Clean Naturally

Indoor air pollution is a serious and under-discussed issue.   Household dust and mold can be a huge problem in terms of allergens and asthma. Getting rid of dust and mold is a significant step towards reducing indoor air pollution and improving the quality of your environment.  However, when I researched the ingredients in most common household cleaners, I was shocked to see that the toxins contained in many of them are also quite harmful to our health (even the ones with pretty labels and words like "natural" or "green" in their name).

I find that what works for me best is a balance of non-toxic products that I buy and those that I make.  I use the Ava Anderson Non-Toxic line which is fabulous! (check out these products at Wendy's Ava Anderson NonToxic site).

While there are strong opinions on the Internet (very strong) about precise recipes for the perfect cleaner, I find that exact proportions do not seem to matter.  Here are some of the homemade cleaning items I use:

For hard surfaces

• Baking soda
• Hot water
• Vinegar

Note that order matters.   The baking soda and vinegar will react, bubble, and expand.  
Scrub.

For mirrors and glass

• Vinegar

I added the peel of one orange to the container of vinegar and let it sit for two weeks.  It smells better than straight vinegar, but I think more orange is required - I will try it again with two or three oranges.

There are those who use vinegar for everything!

Dish soap

• Liquid castille soap
• A little bit of water
• Essential oils if you want.

This works great!   It is less dense than regular dish soap. 

Toilets
I pour about 1/2 a cup of Borax into the toilet, scrub, and then let it sit, ideally overnight.  There is some disagreement about whether Borax is totally non-toxic.  I feel like in the toilet it is a safer and better choice than items generally available on the market, but am researching other options.

Hardwood floors
Our floors are old and definitely need work.  I know that, depending on the finish, you may need to be careful.  So consider the kind of floors that you have first.
I use:

• Water
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice

Mix together, use a damp mop or towel and clean, then dry.  Be aware that the floor is slippery after cleaning (which causes Pepper to slip and slide). For spot cleaning, a little vinegar in water will often do the trick.