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2torial #0858:
Learn2 Cut
Down on Toxic Household Cleaners
(continued)
 Replace general cleaners
Here are a few different formulations of baking
soda and vinegar (or lemon juice) cleansers that
will take care of most of the clean-up jobs in your
home.
Countertops:
Have a big sticky mess on your hands? If you've
just been kneading bread on a counter, or
deep-frying a dozen or so bananas, you might need
something stronger than a wet sponge.
- But before you reach for the all-new
grease-cutting formula by Super Z brandname,
try this one. Take a spray bottle and
squirt in a small amount of ordinary dish
soap--just enough to cover the bottom of the
bottle, plus a little extra. Slowly fill this
bottle to the top with tap water, and voile! a
general kitchen cleaner. For a less sudsy
solution, use a mixture of two parts water to 1
part white vinegar.
- Stain on your countertop? Lemon juice
and time is all you need. Squeeze the juice of a
fresh lemon (just enough to cover the spot), and
wait for 45 minutes. Then finish the job with a
wet sponge.
Window and glass cleaner:
Interestingly, a study by Consumer Reports found
that plain water worked as well or better when
matched against several commercial glass and
all-purpose cleaners. (After all, water does
have solvent properties--it's just not a toxic
solvent.) But some cleanups require something
extra, so here are home recipes to tackle the
tarnish.
- Make an 50-50 solution of white vinegar
and warm water, and pour it into an empty,
clean spray bottle. Spray as you would with an
expensive, store-bought cleaner, and wipe with
newspaper. (You can also use it on your car or
truck windshield--it'll act as an anti-fogging
agent.) A tablespoon (15ml) of lemon juice mixed
in a quart (one liter) of water works especially
well on fingerprints.
Miscellaneous:
- For floors, add 1/2 cup (about 125
ml) of white vinegar to a bucket of warm water.
If the floor is really dirty, mix a small amount
of liquid soap with water, and wash the floor
with that solution. Rinse afterwards with the
vinegar and water solution.
- Denture tablets will remove coffee and
tea stains from china coffeepots, teapots,
cups and mugs. Use the recommended ratio on the
tablets package.
- Furniture polish: Most folks can all
appreciate a nice shiny, dust-free piece of
furniture. You can have it, too--without
expensive toxic sprays and liquids. Mix a
teaspoon (5 ml) of olive oil with a half
cup (115 ml) lemon juice in a bowl and
apply it to your furniture with a soft cloth.
Rub deep into the grain, getting each nook and
cranny if it's a varied surface. Turn the cloth
and buff with a clean portion of rag.
 Step
5
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