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Going Green
Going Green
Green & Clean
Here's a collection of my favorite natural
cleaning formulas, concoctions.
Used individually or combined, these
cleaners are safe, effective and cost-efficient.
MOST are safe and nontoxic, with a few
exceptions which are noted.
Use the ingredients listed below when
making your own alternative cleaners, most
of them are inexpensive and you probably
already have many of them in your kitchen
cabinets. You can find them at your local
supermarket, natural food store or drugstore.
BAKING SODA (sodium bicarbonate): An
all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. Cleans,
deodorizes, removes stains and softens
fabrics.
BORAX (sodium borate): A natural mineral
that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to
bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains and
boosts the cleaning power of soap. Please
note safety precautions at the bottom of this
page.
CASTILE ( a hard soap made from olive oil
and caustic soda) and VEGETABLE OIL
BASED SOAPS:
Cleans everything
CORNSTARCH:
Starches clothes, absorbs oil and grease
HERBS and ESSENTIAL OILS:
For disinfecting and fragrance
LEMON JUICE:
Cuts through grease and removes
perspiration and other stains from clothing.A
bleach alternative.
SALT (sodium chloride): An abrasive
TOOTHPASTE A mild abrasive
VINEGAR (acetic acid): Cuts grease, removes
stains and is an excellent water softener.
WASHING SODA (sodium carbonate):
Cleans clothes, softens water, cuts grease
and disinfects. Increases the cleaning power
of soap.
Hints:
To save time and money, make your
cleaners in advance and buy the ingredients
in bulk for cost savings and to avoid excess
packaging..
Make large batches of the recipes and store
them in reusable airtight plastic containers
and spray bottles. Using a pretty spray bottle
or container makes cleaning days more fun
and pleasant.
Label all of your ingredients and keep them
out of reach of children. While most of these
all natural cleaners are not poisonous, some
can be harmful or even fatal if swallowed by
children or pets. See specific safety
precautions at the bottom of this page.
Add your favorite essential oils or herbs to
any of these formulas for fragrance
Air Fresheners - Deodorizers:
1) Place cloves, cinnamon sticks, allspice or
other favorite scented spice in a pot of water ,
simmer for 1-2 hours
2) Put a few slices of leftover orange or
lemon rinds in a pot of water, simmer for 1-2
hours
3) Place baking soda in an open container of
your choice. Good for closets, refrigerators
and other small enclosed spaces
4) 2-3 slices of white bread absorbs
refrigerator odors
5) Place lemon slices in an open bowl in the
kitchen
6) Lemon and baking soda spray:
Dissolve baking soda in 2 cups hot water,
add lemon juice, pour into spray bottle, spray
into air as air freshener
7) Place unscented kitty litter placed in bowls
to absorb room odors
8) Vinegar in a cup or bowl rids rooms of
odors
9) Charcoal placed in a bowl rids rooms of
odors
10) Simply light a match for a few moments
or burn a candle (scented or unscented). The
flame from either will "eat-up" bad smelling
gases in the air
11) Pour vanilla extract into a shallow dish
and set in an out of the way place
12) Spin-Fresh Bathroom Deodorizer
Add a couple of drops of your favorite
essential oil to the inside of the cardboard
toilet tissue roll. With each turn, fragrance is
released into the room.
All Purpose Cleaners:
1) Vinegar and Salt. Mix together for a good
surface cleaner.
2) Baking Soda. Dissolve 4 tablespoons
baking soda in 1 quart warm water for a
general cleaner.
3) Baking soda on a damp sponge. Baking
soda cleans and deodorizes all kitchen and
bathroom surfaces.
4) Use liquid castile soap and baking soda
or Borax in different ratios. Use a little soap
and soda-borax with lots of water on floors,
walls and counters. Use more soap, soda -
Borax for tubs sinks, cat boxes, anything that
can be well rinsed.
5) For a general, all-purpose cleaner, try a
paste made from baking soda and water or
mix salt and water with a little vinegar.
