Chemical free cleaning - ideas please!!

annaangeluk_2

I've recently decided to "go green" and get rid of all chemical cleaners etc for my house.

my daughter and I both have allergies and I have asthma and the products I used to use seem to aggrevate these so I'm looking for natural alternatives.

I have a steam cleaner (which I'm addicted to using!! Love it!:rotfl: ) but I don't feel my house is as clean as it was!

i'd love some ideas / recipes for air freshners, worktop cleaners etc. And what the hell is borax and where would i get it from?!

Thanks in advance!

Stacey

noonesperfect

I think you would find borax in an old-fashioned ironmongers if there's such a place near you - not sure otherwise!

Have you heard of soap nuts? I understand you can make a liquid cleaner from them by boiling with water for ten minutes.

lil_me

Borax - Some Wilkinsons, Ebay (careful some sellers are V expensive) www.summernaturals.co.uk (do I think every 'green' cleaning stuff)

http://www.wen.org.uk/health/Reports/Household_cleaning_factsheet.pdf might help sme good tips

TomsMom

On Kim & Aggie's programme tonight they needed to use a chemical free cleaner as the lady had asthma. They made up a solution for a kitchen cleaner (anti-bac) and they dissolved two desertspoons (or was it tablespoons??) of bicarbonate of soda in water (I use cooled boiled water) and added 15 drops of lavendar oil and put it in a normal squirty bottle.

ceridwen

theres some natural cleaning recipes on what I call the "hillbilly websites" - look up thread on "Could you be a Hillbilly Housewife" on this forum. eg
www.hillbillyhousewife.com

celyn90

Sometimes smaller branches of boots sell domestic borax (sodium borate) but it isn't as easy to get hold of as it used to be. You can also buy it from companies specialising in metal work but they may well not sell you the quantity you need (as it's used as flux when you solder certain types of metal). Wear gloves when using it as it can irritate the skin.

(as an aside, we used to mix PVA glue with a couple of drops of glycerine, a couple of drops of food colouring then slosh borax solution over it - then you get silly putty (wash it before playing with it as borax is an irritant) The more glycerine you add the slimier it gets )

loopylou1982

hi on anthea turners perfect housewife last night she done a air freshner - two cups of water a tablespoon of bicar of soda a tablespoon of lemon juice and a few drops of your favourite essential oil put this mixture into one of those spray water bottles and apparently you have air freshner.

carlih1

In the 'Anthea Turner Perfect Housewife' book there are loads of recipies i will have a look at it for you over the weekend and post. She also reccomends using borax of which i bought out of boots for a couple of pounds!

I'm sure the Kim and Aggie book may have ideas they are always using 'alterntives to chemical cleaners'

Carls x

redsquirrel80

I clean most kitchen and bathroom surfaces with a spray bottle full of a mixture of Ecover washing up liquid, vinegar, water and tea tree oil. Also find lemon juice (or rubbing a bit of lemon on it) really good for greasy surfaces like the hob.

moanymoany

Home Made Scouring Powder
1 cup baking soda
1 cup borax
1 cup salt

Home made Dish Detergent (for the dishwasher)
1 Tbsp. Borax
1 Tbsp. Baking Soda

Home Made rug cleaner
1/4 cup detergent or soap (example: Tide)
2 Tbsp. Vinegar
1 pint warm water

Beat until forms stiff foam (I use my Kitchen Aid Mixer). Using a stiff brush brush on carpet, let dry, then vacuum.

Glass Cleaner
1 Quart water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp vinegar

All Purpose Cleaner
1 tsp Borax
1/2 tsp washing soda
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup hot water

Home Made Pre-Treating Stain Remover
1/2 cup ammonia
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
2 Tbsp liquid soap
2 quarts water

Enjoy!!

The first list.

moanymoany

How to Make Your Own Cleaning Solutions

This article will show you how to make your own cleaning solutions, for cleaning everything in your house. With the below homemade cleaning products, you can disinfect, shine, and clean your home, while saving money. ;-)

What you'll need

• White vinegar
• Water
• Surgical spirit - Americans call this rubbing alcohol
• Baking soda
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Liquid bleach
• Three clean, empty, spray bottles
• A sealable container (this container only needs to be able to fit a couple of cups of liquid in it, hence, can be small.)

For cleaning surfaces and tiles (non-wood surfaces)
Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 1 cup of water, and put into a spray bottle. Label that bottle "all purpose cleaner". I USE THIS ALL THE TIME

For polishing wood surfaces and furniture
Mix 1 cup of olive oil with 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Keep in a sealed container, labelled "furniture polish".

For cleaning the toilets
Fill a spray bottle with undiluted white vinegar, and label it "toilet bowl cleaner". THIS WORKS

For cleaning sinks and tubs
Use baking soda as a scouring powder. For hard to clean sinks and tubs, add a little bit of water to some baking soda, to form a paste. Paint the paste onto the area you need to clean, and let sit for a half hour, and then scrub it off, and re-scour with dry baking soda. THIS WORKS

For cleaning mirrors, TV/computer screens, and glass
Mix together 1 cup of SURGICAL SPIRIT, 1 cup of water, and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Pour into a spray bottle, and label it "glass cleaner".

For scrubbing hard floors
Fill mop bucket with steaming hot water, and add some liquid bleach. Read the dilution instructions on your bottle of bleach, to find out how much bleach to put into the bucket. (When you mop, open a few windows, to limit bleach fumes.) THIS WORKS

For spot-cleaning carpets
Pour some undiluted rubbing alcohol on the spot, and rub with a washcloth.

Using just the above, you now have all the cleaning solutions you need, to clean your whole house.


The second list. This is from myblessed home website. The address in on Hillbilly housewife.