Do-It-Yourself Cleaners

Whether you're tackling a big spring cleaning project or just going about your weekly cleaning routine, it's important that you use cleaning products safely, especially with young children or pets around your home or apartment.

I found some ideas in Better Homes and Garden magazine in their Living Green section for natural home cleaning products so you don't have to worry about all the chemicals.

You need 3 basic products:

Baking soda

This works best on proteins, grease, and animal messes. Because it's slightly abrasive, it can be used for scouring and, of course, it's a natural deodorizer.

Vinegar

This mild acid works on alkaline substances, dissolving scale, inhibiting mold, and cutting soap

scum. It's terrific for stains such as coffee, rust, and tea.

Soap

Try Castile soap made with olive oil, or vegetable based soap. Both attach to soil at the molecular level, so you can rinse dirt away with water.

THE RECIPES

Soft Scrub - Add enough soap to 1/8 cup baking soda to make a creamy mixture. Apply with sponge to clean; rinse the surface well. Use and discard.

Appliance Cleaner- Dry baking soda shines up small appliances and even removes bread wrappers burned onto the toaster. Try rubbing a teaspoon onto your grubby blender or food processor with a clean flannel cloth.

Toilet Cleaner/Deodorizer - Sprinkle toilet bowl with 1/4 cup baking soda. Drizzle with 1/4 cup vinegar, then scour with a toilet brush.

Oven Cleaner - Sprinkle oven with 1/2 cup baking soda (more if needed) and spray with water. Let sit for several hours or overnight before scraping up stains and spills. Rinse thoroughly with water.

Hardwood Floor Cleaner - In a pail or bucket, mix 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar in one gallon warm water. Mop wood or linoleum floors, then rinse with water, making sure not to leave large pools to dry.

Recipes are from the book Green Clean, by Linda Mason Hunter and Mikki Halpin