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When switching to nontoxic cleaning products, it may take you a while to get used to not having that pine forest or lemon smell that has signaled “clean” for, oh, your whole life. But trust me—odorless (or naturally scented) is much healthier!

Clean with a lint-free rag (microfiber cloths are great for this, and reusable!) and a nontoxic window cleaner. This is also one of the easiest products to make yourself: Just mix distilled white vinegar with water in a 1:2 ratio. (Yes, your house will smell acidic—try adding a drop or two of your favorite essential oil, like lavender or eucalyptus, to combat the vinegar scent.) You can find lots of great DIY cleaning recipes at
Rodale.com
.

Wipe down daily with a damp rag (water only or a splash of white vinegar to keep bacteria at bay); I also love a little counter broom and dustpan for sweeping up crumbs and bigger messes. Clean once a week with a natural spray (I use Honest Multi-Surface Cleaner).

Wipe it out every time you use it—this helps prevent clogs and buildup. But if you do get a gunky drain situation, pour a mixture of equal parts baking soda, white vinegar, and boiling water (carefully!) down your drain and let it sit for half an hour—the baking soda and vinegar fizz up and eat through clogs.

Make sure your cleaner is an eco-friendly brand because stainless-steel cleaners can get pretty toxic. Or just wipe using a cloth doused with white vinegar.

Scrub once a week with baking soda and vinegar, nonchlorine bleach, or a natural toilet cleaner (I played with essential oils to help get the scent of our Honest Toilet Cleaner just right!). Pour a little nonchlorine bleach in the base of your toilet brush holder, too; it will keep it from getting super gross, and the brush will last longer. Never use those drop-in chemical toilet deodorizer tablets; most contain a known carcinogen.

I rarely remember to spray down the shower after I’m done—I’m too busy rushing to the next thing! Mainly, stick with your Honest Bathroom Cleaner or other natural product and wipe down the shower once a week to stay on top of grime.

The secret to an always-clean shower, sans mildew and other grossness? Sealing your grout. This chemical concoction isn’t all that natural—but when you consider that it enables you to lay off the scouring powder, grout whiteners, and other harsh cleansers for six months to a year at a time, I think it’s a fair trade. You can buy a bottle of grout sealant at any home improvement center or tile store. Simply follow the directions on the bottle to sponge it on, let it absorb into the grout, and then wipe it off the surrounding tile (or else it will leave a waxy film). If done correctly, you won’t be able to see any difference—but you will see a completely clean and mildew-free shower for months to come.

I’ve always experimented with DIY cleaner recipes—you can never go wrong with the basic ingredients your grandmother probably used: baking soda, lemon, and vinegar. Here are some recipes that totally get the job done from Rodale.com’s Nickel Pincher:

• All purpose cleaner:
  9 parts water, 1 part vinegar
  
• Window cleaner:
  ¼ cup vinegar, ½ teaspoon natural liquid soap, 2 cups water
  
• Tile cleaner:
  ½ cup baking soda, liquid soap (enough so it looks like frosting when poured into the baking soda), 5 to 10 drops of your favorite essential oil
  
• Oven cleaner:
  2 cups hot water, 1 tablespoon natural dish liquid, 1 teaspoon borax
  

Mix all ingredients together in a spray bottle and shake gently.

H
ERE’S A NASTY FACT
: According to the EPA, indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air—and we spend 90 percent of our lives indoors! Choosing natural, healthy materials for building supplies and furniture and swapping in safer cleaning products will go a long way. But there are still some key air quality issues that you need to brush up on to make sure your home is as healthy as possible.

A
S
A
LLERGY
G
IRL
, dust is serious business to me. Whenever I find myself waking up with a stuffy nose, itchy, watery eyes, or trouble breathing, I know it means the dust situation in my house isn’t under control—and our bedrooms are ground zero because over two million microscopic dust mites live in the average bed. (I bet you wish you could un-know that fun fact.) Dust gathers on blinds, carpets, and around collectibles filling shelves and nooks, so regular dusting is important but not a complete solution.

Protect your bedding
from dust mites by encasing your mattress and pillows in protective covers and washing all linens weekly in hot water. (Some cases also limit the off-gassing from your mattress.) Kill dust mites in stuffed animals and other bulky items by putting them in the freezer for 3 to 5 hours per week.

Remove your shoes.
As previously mentioned, this keeps all kinds of mess (dust included) out of your house. The exception to that rule: households like mine with an indoor/outdoor pet. Our dogs bring all that same stuff in on their paws and coat, so taking off our shoes downstairs where they hang out becomes sort of moot. It’s better to maintain a more rigorous cleaning schedule. Keeping a track-off mat at the front door will also help.

Consider installing forced-air filters
with a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of 8 or higher on all air vents if you have central air. Seriously—our HEPA filters changed my life! Cash and I always woke up with stuffy noses—we thought that was just normal—until the filters started pulling dust and other particles out of the air as they circulated the heat and air-conditioning. No central air? A freestanding HEPA filter air purifier in your bedroom or other main living spaces can do the same job—you can pick up one at most home appliance stores.

M
OLDS REQUIRE ONLY MOISTURE
and oxygen to grow, so they crop up easily in bathroom corners, dank basements, fridges, or under kitchen sinks. A mold infestation can trigger asthma and allergies, or, in more concentrated doses, dizziness and flu-like symptoms. It’s impossible to clear your air of
all
mold spores, but as long as you keep moisture under control, you can prevent the spores from landing on surfaces—which is how they grow. Remember, any mold growth that covers an area larger than 10 square feet, or has spread inside the ducts of your central air system, should be handled by a professional, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

You can tackle smaller jobs yourself by scrubbing the mold off of hard surfaces with a mixture of detergent and hot water, then fixing the source of the water damage, whether that means tightening leaky plumbing or sealing up cracks in walls and roofs.

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to salvage a moldy rug or other porous material. It’s not worth the health ramifications, so throw out infested carpets or ceiling tiles. Visit
epa.gov/mold
for more info on handling mold in your home.

Check your home’s humidity level.
Thirty to 50 percent is optimal; any higher and mold, bacteria, and dust mites can flourish. A good digital thermometer or hygrometer can give you an accurate reading on a cool, low-humidity day. And don’t forget to check your attic and basement—standing water or humidity over 50 percent in these areas can contribute to mold growth throughout your house. Run a dehumidifier as needed to fix the problem.

Use exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens.
The best fans vent to the outside and include a HEPA filter to eliminate that nasty mold-causing moisture buildup.