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Going Green Part 3

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Exclusive Properties

Greener, Cleaner, and Healthy Home

 

There are several ways to keep your home clean and smelling fresh while using less toxic alternatives. Listed below are some tips for a less-toxic household:

•·         Remove your shoes when you enter your house. Your shoes track in harmful amounts of pesticides, lead, cadmium and other chemicals. 
 

•·         Vacuum carpets and floors regularly. Use a fine particulate filter, such as a HEPA filter, in your vacuum cleaner if possible. 
 

•·         Single ingredient, common household materials such as baking soda, vinegar, or plant- based soaps and detergents work very well on your carpet and other surfaces. Soap and water work as well antibacterial soaps to keep surfaces free of bacteria.

Home Cleaning:

•·         Use baking soda on sinks, tubs and toilets.
 

•·         Vegetable oil with a little lemon works very well on wood furniture. 
 

•·         Simmer a mixture of cloves and cinnamon or use vinegar and water as a safe environmentally friendly air freshener.
 

•·         Use vinegar and water in a pump spray bottle for cleaning mirrors and shining chrome.
 

•·         Use dishwashing detergents that are free of chlorine bleach and low in phosphates.
 

•·         Use bathroom cleaners that are free of aerosol propellants and antibacterial agents.

By taking a few steps to clean your home the natural way, you will reduce the existence of allergens.

 

Comments (3)

Robert H
San Diego, CA
Which would you recommend of these three? Febreze? Oust? Lysol?
Oct 31, 2007 10:29 AM
Allen C. Wright
RealtyU - Aliso Viejo, CA
NS, AHS, REPS
Great Comments ... I will try some of these
Oct 31, 2007 10:48 AM
Audra Camacho
Keller Williams Exclusive Properties - Westlake Village, CA

Robert,

Those products do different things... I would use something more along the lines of the Seventh Generation brand. Method is also a good brand. There are so many brands you can find in any major store that replace all of the products we are used. There are also many air fresheners that are non-aerosol and smell nice. Good luck hunting!

 

Oct 31, 2007 04:31 PM