Personal Resilience: Natural Household Products
Morning, my dear friends. There is little to no need to give your money to crooked corporations in the household cleaning department. Their products are mostly poisonous and/or ineffective - and always overpriced to the gouging (sp? ah, who cares) max. We use natural cleaning products from recipes we've kifed everywhere over the years. Below are some of ours, and of the afore-mentioned kifees.) I hope you'll add some of your homemade cleaning recipes and products. And if you do the math on these recipes, you'll be a happy camper. Oh, and a more resilient camper too :=) You'll see, it's very progressive to kick the corporations in the teeth AND make yourself more free. It's much more productive than screaming about what's bad.
Might as well listen to my favourite artist:
That takes care of the academic portion of this article.
(One of the afore-mentioned kifees, Joybilee, is a wonderful site; sadly, I lost the link. If you have it, please post it for us. Ta.
Let's roll (heh, heh, heh)
Cleaners
Laundry Soap
2 parts washing soda
2 parts borax
1 part homemade soap
10 drops Lemon essential oil
Laundry softener
1 cup of white vinegar.
Add a few drops of essential oil.
Dishwasher Soap
1 part washing soda
1 part borax
10 drops lemon essential oil
citric acid if hard water
Household cleaner
Spray bottle of white vinegar
5 drops lemon oil per 2 cups of vinegar
Glass cleaner
1 cup of rubbing alcohol
¼ cup of white vinegar
Water up to ½ gallon
Use in a spray bottle
Toilet cleaner
Recipe
White vinegar
Borax (Borax is a great multi-purpose cleaner that whitens, deodorizes, and removes stains.)
Sodium tetraborate
Lemon juice or citric acid
Citric acid, also found in lemon juice, binds to minerals in the toilet bowl making them easier to eliminate.
Tea tree oil
This has been studied more than any other essential oil, and has been found to kill most forms of bacteria when added to cleaners at a 0.5% – 1.0% concentration.
Other essential oils that possess antibacterial properties, and are beneficial in bathroom cleaners are lavender, citrus oils, peppermint, rosemary, and eucalyptus, among others.
Baking soda
Joybilee recipe (wonderful site - lost link)
1/4 cup citric acid
Soft soap (1 c. natural soap grated and mixed with 8 c. boiling water)
Sprinkle Citric acid into the toilet bowl. Spray bowl and rim with soft soap. Allow to sit for 1 hour. Scrub bowl and rim with brush and rinse by flushing.
Tile and grout cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup non-sudsing ammonia
1/2 cup vinegar
14 cups warm water
Gallon Jug
Pour the baking soda, ammonia, and vinegar into the jug.
Add half the warm water.
Swish the jug to mix the ingredients.
Allow the reaction to stop.
Fill the jug with the remaining water.
Cap and label the jug.
Spray the solution directly on the tiles and grout.
Wipe with a damp sponge or plastic scrubbing pad. (Do not mix with bleach.)
For tough stains, mix baking soda with a few tablespoons of this solution and scrub into grout with a tooth brush.
Allow to sit for 15 minutes. Wipe clean.
Scouring Cleanser
1/2 cup grated natural soap
2 tsp. borax
1 1/2 cups hot water
5 tsp. calcium carbonate (lime)
Store in a squeeze top plastic container. Label and keep out of reach of children.
To use squeeze some of the mixture onto a sponge and wipe down the counter. Rinse and dry.
Glass and Mirror Cleaner
1 c. alcohol
1 c. ammonia
1/2 c. vinegar
12 cups warm water
Clean 1 gallon jug.
Store in jug. Label and keep out of reach of children.
All Purpose Disinfectant and Cleaner
1 cup. isopropal alcohol or vodka
1 cup ammonia
1 cup white vinegar
1 tbsp. soap flakes
1/2 tsp. Pine, lavender, or lemon essential oil
Hot water to fill 1 gallon jug
Store mixture in 1 gallon jug.
Label and keep out of reach of children.
To use, transfer mixture to spray bottle.
Spritz solution on area to be cleaned. Wipe with damp cloth.
PS: Next topics in this line of thinking are:
* Household Fresheners
* Containers for cleaners & fresheners
*What else?
PPS: Oh yes, I had wanted to write about our plans of the earthship home (coming to an acreage near me in 2017 :=) But my oldest took all the earthship material (folder, books, odds & sodds) last Christmas to work on. She's moving back end of April; I'll bring us something in may.)
Peace be with us, if we clean with peaceful hearts (usual disclaimer)
gerrit
Comments
My favorite insect pest management secret
Diatomaceous earth
Spread a little around and no ants, silverfish, roaches or crawlers. No toxins whatsoever, just silica with lots of jagged edges when observed under a microscope.
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
Very cool
All was good until the bit about toothpaste - not sure I like the idea of cleaning teeth with tiny fossils.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
It's in most food powders too
It is used as a anti-caking agent. Some people take it straight away. It has a hollow structure that transports salts out of the body and an effect like fiber. It can be used to de-worm the dog. It is common to add a spoonful to every dish of dog food.
Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE).
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
Good to know
Seriously though - that does make a lot of sense.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Make sure it is labeled food grade
The DE powder used in swimming pool filters is extremely hazardous to your lungs.
Good advise
Silica powder inflames the air passages. Technically, you should wear a mask anytime you are handling a quantity of powder, dust or fine particulates. No matter the chemical composition.
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
You _would_ have to say “tiny fossils”
Now dis old Hawaiian-kine lady no can get that old Don Ho earworm out of her head.
stevel, we use baking soda plus peppermint essential oil.
Let me check that one again :=)
Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.
Works for fleas & bed bugs too
Because of their exoskeletons.
Not instantaneous like a poison, but I just love the thought of the little blood sucking fleas dying slowly whenever I sprinkle it around the house!
My brother turned me onto it after he picked up bed bugs (ACK!), he thinks while doing work at an apartment building in Houston. Poor guy became a compulsive bed bug searcher. Like a crack head digging around for a crack rock.
Vinegar and baking soda
all the way in this household - clean(ish) house and no nasty fakey scenty smells. One Vinegar spray and one Baking soda/vinegar.
Really interesting essay Gerrit and will definitely be testing the grout recipe in the very near future.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Good Bacteria
Cleaning and odor management. Good for house plant soil too.
EM-1 an effective microorganism solution.
BTW, you only need to buy the product once than you can maintain your own Bokashi .
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
Good collection of recipes - thanks!
Wow. I am going to save these in Evernote.
I have been using the laundry soap recipe for about 5 years. It is so easy, cheap, and works great.
Thanks again!
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
Hydrogen peroxide
Effective germicide and mild but effective bleach. Any residue chemically turns into plain water in a pretty short time.
On floors, porcelain, and the like, I scrub with baking soda (to remove anything stuck on), then peroxide, then plain water, then dry off.
Baking soda is also a good substitute for scouring powders on pots and pans. And won't scratch glass.
I use liquid dish detergent for various things, often together with baking soda; although not "all natural," it will remove soap scum handily and rinses very clean.
Vinegar for oily stuff and hard-water deposits.
Appreciate the recipes. Always glad for ideas.
Euterpe2
OT but pertinent
Careful who you buy TP from. Angel Soft, Georgia Pacific, are part of the Koch holdings.
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
Absolutely never buy those products...also Dixie cups
and plates and Brawny paper towels. Obviously, it is not always easy to know when you are contributing to right-wing corps. A little research is required but is something our family feels strongly about so we try to make the effort, .
I get the giant container of white vinegar at Costco's
and use that in all my little household mixtures. I haven't mixed up anything lately.....and oh-boy it shows.....the house is a mess. My daughter used to mix up our laundry detergent with a very similar recipe to the one above I think. But when she moved out we didn't assume her chore and bought it instead. Will have to start doing that again.
One thing I do to combat whatever it is that eats holes into wool sweaters and blankets is to give those articles a time in our deep freezer for a few days at the end of our cold (cool) season.
Morning Gerrit, I do enjoy these topics of yours.
Vinegar
and newspapers... that is what I use to clean mirrors and windows... the newspaper kind of polishes the glass and it really does get everything VERY clean. I mostly use a "Cleaning" white vinegar that is 10% strong rather than the "Food" grade of 5%.... wear gloves if your skin is sensitive, as it WILL burn you if you use it straight. The 10% also is a great disinfectant... I use it on floors for damp mopping too. Makes tile shine in the bath.
Clean out your drains (slow drains...may not work if you have a plugged drain) with some baking soda, vinegar, and hot water...remember your grade school volcano?
Pour a large pot of boiling water down your drain. Dump in about 1/2 cup of baking soda. Let that sit for a few minutes. Then, pour a mixture of 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup boiling water down on top of the baking soda. Cover with a drain plug (to keep the reaction down below the drain surface) and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Flush one more time with another large pot of boiling water. It also makes the drain smell better.
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First Nations News
Thanks for this, Gerrit
Use a lot of baking soda and vinegar here, but I've gotten lazy using some of the convenient, off the shelf e-friendly soaps and cleaners. This essay was a good reminder for me to mix it up myself.
"Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change." Stephen Hawking
NEW: http://www.twitter.com/trueblueinwdc
Right on, TBinWDC,: TY again for the green article collection.
Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.
Thanks, Gerrit for this great topic
We don't use harsh chemicals or cleaning products in our house. Unfortunately, many people are not informed about the potential serious health effects of chemicals and artificial fragrances in products (that corporations get away with deeming "safe") that are used in a typical U.S. household on a daily basis.
uninformed or nobody knows
Commercial pesticides are typically neuro-toxins (think nerve gas and chemical warfare). My spouse is afflicted with ALS and the disease advocates have successfully lobbied for a registry maintained by the NIH. The disease is hard to study, due to the low population and numerous manifestations. One of the first findings spawned by the registry database is statistically significant incident rates based on geography. If you live around a body of water with industry or big agriculture, you are more likely to develop ALS. I am extremely wary of chemical pesticides.
