ypsi~dixit

I've probably used clorox for around a quarter of those things... but I guess I didn't realize that bleach was eco-friendly. Also, I wouldn't recommend the one about wiping a wooden cutting board with a bleach/water combo -- dries out the wood. Another thing I do is throw my sponges and my next-to-the-sink holder for spounges into the dishwasher when I'm running a load. They smell a lot better after that if they've gotten a little yucky.

Oh, is bleach eco-friendly? I didn't catch that. I use bleach a lot in cleaning around the house...but I note the many cleaning uses for the perhaps even eco-friendlier vinegar, and plan to pick up a gallon jug next time I go to the store.

Check out the "love me tender" part of this page: http://allrecipes.com/advice/coll/bbq/articles/97P1.asp

Most sciency-type cooks/chefs agree that acidic marinades (including vinegar) don't actually do anything to "tenderize" meats. They do add some delicious flavor though. :)

That is certainly a mouth-watering page; thanks Scott. Interestingly, it says that only dairy marinades like buttermilk and yoghurt will tenderize meat all the way through.

It also reveals that you shouldn't put salt on meat--which may explain why my soy-sauce-marinated grilling beef is a bit on the tough side. This page gave me some good ideas to try this summer. Yum.

Bleach is actually a pretty horrible substance to have around a house. It is extremely toxic, caustic to the skin, irritating to the eyes and lungs, highly corrosive, and can create deadly fumes when mixed with anything containing ammonia. It is one of the most common causes of poison control center calls. Sure it kills just about any bacteria and germs on contact, but despite our current national frenzy to kill all bacteria and germs, we actually need them to live and function. In fact, people living in too sanitary conditions can and do have all sorts of health problems that the medical world is only now starting to research. We stopped using bleach years ago for regular household cleaning and don't miss it.

In addition, chlorine bleaching of clothes and paper products is a large contributor of dioxin to the environment. Dioxin is one of the most carcinogenic substances known.

Vinegar, on the other hand, is pretty much harmless. It is a mild disinfectant, a nice deodorizer, and lovely on salads. Baking soda is actually my cleaner of choice--it works great on old porcelain and enamel sinks and bathtubs (much better actually than Comet or any of those cleaners) and doesn't seem to scratch. It is also a great deodorizer for the laundry, dishwasher, or sink. And, best of all, the combination of vinegar and baking soda makes a really fun bubbly effect.

That is an eye-opening comment. You are right that the frenzy to disinfect everything is, ironically, unhealthy and that people need exposure to bacteria in order to build up immunities. Not to mention that the anti-bacterial fever is an unhealthy state of mind to have about one's environment. Add to this that the release of anti-bacterial X Y Z into the environment helps bacteria out there develop immunities and become stronger. I don't buy anything anti-bacterial.

Juliew's notes about bleach give me pause. It looks to me as though there's no need to clean with a toxin when vinegar-baking soda in various combos works fine (and I've used this before in the past with good results, plus it smells fresh and clean). Bubbly effect: bonus. Thanks for the info Juliew.

So vodka makes a good eyeglass clearner. I think I may have to keep a bottle of my desk at school. Maybe more students will start coming to my office hours...Good in bathroom too. I'll volunteer to clean it every week!

Oops, I missed that one. Yes, it seems advisable to always have some on hand, given its many useful functions.

i hear baking soda is a cleaner of most things