Save Zillions On Cleaning Products

ceridwen

Probably sounds like a bit of a daft question - but does one still need rubber gloves when using homemade cleaning products?

I've automatically put them on in the past for cleaning of any description - because of the harsh chemicals in the products obviously about to dry out my already dry skin on hands. But now that its vinegar/bicarb of soda/etc - do I still need to spend out for these gloves?

purpleivy

I use gloves as I find that my hands get very dry... more importantly my nails get wrecked!

lestinch

Well.

I've become a bit obsessed!!!!!

I went out, bought borax, bicarb, stardrops & loads of other stuff!!!! Tried making shower gloop and it's full of lumps and looks quite scary so think I might try that one again!

Washing gloop - I'm finding that no matter how little I use (I'm using it in the drum not the drawer) I'm ending up with white stains on dark clothes, like when you use too much powder? I don't think it would help putting it into the drawer as my wahing machine is cold water only??
Maybe I could try warming it up first so it's 'runnier'? I wash mainly on 30 by the way.

I did try to buy citric acid - NO. Not one single place I tried sells it, including 3 different named chemists. Ended up buying off Ebay of all places.

I'm definitely loving this homemade stuff though, I highly recommend this site http://www.makeyourcosmetics.com/ it's full of brilliant stuff!!!!!

amanndajane

lestinch wrote: »

Well.

I've become a bit obsessed!!!!!

I went out, bought borax, bicarb, stardrops & loads of other stuff!!!! Tried making shower gloop and it's full of lumps and looks quite scary so think I might try that one again!

Washing gloop - I'm finding that no matter how little I use (I'm using it in the drum not the drawer) I'm ending up with white stains on dark clothes, like when you use too much powder? I don't think it would help putting it into the drawer as my wahing machine is cold water only??
Maybe I could try warming it up first so it's 'runnier'? I wash mainly on 30 by the way.

I did try to buy citric acid - NO. Not one single place I tried sells it, including 3 different named chemists. Ended up buying off Ebay of all places.

I'm definitely loving this homemade stuff though, I highly recommend this site http://www.makeyourcosmetics.com/ it's full of brilliant stuff!!!!!

Hi lestinch, i found citric acid in wilkinsons in the home brew section, tiny little pot for about 50p i think !! hope that helps

Emmy_L

Hi,wondered if someone could help?
I keep reading that you are supposed to put vinegar in the FINAL rinse of a wash...can I not put it in from the start?
seems a bit of a time waster that I have to wait around for the final rinse to start just to add vinegar IYKWIM???
Please help!!!:o

Bollards

Emmy_L wrote: »

Hi,wondered if someone could help?
I keep reading that you are supposed to put vinegar in the FINAL rinse of a wash...can I not put it in from the start?
seems a bit of a time waster that I have to wait around for the final rinse to start just to add vinegar IYKWIM???
Please help!!!:o

Hi,
I just put it in the softener draw of my machine when I put the washing liquid in the other section at the beginning of the wash and it hangs around in there until the machine starts rinsing. I'm not sure how many times my machine actually rinses, but I'm getting the results using it that way so I'm happy and I don't get any vinegary smell lingering in the clothes. I basically use it in the same way as I'd use softener and I've always put it in the softener draw at the beginning of the wash.
HTH :cheesy:

Emmy_L

That helps a lot!thank you!
I had visions of having to wait around for the rinse cycle every time I did a wash!LOL!

bonsibabe

Ok.

I've tried to make softener from vinegar, bicarb <?> & water. I used (as recommended earlier in this post) 2 parts vinegar, 2 parts bicarb & 4 parts water. I used cups for it all, figured I'd keep it simple, but now I have a bottle full of water & vinegar with about 2 inches of bicarb in the bottom.:mad:

What's gone wrong!?!?!?! I'm assuming I've added too much bicarb but I only followed the instructions?

I did this and found that i just had to give the bottle a good shaking before i put the softener in the machine - it does work!!!

Michelden_2

Help my old tom cat has taken to weeing indoors:eek: and even though we have a lovely big litter tray placed in a nice private place for him he still prefers the carpet in the bathroom or, worse still, my OH's trainers . How can I get rid of the smell (of cat wee not OH's trainers's lol).

Olliebeak

It's very difficult to stop a cat from weeing somewhere once they get into the habit of using a particular place - as they will return to the spot afterwards - even when we can no longer detect an odour (their sense of smell is far more sensitive than ours).

Do you think that the cat could have a urinary tract infection and maybe getting 'caught short' and having to use whatever is nearest? Has something 'different' happened in the home recently - sometimes things feel disruptive to cats and they start to behave 'out of character'. Years ago, my cat loved the grandkids, now he runs away and hides whenever they enter the house - he's getting much older and finds them too boisterous. They arrive on roller skates (or scooters) and seem to burst into the house. Poor Tiggy-tiger takes one look and vanishes - often to be found hiding inside the sliding door of the single divan base for peace.

Personally, I would get rid of the carpet in the bathroom and replace with tiles/cushionfloor (I've got 2 young grandsons, an OH and two adult sons who can't aim straight anyway!). Much easier to clean and disinfect than carpet.

Regarding your OH's trainers - that'll teach him to put them away somewhere that the cat can't get at them.

My cat has one of those litter trays with a little swing door on it but occasionally if the kitchen door is closed he'll look around for anything that is 'box shaped' and jump in it and use as a litter tray - grandchildren's boxedgame lids (!) and even the bath on occasion (when hiding upstairs) and has become a very clever boy at peeing exactly down the plug hole - wish the males around here were as good at aiming!!! Easily sorted with scalding water, bleach and disinfectant.