With shelves and shelves of cleaning agents competing for our attention, it is no wonder we grab the most familiar: abrasives, bleaches and ammonias. Our goals are pretty basic: a sparkling bath basin, a disinfected countertop, floors clean enough to eat from and streak-free windows.

Unfortunately, this exposes homeowners to a wide range of potentially hazardous chemicals, not to mention all those “fresh” scents and bacteria-killing compounds. Plus, pouring chemicals like chlorine and phosphates down the drain has serious, detrimental affects to the environment.

Green cleaning to the rescue. These products incorporate natural ingredients (from plants, such as corn or soy), are nontoxic (aren’t harmful, poisonous or destructive), are biodegradable (capable of being decomposed by bacteria), and are packaged in recyclable materials.

Best of all, these green products clean just as effectively and smell just as fresh as those familiar old cleaners, without polluting inside or out. And, they can be found in almost any store that sells common cleaners.

What are you waiting for? Get green cleaning!

Top row, from left: Mrs. Stuart’s Bluing (fabric whitener and brightener), $2.99, from Safeway; Planet dish soap, $3.79, from Safeway; Mrs. Meyer’s Lemon Verbena Surface Scrub $8, from The Compleat Kitchen; Method dish soap, $5.49, from Foodland; Caldrea stainless-steel cleaner, $12.55, from Gift and Gourmet; Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner, $4.69, from Safeway.

Middle row, from left: Seventh Generation Citrus Laundry powder, $17.29, from Down to Earth; 20 Mule Team Borax (for stain removal and many other household cleaning uses), $5.19, from Safeway; Country Save laundry detergent, $11.19, from Umeke; Mrs. Miwako’s reusable, all-natural kitchen towel, $3.79, from Long’s.

Bottom row, from left: Seventh Generation recycled paper towels, $2.59, from Foodland; Mrs. Meyer’s Lavender Window Spray, $8; from The Compleat Kitchen; Ecover floor soap, $4.69, from Down to Earth; Holy Cow concentrated degreaser, $4.99, from Foodland; all natural tawashi, $2.19, from Long’s.