Spring Cleaning

The chemicals--and so-called fragrances--in many cleaning products can actually pollute our indoor air, provoke asthma and allergic reactions and harm wildlife downstream of our drains. Here's a short list of quick, easy ideas for safer, greener cleaning. Worth bearing in mind: "Just because a product says it's natural doesn't mean it's nontoxic," says Jeffrey Hollender, CEO of Seventh Generation cleaning products. Better to look on labels for the mildest solvent possible (natural grain alcohol instead of toxic butyl cellosolve); coconut-oil rather than petroleum-based detergents; and natural-oil disinfectants like eucalyptus, rosemary or sage oils instead of triclosan, recommends David Steinman, coauthor of The Safe Shopper's Bible (Macmillan, 1995, $14.95). "These ingredients really work well, so you don't sacrifice cleaning power," Steinman says. Or choose among the mild-mannered products listed below.

Product: Conventional dish soaps, disinfectant and all-purpose cleaners

problem: Diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA), which react with nitrites (an often undisclosed preservative) to form carcinogenic nitrosamines. Sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) are highly caustic, and sodium hypochlorite should never be mixed with any product containing ammonia or quaternium compounds, or a toxic gas will result. Best to simply avoid!

solution: Ecover cleansers, dish soaps; Aubrey Organics Earth Aware All-Purpose Household Cleanser; Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid; Vermont Soapworks Liquid Sunshine NonToxic Cleaner; Naturally Yours Gentle Soap for dishes or all-purpose cleaning.

Product: Furniture and metal polishes

problem: May cause eye or skin irritation and contain nerve-damaging petroleum distillates or formaldehyde, a carcinogen.

solution: Hope's Lemon Oil, or polish furniture with a mix of 1 tsp. olive oil and 1/2 cup white vinegar; Hope's brass and silver polishes.

Product: Antibacterial soaps and cleansers

problem: Promote growth of resistant bacteria, according to a 2000 World Health Organization report.

solution: Thorough hand-washing with plain soap and warm water. To disinfect bathroom or kitchen surfaces, Earth Power's EPA-registered Power Herbal Disinfectant or Seventh Generation sanitizers.

Product: Conventional drain, oven and toilet-bowl cleaners

problem: Corrosive ingredients are severe eye, skin and respiratory irritants.

solution: Earth Friendly Earth Enzymes Drain Opener; Naturally Yours Enz-Away enzyme drain opener; AFM SafeChoice Safety Clean or Ecover Toilet Cleaner. For ovens, a paste of washing soda and water, or Ecover Cream Cleaner, or 1st EnviroSafety's plant-based colloidal cleaners; their Multi-Purpose Cleaner worked perfectly on my toaster oven!

Product: Air fresheners and other perfumed products

problem: Aerosol propellants contain flammable/nerve-damaging ingredients as well as tiny particles that can lodge in lungs. Fragrances can provoke asthmatic/allergic reactions.

solution: Baking soda is good at removing odors. Spritzes of lemon or any citrus fruit freshen air. Cedar blocks, or sachets of dried flowers or herbs, provide gentler fragrance.

Product: Conventional laundry detergents, fabric softeners, stain removers, bleach

problem: Detergents and stain removers are usually made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource, and may contain toxic alcohol solvents or alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), suspected hormone disruptors that don't readily biodegrade, threatening wildlife when they go down your drain. Ethoxylated alcohols in liquid detergents can contain volatile, carcinogenic 1,4-dioxane. Fragrances in detergents and fabric softeners may irritate people with asthma or allergies. Bleach, a.k.a. sodium hypochlorite, is very caustic and can be fatal if swallowed.

solution: Vegetable-based ingredients (corn, palm kernel or coconut oil); "fragrance-free" or natural-citrus-oil products, such as Seventh Generation's Free & Clear laundry products. Note: Hollender warns that citrus odors can be irritating to allergic or sensitive individuals. To soften fabric, add 1/4 cup of baking soda to wash cycle. Vinegar will eliminate cling. For stain removal, try soaking in water mixed with borax, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar. Or look for "non-chlorine bleach" like Ecover's or Seventh Generation's.