Women's
Menopause Health Center December 2007 Newsletter.
(Secret) Cleaning Agents
a.k.a Harmless Household Cleaning Solutions.
Yah, yah. I know this is supposed to be a bath and body tip, but what can
be more helpful to
your body than to avoid harmful chemicals - even those used in household
cleaners. Even the
busiest of us will do a little spit shine for the holidays, so let's make
it as healthy as
possible.
It's that time of year when you want your house to shine for guests.
Before you whirl into
high gear armed with all the housecleaning products you can carry, stop
and think. Why not
go au naturel this year? The Tennessee Valley Authority Regional Waste
Management Department
has some simple (and safe) ways to make your home sparkle.
FOR AN ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER, add 4 tablespoons of baking soda to 1 quart of
warm water.
CLEAN FLOORS with a few drops of vinegar in warm water. To polish vinyl or
linoleum, add a
capful of baby oil to the vinegar water. For wood floors, apply a thin
coat of baby oil and
vinegar in equal amounts and rub in well. For brick and stone tiles, mix 1
cup of white
vinegar in 1 gallon of water, wipe, and rinse with clear water.
USE BAKING SODA to clean and polish aluminum, chrome, jewelry, plastic,
porcelain, silver,
stainless steel, and tinnwithout scratching. You also can use it as a
deodorizer in
the refrigerator, on carpets, and in drains.
WASH YOUR WINDOWS with lemon juice and water. Wipe with strips of
newspaper unless you are
sensitive to newsprint.
LEARN MORE: Read The Naturally Clean Home: 101 Safe and Easy Herbal
Formulas for Non- Toxic
Cleansers by Karen Siegel-Maier (Storey Books, 1999).