These days when you walk down the aisles of your local grocery store, there are hundreds of chemicals and synthetic materials available for a variety of uses. Most of us use these chemicals and synthetics everyday without giving a second thought about their effect on our health or the environment. Believe it or not, many of these compounds can be very harmful and take generations to dissolve in landfills.

There are many green alternatives to the harsh chemicals used every day in businesses and private residences. Best of all, these natural cleaners can be cheaper and smell a lot nicer than chemicals!

For easy shower and tile cleaning, mix 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water and spray on moldy spots, followed by a brisk scrub with a stiff scrub brush. For especially hard to clean areas, mix 1 part water and 1 part vinegar, mix and add 2 parts baking soda. This will form a powerful oxidative paste.

To control odors around the house, dry out orange peels and place in a mesh bag. Hang them around closets, under kitchen sinks, and in restrooms for a fresh orange smell. When grilling or firing up the fireplace, use dried orange peels instead of a harsh flammable accelerant.

Dried rosemary sprigs also make a nice deodorizer. Rosemary is very easy to grow in your backyard. In fact, once it is established, you will have to trim it back every so often to keep it from running wild. Once it is well established, simply cut a few sprigs about 6 to 8 inches in length, bind them together and hang them in one of the aforementioned areas of your home. Throw them out and replace them when they become too brittle and start falling apart.

For toilet cleaning, use