6) 3 tbsp. vinegar, 1/2 tsp. washing soda, 1/2
tsp. vegetable oil based liquid soap, 2 cups
hot water. Mix ingredients in spray bottle or
bucket. Apply and wipe clean.
Disinfectants:
1) Regular cleaning with plain soap and hot
water will kill some bacteria.
2) Borax has long been recognized for its
disinfectant and deodorizing properties. Mix
1/2 cup Borax into 1 gallon hot water or
undiluted vinegar and clean with this solution.
3) Mix a half-cup of borax with 1 gallon hot
water. Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme,
rosemary or lavender. Steep for 10 minutes,
strain and cool. Or add essential fragrant oils
instead of fresh herbs. Store in a plastic
spray bottle.
4) 2 tablespoons borax, 1/4 cup lemon juice,
2 cups hot water. Combine the borax and
lemon juice with the water in a spray bottle.
Use as you would any commercial
all-purpose cleaner.
5) Isopropyl Alcohol is an excellent
disinfectant. Sponge on and allow todry. Use
in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves.
Glass Cleaners:
Windows and Mirrors:
1) Use undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle or
2) Equal parts vinegar and water in a spray
bottle or
3) 1/2 lemon juice and 2 cups water in a
spray bottle or
4) 1/2 cup vinegar or lemon juice, 2 cups
water, 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil based
soap (such as Murphy's Oil Soap)
5) Mix 1/2 cup cornstarch with 2 quarts warm
water. Apply with sponge then wipe with
absorbent cloth or towel. Do not wash
windows or glass when sun is on them or if
they are warm. This causes the solution to
dry too quickly creating unwanted streaks.
6) No-Streak Glass Cleaner: 1/4 cup white
vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 quart
warm water
Mix the ingredients and apply with a sponge
or pour into spray bottle and spray on. Wipe
dry with crumpled newspaper, buff to a shine.
(Use crumpled newspaper instead of paper
towels for lint-free results.
7) Rubbing alcohol is effective in place of
glass cleaner.
Scouring Powders:
1) Use a non-chlorine scouring powder such
as Bon Ami
2) Baking Soda or Dry Table Salt. These are
mild abrasives and can be used as an
alternative to chlorine scouring powders.
Simply put either baking soda or salt on a
sponge or the surface, scour and rinse.
Non-Abrasive Soft Scrubber:
1/4 cup borax
Vegetable-oil based liquid soap (such as
Murphys Oil Soap)
1/2 teaspoon lemon oil
In a bowl, mix the borax with enough soap to
form a creamy paste. Add lemon oil and
blend well. Scoop a small amount of the
mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface,
then rinse well.
Bathroom Cleaners:
Toilet Bowl Cleaners:
1) Baking Soda and Vinegar: Sprinkle baking
soda into the bowl, then squirt with vinegar
and scour with a toilet brush. Cleans and
deodorizes.
2) Borax and Lemon Juice. For removing a
stubborn stain, like toilet bowl ring, mix
enough borax and lemon juice into a paste
cover the ring. Flush toilet to wet the sides,
then rub on paste. Let sit for 2 hours and
scrub thoroughly. For less stubborn toilet
bowl rings, sprinkle baking soda around the
rim and scrub with a toilet brush.
3)1 cup borax, 1/2 cup white vinegar. Flush to
wet the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle the borax
around the toilet bowl, then spray with
vinegar. Leave for several hours or overnight
before scrubbing with a toilet brush.
4) Denture tablets are an excellent substitute
for toilet cleaner. Drop two tablets into the
bowl and clean as you would with toilet
cleaner.
5) Liquid castile soap and baking soda or
Borax, scrub with a toilet brush.
Drain Cleaner:
For slow drains, use this drain cleaner once
a week to keep drains fresh and clog-free.
1/2 cup baking soda
1 cup white vinegar
1 gallon boiling water
1/2 a used lemon
Pour baking soda down drain - disposal,
followed by vinegar. Allow the mixture to foam
for several minutes before flushing the drain
with boiling water.
