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Environmental-and-health-friendly
Natural Cleaning Detergents
Air Freshener
To absorb odors, place bowls
of vinegar, or baking soda around the house. Be sure to keep them
out of the reach of children and pets!
To make the air more
fragrant, use essential oils, boiled herbs or add lemon or orange
peels to boiling water. To make boiled herbs, simply choose any herb
or spice the smell of which you enjoy and boil it in water for a few
minutes until the heat causes it to release its odour. Let it cool a
little and put it out in a bowl. You can also add salt to discourage
the growth of fungus.
Drain Cleaner
Use hair and food traps to
keep the drain from getting clogged. If it does become clogged, try
the following recipe. First, pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda down
the sink. Then add at least a cup of vinegar. It will start to fizz.
Put the cover over the drain. Finish up by rinsing the drain with a
mixture of boiling water and salt. You might have to repeat the
whole procedure more than once.
Toilet Bowl
Cleaner
Sprinkle baking soda around
the inside of the toilet bowl and then clean with a toilet brush.
Also try letting white vinegar sit for a few minutes in the bowl
before cleaning with the toilet brush.
Oven Cleaner
Make a paste of baking soda
and water. First wipe away any residual grease. Then scratch off
burnt spots with a scouring brush or steel wool. Finally, apply the
paste and scrub.
Laundry
Detergents
By
adding baking soda, you can reduce the amount of commercial
detergent you use substantially. If you're using liquid detergent,
add about 1/2 cup of baking soda at the beginning of the wash. If
you're using powdered detergent, add 1/2 cup of baking soda during
the rinse cycle. Baking soda softens the water, thus increasing the
potency of your detergent. When buying your commercial detergent, it
is better to use a biodegradable, less toxic, phosphate free brand.
Window Cleaner
Put 3 tbs. vinegar per 1 qt.
water in a spray bottle. Zivania is also an excellent alternative
and makes cleaning more fun!
Automatic
Dishwashing Detergent
As you
pile your dishes up in the sink, sprinkle them with baking soda.
Then, later on when you put them in the dishwasher you can use a lot
less commercial detergent. It's the same basic idea as with the
laundry detergent.
Carpet Cleaner
To absorb big spills, spread
cornmeal all over the spill. Wait about 15 minutes, then vacuum it
up. For stains, put 1/4 cup biodegradable liquid soap with 1/3 cup
water into a blender to make a foam. Put the foam on the stain and
rub. Finish up with a splash of vinegar.
Kitchen Cleanser
Just use baking soda on
non-scratch surfaces, and a vinegar and water mixture on other
surfaces.
Tub and Tile
Cleaner
Mix 1 and 2/3 cup baking
soda, 1/2 cup liquid soap, 1/2 cup water, and finally, 2 tbs.
vinegar (if you add the vinegar too early it will react with the
baking soda). Then apply, wipe, and scrub.
Shoe Polish
Use a little olive
oil.
Disinfectant
Make a solution of 3 tbs.
liquid soap, 2 cups water, and 20-30 drops of tea tree oil, which is
a natural disinfectant.
Brass and Copper
Polish
Cut a lemon in half,
sprinkle it with salt and rub the lemon on whatever needs to be
polished. Buff with a cloth to remove excess lemon juice. Silver.
Put a sheet of aluminium foil into a plastic or glass bowl. Sprinkle
the foil with salt and baking soda, then fill the bowl with warm
water. Just soak your silver in the bowl and the tarnish will
migrate to the aluminium foil. Finally, dry and buff your silver.
Fabric Softener
Add 2 cups white vinegar and a few drops of an essential oil to your
rinse cycle. WARNING! Vinegar can cause colours to fade a little.
Fragrance
If you
are not chemically sensitive or allergic, essential plant oils can
be a pleasing addition to homemade cleaners. A few drops of these
fragrant oils can enhance our perception of cleanliness.
For mosquitoes
Basil plant and
zivania have been reputed to reduce the number of mosquitoes.
Sources: the Cypriot women
that took part in the nature walks and the website:
http://loki.stockton.edu/~save/cleaning.html
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