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Good housekeeping for parrots
Put down that Ajax! Switch to cleansers that are safer for you and your pets
By Dawn Henson
WITH SPRING just around the corner, it’s time to start tackling those cleaning jobs we’ve put off all winter.
For most people, that means pulling on the rubber gloves and dragging out the Ajax, Windex and other cleansers that have been hibernating under the kitchen sink.
But have you ever read the labels on some of this stuff? Most popular cleansers use so many harsh chemicals you practically need an environmental suit to use them.
Are there safer alternatives? You bet there are!
Cheaper, healthier substitutes
As a bird lover and mother to three children, I’m always looking for household products that are safe for people and the environment.
Fifteen years of research and bugging my "organic-hippy" friends for ideas has yielded recipes for some wonderfully cheap and effective cleaning substitutes.
 | | Dawn Henson keeps a bird-friendly house for her (from left) yellow-collared mini-macaw, Quaker's parakeet, and African grey. |
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These simple mixes rely largely on baking soda, borax, vinegar and other household standbys.
Using them, I've been able to wean my family off Tilex, Easy-Off and other cleansers that can harm animals and people alike with caustic ingredients and fumes. You can, too, while saving money and keeping the house sparkling.
I've divided the following home-made cleanser recipes into six categories: general cleanser, oven cleaner, bathroom cleaner, furniture polish, glass cleaner and spot removal.
In each category, I've listed three types of products: potentially dangerous, safer, and recommended alternative.
Potentially dangerous products are the mainstream store-bought cleansers I used until I found out the effects they could have on people, animals, and the environment.
Feathers and common scents
- PLAGUED BY FEATHERS flying around the house? You've probably noticed that the main culprits are dander, that pesky fine powder some birds shed, and down feathers, which seem to migrate from room to room like so many airborne dust bunnies.
Here are a couple of tips to try before another souvenir from the bird cage lands in your morning cup of coffee.
Lightly mist cage papers with water before removing them. This helps cut down on dander clouds. Another great way to ground dander and down is to lightly mist the cage’s bottom grate with Pam vegetable spray. Do this outdoors, away from birds, after you’ve washed and dried the cage. This also prevents droppings from sticking to the grate, making cleanup easier next time.
- HEATED POTPOURRI smells great and can put the finishing touch on a clean house. Unfortunately, the vapors from the oils can be lethal to your bird. A safe air freshener is as close as your cupboard. In the summer, I like to boil lemon and orange rinds to give the house a fresh, natural fragrance. In the winter, cinnamon sticks and orange rinds will perfume your home with a cozy holiday aroma.
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A safer product is not as caustic as one deemed potentially dangerous, but not as safe as a recommended alternative. Take all the same precautions with children and animals as you would with any potentially deadly substance.
I suggest everyone use my recommended alternatives. They’re safer for you and the environment. Ingredients can be found at your local grocery or organic food store.
General cleanser
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Potentially dangerous: Ajax, which contains the carcinogen
crystalline silica.
Safer: Comet.
Recommended alternatives:
- Plain baking soda removes stains, deodorizes and whitens.
- One teaspoon of borax, two tablespoons of distilled white vinegar and two cups of hot water. Pour into a refillable spray bottle and shake well.
- To cut grease: 1/2 teaspoon of washing soda (also known as sodium carbonate, soda ash or sal soda), two tablespoons of distilled white vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon of liquid soap and two cups of hot water. Pour into refillable spray bottle and shake well. (Wear gloves to prevent washing soda from drying out hands.)
- Substitute bleach (sodium hypochlorite) with the milder sodium perborate, available in health food stores, or hydrogen peroxide. Mix three tablespoons of sodium perborate with 1/2 cup baking soda in a bowl and saturate a sponge. Apply sponge to areas you want to whiten, allowing the mixture to remain 10 to 15 minutes.
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Oven cleaner
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Potentially dangerous: Easy-Off Oven Cleaner Original Heavy Duty Aerosol. Contains sodium hydroxide, highly corrosive and irritating to the eyes, lungs and skin.
Safer: Easy-Off Fume Free Oven Cleaner (pump)
Recommended alternative: baking soda, water and liquid soap. Cover the bottom of the oven with water, being careful not to flood. Sprinkle baking soda over the water, then add another light application of water. Let sit for about 12 hours, or overnight. Use a cloth to mop up the baking soda, water and underlying grease. Follow up with a soapy sponge to remove remaining residue and rinse the inside of the oven.
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Bathroom cleaner
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Potentially dangerous: Tilex Soap Scum Remover and Disinfectant. Contains trisodium nitriloacetate, a carcinogen that pollutes drinking water.
Safer: Mr. Clean.
Recommended alternatives:
- The borax mixture, listed above as a good general cleanser, also works well for bathroom sinks and tile. For a larger batch, mix two teaspoons of borax, four tablespoons of distilled white vinegar and three to four cups of hot water. Pour into refillable spray bottle. For stronger cleaning power, add 1/4 teaspoon liquid soap.
- To remove mildew, make a thick paste from water and 1/2 cup of baking soda. Use a hard-bristled brush to cover large areas and a hard-bristled toothbrush for tight spots.
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Furniture polish
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Potentially dangerous: Old English Lemon Furniture Polish contains the
carcinogen and nervous system poison formaldehyde. At a minimum, formaldehyde can irritate eyes and skin.
Safer: Biofa Natural Furniture and Floor Cleaning Emulsion.
Recommended alternative: For dusting or polishing, mix one teaspoon of olive oil with 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar. Apply with a clean soft cloth.
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Glass cleaner
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Potentially dangerous: Windex contains butyl cellosolve, which quickly penetrates exposed skin and can damage the nervous system.
Recommended alternatives:
- Half-and-half mixture of water and distilled white vinegar in a refillable spray bottle.
- One-half teaspoon of liquid soap, three tablespoons of distilled white vinegar and two cups of water in a refillable spray bottle.
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Spot removers
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Potentially dangerous: Energine Cleaning Fluid contains
1,1,1-trichloroethane, which is highly toxic to the nervous system, can
cause cardiac arrest and has been inadequately tested for its cancer risk to humans.
Safer: Naturally Yours Natural Solvent Spotter.
Recommended alternatives:
- Quick action is essential for removing stains. For rush jobs, mix one tablespoon of baking soda with one cup of liquid soap and apply to the stained area with a saturated cloth. This will help remove many stains and deodorize.
- For general spot removing duties, add 1/4 cup borax to two cups of cold water, making sure the borax is completely dissolved with no residue left at the bottom of the bowl. Sponge mixture on or rub it onto more durable carpets.
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Sure, it’s easier and faster to buy cleansers off the shelf at the grocery store, just like mom did. But I find these simple recipes do the job and save me money. Most importantly, they’re healthier for us and will allow the earth as we know it to be here a little longer.
About the author
Dawn Henson is founder and operator Second Chance Avian Rescue, a Beaumont, Texas-based organization that finds new homes for unwanted parrots.
Comments about this story? Send a letter to Mailbag.
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