Household Hazardous Waste

Bathroom

Tub Scrub

  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • liquid soap
  • essential oil, optional

Depending on the size of your job, place up to 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl. Slowly pour liquid soap, stirring constantly until mixture has the consistency of frosting. Add essential oil for scent and anti-fungal properties (e.g. lavender), if desired. Scoop the creamy mixture onto a damp sponge, scrub surface, and rinse.

Mold and Mildew

  • Equal parts vinegar and water

Spray and wipe clean.

Plastic Shower Curtain

  • 2 cups water
  • Laundry detergent

Machine launder along with a few towels. Air dry. To keep clean, spray weekly with a mixture of borax and water.

Antiseptic Soap Spray

  • 3 tablespoons liquid soap
  • 20-30 drops tea tree oil
  • 2 cups water

Mix in spray bottle and apply.
TIP: Hydrogen peroxide (3%) by itself may also be used as a mild antiseptic.

Bathroom Deodorizer

  • One pound box baking soda
  • 10-20 drops essential oil

Mix oil in baking soda. Place open box under sink or near toilet. Add more essential oil as needed. Replace baking soda every 3 months. Use the old baking soda in cleaning recipes.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

  • One or two cups of white vinegar

TIP: Drain water from the toilet bowl to reach hard to clean rings.  Simply turn the water off by turning the water valve behind the toilet to the right (righty, tighty--lefty loosey), then flush and little water will return to the bowl.  Now you can clean the ring with baking soda or if it's a really tough ring, with some emery cloth from the hardware store in the sandpaper section.  Remember to turn the valve back on by turning it to the left.

Foaming Hand Soap

  • 1-2 tablespoons liquid castile soap
  • 2-3 drops essential oil (optional)
  • 1 cup water (roughly)
Fill foaming soap dispenser almost to top with water.  Add liquid castile soap and 2-3 drops of your favorite essential oil.

TIP: Empty, wash and re-use old foaming soap dispensers.  Otherwise buy a dispenser at select locations such as the Upper Valley Coop in White River Junction.

Air Freshener 

  • 8 drops lavender oil
  • 4 drops bergamot oil
  • 4 drops clove oil
  • 1/2 cup vodka
  • 1/2 cup distilled water 

Mix ingredients together in spray bottle.
 
Tip: if you have a specific scent in mind, mix 5-10 drops of essential oil with 2 cups water and spray.

Reasons not to use traditional store-bought air fresheners:

Air fresheners typically list “fragrance” under the ingredients, a catch-all term for the thousands of chemicals that could be making the “island breeze” scent in your air freshener.  Fragrances often contain phthalates, used in the manufacturing of plastics.  Phthalates are suspected to be endocrine disruptors and are known to adversely affect human reproduction and development.

A study conducted by the Environmental Working Group found phthalates present in nearly three quarters of the 72 name-brand products tested.

Fragrances are also among the top 5 allergens and known to cause asthma in addition to skin sensitization