Here are some fantastic recipes for all of you working to "green" your life without parting with too many greenbacks....everything from floor cleaner to toothpaste can be made right at home with safe, natural ingredients.
With five ingredients — baking soda, washing soda, liquid soap or detergent, distilled vinegar and an antiseptic essential oil — you can clean everything in your house.
Baking Soda and Washing Soda. The magic of these minerals is that they neutralize many stains and odors. They are alkaline, cut grease and can even dissolve wax. Baking soda also serves as a mild abrasive. Washing soda is the best heavy-duty scourer, but it is slightly caustic, so you need to wear gloves when using it.
Liquid Soap or Detergent. Soap is better for your health and the environment than detergents, but because water reacts with minerals in soap, washing clothes with it can leave an insoluble film and turn clothes grayish. If you wash your clothes with detergent, select the most biodegradable brand.
Vinegar and Essential Oils. Vinegar neutralizes many stains and odors, dissolves scale and pulls dirt out of wood. Use only white distilled vinegar for cleaning; apple cider vinegar could stain some materials, such as upholstery. Antiseptic essential oils — such as tea tree, sweet orange, lemon-grass, rose, clove, eucalyptus, cinnamon, birch or lavender — kill bacteria and mold.
And for the recipes...
Soap for Sparkling Dishes
This cleaner works well except in hard water, where it can cause soap scum.
1 ounce liquid castile soap
2 cups water
1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin
5 to 10 drops lavender essential oil (optional, but lavender is antibacterial)
Combine the soap and water in a jar. Add the glycerin and lavender (if using). Stir to blend. Pour some on a sponge, or add a few teaspoons to a sink full of warm water.
Soap Scum-fighting Spray
1 teaspoon borax
1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
2 cups hot water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle, and shake to blend. Spray. Follow with a sponge. Rinse. Makes 2 1/4 cups.
Gentle-but-effective Scrub
Can be used on Formica countertops, sinks, the bathtub and the shower stall.
1/2 cup baking soda
Enough liquid soap or detergent to make a frostinglike consistency
5 to 10 drops essential oils, such as rose or lavender (optional)
Place the baking soda in a bowl; slowly pour in the liquid soap, stirring all the while, until the cleaner has a frostinglike consistency. If you're using any essential oils, be sure to add them last. Scoop the creamy mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface well and rinse. Makes 1/2 cup.
Floor Shine
You can use this preparation on all floors except when directed by the manufacturer to avoid even mild detergents.
1/4 cup liquid soap or detergent
Up to 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar or lemon juice
2 gallons warm water
Combine the ingredients in a large plastic bucket. Use with a mop or sponge. Makes about 2 gallons.
Club Soda Linoleum Spray
The alkaline minerals in club soda work wonders against dirt.
2 cups club soda
Pour the club soda into a spray bottle, spray onto linoleum and mop dry. Makes 2 cups.
Magic Window Wash
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
2 cups water
A few drops of essential oils, for scent (optional)
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to blend. Spray on surface, then remove with a squeegee, paper towel or newspaper. Makes 2 1/4 cups.
Toilet Bowl Tidy-up
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
2 cups water
Vinegar is an, underused but effective disinfectant. Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle, shake and spray along the inside rim of the toilet. Leave on for 15 minutes and then scrub with a toilet brush. Makes 2 1/4 cups.
Baking Soda Oven Cleaner
Small- to medium-sized box of baking soda
Water
Sprinkle the bottom of the oven with baking soda to cover. Spray with water until very damp, and keep moist by spraying every few hours.
Let set overnight. In the morning, simply scoop out the baking soda — all the grime will be loosened — and rinse the oven well. Baking soda needs a lot of rinsing, but it is well worth the effort because it produces no toxic fumes. For really tough jobs, substitute washing soda for half the baking soda.
Balk at Using Standard Bleach The active ingredient in most household bleach is sodium hypochlorite, a moderately toxic chlorine salt. In the wastewater stream, household bleach also can bond with other chemicals to form cancer-causing organochlorines.
Seventh Generation's brand offers an effective alternative; you can find their non-chlorine bleach in stores like Newflower Market, Sunflower Market, Whole Foods, and a host of other stores.
Drain Cleaner Blues
Many commercial drain cleaners are very caustic. Some are nothing more than straight lye, a dangerous material you don't want in your home, especially if you have easily damaged PVC pipes.
Other drain cleaners are acids. All seem to be bad news for the wastewater stream. The efficacy of drain cleaners is in doubt, too, according to Consumer Reports. So, instead of resorting to chemicals, grab a plunger or a plumber's snake, and unclog your drains by hand. And to keep drains clean, pour 1 cup washing soda down them every week or so.
4 ounces calcium carbonate (chalk)
2 ounces baking soda
Enough glycerin to make a paste
1/8 teaspoon refined (white) stevia or 1 teaspoon honey
10 drops essential oils, such as oil of wintergreen or peppermint
Combine the ingredients in a bowl, stirring vigorously until well blended. Scoop the paste onto a toothbrush with a knife or spoon. Makes 3/4 cup.
Among commercial products, Tom's of Maine has one of the best natural formulations, with a synthetic detergent, sodium lauryl sulfate, derived from coconut, not petroleum. The Natural Dentist and Weleda brand toothpastes are made with herbs and no sodium lauryl sulfate.
