The Department of Environmental Protection suggests making your own "green cleaners". By doing so, you could eliminate synthetic chemical products contained in most commercial products.
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER: 1/2 teaspoon sodium carbonate (soda ash), a dab of liquid soap, 2 cups hot water Combine in a spray bottle: shake until all powder is dissolved. Apply and wipe off residue with a rag or sponge.
GLASS CLEANER: 1 gallon water, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon liquid dish detergent. To go even more green, use wadded up newspaper to wipe up the cleaner.
FURNITURE POLISH: 1 cup vegetable or olive oil, 1/2 cup lemon juice Mix in spray bottle: shake well, apply small amount to a cloth. Recycle cloths by using those mis-matched socks that the dryer eats one of a pair. Or use old t-shirts cut up into small pieces.
DRAIN CLEANER: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar (white). Cover the drain and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Flush with hot water. Your drains really smell clean after this procedures.
MICROFIBER CLOTHS: Cloths made of microfiber completely remove dust and, when used alone or with a little water, do not leave a chemical film or streaks behind. You can clean and polish the surface in one action picking up over 97 percent of the dust and other materials containing microbes, pollen, and mold. Prolong the life of your microfiber by rinsing in water or washing in regular soap. Don't use oily, self-softening or powdered detergents, which reduce the effectiveness of the cloth.
DISHWASHER CLEANER: When brown stain buildup overwhelms you, use Tang drink mix in the soap dispenser. Run the dishwasher on hot, and check during the rinse cycle. You may have to add some more. A cheaper solution is to use any inexpensive instant lemonade powder. Just check the label and make sure the ingredients are the same or similar to Tang. The acidic omponent of citrus breaks down those brown stain deposits on the walls.
SPOTTED HARD WATER MARKS ON GLASSWARE: Use white vinegar, and wipe the spotted surface.
SANITIZING SPONGES; Soak in white vinegar for about 5 minutes. After removing sponge, leave the bowl/container with the white vinegar on the counter to absorb kitchen odors.
TUB AND TILE SURFACES: Mix 1 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup baking soda and 2 tablespoons of chemical-free dishwashing liquid (such as Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid. ) This very foamy concoction is great for washing out a litter box, as well as tub and tile surfaces. Plus, its bleaching qualities whiten gross grout.
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER # 2: Combine 1 quart of white vinegar with 1 tablespoon of whole cloves. Let sit overnight. Use as often as needed for cleaning hard surfaces. Cloves act as a natural antibacterial.
TECH EQUIPMENT: You don't have to overspend on cleaning products as most devices can be cleaned with common household ingredients. Eyeglass cleaning wipes are cheap and contain rubbing alcohol for sanitizing, which makes them great for your cellphone keyboard, headphone and monitor cleaning Use compressed air to clean your computer keyboard.
EARBUDS: Earwax can interfere with the sound quality of your earbuds. Clean them when ever you see the buildup. If you are able to remove the plastic bud, you can get a more complete clean inside the 'canal' with a cotton swab. If the gunk is particularly resistant to cleaning efforts, the detached buds--not the actual speakers--can be given a soak in a light mix of water and dish soap.
HOMEMADE BUG SPRAY: From the annals of Sierra Club: Mix witch hazel, citronella oil, and eucalyptus oil. Pour 1.5 ounces of witch hazel into a 2 ounce pump-spray bottle. Add 10 - 20 drops of citronella oil, and 10 - 20 drops of eucalyptus oil. Shake vigorously. Try the mixture, adding the citronella and eucalyptus by 10 drops at a time, until you get an effective spray for your body. The mixture has proved to be an effective repellent that required less frequent application than Buzz Away or Badger. Start out with the 10 - 20 drops as a precaution, since even natural ingredients can irritate or be poisonous. Err on the side of using too little until you reach your satisfaction level.
WEED KILLER; Pour white vinegar into a spray bottle, and spritz all those unwanted weeds in your yard.
DUSTING BLINDS: CLose them, then wipe up and down with an old dryer sheet. It'll create an antistatic barrier that helps prevent dust from building up again.
CLEANING GLASS,MIRRORS, CAR WINDOWS: Use coffee filters, not paper towels. They leave no streaks or lint--and they're cheap.
