Insect droppings, dust mites, spoiled food — all can impart to an embarrassment of health problems. In fact, scientist Charles P. Gerba, Ph.D., a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona in Tucson, says you’re more likely to catch sickness going home than nearly anywhere else in your life (except maybe hospitals).

What’s scarier is that the cure for a dirty home can be worse than the problem as we attack germs with enough toxic chemicals to make the EPA shudder. Green Seal, a nonprofit environmental standards organization, estimates that cleaning products contribute approximately 8 percent of total nonvehicular emissions of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. These can cause eye, nose, and lung irritation, as well as rashes, headaches, nausea, asthma, and, in some cases, cancer.

There is a solution. We talked to some of the leading “green” cleaners in the country about how to clean your house to minimize health threats to you, your family, and the environment. Here’s what they recommend:

1. Plan. You need to know the order of things you need to clean. This way you do not have go back and forth cleaning your floor because dust fell from it while you work on your ceiling fan. It also lets you save time and effort on the job.
2. Clean All — I mean All.Clean all the things you can imagine cleaning — or not. For example, that telephone’s handset, under those electronics, air conditioning filter and your shoe rack. You’ll be surprised at how much dirt you can collect on those things. General guideline is to think of the things below and above you — inside and out.
3. Wear static-energized clothing. Kim Carlson, an NBC affiliate says that wools, creates a static energy that attacks dust, making it even easier to clean without the help of sprays or polishes which poses as a potential health risk.
4. Use toothpaste. The toothpaste is a useful tool not only in cleaning our teeth but as well as for cleaning our silverware.
5. Drain it naturally. Instead of using industry-made anti-clogging agents such as lye and sulfuric acids, substitute it with a boiling water, baking soda and vinegar. Pour the boiling water to the drain followed by the two agents, do this weekly and you could prevent further clogging. It is also safer than sulfuric acid.
6. Window cleaners at your home. “Add 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar and a spoonful of dishwasher detergent, or 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, to a quart of distilled water.” says Mary Findley, veteran Oregon cleaning expert and president of Mary Moppins Cleaning System. An extra tip from my mom: Use old newspapers to clean your window panes. It’s damn effective.
7. Concoct a new all-purpose cleaner. Fill a spray bottle nearly full with water and add a good squirt of Ivory liquid dishwashing detergent, says Findley. Shake just a bit. That’s all you need. For some disinfecting oomph for the kitchen and bathroom, add 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol. This is safe to use on Corian counters, sinks and showers, tile and marble.
8. Vinegar is the new Lysol. To clean the toilet safely, turn to your vinegar, says Findley. Fill a spray bottle with straight white vinegar. Pour a capful of vinegar into the toilet, then spray the sides of the bowl. Also, sprinkle baking soda in the toilet, wait 15 minutes, and scrub with a bit of baking soda sprinkled on the brush. Once a month pour one cup vinegar into the toilet and leave overnight. The vinegar dissolves any alkali buildup to prevent hard-water rings in the toilet. Whenever you leave for vacation, pour a cup of vinegar into the toilet to prevent buildup while you are gone. For total cleaning, use a hand alcohol and rub it on the surface using a clean cloth.
9. Take it easy on the floors. Don’t try to disinfect it, says Findley. “Unless you disinfect your feet, disinfecting your floors serves no purpose.”
10. Washing machines get dirty too. In a recent study of 50 homes, scientists found high levels of coliform bacteria, an indicator of unsanitary conditions, and diarrhea-causing Escherichia coli in home washing machines. Try using rubber gloves when doing your wash, and add a cupful of hydrogen peroxide to your loads instead of bleach. Also, for germ control, wash your clothes on the hottest water setting. Remember tip #2?
11. Cut the bacteria in your cutting board. In a study it was found that there are over 200 ties more bacteria in a cutting board than a toilet seat. To get it clean, run it through the dishwasher, spray it with straight 5% vinegar and let it set overnight, microwave it on high for 30 seconds, or swab it with alcohol to disinfect it if you don’t want to use bleach
12. Microwave your kitchen sponges for 30 seconds every day. Gerba found that the common household sponge may contain 320 million opportunistic bacterial pathogens, enough of which could be transferred from the sponge to your hand to your eyes or mouth to make you sick.
13. Be creative. Findley provides the following recommendations for homemade, environmentally and health-friendly products. She also recommends keeping a box of borax around for extra-tough cleaning jobs. Borax is a natural product made of sodium, boron, oxygen, and water and is unbeatable for tough cleaning jobs, as a bleach substitute, or mixed with water for a disinfectant. Dr. Gerba suggests rubbing alcohol as another good natural disinfectant. Just don’t light any matches around it.
14. “Shampoo” your rug safely. Instead of commercial brands, just sprinkle dry cornstarch or baking soda on the carpet before vacuuming. The powders help remove deep dirt, and the baking soda helps remove odors.

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