaner

2 tbsp. baking soda 1/2 cup white vinegar 10 drops tea tree, lavender or lemon essential oil

Shake the bottle to mix the ingredients, then spray on the surface you want to clean and wipe.

Dishwasher Detergent

1 cup salt

4 cups baking soda

1 cup of Lemi-Shine (found in the detergent aisle)

Home cleaning tips

• Baking soda and white vinegar are not just for elementary school science experiments. They can also clean clogged drains. Just let the mixture sit for an hour and rinse with hot water.

• Products containing citric acid, such as lemonade soft drink mix, can be used as toilet bowl cleaner.

• Many communities have a household hazardous waste collection day for products you wish to safely throw away.

• Ordinary table salt can be used to scour off difficult dirt and grime.