Say goodbye to many chemicals in your environment by making your own versions of products you see in the market. Many of them are easier to concoct than you might think.

Take foaming hand soap. The secret to the foaming is the pump, not what's inside it. Refill these bottles with a teaspoon of your favorite liquid soap and the remaining volume in water. Turn the bottle upside-down and up again to gently mix the ingredients.

More ideas:

Faux Mod Podge: Mix white glue with enough boiling water to thin to duplicate this glue and sealer.

Chalkboard paint: Mix three parts latex house paint with one part plaster of Paris. Add water to desired consistency. Stir until smooth.

Fabric softener: Did you know that a cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle softens clothes? It's how the pros create a "vintage" wash for T-shirts. Plus, believe it or not, your laundry won't smell like vinegar.

DIY Febreze: Mix â…› cup of fabric softener, 2 teaspoons of baking soda and enough warm water to fill a 12-ounce spray bottle.

Furniture polish: Mix ½ cup of linseed or olive oil with ⅛ cup of strained lemon juice. Apply to furniture, follow with a microfiber cloth.