Posted on: Monday, June 20, 2005

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Staff Writer

Some folks find their skin irritated by the most powerful of commercial cleaning products, and others have allergic reactions to perfumes and other products in them.

You can buy less toxic cleaning products, but for most problems in the home, you can probably mix up your own as well.

There are cleaning options using common products found in most kitchens, and which may be less toxic than some commercial compounds. Two key compounds are vinegar and baking soda, which sometimes are used alone, or together, or in conjunction with other products.

One way to see them react is to pour some baking soda down a clogged drain, and to pour some vinegar after it. They foam aggressively. Cap the drain and the pressure may unclog the drain.

Baking soda alone, on a damp sponge, cleans a pot, stovetop or countertop nicely. And it may leave fewer scratches than some scouring powders.

Many people know to keep a container of baking soda —sodium bicarbonate — in the refrigerator to reduce odors. You can also sprinkle it on a smelly carpet, leave it for a while and later vacuum it up to reduce the smell. The stuff is remarkable — you can even use it in place of toothpaste.

A dash of vinegar in some water is a great window cleaner. Use some crumpled newspaper to finish up wiping the window for a sparkling view. Vinegar, an acid, is also good for cleaning up mildew.

I experimented with a technique I found for cleaning silver spoons without the rubbing. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil in a pan, and pour in a quart or so of warm water. Sprinkle in a teaspoon of salt plus a teaspoon of baking soda, swirl them around, and insert the silverware.

In my experiment, the silver got bright. The stuff that I thought was silver but wasn't, didn't. And the portions of a spoon that I'd left exposed remained dark and stained. One Web site suggested only using this technique on solid silver, and not on plated silverware.

There are lots of sources of nontoxic cleaning products. There's an extensive fact sheet at this Environmental Protection Agency Web site: es.epa.gov/techinfo/facts/safe-fs.html.

Another site with information on natural cleaning products is www.worldwatch.org/pubs/goodstuff/cleaningproducts.

If you have an issue, question or concern about the Hawaiian environment, drop a note to Jan TenBruggencate, The Advertiser's Kaua'i Bureau chief and its science and environment writer. Reach him via e-mail at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com, by telephone at (808) 245-3074, or by regular mail at P.O. Box 524, Lihu'e, HI 96766.