Salt - Another inexpensive abrasive that breaks down easily and isn’t hard on the water supply, salt has a number of uses around the home.  It can be used for many of the same abrasive cleaning procedures as baking soda, but that’s not all.  A thick paste of salt and vinegar is a fantastic polish for copper, silver and brass.  Just apply it with a soft cloth, then buff and rinse thoroughly.  Dry the metal well and your silver will shine like new.  Salt is great for spills of oil, eggs, and similar materials, making them much easier to clean up.

Salt and hot water in equal quantities make another great drain cleaner, though you should avoid using this too often in a black water system (like a septic tank) since it can upset bacteria ratios.  Wipe down your windows in the car and at home with a sponge dipped in salt solution, then dry them for windows that won’t frost or ice over when it freezes - as it often does once or twice in the spring.  Rock salt in greasy cookware helps remove oil when scouring and salt is great for getting coffee and tea stains out, too.

Soak a kitchen sponge in saline to disinfect without using chemical antibacterials.  This works on a cutting board, too.  Pour salt where you see ants to keep them out of the area.  You can even use salt and boiling water on weeds in your gardens to kill them - just don’t get this substance on your regular plants.  Salt sprinkled onto a sheet of paper will clean an iron that’s run over it.  Just make sure you run the steam to get the salt out of the jets and wipe the iron plate down with a damp cloth after it’s cool.

Rubbing Alcohol - A one to one mix of rubbing alcohol and water with a tablespoon of vinegar added makes an excellent evaporating cleaner for glass surfaces, computer screens, and similar areas that won’t streak or cause health problems.  This substance is also a reasonably non toxic disinfectant (though it shouldn’t be ingested).

Olive Oil - Mixed with lemon juice, olive oil is an excellent polish and conditioner for wood, keeping it from drying out and giving it a fine, lemony gloss.  Spread evenly with a cleaning cloth, then buff with a dry cloth.  Use plain lemon oil in water for varnished wood surfaces, however.  Olive oil is also excellent for taking marks off of stainless steel appliances and other surfaces, without the toxins that come from commercial steel cleaners.

Hydrogen Peroxide - While the high concentrations used in laboratories can be dangerous, the drug store grade dilutions are quite safe.  Use hydrogen peroxide when you need a safe, healthy disinfectant for surfaces and other areas.  It can be used for babies’ rooms, in the kitchen, and in the bathroom, and it breaks down fast.  Remember that peroxide can also act as a bleaching agent, so test it on colored fabrics and plastics before you use it extensively.  Otherwise you could get a big surprise.

Don’t Toss It Out!

It’s time to stop throwing out cleaning materials.  One time tools like paper towels and disposable wipes should be avoided whenever possible.  Old tee shirts make fine cleaning rags, and natural fiber sponges are a great choice, too.  Actual natural sponges are harvested from animals living at the bottom of the ocean, so despite their lasting properties, they may not be the best choice for many people - sponge harvesting has some negative environmental effects.  Once you get used to tossing a rag in the wash instead of in the trash, you’ll wonder why you ever used disposables.