- Ant Control
Mix 2 tbls. boric acid, 2 tbls. sugar and 1 cup water. Soak paper towels, place on dishes, and set out for ants. Pour a line of cream of tartar where ants enter.
Put a light coating of petroleum jelly around the base of your pet’s feeding dish to keep ants out. - Air Freshener
Simmer cloves and cinnamon in boiling water.
Leave opened box of baking soda in room.
Set out a dish of vinegar. - Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner
Clean stains immediately with club soda.
Sprinkle cornstarch on rug and vacuum.
Use soap-based, non-aerosol rug shampoo. - Chrome Cleaner
Use baking soda and a dry cloth. - Drain Opener
Use a plunger or mechanical snake.
Pour 1/2 cup washing soda into drain, then pour 2 cups boiling water into drain. Flush drain weekly with boiling water. - Flea & Tick Repellent
Scatter pine needles, fennel, rue or rosemary on pet’s bed. Feed pet brewer's yeast, vitamin B or garlic tablets. - Furniture Polish
Mix 2 parts vegetable oil and 1 part lemon juice. Apply, rub in, wipe clean. - Insect Spray for Plants
Blend 6 cloves crushed garlic, 1 minced onion, 1 tbls. dried hot pepper and 1 tbls. pure soap in 1-gallon hot water. Let sit 1 to 2 days; strain and use. - Laundry Presoak
Make paste of baking soda and water; apply to dirty spots. - Metal Cleaner
Make paste of salt, vinegar and flour. Start with a half-cup of salt, add enough vinegar to dissolve, add flour to create a damp paste. - Mothballs
Sew dried lavender or cedar chips into small cloth bags and place with clothes. - Multi-Purpose Cleaner
Mix 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/3 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 gallon of warm water. - Silver Polish
Soak silver in a quart warm water containing 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt and a piece of aluminum foil. - Porcelain Cleaner
Make paste from baking soda and water; apply to stain, let set, rub clean, rinse. - Septic System Cleaner
Use professional service every 2 to 3 years.
Chemical treatments don’t work; some can actually harm your system. - Window Cleaner
Use 1/2 cup vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water.
Use lemon juice and dry soft cloth.
Use newspaper to dry glass.
Alternative Household Products
Part of pollution prevention is "product substitution," that is, using a less toxic or non-toxic product to create a less toxic or non-toxic waste. The following is a partial list of substitutions to consider as alternatives to the toxic products you may be presently using.