Did someone say that cleanliness is next to impossible? Well, with the embarrassment of chemical riches we have cleanliness is quite achievable, maybe next to godliness. But the costs involved with indiscriminate use of cleansers and detergents today are making even the Gods frown.

Artificial detergents do have an environmental impact. Primarily, because they are manufactured from synthetic chemicals. Even an educated consumer would be hard pressed to identify the contents of a cleanser let alone make an estimate on their environmental effects.

So here's looking at the trio of 'super agents'. They can be concocted at home, are environmentally harmless and have the added benefit of being low cost.



Borax

Borax is one of the most potent household cleaners you can use. Borax or sodium borate decahydrate is a natural compound useful as a disinfectant, fungicide and preservative. Borax and other borates clean by creating a stable base solution (pH 9.5). This creates a buffer for cleaning reactions. This basic property of borax also inhibits the growth of many organisms. Though very effective as a cleaning agent, borax should never be used around food and children. If used on clothes and surfaces, it should be thoroughly washed off.

Borax solutions -

• Three to four liters of hot water with half a cup of borax is an all purpose cleaner.

• One teaspoon of borax powder solution with 1 liter of hot water with some lemon juice or vinegar is a handy grease remover.

• Borax is also a super strength toilet bowl cleaner. One cup of borax down the hatch at night and a scrub/flush the next morning leaves the pans spic.

Vinegar

Vinegar is the next superhero on the list. It has already been comprehensively covered in a previous article. Acetic acid (albeit a dilute solution) by its other name, it is one of the most cheapest and general purpose cleaners around. Being a light acid it is an excellent solvent and it is this very property which makes it such a wonderful disinfectant, antiseptic and preservative.

Vinegar solutions -

• Even normal detergents cannot remove the pesky mass of chewing gum off your clothes. A rub of vinegar just before a wash does the trick. Vinegar also acts as a fine fabric softener.

• Badly stained stainless steel or copper clad cookware can be easily cleaned by applying a solution of few tablespoons of white vinegar mixed with a few teaspoons of common table salt.

• Need an environmentally friendly window cleaner? Use one cup of vinegar and four cups of water along with few flakes of soap to swipe the window panes clean.

Baking Soda

Baking soda or its true moniker, sodium bicarbonate is the next wonder chemical on the list.  Forget about its use as a cooking ingredient and as a tooth whitening agent. It has some other important applications at home too.

The inherent chemical properties of baking soda make it a wonder neutralization (i.e. it prevents acid formation) agent. It neutralizes chemical odors chemically rather than absorbing them. Its use as a cleaner in paste form or dry on a damp washing cloth or sponge, allows for a gentle scraping that helps to remove dirt without scratching sensitive surfaces. Its mild alkalinity helps to churn fatty acids contained in dirt and grease into a form of soap that can be broken up in water and rinsed off easily.

Baking soda solutions -

• For truly white laundry and less detergent consumption, pour half a cup of baking soda to the wash when you add your regular liquid detergent. The baking soda has been known to give you whiter whites, brighter brights, and odor free clothing.

• Baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) can also be used as it is a natural de-odorizer as it absorbs smelly volatile compounds in the air. Pour some baking soda in your trash cans and 'smell' the odors go away. Use it inside a refrigerator by stowing it in an opened box. Replace every couple of months. The same action hold true for every nook and cranny where you want to drive the smells away.

• Unclog your drains by pouring a cup of baking soda and half a cup of salt down the drain pipe. Let this mixture sit in the drain preferably overnight.  Flush down the solution with two cups of boiling water.

Using this super trio of chemicals eliminates not only dirt and stains but also obviates the need to buy and use environmentally harsher products for cleaner homes. After all, isn't Earth the only home we have?
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