---Pesticides--General
 6 cloves crushed garlic
 1 tbsp. dried hot pepper
 1 tsp. dry soap
 4qts. hot water
Mix ingredients together, let stand 1 to 2 days, strain, pour into a spray
bottle, and spray on foliage.
 1 cigarette
 1qt water
Place cigarette in water, let stand overnight, strain, pour into spray bottle,
and spray on foliage
 2 tbsp. liquid soap/2 oz. dry soap
 1 qt. water
Ants

Bone meal, cinnamon, cream of tartar, red chili pepper, salt, dried mint,
dried sage, cucumber peelings, perfume, paprika, or powdered charcoal
Pour any of the above ingredients at the place where ants are entering the
house
Flies
 Honey
 Yellow Paper
Coat paper with honey for homemade flypaper. Keep organic waste from
the kitchen in tightly closed containers.
Mosquitoes
 Citronella oil, mint or pennyroyal
Any of the above ingredients can be rubbed on the exposed areas as a
repellant. Keep away from children and pets.
Moths
 1/2 lb. rosemary
 1/2 lb. mint
 1/4 lb. thyme
 1/4 lb. ginseng (optional)
Mix ingredients together. Put in small cheese cloth bags.
Roaches
 Technical-grade boric acid or borax (Sprinkle in cracks)
7
HEALTHY
HOUSEHOLD
CLEANERSS
Recipes for Common
Household Items
FCGOV.COM/healthyhomes
General Rules
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---Metal Cleaners & Polishes---
Use safe products first and stronger products only as a last resort
Avoid aerosol cans and products with phosphates and chlorine
Never pour chemicals down sink or storm drain
Participate in toxic waste disposal days-for more information visit:
http://www.fcgov.com/hazardouswaste
Alternative Cleaning Product Shopping List
*The following products can be found at Wal-Mart or the Dollar Tree for
the prices listed below.*
 Baking Soda–Laundry, household deodorizer and cleaner, septic tank
maintainer, water softener: $1
 Bon Ami–Non-toxic scouring powder that cleans glass top stoves:
$1.39
 Borax–Natural laundry soap and multi-household cleaner: $3.38
 Castile Soap–Vegetable-based soap made from coconut or olive oil,
(Look for: Vermont soap or Aloe Castile Liquid): $3.98
 Cream of Tartar-A mild food acid often from grapes: $2
 Glycerin- A simple polyol compound, good for creating smoothness in
detergents: $3.88
 Lime Juice–For fresh scents: $1.64
 Murphy’s Oil Soap–All natural soap for wood surfaces: $3.48
 Microfiber Cleaning Cloths–Requires no detergents, just water for all
surfaces, windows, cabinets and household chores: $1
 Soap Flakes-Pure soap in flake form, contains no bleaches, phosphates,
enzymes, or perfumes. Good for washing clothing: $3-$7
 Technical-grade Boric Acid-Safe to use in the household to control
roaches: $5-$7
 Vanilla-Flavoring derived from orchids, serves as a good fragrance: $1
 Vegetable Oil-Works well when polishing and cleaning wood: $2.58
 Vegetable Oil-based Soap- A soap made from vegetable oil rather than
detergent made from petroleum products: $2.49
 Vinegar-Cuts grease, removes mildew & some stains: $1-$2
 Washing Soda-Sodium carbonate decahydrate, cuts grease, removes
stains, disinfects, and softens water: $3.29
Optional Added Fragrances
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Essential Oils –Natural plant derived oils that aid cleaning and leave a
fresh scent (Lavender, Rosemary, Mint or Sage): $5-$8
Tea Tree Oil – Natural oil that eliminates mold and mildew: $7.96
Lemon Oil – for fresh scents and furniture glow: $3.90
Aluminum Tea Pot Cleaner
 2 tbsp. cream of tartar
 1 qt. water
Mix; boil in the aluminum pot for 10 minutes
Bronze Polish
 1/4 tsp. salt
 1/4 cup white vinegar
 1/4 cup flour
Dissolve salt into vinegar. Add enough flour to make a paste. Apply to
bronze surface.
Chrome Polish
 Baby oil
 Soft cloth
Rub chrome surface with baby oil. Clean with soft cloth
Stainless Steel
 3 tbsp. baking soda
 1 cup water
Mix ingredients together to make a paste. Apply to stainless steel with
scouring pad.
Furniture Polish
 1 cup lemon juice
 2 cups vegetable oil
 2-3 cups water
 2 drops lemon oil for fragrance
Works great on wood furniture, Formica countertops, and other hard
surfaces.
Leather
 Cold pressed nut oil, olive oil, walnut oil, or beeswax
Apply one of the above ingredients to leather. Buff with chamois cloth.
Suede Cleaner
 Art-gum eraser
 Sand paper or emery board
To remove dirt marks, rub out with an eraser. Buff lightly with sand paper
or emery board.
*Compare these prices to what you normally pay for cleaners.*
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6
--- In the Kitchen---
Dishwasher Soap
 1/4 cup soap flakes
 2 cups hot water
 1/4 cup glycerin
 1/2 tsp. lemon essential oil
Dissolve soap flakes in water and cool to lukewarm. Add remaining
ingredients and cool. It will form a loose gel as it cools. Stir and pour into a
narrow necked bottle.