Tub And Tile Cleaners:
1) Baking Soda. Sprinkle baking soda like
you would scouring powder. Rub with a
damp sponge. Rinse thoroughly.
2) Vinegar and Baking Soda. To remove film
buildup on bathtubs, apply vinegar
full-strength to a sponge and wipe. Next, use
baking soda as you would scouring powder.
Rub with a damp sponge and rinse
thoroughly with clean water.
3) Vinegar. Vinegar removes most dirt
without scrubbing and doesn't leave a film.
Use 1/4 cup (or more) vinegar to 1 gallon
water.
4) Baking Soda. To clean grout, put 3 cups
baking soda into a medium-sized bowl and
add 1 cup warm water. Mix into a smooth
paste and scrub into grout with a sponge or
toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly and dispose of
leftover paste when finished.
5) Rub the area to be cleaned with half a
lemon dipped in borax. Rinse well, and dry
with soft cloth.
Porcelain Cleaner:
Cream of Tartar. To clean porcelain surfaces,
rub with cream of tartar sprinkled on a damp
cloth.
Plumbing Fixtures:
1) To clean stainless steel, chrome,
fiberglass, ceramic, porcelain or enamel
fixtures, dissolve 2 tbsp baking soda in 1 qt
of water. Wipe on fixtures then rinse.
2) Vinegar and Paper Towels. Hard lime
deposits around faucets can be softened for
easy removal by covering the deposits with
vinegar-soaked paper towels. Leave the
paper towels on for about one hour before
cleaning. Leaves chrome clean and shiny.
Shower Heads:
1) Metal Shower Heads:
To remove deposits which may be clogging
your metal shower head, combine 1/2 cup
white vinegar and one quart water. Then
completely submerge the shower head and
boil 15 minutes.
2) Plastic Shower Heads:
Combine 1 pint white vinegar and 1 pint hot
water. Completely submerge the shower
head and soak for about one hour.
Rust Stain and Hard Water Deposit
Remover:
Apply full-strength vinegar or lemon juice and
let stand until spot disappears, rinse. Repeat
if necessary.
Mildew Remover:
Dissolve half-cup vinegar with half-cup borax
in warm water.
Lime Deposits:
White vinegar
Kitchen Cleaners:
Oven Cleaners:
1) The first step is prevention. Put a sheet of
aluminum foil on the floor of the oven,
underneath but not touching the heating
element.
2) Clean up the spill as soon as it occurs.
3) While the oven is still warm, sprinkle salt
or baking soda on the spill. If the spill is
completely dry, wet the spill lightly before
sprinkling on salt. When the oven cools,
scrape away the spill and wash the area
clean.
4) Baking soda, water; salt; vegetable
oil-based liquid soap. Sprinkle water on oven
bottom. Cover with baking soda. Let sit
overnight. Wipe off and apply liquid soap with
scouring pad. Rinse.
5) Retard grease buildup in your oven by
dampening your cleaning rag in vinegar and
water before wiping out your oven.
6) Sprinkle - spray water followed by a layer
of baking soda. Rub gently with a very fine
steel wool pad for tough spots. Wipe off
scum with dry paper towels or sponge. Rinse
well and wipe dry.
7) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil-based liquid
soap, 2 tablespoons borax: Mix the soap and
borax in a spray bottle. Fill the bottle with hot
water and shake well. Spray on oven and
leave for 20 minutes. Scrub off.
8) LAST RESORT ONLY: Fill a small glass
bowl with 1/2 cup full-strength ammonia,
place in oven and close. Let stand overnight,
then wipe loosened dirt with paper towels or
newspapers. If necessary, rub surfaces with
an abrasive, such as fine steel wool, then
wash with warm soapy water and rinse.
Repeat process if necessary. Provide plenty
of fresh air and wear gloves.
