natural alternatives to harmful house cleaners?

[purplepeepee]

Is anyone here sure how to make things like natural soap, glass cleaner, etc? Most things meant for cleaning are so bad for health and our ecosystems. :(

[Pedata]

As far as glass cleaners go...

I put some hot water in a bucket, take two washclothes, wet one, wipe the windows, then use the other one to dry them. It's more muscle work but they come out as clean as with evil window cleaner. Costs next to nothing and doesn't hurt anything.

Peace,
Cass

[purplepeepee]

As far as glass cleaners go...

I put some hot water in a bucket, take two washclothes, wet one, wipe the windows, then use the other one to dry them. It's more muscle work but they come out as clean as with evil window cleaner. Costs next to nothing and doesn't hurt anything.

Peace,
Cass

OOOOOOOOOOO!!! Thanks mommy! :D I love you!!! Yes, glass cleaner is evil! Evil!

Peace,

your daughter Cindy

[toman]

Supposedly a solution of viegar and water works well to clean glass, too. Probably reeks though. I really like Simple Greed as a general purpose clean and degreaser, and it's supposed to be biodegradable and enviro-friendly. I know some people seem to be allergic to it though, so maybe be careful.

[LIBRA]

I have been using most of these that apply to my cleaning habbits for along time, they work great and are cheap to make, vinager and baking powder are not expensive. sometimes it takes some experimenting, be caredul when adding baking soda and vinager dont add them directly together it does funky stuff!!
Cleaning Alternatives
Homemade Remedies and Cleaners
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 or boiled herbs. 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 odor. 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. 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 some 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.

Metal Polish
Brass and Copper. 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 aluminum 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 aluminum 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 colors 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.

[treehugger]

Make a paste out of cornstarch (3 tablespoons or so) and water (1/2 cup or so)

Take a soft cloth and dab it in the mixture and rub it on the window. At first there will be a film but as you keep rubbing the window gets so clean you could swear you could walk through it.

It really works!

I got the recipe from "clean and green"...it's all kinds of environmentally friendly cleaning solutions.

Kath

[LIBRA]

THE CHEAPEST GREEN SOLUTION?
Use both concentrated green cleaners and homemade cleaners.

COMPARING THE COSTS
Standard Cleaners vs. Store-bought Green Cleaners

-Note: Prices are from products in upstate NY, July, 2002.

-So-called "green" products are highlighted with **.

-Prices for homemade formulas are based on these costs for the four basic ingredients: vinegar: 1 quart@ .44, Baking soda: 1 pound@ .57, Washing soda: 1 pound @.63; Vegetable-oil-based soap: 1` quart @ 4.00

-Find formulas for homemade cleaning products in Care2's Healthy Home section at http://www.care2.com/channels/lifestyle/home/

-Note also that the tradeoff for a green product versus a standard product may be health, and a few cents can be worth if it you avoid synthetic perfumes and other problematic chemicals.

WINDOWS
Windex 26 oz @$3.30 ---- Windex $4.06/qt
Glass Plus 32 oz @$2.59 ---- Glass Plus $2.59/qt
**Bi-o-kleen 32 oz @ $4.20 ---- Bi-o-kleen $4.20/qt
**Earth Rite 22 oz @ $4.10 ---- Earth Rite $5.96/qt
**EarthFriendly 22 oz @$4.00 ---- EarthFriendly $5.81/qt

Average Prices Including Homemade
Standard: 3.32/qt
Green: $5.25
Homemade: $.08

SCOURING
Comet 14 oz @ $.70 ---- Comet $.80/lb
**Washing Soda 56 oz @ $2.19 ---- Washing Soda $.63/lb
**Baking Soda 1 pound @ $.57 ---- Baking Soda: $.57

Average Prices Including Homemade
Standard: $.80/lb
Green: $.60
Homemade: $.57

SOFT SCRUBS
Soft Scrub: 24 oz. @ $3.39 ---- Soft Scrub $2.26/qt
**Ecover Cream: 32 oz @ $4.80 ---- Ecover Cream $2.40/
**7th Generation Cream 20 0z @ $4.00 ---- 7th Gen. Cream $3.20/

Average Prices Including Homemade
Standard: $2.26/qt
Green: $2.80
Homemade: $2.04

TUB & TILE
Lysol - 29 oz. @ $2.89 ---- Lysol $3.19/qt
Tilex 32 oz @ $3.99 ---- Tilex $3.99/qt
**7th Generation 32 oz @ $5.00 ---- 7th Generation Cream $5.00/qt

Average Prices Including Homemade
Standard: $3.59/qt
Green: $5.00
Homemade: $1.75

LAUNDRY LIQUID
Wisk 100 oz: $7.79 ---- Wisk $2.49/qt
Cheer 100 oz - $7.59 ---- Cheer $2.43/qt
ALL 100 oz - $5.89 ---- ALL $1.88/qt
**7th Gen: 100 oz - $12.90 ---- 7th Gen. $4.13/qt
**Ecos: 50 oz - $8.80 ---- Ecos $5.63/qt
**Earth Rite 50 oz.-$8.40 ---- Earth Rite $5.38/qt

Average Prices Including Homemade
Standard: $2.26/qt
Green: $5.04 (Note that the green laundry liquids are concentrated, so for a true price divide this number in half.)
Homemade: NA