Cool Cleaner for Your Hairs
10 ounces water
1 to 2 ounces liquid castile soap (the less the better)
1 teaspoon glycerin or 1/4 teaspoon mild oil, such as olive or almond oil
20 to 35 drops essential oils (optional)
Make the herbal water infusion by putting a handful of herbs in a pint mason jar and immersing them in boiling water. Cover tightly, let set overnight; strain. Add the soap, glycerin and essential oil (if using); cover and shake to blend. Shampoo as usual. Makes 1 1/2 cups. Caution: Essential oils can harm the eyes, so be sure not to get shampoos, rinses or conditioners in your eyes, and add no more than 3 drops of essential oil per ounce of base. Among commercial shampoos, Aubrey Organics, Logona and Real Purity are good brands.
Astringent
Gypsies first formulated this wonderful astringent, called "Queen of Hungary Water," for use primarily as a medicinal remedy; the recipe appears in many old herbals, using a variety of herbs. I have often made a version, originated by noted herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, for Christmas gifts, bottling it in beautifully shaped blue glass. Here is my favorite adaptation of the recipe; it omits chamomile (because so many people are allergic to ragweed, to which chamomile is related) and increases the amount of calendula. Feel free to adapt the recipe to suit your own skin type and preferences.
6 small handfuls fresh lemon balm leaves
5 small handfuls calendula flowers
4 small handfuls rose petals
3 small handfuls fresh comfrey leaves
1 small handful each rosemary, lemon peel and sage
Organic apple cider, as needed
Rose water or witch hazel, as needed
Place the herbs in a 1-gallon glass jar. Cover the herbs with organic apple cider vinegar, leaving about 2 inches to spare in the jar. Screw the lid on tightly. Let it set for four to six weeks. Strain. Divide the mixture into smaller jars, and dilute to half its strength with rose water or witch hazel extract.
Sesame-spiked Sunblock
Sesame oil is a natural sunscreen, and zinc oxide protects against UVA and UVB radiation. Apply this block every hour or so when you're out-of-doors, and reapply after swimming.
2 1/2 ounces sesame oil
1 1/2 ounces coconut oil or cocoa butter
4 ounces water or strong green tea made with distilled water
1/2 ounce beeswax
2 tablespoons zinc oxide
Natural preservative (see "Dreamy, Creamy Lotion" formula)
10 to 20 drops antiseptic essential oils (optional)
Melt the oils and beeswax in a double boiler over medium heat. Remove from heat, add water and mix with an electric handheld mixer until thick and creamy. Add the zinc oxide and preservatives, followed by the essential oil (if using). Blend well. Makes 1 cup. (Reserve the double boiler and the handheld mixer especially for making these preparations.)
Dreamy, Creamy Lotion
Many commercial lotions have high amounts of alcohol, which can dry your skin and make the use of heavy creams necessary. Homemade lotions without alcohol eliminate that problem and offer a pleasant change.
2 1/2 ounces almond, olive or peanut oil (or a combination)
1 1/2 ounces coconut oil ounce beeswax
2 ounces aloe vera gel
2 ounces water or rose water
1 tablespoon glycerin
Natural preservative (1 teaspoon vitamin C powder, 1/4 teaspoon vitamin A powder and 1 tablespoon wheat germ oil or 1/3 teaspoon grapefruit seed extract)
10 to 25 drops fragrant essential oils, if desired
1 teaspoon borax (optional)
Melt the oils and beeswax over medium heat in a double boiler. Remove from the heat, pour in the aloe vera gel, water, glycerin, preservative and fragrance (if using), and stir with a mixer until thick and creamy. For a thinner lotion, slightly decrease the beeswax. (You can add 1 teaspoon borax, too.) Makes 1 cup. Whiskers-be-gone Shaving Cream
Shaving Cream
2 ounces almond oil
1/2 ounce beeswax
4 ounces water
2 ounces liquid Castile soap
1 ounce glycerin
1 teaspoon borax
1/3 teaspoon grapefruit seed extract
20 drops essential oils
Combine the oil and beeswax in a double boiler over medium heat. When the beeswax is melted, remove from the heat and stir in water, soap, glycerin and borax. Blend with an electric handheld beater until creamy. Add the grapefruit seed extract and essential oils, and stir to blend. Makes 1 cup.
If this sounds like too much work, look for some of these brands at your local stores. Remember to try and stick with locally owned whenever you can!
All-purpose Cleaners Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Pure Castile Soap, Seventh Generation
- Carpet Cleaners Granny's Old Fashioned Products and Infinity Heavenly Horsetail liquid detergents
- Floor Cleaners Infinity Heavenly Horsetail Life Tree Home Soap, Murphy Oil Soap, Sodasan All-purpose Cleaner
- Disinfectants Power Herbal Disinfectant and Deodorizer
- Automatic Dish Detergents Life Tree, Seventh Generation
- Bleach Seventh Generation
- Hand Dish-washing Soap Ecover
- Laundry Products Earth Friendly Products, Ecover, Life Tree, Seventh Generation
Remember our friends at South Austin People when it comes to bar soap, liquid soap, scented lotions and other great products.
Recipes and additional information courtesy of Annie Berthold-Bond & motherearthnews.com
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