Refrigerators:
1) To clean exterior and interior walls,
dissolve 2 tbs. baking soda in 1 qt warm
water and wipe all surfaces. For stubborn
spots, rub with baking soda paste. Be sure to
rinse with a clean, wet cloth. (This works well
on other enamel-finished appliances as
well.)
2) To clean interior fixtures, such as
vegetable bins and shelves, wash in hot
soapy water, rinse well and dry.
Counter Tops - Kitchen Surfaces:
Fragrant Kitchen Rinse
Use any of the following essential oils, alone
or in a combination pleasing to you. Add 4
drops of oil to each pint of water. Pour into a
spray bottle, store away cool dark place. Use
as a final rinse after cleaning kitchen
surfaces.
Eucalyptus
Pine
Lavender
Cypress
Lemon
Lemon grass
Lime
Thyme
Grapefruit
Orange
Wintergreen
Rosemary
Sage
Pots and Pans:
1) Burned, and crusted on foods; Soak or boil
a solution of 2 tbs. baking soda per qt of
water in each pan. Let stand until particles
are loosened, then wash as usual. Use a
mild or moderate abrasive if necessary.
2) To clean a greasy pan easily, add 1 or 2
teaspoons of baking soda to the water in
which it is soaking.
Copper pan cleaner:
Sprinkle surface of pans with coarse salt.
Rub salt into stains with the cut half of a fresh
lemon.
No-Stick Cookware:
To remove stains from non-stick surfaces,
pour a solution of 1 cup water, 2 tbs. baking
soda into a pan, simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Do
not allow mixture to boil or to boil over the
side of the pan. Wash in hot soapy water,
rinse and dry. Apply a light coating of cooking
oil.
Baking Dishes - Enamel, Ceramic or Glass:
Soak in hot soapy water, then scour with salt
or baking soda and rinse thoroughly.
Dishes:
1) Use liquid or powdered soap instead of
detergents - which are petroleum-based. In
dishwashers, use equal parts borax and
washing soda.
2) Use Baking soda and liquid soap
Drinking Glasses:
1) Occasionally soak drinking glasses in a
solution of vinegar and water to really get
them clean. Makes them sparkle!
2) When a quick dip for crystal glassware is
needed, prepare a solution of baking soda in
tepid-cool water (l level teaspoon to a quart)
and brush with a soft toothbrush. Very good
for glass coffee makers and thermos jugs
too.
Spot-free Dishwasher Rinse:
Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse
compartment of your automatic dishwasher.
Wash dishes as usual.
Coffee - Tea Stains:
To remove coffee stains from cups or
counters, rub with baking soda paste.
Drain Opener and Garbage Disposal
Cleaner:
For slow drains, use this drain cleaner once
a week to keep drains fresh and clog-free.
1/2 to 1 cup baking soda
1 cup white vinegar
1 gallon boiling water
1/2 a used lemon
Pour baking soda down drain - disposal,
followed by vinegar. Allow the mixture to foam
for several minutes before flushing the drain
with boiling water.
Garbage Disposal:
To eliminate garbage disposal odors and
clean and sharpen blades, grind ice and
used lemon and/or orange rinds until
pulverized.
Kitchen Safety: Fire
1) Emergency fire extinguisher: if a greasy
pan catches on fire, turn the heat off and try to
cover the pan. Sprinkle powdered baking
soda over the fire. (Fill a large coffee can with
baking soda and keep it near the stove.
2) An oven fire is easily extinguished by
closing the door after shutting off the heat.)
Carpets - Upholstery:
1) A great non-toxic carpet stain remover is
club soda. Soak spot immediately with soda
and blot until the stain is gone.
2) Pet Urine on Carpets: Dab area with
toweling to absorb as much as possible,
wash spot with liquid dish detergent, and
rinse with 1/2 cup vinegar diluted in 1 qt
warm water. Lay towels or paper towels over
the spot and weight down to absorb excess
moisture. Let stand 4 to 6 hours, then
remove toweling, brush up nap and allow to
dry completely. Use an electric fan to speed
drying.
3) Red wine stains can be removed from
carpet by rubbing baking soda in and
vacuum.
