You can’t have household hazardous waste if you don’t have hazardous products in your household.

At Boone County Solid Waste, we often get calls about the proper way to dispose of household chemicals. (You can click here for answers to those questions.) But if you’re interested in keeping your cleaning supplies less corrosive and safer for your family and the planet, here are a few suggestions:

*Some of the cleanser recipes call for borax, a substance that many sources contend is less toxic than traditional cleaning chemicals. However, it should still be taken seriously and used carefully.

• Dishes Use non-chlorine/non-phosphate detergents.
• Drain Cleaner Use a plunger, followed by 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup vinegar and two quarts boiling water.
• Vinyl Floor Cleaner Combine 1/2 cup white vinegar with one gallon water.
• Wood Furniture Polish Try three parts olive oil to one part white vinegar.
• Tub and Tile Cleaner You can use liquid soap and water or baking soda.
• Scouring Powder Baking soda or non-chlorine/non-phosphate cleaner should work just fine.
• Oven Cleaner Clean up with liquid soap and borax and then use foil to catch future cooking drips.
• Glass Cleaner Use 1/4 cup white vinegar missed with one quart warm water.
• Disinfectants Make your own by mixing 1/4 cup borax, 1/8 cup vinegar and one gallon hot water
• Bleach Use borax, baking soda or non-chlorine bleach.
• Toilet Bowl Cleaner The concoction is 1 cup borax and 1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice. Pour in, let sit, then scrub with brush.
• Fabric Softeners Add vinegar or baking soda to the final rinse.

Let us know if you have any suggestions of your own! 859-334-3151