How to reduce your chemical footprint

The Green Line: A Guide to South African green living

Compiled by Riaan and Michelle Garforth-Venter

Published by Lapa, costs R245.

We tend to use too many cleaning chemicals in quantities large enough in our homes.

In their first book, The Green Mile: A guide of South Africa in Green Living, Riaan and Michelle Garforth-Venter say we should be more aware of the amount of cleaning non-organic that we use, using as much as possible.

"We often use more than we need," they write, also advises: "Add water to your cleaners to dilute, so they last longer."

The book contains a useful chapter to make your own cleaning products, which is not only better for the environment but also more respectful of our portfolios. In an excerpt below, they list what can be done with only two common household items - baking soda and white vinegar.

In the same section, they provide practical, step by step ideas to create a sustainable living in your environment, whether in the office, your neighborhood or township, high-rise apartment or townhouse.

Other sections deal with the plight facing the natural world and give facts as to why we urgently need to learn to make sustainable lifestyle choices.

The book was published to coincide with their new television series being broadcast on SABC 3 Greenline and www.thegreenlinetv new site.com

Baking soda

This mild alkali powder can be used to:

* Remove stains on tiles, glass, oven doors and porcelain.

* Gently run through the windows to remove stains.

* Freshen any field - place it in an open container (it works very well in the refrigerator).

* Remove odors - sprinkle on carpet, leave for 20 minutes before vacuuming.

* Remove grease stains on the carpet - it rub, leave for a while and vacuum or brush.

* Clean the pots burned - sprinkle a little on the burnt area, add a teaspoon of lemon juice, cover with 5mm of water and leave overnight.

* Clean the oven - spray with vinegar, sprinkle with baking soda, leave for 20 minutes and wipe. Stubborn patches can be rubbed with extra baking.

Misty Redi-Steam Concentrated Carpet Cleaner | Cheap Best Steam ...

Overview

This product is a concentrated, low-foaming, carpet cleaning product for use with cold or hot water extraction machines or steam cleaning units. This product is specially formulated with wetting agents, water softeners, penetrants, and detergents for high performance in extraction cleaning. This multi-functional product is designed for cleaning of carpets, rugs and upholstery including stain resistant nylons. Due to the complexity of the formulation, this one product may be used to clean water-soluble soils such as dirt, coffee, cola and grass stains, as well as oil-based matter such as grease, oils and lipstick. The deep, penetrating action of this product will clean carpet pile of soil and detergent residues which cause compaction under foot traffic. In addition, the formula contains a professional strength odor counteractant to keep areas smelling fresh and clean as well as additives to prevent clogging of extraction jets.

Low foam carpet extraction cleaner
Concentrated dilute 1 Oz/Gl
Deodorizes as it cleans
1 gallon bottle, 4 bottles per case