4) Sprinkle cornstarch onto carpet, vacuum.
5) To remove grease spots from carpets, first
sop up the liquid with a sponge, then rub a
liberal amount of baking soda into the spot.
Let it absorb overnight. Next day, remove the
excess and vacuum the area.
6) To remove grease spots from carpets, first
absorb excess with a sponge, then rub a
liberal amount of corn starch into the spot.
Let sit overnight, then vacuum.
7) Dry cornstarch sprinkled on rug and
vacuumed.
8) Carpet Fresher
4 cups baking soda or cornstarch
35 drops Eucalyptus essential oil
30 drops Lavender essential oil
25 drops Rosewood essential oil
or any combination of your favorite essentail
oils
Measure 4 cups of baking soda into a bowl,
add essential oils. Break up any clumps that
form, stir until well mixed. Before vacuuming
sprinkle powder from a shaker type can or
jar( reuse cleaned plastic or glass-recycled)
jars. Let it sit on the carpet for about 15
minutes then vacuum.
9) Herbal Carpet Freshener
1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup lavender flowers
Crush the lavender flowers to release their
scent. Mix well with baking soda and sprinkle
liberally on carpets. Vacuum after 30 minutes.
10) Sprinkle baking soda on carpets before
vacuuming for a natural rug deodorizer
Furniture Polish and Scratch Covers:
1) This polish should to be made fresh each
time you use it.
1 lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon water
Extract the juice from the lemon. Mix with oil
and water.
Apply a thin coat on your wood surface and
let sit for five minutes. Use a soft cloth to buff
to a deep shine.
2) Use 3 parts light mineral oil and 1 part
olive oil and a drop of lemon juice.
3) Use a little olive or lemon oil and some
beeswax.
4) Hide wood scratches by rubbing with the
meat of a walnut.
5) Use a soft cloth and wipe with a bit of
mayonnaise.
6) Rub furniture with a cloth dipped in cool
tea.
7) Mix 2 parts olive oil with 1 part lemon juice.
Apply mixture to furniture with a soft cloth and
wipe it dry.
8) 1/8 cup linseed oil, 1/8 cup vinegar, 1/4
cup lemon juice. Mix ingredients, using soft
cloth, rub into wood.
9) To remove water stains on wood furniture,
dab white toothpaste onto stain. Allow the
paste to dry and then gently buff off with a soft
cloth.
Floor Cleaners:
1) A pencil eraser removes heel marks from
a floor.
2) For greasy, no-wax floors:
1 cup vinegar
1/4 cup washing soda
1 tablespoon vegetable oil-based liquid soap
2 gallons hot water
Combine all ingredients, stirring well to
dissolve the washing soda. Mop as usual.
Metal Cleaners:
Silver:
1) Use toothpaste instead of toxic silver
cleaner to clean and brighten even your best
silver. Use an old soft bristled toothbrush
and warm water.
2) Rub with a paste of baking soda and water.
3) To magnetize tarnish away, soak silver in
salted water in an aluminum container; then
wipe clean.
4) Soak in boiling water, baking soda, salt,
and a piece of aluminum foil.
5) When a quick dip for silverware is needed,
prepare a solution of baking soda in
tepid-cool water (l level teaspoon to a quart)
and
brush with a soft toothbrush.
Brass:
1) Mix equal parts salt and flour with a little
vinegar, then rub.
Chrome:
1) Rub with undiluted vinegar.
Copper:
1) Rub with lemon juice and salt, or hot
vinegar and salt.
Stainless Steel:
1) Rub with a paste of baking soda and water.
2)wash with vinegar and water,towel dry.
Automotive Cleaners and Care:
Windshield Wiper Frost Free Fluid
Mix 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and coat
the car windows with this
solution.
This vinegar and water combination will keep
windshields ice and frost-free.
Car Soap
1/4 cup vegetable oil based liquid soap, and
hot water. Mix in pail. Wash your car on the
lawn instead of your driveway to reduce runoff
to the street or storm sewer.