Oven Cleaner
 1 qt. warm water
 1/2 cup baking soda
 2 tsp. borax
 2 tbsp. liquid soap
Spray on solution, wait 20 minutes, and then clean.
Microwave Oven Cleaner
 1/4 cup Baking Soda
 1 qt. warm water
Drain Cleaner
 1/2 cup baking soda
 1/2 cup vinegar
Pour down the drain and let it fizz for a few minutes. Pour a tea kettle of
boiling water down the drain.
Grease Cleaner
 1/2 tsp. washing soda
 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil-based liquid soap
 3 tbsp. vinegar
 2 cups hot water
Mix ingredients together in a spray bottle.
Scouring Powder
 1/4 cup baking soda
 1/8 cup water
If there are stubborn greasy areas, add a drop or two of liquid dish soap.
Garbage Can Deodorizer
 Handful of baking soda
Sprinkle over garbage each time new trash is added.
3
---In the Bathroom---
Tub & Tile Cleaner
 1/2 tsp. washing soda
 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil-based liquid soap
 3 tbsp. vinegar
 2 cups hot water
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
 Borax
 Lemon Juice
Mix ingredients together to make a paste, let stand in toilet bowl for 2
hours, scrub. **WEAR GLOVES**.
Septic Tank Maintenance
 1 cup baking soda
Flush down toilet once per week
Mold Killers
 White Vinegar- scrub mold with sponge and vinegar.
 Detergent(Castile Soap) and Water- scrub with sponge
To White Vinegar or Detergent and Water, add one part hydrogen
peroxide (3%) with two parts water. Wait at least one hour before rinsing.
Lime & Mineral Deposit Remover
 Vinegar
 Paper Towels
Soak towels in vinegar, cover deposits, let stand for about 1 hour.
---In the Laundry Room---
Laundry Detergent
 1/2 cup washing soda
 1/2 cup borax
Fabric Softeners
 1/4 cup white vinegar–added to the rinse cycle
Stain Removers
 Coffee and Tea Stains–Mix 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. white vinegar
 Fruit & Wine Stains–Immediately pour salt or cold soda water on stain
and soak in milk before washing.
 Ink Stains–Soak in milk or remove with hydrogen peroxide.
 Blood Stains–Pour salt or cold soda water on the stain and soak in cold
water before washing.
4
---In the Laundry Room (Continued) --Stain Removers (Continued)
 Coffee and Chocolate Stains–Mix egg yolk with lukewarm water and
rub on stain
 Tea Tree Oil-Rub over mold then scrub away.
 Chewing Gum-Rub with ice, gum will flake off.
 Wine Stain Remover-Club Soda. Immediately blot with clean cloth.
 Lipstick Spot Remover-Shortening or cold cream washing soda.
---Walls & Floors---
Carpet Cleaners
 Dry #1-1 box baking soda
 Dry #2-1 cup borax & 2 cups cornmeal
---Around the House---
All Purpose Cleaner
 1 qt. warm water
 1 tsp. liquid soap
 1 tsp. borax
 1/2 cup diluted white vinegar
Mix ingredients and store in a spray bottle. Use for cleaning countertops,
floors, walls, carpets, windows and upholstery.
Antibacterial Cleaning Spray
 1 tsp. essential oil (lavender, rosemary, mint or sage)
 1 cup distilled white vinegar
Mix ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray on items like toilet rims, cutting
boards, sinks, etc.
Disinfectant
 1/2 cup borax
 1 gal. hot water or undiluted vinegar
Pet Urine
 1/2 cup vinegar
 2 tbsp. liquid soap
 1 qt. water
Wonder Spray
 2 tbsp. white distilled vinegar
 1 tsp. borax
 1 ½ cup purified or very hot distilled water
 1/2 cup liquid castile soap or 1/8 cup liquid dish soap
 10-15 drops essential oil for fragrance
Mix vinegar and borax in a spray bottle. Add hot water and shake until
borax dissolves. Add other ingredients. This will clean up just about
everything.
Wood Floor Cleaner
 1/4 cup olive oil
 1/4 cup vinegar
 1 gal. water
Tile Floor
 1 cup vinegar
 1 gal. hot water
No Wax Floors
 1/4 cup vegetable oil-based liquid soap
 1/4 cup lemon juice or vinegar
 1/2 gal. hot water
Garage Floor Cleaner
 1 cup washing soda
 1/2 cup water
Wood Scratch Remover
 Walnuts, shelled (Rub the meat of the walnut on the scratch)
Crayon Mark Remover
 1 tube toothpaste (Rub toothpaste into damp cloth, rub on wall)
5
Air Fresheners
 Lemon-1 tsp. baking soda, 2 cups hot water & 1 tsp. lemon juice
o Dissolve solution and pour into a spray bottle and spray as
you would an air freshener.
 Cloves & Cinnamon-2 to 3 tbsp. cloves & 2 to 3 cinnamon sticks
o Wrap cloves and cinnamon in a cheesecloth, boil in water.
 Vanilla-1 to 2 tbsp. pure vanilla
o Place in small saucer and set in room.
Glass Cleaner
 1/4 to 1/2 cup white vinegar
 1 qt. warm water
Use newspaper to dry glass
Weekly Dusting-Simply damp dust with a microfiber cloth.
2