Green Daily

Back in my single days, I typically found that the best approach to spring cleaning was to move every couple of years and leave my worries - and huge bags of trash - by the door. However, as a married man I've been convinced, or at least coerced, into the point of view that locational stability and rat-free living don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Of course, if you're going to clean, you want to do it without using nasty chemicals that can end up in the water supply and your bloodstream. To help, Earthshare.com offers some of helpful hints designed to keep your home and your local lakes and rivers sparkling. A few of their tips:

• For cleaning kitchens and walls, use a cloth dipped in hot water, baking soda, and little bit of dish soap.
• Clear your drains with a mixture of 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup salt, and ¼ cup cream of tartar. Pour ¼ cup of this mixture into the drain, followed by a pot of boiling water (cream of tartar is is the common name for potassium hydrogen tartrate, a salt often used in cooking.)
• For a home-made air freshener, try simmering cinnamon, orange peel, and cloves on the stove. It'll give your home the fresh smell of, well, cinnamon, orange peel and cloves.
• Clean windows Windex-free using a solution made from 2 tablespoons borax or washing soda and 3 cups water.

There's another advantage to the earth-friendly approach; cleansers cost a lot less when you make them yourself.