Car Wax
1 cup linseed oil, 4 tbsp. caranuba wax
(available at automotive stores), 2 tbsp.
beeswax, and 1/2 cup vinegar. Put
ingredients in top half of a double boiler or
saucepan. Heat slowly until wax has melted.
Stir, and pour into a heat resistant container.
After wax has solidified, rub it on the car with
a lint-free cloth. Saturate a corner of a cotton
rag with vinegar and polish the wax to a deep
shine.
Miscellaneous Cleaners:
Candles - Wax:
Sponge with a piece of cotton dipped in
rubbing alcohol.
Decals - Gummed Label - Price Tag
Remover:
Use vinegar. To remove non-slip appliques
and strips from bathtubs, saturate a cloth or
sponge and squeeze hot vinegar over
decals. Vinegar also removes stick-on hooks
from painted walls. Saturate a cloth or
sponge with vinegar and squeeze the liquid
behind the hook so that the vinegar comes in
contact with the adhesive. In addition, vinegar
can be used to remove price labels and other
decals from glass, wood, and china. Paint
the label or decal with several coats of white
vinegar. Give the vinegar time to soak in and
after several minutes the decal can be
rubbed off. (NOTE: Use these methods only
on washable surfaces and washable paint)
Grease Cutters:
1) Use lemon juice, vinegar, or sprinkle with
borax and scrub with scrub brush.
2) 1/2 tsp. washing soda, 1/2 tsp. vegetable
oil-based liquid soap, 3 tbsp. vinegar, and 2
cups hot water. Mix in spray bottle, spray and
scrub, wipe clean.
Paint Brushes:
Soften hard paintbrushes in hot vinegar for a
few minutes. Then wash paintbrush in soap
and warm water and let dry.
Rust Remover:
1) To remove rust from tin-ware, rub with a
peeled potato dipped in a mild abrasive such
as baking soda or salt.
2) Aluminum Foil. Briskly scrub rust spots on
car bumpers with a piece of crumpled
aluminum foil, shiny side up.
Shoe Polish - Care- Deodorizer:
1) Cold Pressed Nut Oil, Olive Oil, Walnut Oil,
or Beeswax:
Apply oil - wax to leather then buff with a
chamois cloth to a shine.
2) Lemon Juice.
Good for black or tan leather shoes. Follow
by buffing with a soft cloth.
3) Vinegar:
Remove water stains on leather by rubbing
with a cloth dipped in a vinegar and water
solution.
4) Petroleum Jelly.:
A dab of petroleum jelly rubbed into patent
leather gives a glistening shine and prevents
cracking in the winter.
5) Vinegar:
To shine patent leather, moisten a soft cloth
with white vinegar and wipe clean all patent
leather articles. The color of the leather may
be slightly changed.
6) Art-Gum Eraser and Sandpaper or Emery
Board:
Dirt marks on suede can be rubbed out with
an art-gum eraser. Then buff very lightly an
emery board.
7) Add a shine by polishing it with the inside
of a banana peel, then buff.
Shoe / Sneaker Deodorizer
6 Tbsp Cornstarch
3 Tbsp Baking Soda
20 drops Rosemary essential oil
20 drops Tea Tree essential oil
5 drops Lemon essential oil
5 drops Clove essential oil
Mix all, then put 1-2 Tablespoon in each shoe
/ sneaker and rub it in. Allow the powder to sit
in the shoe overnight.
Stain and Spot Removers:
1) Concrete Grease Spot Remover:
To remove grease from concrete flooring
sprinkle dry cement over grease. Allow it to
absorb the grease, then sweep up.
2) Ink Stains:
Use a non-aerosol hair spray to remove ink
stains.
Tar Remover:
Food grade linseed oil. Wet rag with linseed
oil and rub hard
Vinyl Cleaner:
1 tsp. to 1/4 cup washing soda, and 1 cup
boiling water. Dissolve the washing soda in
the boiling water. Apply with sponge, wipe off
with a damp cloth.
