HAZARDOUS WASTE - Common Cleaning Products

Common Cleaning Products

Following are a list of household hazardous products. Choose a product category for which you wish to find alternatives, hazardous chemicals, and waste disposal methods for.

Chemical Product Hazardous Ingredients Less Toxic Alternatives Hazard Properties Waste Management

Household Batteries mercury, zinc, silver, lithium, cadmium solar-powered batteries, wind-up watches rechargeables, AC adaptors toxic recycle, stored

Oven Cleaners potassium or sodium hydroxide, ammonia wipe oven while still warm; use baking soda and water paste and steel wool to scrub corrosive, toxic fully use

Toilet Cleaners hydrochloric or oxalic acid, calcium hypochlorite toilet brush and baking soda or borax or soak with white vinegar corrosive, toxic, irritant stored, fully use

Photographic Chemicals silver, acetic acid, sodium sulfite unknown corrosive, toxic, irritant stored

Disinfectants diethylene, sodium hypochlorite, phenols mix 1/2 cup borax with 1 gallon of boiling water; undiluted white vinegar corrosive, toxic fully use

Drain Cleaners potassium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid plunger; flush weekly with boiling water; pour in 1/4 cup baking soda corrosive, toxic stored

Rug and Upholstery Cleaners oxalic acid, diethylene glycol clean immediately with soda water or baking soda paste, then vacuum corrosive, toxic stored

Floor and Furniture Polish diethylene glycol, nitrobenzene 1 part lemon juice + 2 parts linseed oil; toothpaste to remove water stains flammable, toxic stored

Bleach Cleaners sodium or potassium hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide for laundry, 1/2 cup white vinegar or baking soda or borax per load corrosive, toxic stored

Mothballs naphthalenes, paradichlorobenzene store cedar chips, newspapers, or lavender flowers with clothing toxic fully use, Waste Water Treatment Plant

Pool Chemicals muriatic acid, sodium hypochlorite, algicide disinfectants: ozone or UV light system.
pH: consult baking soda box for amount to add for proper pH corrosive, toxic stored

Ammonia-based Cleaners ammonia, ethanol undiluted white vinegar in a spray bottle corrosive, toxic, irritant stored

Abrasive Cleaners or Powders trisodiumphosphate, ammonia, ethanol rub area with 1/2 lemon dipped in borax, rinse, dry; baking soda or borax corrosive, toxic, irritant stored

Chemical Product	Hazardous Ingredients	Less Toxic Alternatives	Hazard Properties	Waste Management
Household Batteries	mercury, zinc, silver, lithium, cadmium	solar-powered batteries, wind-up watches rechargeables, AC adaptors	toxic	recycle, stored
Oven Cleaners	potassium or sodium hydroxide, ammonia	wipe oven while still warm; use baking soda and water paste and steel wool to scrub	corrosive, toxic	fully use
Toilet Cleaners	hydrochloric or oxalic acid, calcium hypochlorite	toilet brush and baking soda or borax or soak with white vinegar	corrosive, toxic, irritant	stored, fully use
Photographic Chemicals	silver, acetic acid, sodium sulfite	unknown	corrosive, toxic, irritant	stored
Disinfectants	diethylene, sodium hypochlorite, phenols	mix 1/2 cup borax with 1 gallon of boiling water; undiluted white vinegar	corrosive, toxic	fully use
Drain Cleaners	potassium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid	plunger; flush weekly with boiling water; pour in 1/4 cup baking soda	corrosive, toxic	stored
Rug and Upholstery Cleaners	oxalic acid, diethylene glycol	clean immediately with soda water or baking soda paste, then vacuum	corrosive, toxic	stored
Floor and Furniture Polish	diethylene glycol, nitrobenzene	1 part lemon juice + 2 parts linseed oil; toothpaste to remove water stains	flammable, toxic	stored
Bleach Cleaners	sodium or potassium hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide	for laundry, 1/2 cup white vinegar or baking soda or borax per load	corrosive, toxic	stored
Mothballs	naphthalenes, paradichlorobenzene	store cedar chips, newspapers, or lavender flowers with clothing	toxic	fully use, Waste Water Treatment Plant
Pool Chemicals	muriatic acid, sodium hypochlorite, algicide	disinfectants: ozone or UV light system. pH: consult baking soda box for amount to add for proper pH	corrosive, toxic	stored
Ammonia-based Cleaners	ammonia, ethanol	undiluted white vinegar in a spray bottle	corrosive, toxic, irritant	stored
Abrasive Cleaners or Powders	trisodiumphosphate, ammonia, ethanol	rub area with 1/2 lemon dipped in borax, rinse, dry; baking soda or borax	corrosive, toxic, irritant	stored

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