Natural Household Products

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PS73
PS73 Member Posts: 469
edited June 2014 in Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment

As I am very excited to start the new year, I realize that I am missing a piece of the overall health pyramid.  I am spending time, energy and money trying to get my body healthy for years to come yet I only have a few all natural cleaners in my home. 

Lets compile a list of natural products that we use to clean our homes. 

I use vinegar in place of fantastic and windex.  It's cheap, green (really green not just labeled green) and it works great.  Any others out there? 

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  • CrunchyPoodleMama
    CrunchyPoodleMama Member Posts: 1,220
    edited December 2009

    Vinegar is great for lots of things, and for tougher jobs (cleaning the shower etc.) I use vinegar with baking soda... very foamy and more effective than harsh abrasive chemicals!

    More later; I'm being whisked off for a date!!

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  • Nan56143
    Nan56143 Member Posts: 349
    edited January 2010

    Some time ago I posted this on the TNBC site. It is way too long to post here, but perhaps you might want to print out what I posted. My user name on the TNBC site is Nancy.

    http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/anti-cancer-diet-links-recipes-info_topic3850_page2.html

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  • AnneW
    AnneW Member Posts: 4,050
    edited January 2010

    For a long time I used Melaleuca products--all natural and based on tea tree oil. Can only get them through multi-level marketing (at least for a decent price.) But I'm a big fan of white vinegar. Not only for the shower and glass, but as a rinse agent in the washing machine.\

    Anne

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  • GramE
    GramE Member Posts: 5,056
    edited January 2010

    White vinegar is a wonder product.   For your car, kids sneakers left in the back, "sick" kids, spray vinegar on floor/carpet and smell goes away.   And wash windows with half and half water and vinegar, dry with crumpled newspaper to make them shine like new - also resists fogging and rain spatters.   

    Vinegar and baking soda if you have white or light formica counter tops, to remove stains.   Vinegar in coffee maker carafe to clean it.  Be sure to rinse thoroughly.   Vinegar in rinse water especially if sensitive skin - many years ago peditrician said to use in rinse for baby clothes.  Also helps eliminate static if clothes are put in the dryer.  

    This is not a cleaning hint, but if you rub a stainless spoon over your hands after peeling garlic or onions, it removes the odor.  

    Mint gum, unwrapped and unchewed, will help keep ants and spiders away.  Put on rafters in basement, window sills outside, in shed and garage.   Pine cones around shrubs helps keep cats away.    

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  • PS73
    PS73 Member Posts: 469
    edited January 2010

    Thanks for the posts guys. 

    I have a stainless spoon and will def try to remove the oniony smell that lingers for hours.

    Julia, I ope you had a good NYE date!! 

    Nan, great info, Ive pasted the floor cleaner info below.

    Homemade Citrus Household Cleaner

    • Fill a large, wide mouth jar with citrus peels (such as lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruits). Cover the peels with white household vinegar. Let brew for four weeks, shaking the jar occasionally (just to mix it up a bit). Strain (I did this twice).
    • Use as a laundry booster (I just tossed it in with the whites), window cleaner, floor cleaner, counter tops, appliances (Dilute in water-1/2 cup per gallon of water works well). For a stovetop grease buster I just sprayed it on undiluted. Test surfaces first before using.

    Tips:

    • Before filling the jar, I made sure the citrus peels were scrubbed well in baking soda and water to remove any chemicals or pesticides. It's a lot easier if you do this before peeling the fruit!
    • To collect the peels, throughout the week store all the citrus peels in a baggy or airtight container and refrigerate. If your household doesn't go through a lot of citrus fruit in a week, just chop up what peels you have and fill a small glass jar (or even spray bottle) with peels and cover with vinegar. To make a big jar like above, you need a lot of peels. You could try freezing the peels and then thawing the bunch when you have enough, I haven't tested that though.
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  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited January 2010

    I make my own laundry detergent with castile soap (or fels-naptha when I can find it) bakind soda and borax.  I mix jojoba oil, a little glycerine and liquid castile soap (I like Dr. Bonner's) for shower gel and shampoo.  I use a lot of vineagar as I have very hard water.  I also make my own windsheild washer fluid:  1/2 cup vineager, a few drops of liquid castile soap in a gallon jug, fill with water.  In the winter I add a 16 ounce bottle of rubbing alcohol as an antifreeze. 

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  • PS73
    PS73 Member Posts: 469
    edited January 2010

    Wow nativemainer, that is awesome.  I am definitely going to try that.  ..you are very scientific!

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  • GramE
    GramE Member Posts: 5,056
    edited January 2010

    oops, one above hint needs to be edited:   Unwrapped and unchewed mint gum for flies and spiders, not ants...   We put a couple of pieces where the dog often left presents in our yard - no flies.   

    For ants that come in near doorways: draw a line of chalk, which you can get in the Dollar Store.  For some reason they will not cross it.  

    If you do not have a self cleaning oven, try using a putty knife or razor blade to get the worst of the crust off.  Be very careful with the razor blade for obvious reasons.   Razor blade also gets bugs off your car windshield.   You can get a holder for the razor blade at the Dollar Store.

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