Here are some suggestions for safe alternatives to the chemical solutions that we normally use to clean around the house.So many of the shop brought products can put at our birds at risk.

NATURAL CLEANING SOLUTIONS

Add twenty drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract to a 32-ounce spray bottle filled with water. Use on all surfaces around the house and to clean sprouts, fruits, and vegetables before feeding to parrots.

Baking soda with water is a good all-purpose cleaner (1/4 cup baking soda to 1 quart water).

Sprinkle baking soda on surfaces to be cleaned or make a paste with baking soda and liquid soap. Scrub with a damp nylon scrubbing pad, soft cloth, sponge, or very fine steel wool. White distilled vinegar diluted in water removes baking soda residue. Dry with a soft cotton cloth. Recycled cotton clothing serves as a good cleaning and drying cloth.

CLEANING CAGES

If cages are wiped down daily and cleaned well once a week, you rarely will need to do a major cage cleaning. Hot soapy water will clean most dirt on cages and will help to preserve the finish.

Grapefruit Seed Extract is a good anti-bacterial cleaner for cages. It can be added to a spray bottle and used for pre-soaking the cage or used on a sponge to wipe down the cage. It is completely non-toxic and is more effective against strep, staph, salmonella, candida, and e-coli .

OxyFresh also is an effective cleaner for grates and hardened dirt. It is non-toxic and is effective against polyoma.

To catch droppings, use newspaper rather than bedding which can hold moisture and rust out cage bottoms.

IN THE KITCHEN

For stains on counters, squeeze fresh lemon juice on the stain and allow to stand for 45 minutes. Sprinkle on baking soda, and rub with a sponge or soft cloth.

Burned or baked-on food in cookware--sprinkle cookware liberally with baking soda and add just enough water to moisten. Let stand for three hours and lift the burned food out of the pan.

Cutting board cleaner and disinfectant--Apply 10 to 20 drops of NutriBiotic to cutting board and work into entire board with a wet sponge or dish cloth. Leave on for thirty minutes before rinsing well.

Ovens--For lightly soiled ovens, make a thick paste of water and baking soda. Scrub well with a nylon scrubbing pad. If the oven is greasy, add a small amount of liquid soap. To remove spots, use very fine steel wool.

To clean underneath the refrigerator, tie a sock around the end of a yardstick. When one side is dirty, turn the sock inside out and repeat.

FOR THE BATHROOM

To clean the sink, shower, tub, and tile grout, soak with diluted liquid soap, sprinkle on baking soda, scrub with a nylon scrubbing pad, and rinse.

To disinfect bathroom surfaces, spray with a solution of one quart of water and twenty drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract from health food stores.

Mildew remover: Spray mildew with hydrogen peroxide.

Lime deposit remover: Spray a solution of 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons salt, and 1 cup water on lime deposits and let stand overnight. Rinse with cold water.

FLOOR CARE

For vinyl floors, damp mop with a solution of a gallon of warm water and 1/2 cup of white vinegar.

To cut grease on vinyl floors, dilute a small amount of liquid soap with water.

To remove black heel marks on floors, rub with a pencil or typewriter eraser.

To prevent water spots, dry with a cloth after mopping.

CARPET CARE

Products like "Carpet Fresh" have been linked to bird deaths. There is no safe way to use it as every time you vacuum clean the carpet, leftover particles will become airborne.

For odors, sprinkle carpet with plain baking soda. Let sit for 15 minutes, and then vacuum.

Carpet shampoos may contain toxic ingredients such as ammonia and perchlorethylene, a known carcinogen. Plant-based cleaning products, such as citrus cleaners are preferable. Use a steam cleaning machine with ten to fifteen drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract per gallon of water. Many hospitals now use GSE for carpet cleaning.

WOOD FURNITURE CARE

To remove water stains on wood furniture, dab white toothpaste onto stain. Allow the paste to dry and then gently buff off with a soft cloth.

Furniture polish can be made by mixing 2 parts olive oil with 1 part lemon juice. Apply mixture to furniture with a soft cloth and wipe it dry.

Nicks and scratches can be covered by mixing granular instant coffee with a little water and applying with a clean, cotton cloth.

Use your hair dryer on the cool setting to dust pleated lamp shades and other hard to reach areas.

NON-TOXIC WINDOW CLEANER

Recipe for window & glass cleaner: 1 gallon water, 1 cup white vinegar. Apply with cloth or spray bottle and clean with a linen cloth.

For extra sparkle, polish clean windows with a crumpled piece of newspaper when nearly dry.

SAFE DRAIN CLEANER

When drains are clogged by hair and debris, make a solution of equal parts of baking soda, vinegar and salt. Place in the drain and let it foam for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse with boiling water.

NATURAL AIR FRESHENERS

The use of commercial air fresheners is dangerous to parrots.

The only way to really freshen the air is to open windows and circulate fresh air with a fan or air conditioner.

Set out a dish of cut lemons or baking soda to absorb odors.

Simmer on the stovetop or in a slow cooker: water, slices of ginger, spices such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice, vanilla and almond extracts, and lemon and other citrus fruit slices to make your house smell fresh.

written by Tracy Craig