LAUNDRY POWDER
Tide 175 oz @$16.99 ---- Tide $1.55/lb
ALL - 4 lbs 14 oz @ $8.29 ---- ALL $1.70/lb
**7th: 112 oz. @$10.20 ---- 7th $1.46/lb

Average Prices Including Homemade
Standard: $1.62/lb
Green: $1.46
Homemade: NA

LIQUID DISH
Dawn: 32 oz @2.84 ---- Dawn $2.84/qt
Joy 32 oz@2.93 ---- Joy $2.93/qt
**Ecover :32 oz @ $3.30 ---- Ecover $3.30/qt
**7th: 28 oz @ $4.00 ---- 7th Generation $4.57/qt
**Citra-Dish: 28 oz @ $4.20 ----- Citra-Dish $4.80/qt
**Bi-o-kleen: 32 oz. @ $5.80 ---- Bi-o-kleen $5.80/qt

Average Prices Including Homemade
Standard: $2.88/qt
Green: $4.61
Homemade: NA

AUTOMATIC DISH
Cascade 45 oz @ 2.69 ---- Cascade $.95/lb
**7th: 50 oz @ $4.85 ---- 7th Generation$1.55/lb
** Ecover: 48 oz: @ $5.90 ---- Ecover $1.97/lb

Average Prices Including Homemade
Standard: $.95/lb
Green: $1.27
Homemade: NA

ALL PURPOSE
Fantastik: 32 oz @ $2.89 ---- Fantastik $2.89/qt
Formula 409 - 32 oz @ $2.99 ---- Formula 409 $2.99/qt
**Ecover: 16 oz @ $2.75 ---- Ecover $5.50/qt
**7th Gen. 32 oz @ $4.80 ---- 7th Gen. $4.80/qt
**Heavenly Horsetail 24 oz. @ $3.00 ---- Heavenly Horsetail $4.00/qt
**Murphy's 32 oz. @3.29 ---- Murphy's $3.29/qt

Average Prices Including Homemade
Standard: $2.94/qt
Green: $4.39
Homemade: $.09

FLOORS
Lestoil 28 oz. @ $2.99 ---- Lestoil $3.42/qt
Pine Sol 28 oz @ $2.29 ---- Pine Sol $2.62/qt
**Ecover 32 oz @ $4.30 ---- Ecover $4.30/qt

Average Prices Including Homemade
Standard: $3.02/qt
Green: $4.30
Homemade: $.05

FURNITURE POLISH
Pledge 16 oz @ $3.99 ---- Pledge $7.98/qt (SPRAY)
Scots 12 oz @ $4.29 ---- Scots $11.44/qt
**Earth Rite 16 oz $5.00 ---- Earth Rite $10.00/qt

Average Prices Including Homemade
Standard: $11.44/qt (not the spray)
Green: 10.00/qt
Homemade: $.13

OVEN
Easy Off 16 oz - $3.99 ---- Easy Off $31.92/lb
**Baking soda ---- Baking Soda $.57/lb

Average Prices Including Homemade
Standard: $31.92/lb
Green: NA
Homemade: $.57/lb






Disclaimer: Care2.com does not warrant and shall have no liability for information provided in this newsletter or on Care2.com. Each individual person, fabric, or material may react differently to a particular suggested use. It is recommended that before you begin to use any formula, you read the directions carefully and test it first. Should you have any health care-related questions or concerns, please call or see your physician or other health care provider.
Description: Clean and green on a budget.
Key Terms: Clean and green on a budget.

[Natural_Me]

LIBRA ~ You Rock.


I only ever use baking soda, white vinegar, castile soap & essential oils to clean EVERY THING!

Some of the recipes I use: DIY Green Cleaning (http://allnaturalme.com/naturalcleaning)

Last week on my Fun Note E*zine (http://www.ymlp.com/pubarchive.php?aromasade) ~ I was bitching about Bleach.

What do ya'll think about "Mama's Magic" with clorox bleach??

:group_hug Sadie

[LIBRA]

Natural Me-
Do you premake your cleaning products?? if so what do you keep them in??
I am not sure if you can, I dont.
I checked your site, I like it, real good tips and its just good!! :)

[purplepeepee]

I have been using most of these that apply to my cleaning habbits for along time, they work great and are cheap to make, vinager and baking powder are not expensive. sometimes it takes some experimenting, be caredul when adding baking soda and vinager dont add them directly together it does funky stuff!!
Cleaning Alternatives
Homemade Remedies and Cleaners
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 or boiled herbs. 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 odor. 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. 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 some 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.

Metal Polish
Brass and Copper. 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 aluminum 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 aluminum 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 colors 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.


Whoa! Awesome! Wow, sister libra, you rock! Say when's your b-day? Mine's Sep 28.

:cheers:

[Natural_Me]

Thanks! :group_hug


I just make up my cleaners right before I'm going to use them for the most part. I always have a spray bottle of vinegar & essentials oils mixed up & ready to use. And I just shake the baking soda straight from the box.

If I am making up a Rosemary Soft Scrubber, I just grab a cereal bowl and mix up the amount I need (i just keep cleaning until it's all gone) and no need to store it because I use it all.


Sadie