The Montana Pollution Protection Program points out that many common cleaning products contain hazardous ingredients contributing to the risk of cancer, reproductive problems, respiratory difficulties and skin and eye irritation. In addition, these toxins harm the environment, including air, water, plants and animals. Numerous companies make eco-friendly and nontoxic cleaning products. Natural cleaning keeps chemicals out of your home, out of the air you breathe and off the fabrics that touch your skin.
Windows, Mirrors and Glass Surfaces
A solution of white vinegar and water cleans fingerprints, dust, grime, grease spatters and other residue from glass. Applying it with a lint-free cloth, such as a quality dishtowel, prevents fuzz and reduces paper towel waste. Newspapers work well for polishing mirrors and other glass to prevent streaking.
For dirty jobs, such as exterior windows, adding natural dish soap or liquid castile soap to the mix helps to remove soil. Treat hard water spots with undiluted vinegar. Soap and water with vinegar also makes an effective car window-washing solution, both for washing the windows by hand and for filling the window-wash fluid reservoir under the hood.
The Utah State University Cooperative Extension suggests making a multi-purpose cleaner from white vinegar and baking soda or borax mixed in water to use on shower doors, tile, bathroom fixtures and other household cleaning jobs. Allowing vinegar mixtures to soak into tough stains and scrubbing the area with a stiff-bristled cleaning brush helps remove mineral deposits and facilitates other challenging jobs without the use of chemicals.
Wood Surfaces
Old-fashioned wood soap remains one of the safest ways to clean wood surfaces, including hand-carved furniture, floors, greasy kitchen cabinets, boxes, chests, wood blinds and home accessories.
Lemon oil works well for polishing wood furniture, paneling, wooden wind chimes and other finished wood surfaces. Olive oil makes an effective treatment for cutting boards, both wooden and bamboo.
Dusting regularly reduces the risk of grimy buildup.
Metals
White vinegar and water removes fingerprints and food splatter from stainless steel surfaces, such as kitchen appliances.
A paste of baking soda and water helps to polish silver and copper, including jewelry. Plain white toothpaste helps remove tarnish. Test any kind of polish on an inconspicuous area to make sure it doesn't scratch the silver.
Applying a light coating of olive oil to the grill, baking pans and broiler rack prior to cooking reduces stuck-on food and makes cleanup go more smoothly.
Stain-Removal and Disinfectant
Peppermint Castile soap helps remove many common laundry stains and carpet spots. Test any cleaner, including natural products, on an inconspicuous area of fabric or carpet before attempting spot removal. Pre-soaking stains in cold water and Castile soap helps with stain removal.
Borax offers a convenient means for removing discolorations and stains from fabric, sinks, countertops, linoleum and kitchen and bathroom grout. It is also effective for scouring stubborn stains on the bottoms of cooking pots and dry-shampooing a carpet. Michigan State University suggests cleaning with borax and hot water, due to borax's disinfecting and deodorizing properties.
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