Elizabeth B. Goldsmith & Betsy Sheldon 
Green Cleaning For Dummies 

An authoritative guide to reducing household exposure to
hazardous chemicals

Thousands of household products contain toxic ingredients.
Today, more and more people are seeking more natural cleaning
methods to reduce their exposure to harsh chemicals. From the
kitchen and bath to the living room and laundry, Green Cleaning
For Dummies provides readers with green solutions to every
common cleaning chore. Focusing on organic, nontoxic, sustainable
alternatives to conventional cleaning products, it’s packed with
suggestions and tips for effective cleaning, and even offers green
solutions for sprucing up patios, garages, vehicles, and the
exterior of a house.

Table of Content

Introduction 1

Part I: A Greener, Healthier Way to Clean 7

Chapter: 1: Cleaning House in a Brave Green World 9

Chapter 2: What’s Green Got to Do with It? 15

Chapter 3: Adding Up the Pluses of Cleaning Green 27

Part II: Getting to Work 41

Chapter 4: An Ounce of Prevention 43

Chapter 5: Assembling Your Hardware 57

Chapter 6: Mixing Things Up: A Green Cleaner Cookbook 75

Part III: Cleaning Green, Room by Room 101

Chapter 7: Everything in the Kitchen — Including the Sink 103

Chapter 8: Coming Clean in the Bathroom 125

Chapter 9: Airing the Dirty Laundry Room 145

Chapter 10: Creating a Clean and Healthful Sleeping Environment 165

Chapter 11: Greening and Cleaning the Living Room 183

Chapter 12: Transitioning from Home to the Great Outdoors 207

Part IV: The Part of Tens 235

Chapter 13: Ten (Or So) Ways Your Grandparents Got It Right 237

Chapter 14: Ten Steps — Beyond Clean — to Green Your Home and Your Life 245

Appendix: Green Resources 257

Index 263

About the author

Elizabeth B. Goldsmith, Ph D, is a professor and Fulbright
Scholar with expertise in work and family, consumer economics, and
healthy indoor environments.

Betsy Sheldon is a lifestyles author and editor with a
passion for sustainability issues.