Begin Right Under Your Roof:
Make it Clean, Simple, and Safe

- Reducing Hazardous Household Products -

Contents
Bedroom
Bathroom
Laundry Room
Garage
Kitchen
Living Room
Yard and Garden
Recipes for “Green” Cleaning Products
Recipes For “Green” Insecticides and Other Pest Controls
More Information

In a recent survey, Grays Harbor County residents indicated their concern for water quality and household hazardous waste. They felt that using commercial cleaning products, pesticides, and herbicides created a risk to our health, drinking water, septic systems, fish and shellfish.

Most households have hidden hazardous products like household cleaning products, bug killers, weed control products, and fertilizers. Even when used correctly, common household products contain ingredients that can be harmful.

Reading labels can help key you in to the degree of toxicity for various products. Danger indicates the product is highly hazardous. Warning indicates moderately hazardous and Caution is less hazardous than a warning description. All three types of products can pose health threats to you, your family, pets, and precious water resources. To reduce the risk, read labels, properly dispose of leftover products, and use the least toxic alternatives.

Bedroom

	Using cedar chips or lavender can replace mothballs that are unhealthy to inhale and irritating to the eyes.
	Consider using natural potpourri or essential oil as an alternative to the commercial air fresheners.

Bathroom

	Look for products with pump dispensers. Aerosol sprays contain propellants like butane and propane that can contribute to low-level smog.
	Try Borax or non-chlorine bleach instead of using chlorine bathroom cleaners. When mixed with ammonia, toilet bowl cleaners or rust removers, chlorine produces very poisonous fumes.
	Use baking soda for your tough cleaning jobs. Some scouring powders contain silica as the abrasive that is dangerous if inhaled.

Laundry Room

Use phosphate-free liquid laundry detergent. These concentrated liquids will eliminate the potential for powdered detergents to clog septic pipes, tank and drainfield.

Garage

	Use water based paints and stains. Many oil based paint and painting products contain petroleum distillates. When inhaled, the vapors can lead to lung and throat irritation and other serious health problems.
	Be sure to recycle motor oil, antifreeze and contaminated fuels. These are toxic when dumped on the ground or down a storm drain. They can make your pets, children, and wildlife sick and contaminate our waters.
	Recycle household, auto and marine batteries. They contain heavy metals that can potentially contaminate both surface and ground water.

Kitchen

	Look for liquid dishwashing detergent that is phosphate free. Phosphorus causes algae growth, reducing oxygen available to support fish and other aquatic life.
	A plunger or snake can take the place of chemical drain cleaners that are extremely dangerous, causing chemical burns to the skin and permanent eye damage. They can also harm the bacteria that is needed in your septic system.
	Use foil to protect the bottom of your oven. Many commercial oven cleaners contain lye and are corrosive to the skin and eyes.
	· Glass cleaners may contain glycol ethers and ammonia that can be hazardous if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

Living Room

	Using a polish cloth with a few drops of lemon oil can replace furniture polishes and waxes that often contain flammable and toxic petroleum distillates.
	All purpose cleaners may contain alcohol or ammonia which are irritating to your eyes, nose and lungs.

Yard and Garden

	Set your mower blade high and leave grass clippings on your lawn. Clippings produce about one quarter of the fertilizer needed for a healthy lawn. Use a natural fertilizer when necessary. Be sure to follow label instructions.
	Native plants are less prone to disease and pests. Remove problem weeds by hand and choose plants that will thrive in the Pacific Northwest to reduce or eliminate the need for herbicides.
	If insects are causing plant damage, consider row covers or hand-picking problem insects. Pesticides often kill not only the unwanted insects, but the beneficial ones as well.

Recipes For “Green” Cleaning Products
These easy to make recipes are environmentally friendly and low cost too. Be sure to label containers clearly. These recipes and others can be found in "Clean House, Clean Planet – Clean Your House for Pennies a Day The Safe, Nontoxic Way", by Karen Logan.

	All-Purpose Cleaner 16 oz. spray bottle 2 Tbs. of white distilled vinegar 1tsp. Borax Hot water ¼ cup liquid castile soap Combine vinegar, borax and hot water. Shake to dissolve Borax and then add castile soap. You can add 15 drops of an essential oil for fragrance (lemon and lavender combo smells great).
	Sink/Tub Cleaners Baking soda and a sponge will remove regular soap scum and soil. You can add an essential oil to the baking soda for a fresh smell. To remove iron/rust stains: Rub with a lemon or lemon juice, or white vinegar. For a very stained or discolored sink or tub: Mix cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide to a paste and scrub vigorously using a small, stiff brush.
	Furniture Polish 16 oz. spray bottle 2 teaspoons olive oil Preferred amount of pure essential lemon oil ¼ cup white distilled vinegar Fill bottle with purified water.
	Glass Cleaner 16 oz. spray bottle Fill bottle with ½ vinegar and ½ purified water Add preferred amount of pure essential lemon oil 16 oz. spray bottle Fill bottle with club soda Add some blue food coloring
	Drain Cleaner ½ cup baking soda ½ cup vinegar 1 quart boiling water Pour baking soda then vinegar into drain and let stand for 10 minutes. Flush with the boiling water. Repeat as needed.
	Dusting Cloth To gather rather than scatter dust, spread several drops of lemon oil and 2 teaspoons olive oil on the inside of a glass jar with a screw-top lid. Put cloth (soft rag will do) in jar and close tightly. Dust cloth can be stored in jar between uses or washings.

Recipes For “Green” Insecticides and Other Pest Controls

	Ant Stay Away Spray this solution in areas of your house that are hard to reach and where the ants are getting in. Ants don’t like the peppermint scent and stay away as long as the scent lasts. 16 oz. spray bottle ½ full with water, Add 2 teaspoons peppermint oil. Shake
	Ant Nest Eliminator If you have a nest of ants that you have to get rid of, this is an extremely effective, inexpensive and easy way to do it. Make up a couple of buckets of boiling, soapy water. Pour the buckets directly over the nest. You’ll never see those ants again. Add 1 cup of liquid soap or ½ cup liquid detergent to a bucket of boiling water.
	Best Bug Spray for Plants Look for the bugs on the plants and spray the soap directly on them. A peppermint-scented soap is best because the peppermint scent is rumored to repel many insects. 16 oz. spray bottle Fill bottle with water Add 1-2 tsp. of Dr. Bronner’s peppermint scented liquid soap. Shake. To prevent sudsing, add the soap last. You can also add 2 tsp of Tabasco sauce to repel insects even longer.

MORE INFORMATION

About household hazardous waste, waste reduction, and recycling:

	Grays Harbor County Solid Waste Outreach Coordinator, (360) 249-4222 ext. 476
	Washington State Department of Ecology Hotline, 1-800-RECYCLE

About septic systems and water quality:

	Washington Sea Grant Program, University of Washington, (360) 432-3054
	Grays Harbor County Department of Environmental Health, (360) 249-4413

About backyard composting and native plants:

	Grays Harbor County Solid Waste Outreach Coordinator, (360) 249-4222 ext. 476
	WSU/Grays Harbor County Cooperative Extension, (360) 482-2934

About alternatives to toxic products:
Washington Toxics Coalition, (206) 632-1545

On what to do incase of accidental poisoning:
Washington Poison Center, 1-800-732-6985