Protecting your community’s clean water supply – and the environment in general – is an excellent way to maintain the high quality of your new home by San Joaquin Valley Homes.

An easy way to have a healthy home is to choose environmentally safe cleaning supplies. Standard cleaning supplies often contain harsh chemicals that can be toxic to biological organisms. Packaging also presents problems, as most cleaning supplies are contained in plastics that don’t degrade or break down. The chemicals and plastics can stay in the environment for years, causing acute (immediate onset) or chronic (ongoing) damage over generations.

There are many cleaning products available commercially that are certified to be environmentally safe. They come in sub-categories, too, such as “no animal testing”, vegetarian or vegan supplies, recyclable packaging, and Fair Trade to promote sustainability. Whatever your personal environmental cause might be, there are commercially available, environmental safe cleaning supplies that are made in response to that concern. You can support your cause when you clean your home!

For Do-It-Yourself folks, natural cleaning products can be made from common grocery store supplies, usually for much less than the cost of a commercial product. Here are three cleaning “solutions” to this problem:

Glass Cleaner:

Standard glass cleaners contain ammonia, butyl cellosolve or glycol ether and phthalates. Ammonia is a strong irritant to eyes, skin and lungs. Accidentally mixing it with bleach can cause a lethal toxic cloud. The other two ingredients have been linked to health issues in children and men.

Instead, use this environmentally safe, effective and aromatic option:

2 cups water

½ cup white or cider vinegar

¼ cup rubbing alcohol (70% concentration) and

1 to 2 drops of orange essence oil (optional, and any oil will work).

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray on a cloth first, not the glass itself. Using this early in the day, before it gets too hot, will prevent streaks from forming as it dries.

Heavy-duty scrub:

The commercial versions of these often contain formaldehyde, which causes asthma and allergies, and has been identified as a carcinogen.

Instead, try this remarkable combination:

1 lemon, cut in half

½ cup borax (a laundry booster – it’s in the detergent aisle).

Dip the cut side of the lemon into the borax and scrub the affected areas. Rinse well.

Degreaser:



These commercial products can contain a wide variety of toxic chemicals that can burn, poison or even kill. Their labels or technical documents frequently contain dire warnings about the possibility of permanent damage, burns that develop slowly over time, and even bone penetration of chemicals.

Instead, use this solution to remove the grime from your oven’s hood and grills:

½ sudsy ammonia diluted very thoroughly in a gallon of water.

Dip a sponge or cloth into the solution and wipe over greasy surfaces. Rinse well with clean water.

Every new home by San Joaquin Valley Homes is delivered sparkling clean. We suggest keeping it that way by using environmentally safe cleaning products that protect its finishes, your family’s health and your new community. To learn more about our homes in the Central Valley, contact us today.

Lisa Walker

Before Buying A New Home in the Central Valley, Check Your Credit Report CVBT: “$90 Million, 350-home development planned for Tulare”