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THE HILLS HOMESTYLE Saturday September Be aware of chemicals that products contain This article Is provided bv local Realtors and the Ontario Real Estate Association OREA for the benefit consumers in the real estate market Have you ever taken the time to carefully read the ingredient lists on all your favorite household cleaning products and pesticides If so are you familiar with the properties of the chemicals they contain Do you know what or diethyleneare Most of convenience cleaners are popular because they work quickly requiring if any elbow grease But often the ingre of these polishes drain cleaners and cleansers can be quite toxic and get into the environment through their manufacture The next time vou re shopping for cleaners or pesticides check the label first Products containing toxic ingredients are tagged with small symbols rating the type of hazard they pose A skeletal hand for stance indicates a product is cor rosive and can seriously damage tissue while a skull and indicates it is toxic or poisonous Many green consumers are making a conscious effort to switch to safer less toxic alternatives These alternatives are cheaper safer and get the job done just as well Some may require a little more muscle and take longer to work but the payoff a healthier cleaner en vironment both in and outside of your home is well worth it Here are a few tips on how to become a more environmentally friendly consumer CI EANERSANDC1 EANSERS Concoct your own all purpose cleaners Just mix a half cup of am with a half cup of white vinegar then add a quarter cup of baking soda and half a gallon of water Never mix ammonia or vinegar with chlorine bleach because both mixtures produce harmful toxic fumes If you want an alternative disinfectant try mixing a halfcup of borax with a gallon of water To surfaces you may want to try a mixture of vinegar salt and water A paste made up baking soda and water is particularly effective on hard to clean areas Simply scrub the paste into the surface be ing cleaned Let it sit for half and hour and then sponge it off For effective toilet bowl cleaner use a toilet brush and ing soda Disinfect by pouring half a cup of bleach in the bowl To clean your drain try tossing in one or two of bicarbonate of soda followed by a half cup of vinegar You can also pour boiling water down the drain once week to help keep it clog free ICG HOME COMFORT TIPSI Watch where you drop your newspapers A register blocked even by something as light as a newspaper can cause your furnace or air conditioning extra work To make your windows squeaky clean mix two tablespoons of vinegar in one quart of water To freshen the air in your house try putting out a dish of baking soda or vinegar to absorb odors Tradi air fresheners work by simply masking one odor with another or dulling the sense of smell You can also use to keep the air in your home more pollutant free and spider plants for example can ab sorb and reduce some air pollutants OUTSIDE- The same rules of thumb apply outside your home as well Instead of using chemical fertilizer try us ing compost Rich in nutrients com post is a great soil booster and is created through the breakdown of organic material To keep pesky insects at bay in your garden there are many things you can do including planting strong smelling herbs such as basil chives garlic sage and onions or flowers such as chrysanthemums and mangolds You may even want to use natural predators such as ladybugs Check with your local gardening centre or nursery to see if they sell these insects You can also keep your garden free of plant debris To make your own insecticide add two tablespoons of soap flakes to a litre of water and apply the solution with a watering Preserving food ageold tradition Our ancestors discovered through trial and error that some foods were safe to eat and others were deadly It was a risky business learning what mushrooms could safely be fried up with the antelope steak and which fruits could be eaten for dessert Once people learned what was safe to eat they began developing methods of preserving those foods says University of Guelph food science professor Marc In climates for example meat was kept frozen until ready to be cooked In hotter countries spices were used to preserve and to mask the and flavor as the meat began to go off Salting and smoking were popular methods of preserving meat and fish The efforts begun centuries ago to preserve food continue to be a major focus of food scientists today says Le In fact the contributions of food scientists and nutritionists equal those of medical science in pro longing the life span he says The nitrate used in bacon ham and smoked meats to prevent the growth of the deadly bacterium botulmum is actually salt used for centuries as a meat preservative The sodium benzoate added to jams and jellies to prevent the growth yeast and mould occurs naturally as benzoic acid in cranberries says Gaff Although scientists are learning more about food and how to make it safe there continue to be unknown risks says In ad dition known risks are showing up in different forms In recent years the scientific community has discovered the adaptability of micro organisms identifying new problems caused by old pathogens Until recently for example salmonella bacteria were thought to be limited to meat and unwashed eggshells Now some scientists suspect the transmission of Salmonella a strain virulent for humans The Listeria monocytogenes bacterium known for some time to cause disease in animals has only in recent years been linked to food In 1983 an outbreak of listeriosis in Canada wis eventually traced back to cab that had been fertilized with sheep manure Changes in eating habits food production and food handling techni ques as well as demographics and in our perception of what con stitutes a hazard may all contribute to the emergence of new food borne diseases in he future Le says Dear Homeowners If giant cloned department style stores bore you and if Mega Malls maul you then you are ready to ex Miltowne Vanity Fair Our old fashioned quality good service and real value set us apart from the ordinary Since your home reflectsyour personal we carry and Special Order a large variety of fine Canadian and im ported linens for your table and bath as well as bedding and accessories Our personal service will ensure your requirements are met to your very satisfaction Sincerely Brenda Catalano Mrs lei on parte francois Qui si parla iTWiiowne Bridal try Main St E MILTON You can control weeds to a great degree by keeping your grass short hoeing your garden and hand weeding Mulch can be used around plants as well to prevent weed growth For more information about alter natives contact an environmental group in your area or local Ministry of the Environment office The bestlaid plans DESIGN DREAM KITCHEN WITH NEW PLANNER KIT- With Stanley Tool- new Kitchen Designer Project Planner you can easily conceptualize and design the of your dreams without leaving your dining room table and without making any purchase The Kitchen Designer kit utilizes an innovative three- dimen sional rigid layout surface and comes with hundreds of peel and- stick reusable symbols for cabinets appliances tables and chairs of moat every size and shape JOIN US in celebrating the joy of home ownership ONTARIO HOME WEEK SEPTEMBER FREE Public Real Estate Forum on GST Affordable Housing and City ByLaws Sunday September 23rd 200 PM Pegasus Banquet Hall Brampton Refreihments Served By The Brampton Real Estate Board