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
I do the laundry recipe
about twice a year, 5 gallons at a time. The amounts I use are:
1 cup washing soda
1cup borax
1.5 cups grated Fels-Naptha soap (2/3 of a bar)
I start with two or three quarts of water and actually cook it on the stove to dissolve it better, then dump it in a 5 gal bucket, add more hot water and keep stirring. Let it sit 24 hrs, stir well and decant into recycled jugs.
It will separate somewhat so shake it a little before using. I use a half-cup per load, and calculate it costs 1 to 2 cents per load. The 7th Gen type laundry soap is more like 30 to 38 cents a load, depending on where you buy it. I didn't compare to grocery store brands--we have allergies and can't use most of that stuff.
Question for Gerrit--I've never added the lemon essential oil. Is this just for the pleasant fresh smell, or does it contribute somehow to the cleaning process? Thanks! I really enjoy this type of discussion, and contemplating resilience.
What kind of jugs?
For storage, can you use plastic 1 gallon milk containers, or does it need to be glass?
I think plastic milk jugs
are not sturdy enough for this purpose. Something that will hold up a bit better is plastic vinegar bottles...what I use though is old laundry soap jugs, saved from when I used to buy the stuff. Or acquired in between batches.
Personally I wouldn't use glass, too heavy and I am clumsy.
Since you're not drinking the soap, it can be stored safely in plastic!
What is "washing soda"?
I know Google is my friend, so I'm going to go look, but thought others might not know either.
EDIT: So very cool! Can make your own by baking baking soda. Look here: http://naturesnurtureblog.com/ttt-turn-baking-soda-into-washing-soda/
I just buy Arm & Hammer
SUper Washing Soda in the big yellow box. KEeps forever, like the other ingredients, so once you've got some you can make laundry detergent for years.
I'll go look at the link, though. More resilience is better. I'm looking for a source of Hydrogen so I can build my own universe from SCRATCH!
Wool dryer balls
My family has scent allergies to the perfumes used in dryer sheets - and even the unscented sheets are too pricey and don't smell that great. So I have been using two NaturOli jumbo wool dryer balls. They are 4 in in diameter, and thump around in the dryer, keeping the towels and clothes soft, and they actually help cut down drying time.
I also buy NaturOli soapnuts for my wash. They work just fine on loads that are not super dirty.
Thank you for the laundry detergent recipes, I've been meaning to try something along those lines.
Homemade Wool Dryer Balls
Homemade Wool Dryer Balls
Supplies
•One skein (120 yards) of 100% wool roving yarn •Crochet hook
•One knee-high or pair of pantyhose (No need to buy new, use an old pair!)
•Scissors
Instructions
1.Start your first wool dryer ball by wrapping the yarn around a couple of fingers 10 times.
2.Remove the yarn from your fingers and wrap about 10 times around the middle.
3.Continue wrapping around the ball from every angle. Make your way around the ball, wrapping 5-10 times before moving to a new angle. (There's no exact science to this. Just keep trying to form a round ball.) Wrap the yarn tightly and hang onto your ball so it doesn't pop out of your hands.
4.When your ball is a little bigger than a tennis ball, cut the yarn and pull the end through the ball with your crochet hook.
5.Repeat Steps 1-4 to make a second wool dryer ball with the remainder of your yarn.
6.Place your wool balls in your pantyhose, knotting the pantyhose between the balls.
7.Run your wool dryer balls through your washer and dryer with separate loads of laundry until they "felt" and become solid balls. Could take three or four cycles.
8.Remove balls from pantyhose and use in the dryer in place of dryer sheets.
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That sounds great. Two minutes ago, I had
never heard of wool dryer balls, and now I know how to make them.
"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X
Me, too and if you want to add fragrance get some natural
oils like lavender and dot the balls with it...not too much...laundry smells great!
Lavender is great for sheets and pillowcases,
blankets, pajamas and all things associated with bed time. The fragrance promotes relaxation and helps one sleep.
Please help the Resilience Resource Library grow by adding your links.
First Nations News
TY, 42, have a great day!
Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.
Bacterial resistance to LOW levels of tea tree oil?
I saw a research article not too long ago saying that regular use of products with tea tree oil can actually lead to resistant bacteria. Maybe we should save it/them for treating problems? There are beneficial, protective bacteria on our skin, too, not just in our gut.
and in our septic tank.
I'll try to remember not to let any Tea Tree oil head in that direction.
"I’m a human being, first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.” —Malcolm X
I use Neem oil for aphids, spider mites and gnats
The oil doesn't effect bacteria, it distrupts the insect digestive and/or reproductive systems.
Neem Oil
The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. - Friedrich Nietzsche -
Oh yes, tim, neem oil is a very good thing. My word, is there
nothing you don't know? :=) A walking encyclopedia! Thanks, mate.
Resilience: practical action to improve things we can control.
3D+: developing language for postmodern spirituality.