Cleaning Products

Non-Toxic Cleaning Products and Services

Ingredients in many common cleaning products can be toxic to aquatic wildlife and harmful to human health and local waterways.

When buying cleaners, read the labels carefully.  Products labeled “Poison” or “Danger” are extremely toxic, flammable, or corrosive. Those labeled “Warning” or “Caution” are somewhat less hazardous.

Buy non-toxic cleaners by looking for the following:

• Biodegradable
• Low toxicity to aquatic wildlife
• Low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) content
• Reduced or no added dyes or fragrances
• Low flammability
• Plant-based, non-petroleum ingredients

Make your own river-friendly cleaning products.  By using simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and vegetable-based soap, you can make inexpensive, effective and safe cleaning products for your family, pets and river.

Martha Stewart: Natural Cleaning Products
Earth Easy:  Homemade Cleaning Substitutions

Use a river-friendly cleaning service.  Ask questions and check references to select a service that uses non-toxic products and practices.

Be a Clean Boater.  Use biodegradable, phosphate-free, non-toxic cleaners when washing your boat and avoid rinsing soaps into the river.

Wash your car responsibly.  Use biodegradeable, phosphate-free, non-toxic cleaners.  Park your vehicles on your lawn or a pervious surface when washing to avoid the runoff of chemicals into the stormdrain and our river.  A car wash that uses non-toxic cleaning products and recycles its wastewater is likely your most river-friendly option.

Use a clothes cleaning service that uses a wet-cleaning or perc-free process.  Conventional cleaning services often use solvents, such as percholorethylene or “perc,” that can be highly toxic to waterways and people.