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Household Cleaners - Alternatives
developed by Sheila Murphy

Select here for a list of alternative to common household cleaners

Household Cleaners - Good or Bad?

We've all learned to clean our houses to prevent us from catching infection and disease. But some of the cleaners we use are more dangerous than the things we're trying to rid of! Household cleaners such as all-purpose cleaners, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and metal polish can contain chemicals that can cause nausea, vomiting, lung irritation, severe burns to the eyes and skin, and even death. Chemicals that we flush or pour down the drain can sometimes make it through our wastewater treatment processes, and end up in the environment, causing problems for fish, birds, other animals and people living downstream of us!

A Healthier Alternative

However, there are alternatives to using hazardous cleaners and disinfectants. These alternatives are more healthy for the people in your household and for the environment. The link below takes you to a list of household cleaner alternatives that don't contain harmful chemicals. In fact, most of the cleaning tips included in our list can be performed with everyday products you probably already have in your cabinets at home - like baking soda, salt and lemons! You need not be concerned about harmful vapors or environmental damage from these solutions!

Please note: BASIN has not tested all of these methods, so to be sure you won't damage the material you're treating, try a small, hidden area first.

We would like to add your suggestions for more cleaning ideas, and we'd also like to get reviews of the methods listed here. Please comments, suggestions, and reviews to BASIN.

  • Select here for a list of alternative houshold cleaning supplies


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    BASIN is supported by the US EPA, the City of Boulder, the Keep it Clean Partnership, BCWI and BCN

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