Healthy Home

Cleaning your home can be cheap, no-toxic and effective. Vinegar, baking soda, lemon, borax and toothpaste are common household items found in homeowners cupboards. The following are recipes* you can use to make your home and shiny without adding chemical vapours to your indoor air:

WINDOWS
Mix 2 teaspoons white vinegar with 1 litre warm water. Use a linen towel or other soft cloth to clean.

DRAINS
Dissolve 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar in boiling water. Pour solution down the drain. Continue to flush with hot tap water until the clog breaks.

TOILET BOWLS
Sprinkle some baking soda into the bowl. Drizzle with vinegar. Scour with a toilet brush. Cleans and deodorizes.

MOULD & MILDEW
Dissolve 1/2 cup vinegar with 1/2 cup of borax in warm water. Mix fresh for each use.

BASIN, TUB & TILES
Rub the area to be cleaned with 1/2 lemon dipped in borax. Rinse and dry with a soft cloth.

CERAMIC TILES
Mix a 1/4 cup of vinegar in 4 litres of water. This removes most dirt without scrubbing and doesn't leave a film.

STAINLESS STEEL & CHROME
Good for pots, sinks and stovetops. Rub the area to be cleaned with a damp cloth and baking soda. Baking soad is an excellent general cleanser for removing many stubborn stains, including tea stains, anc be safely used on stainless steel, chrome, porcelain and ceramic.

WOOD FURNITURE
To remove water stains, dab white toothpaste onto stain. Allow the paste to dry and then gently buff with a soft cloth.

*from a Special Feature addition, Vanc Sun, Oct 17, 2005