Out with the Old

The first step in green cleaning is to take a hard look at the cleaning products you use, then rid your house of the most toxic things in your cleaning cabinet. The Going Green chapter details some of the dangers inherent in many cleaning prod­ucts.

Some people will start with the products that are easiest to replace, like dishwashing liquid and all-purpose cleaner. Others will first focus on the most dangerous products, such as drain and oven cleaners. A simple rule of thumb for your cabinet clean-up: If something makes your eyes tear, your nose crinkle, or your skin itch, get rid of it. Almost every cleaning product can be replaced with a nontoxic, environmentally friendly alterna­tive available at local stores or on the Web. It's also easy to make your own cleaning solutions from basic, safe ingredients — see the Recipes chapter. A combination of these approaches works great.

Cleaning up your cleaning cabinet will be a signal to your family that such items are no longer welcome in your home. The environment inside your home will be healthier, and your household will be helping to preserve the planet, even if it is one spritz at a time.