12 Natural Alternatives to Dangerous Household Chemicals

Many of the products that we use daily to care for our homes and lawns can be very dangerous and leads to air pollution and water pollution, can kill local marine life, our pets, and even our own children. But there are great tried and tested ways to clean your home that are natural and safe for you and the environment. Here are some quick tips for replacing ten of the most common house hold chemicals that can be pollutants:

Chlorine Bleach: Adding just a ½ of a cup of white vinegar to the water when you do your laundry can brighten your clothes without the need of using harmful bleach.

Fabric Softener: When your laundry is going through the rinse cycle, just as a quarter of a cup (half a cup for larger loads) of baking soda to the water to help soften your clothes.

Carpet Cleaner / Fresher: Sprinkling a bit of baking soda along with corn starch to your rugs and carpets before you vacuum can be a safe and natural way of freshening up your carpet.

Air Fresheners: Instead of using traditional aerosol air fresheners around your home place small simmering jars filled with cloves or cinnamon for a warm, natural scent. Also, you can use cotton balls or gauze placed around your home that have been soaked in vanilla to add a sweet touch of scent throughout your home.

Furniture Polish: Furniture polish can contain dangerous chemicals, instead, try using mineral oil as a polish. Add half a teaspoon of lemon oil for 8 ounces of mineral oil for a great shine and fresh smell around the house.

Kitchen /Bathroom Floor Cleaners: Instead of using harsh chemicals take a cup of vinegar and mix it with two gallons of warm water. For wood floors you can use club soda to polish and clean the floor as well.

Mothballs: To keep moths out of your close when you are storing them in closets or chests you can use cedar chips as a great alternative to toxic moth balls.

Grease Cutter: Both white vinegar or lemon juice will work great for cutting grease to clean the stove and kitchen.

Mildew Remover: Again, vinegar is the star replacement for other common household cleaners. It is great at removing mildew in a safe and environmentally friendly way.

Cleaning Ink and Crayon Marks From Walls: No need to use harsh chemicals to remove crayon marks that your little darlings leave behind, just use a little baking soda and a wed sponge and they should come right off.

Rust Remover: A very simple and green way to remove is rust is to cover the area in salt then apply lime juice until the salt is completely wet. Allow the salt and lime juice to soak on the spot for 2 to 3 hours. The skin of the lime can then be used to scrub away the salt and rust.

Drain Cleaner: Drain cleaners can be very toxic for both adults and children, instead, you can pour a cup of baking soda down the drain and then follow up by pour three cups of hot boiling water down the drain to help unclog the sink or shower.