A rule that any environmentally aware housekeeper should know is that if there are ingredients that you can’t read what’s on the label, then it is not something you should use to clean your home. Ingredients that sound complicated are toxic, and can cause medical complications like allergies and even cancer. While these cleaning agents claim to be more effective at cleaning tough stains, you’re better off sticking with all-natural ingredients.

While you can’t avoid having a few toxic chemicals around, it’s better to restock your cleaning closet with environmentally-friendly products. It pays to read labels carefully, because some manufacturers may claim to have “all-natural” ingredients, but add toxic compounds into the mixture.

For an environmentally-friendly home, you should only stock your cleaning closet with three toxic chemicals:

• Hydrochloric (muriatic) acid

• Chlorine bleach

• Drain cleaner.

Remember to keep these three chemicals sealed and stored properly out of the reach of children. You should also go through your other cleaning chemicals. Remember that if you can’t read an ingredient, chances are that it’s harmful and unsafe for use. You should properly dispose of small bottles of toxic cleaning chemicals that have those long, scientific-sounding names.

Reorganizing your cleaning closet to be more environmentally-friendly is not only good for you, but is also good for the environment.