Richard, inspired by the spring season, decided it was high time he helped out with the housecleaning chores. His first task was to have a cup of coffee. After that, feeling good about his promise to clean, he opened the cupboard under the kitchen sink, where his wife said he'd find the cleaning supplies, and gasped. He never imagined that there could be a dozen products to clean the home!

Richard left the kitchen, with its many bottles and sprays, deciding to start with something simple-the laundry. After separating reds from whites, he put the first load in the washer with Tide detergent and tossed a Bounce sheet into the dryer, ready for the dryer cycle.

He chose to tackle the bathroom with Comet, tile cleaner and some blue stuff for the toilet bowl. Richard wiped the mirrors using Windex, for the promise of streak-free cleaning! The bathroom looked clean, but his chest felt weird and tight, so he took that as a sign to have another coffee break.

Back to work, Richard figured the kitchen would require some powerful stuff to kill the bacteria. So, he sterilized the counters with all-purpose spray cleaner and, just to be certain, bleach. Next, he doused the inside of the oven with oven cleaning foam. Richard tried to see if it was making a difference, but couldn't tell because his eyes had started to water. Time for another break.

Finally, the last task was to dust the furniture and clean the windows-two different kinds of sprays. For a third, Richard sprayed Lysol for the disinfecting smell (to help prove he had cleaned, as promised!).

Despite the coffee and his original spring cleaning fever, after cleaning Richard felt dizzy and exhausted and decided cleaning was not for him.

While the above scenario is fictional, it is also quite typical. Those of us who, like Richard, clean with a cupboard full of products may be intoxicating ourselves. Cleaning products don't have to be complicated or toxic. It's simple, really! All that is needed is vinegar (for cleaning and disinfecting), some baking soda (for scouring power and deodorizing), natural liquid soap (to clean), and borax (a detergent booster and stain remover). Alternatively, if you would rather purchase cleaning products like Richard's wife does, look for non-toxic brands such as Nature Clean, Earth Friendly Products and Seventh Generation, and avoid all products with warning labels.

Keeping it simple and healthy can make those Saturday afternoon chores slightly more pleasant-and completely non-toxic.

Note: Please do not dispose of unwanted, hazardous products in the garbage down the drain. Phone the BC recycling hotline at 604-REC-YCLE (604-732-9253) for proper disposal information.

Julie Hardy (B. Tech, Environmental Engineering) is the founder of JMH Home Environmental Solutions, an environmental assessment company (jmhsolutions.ca); jhardy@jmhsolutions.ca; 604-879-0713.

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