BATHROOM DEODORIZER: Vinegar and water is great for musty smells. Spray your shower down as you're getting out. It really absorbs the odors, and the smell of vinegar goes away in an hour.
OVEN CLEANERS: A wet pumice stone will clean a dirty oven faster than any spray-on product.
GLASS TOP STOVES: A powdered product called Bar Keepers Friend has rhubarb powder as an active ingredient. It cuts thru grit and grime and can be used on glass-top stoves, counters, toliets, porcelain.
MICROWAVE OVENS: Microwave a cup of water with some baking soda in it until it's boiling. It eliminates odors and makes it super easy to wipe away all that stuck-on stuff.
BATHROOM TILES: Use lemon oil, and they will shine. It also helps prevent mold and mildew.
TOLIET RINGS: Drop in a bubbling denture tablet and leave it for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Swish with your brush, and the stain will come off.
MOUTHWASH: Into warm seasalt water, mix a few drops of clove or mint oil. Shake well, and then swish in your mouth. Quite refreshing.
FINGERPRINTS: The old stand-by, Windex, or your own glass cleaner works well. Something about the mixture of elements gets rid of sticky prints.
CALENDULA OIL FOR WHAT AILS YOU; Calendula was once considered a magical plant. Long ago people blamed evil spirits for infections, and since the herb sped healing, they believed it offered protection from dark influences! .If you cut your finger, wash the wound, pour a half teaspoon of calendula tincture (available at health food stores) into a bowl of warm water, and soak your cut for ten minutes. You can use calendula as a mouthwash (a half teaspoon of tincture in a cup of water). Calendula treats bleeding gums, gingivitis, and oral ulcers. Steeped as a tea, it soothes conditions like gastritis, gastroenteritis, and candida overgrowth. It also can ease congestion in the lymphatic system. Its hormone-balancing properties may help curb hot flashes and conditions like heavy periods. Because of its antiviral attributes, calendula tea can help fight off a cold or flu. To make a rub to treat eczema, bug bites, dry skin and more, utilize the following recipie. BALM FOR SKIN: Place 1 cup of coconut oil in the top of a double boiler and heat gently until the oil turns to liquid. Then, add 2 cups of dried organic calendula petals, making sure they are submerged. Cover and simmer 6 hours, or until the oil turns orange. Then, using a piece of muslin to catch the leaves, strain oil into a glass jar, squeezing the fabric to get every last drop. Close tightly. Coconut oil solidifies at 76 degrees, so when it cools it will be a balm. Run the tightly closed jar under warm water for an oil. Refrigerated the balm will keep for one year.
SUN DAMAGE: After you've been soaking up the rays, make sure you feed your skin. Your diet utilizing citrus fruits and veggies like carrots, have carotenoids and flavonoids that help protect skin from damaging rays. Sneak them in where you can, and add a slice of lemon to your cold drinks and carrots to your salads.
DILL FACE WASH: Dill has beneficial pproperties that protect against free radicals and bacteria. For a moisturizing cleanser, combine it with naturally exfoliating milk and calming aloe. The milk and dill rid the skin of dead cells. Cut fresh aloe lengthwise down the middle and scoop out 1 tsp gel (or use store-bought pure gel). In a small bowl, combine aloe with 1/2 cup milk and 1 tsp. freshly chopped dill. Stir until smooth. Massage mixture on damp skin for a full minute and rinse with warm, then cold, water. Pat dry.
HEADACHE: Chew on some fresh dill. It is a long-used herbal remedy
Bugs Be Gone!!! Forget those expensive bug zappers and pesticides. Hang a fabric softener sheet adjacent to-but not touching- outdoor light fixtures to keep flying insects like mosquitoes and moths away. They hate the scents generated when the softener sheets are heated.
Cover up Weeds: Save money on weed killers by spreading several layers of newspaper on the soil before mulching over them in the garden. This blocks weeds from growing, and it helps retain moisture, so you save even more by needing to water plants less.
And, avoid expensive and toxic weed killers by dousing weeds with scalding water left over after boiling potatoes or pasta. Also, most weeds can be killed with an inexpensive and eco-friendly spray made from 1 gallon of white distilled vinegar mixed with 1 ounce of liquid dish soap.