Wallpaper Cleaner:
1) Roll up a piece of white bread and use it to
"erase" marks on wallpaper
Insects / Rodents:
Fleas and Ticks
Wash pets with castile soap and water, dry
thoroughly, apply an herbal rinse made by
adding 1/2 cup fresh or dried rosemary to a
quart of boiling water (steep for 20 minutes,
strain and cool. Spray or sponge onto pets
hair, massage into skin. Let air dry, do NOT
towel dry as this removes the residue of the
rosemary.
Roaches:
1) Mix equal parts boric acid with flour ,
sprinkle around cracks and crevices or
2) Mix equal parts boric acid with sugar,
sprinkle around cracks and crevices or
3) Mix equal parts boric acid with corn meal,
sprinkle around cracks and crevices or
4) Diatomaceous earth (pure silica): sprinkle
around flours, cracks and crevices or
5) Cucumber peels: set out on counter tops
overnight to repel roaches or
6) Mix Borax with a little brown sugar and
flour and sprinkle behind appliances, under
sink, and in corners. Cockroaches carry the
mixture back to their nests or
7) Heloise's Famous Roach Recipe:
1/4 cup shortening
1/8 cup sugar
8 oz. boric acid
1/2 cup flour
Ample water to form a dough
Mix all, form small balls of dough and set out
in open plastic sandwich bags (to retain
moisture longer, when hardened, replace
with new dough)
CAUTION: Boric Acid and borax can be toxic
to small children and pets, keep well out of
their reach and inform other household
members of the whereabouts and purpose
of the borax and boric acid dough and/or
powders. Always refer to safety precautions
on the package.
Flies:
Shoo-Fly Potpourri
2 cups lavender flowers
1 cup rosemary
1 cup southernwood
1/2 cup spearmint
1/2 cup santolina
1/4 cup pennyroyal
1/4 cup tansy
1/4 cup mugwort
1/4 cup cedarwood chips
10 yellow tulips
3 Tbsp orris root
Moths:
Use cedar chips, shredded newspapers,
lavender flowers. Moths don't like the smell.
Mice:
1) Buy a "Have-a-Heart" mouse trap, catch
the little guys alive and unharmed and set
them free far from yours or anyone else's
home.
2) Keep a cat / cats to deter mice from even
thinking about taking up residence
3) Keep things clean! No food left out for the
little guys to eat. Food, after all, is why they
entered your home to begin with. They are
not there to disgust you or make your life
miserable, they just want something to eat!
Don't oblige them.
4.) Try not to have food on ground- chicken
-duck -goose-rabbit food as this draws them
too.
CAUTION: Boric Acid and borax can be toxic
to children and pets, keep well out of their
reach and inform other household
members of the whereabouts and purpose
of the borax and boric acid dough and/or
powders. Ammonia should also be used
with caution. Always refer to safety
information and precautions on the
package.
Here's a collection of my favorite natural
cleaning formulas, concoctions.
Used individually or combined, these
cleaners are safe, effective and cost-efficient.
MOST are safe and nontoxic, with a few
exceptions which are noted.
Use the ingredients listed below when
making your own alternative cleaners, most
of them are inexpensive and you probably
already have many of them in your kitchen
cabinets. You can find them at your local
supermarket, natural food store or drugstore.
BAKING SODA (sodium bicarbonate): An
all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. Cleans,
deodorizes, removes stains and softens
fabrics.
BORAX (sodium borate): A natural mineral
that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to
bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains and
boosts the cleaning power of soap. Please
note safety precautions at the bottom of this
page.
CASTILE ( a hard soap made from olive oil
and caustic soda) and VEGETABLE OIL
BASED SOAPS:
Cleans everything
CORNSTARCH:
Starches clothes, absorbs oil and grease
HERBS and ESSENTIAL OILS:
For disinfecting and fragrance
LEMON JUICE:
Cuts through grease and removes
perspiration and other stains from clothing.A
bleach alternative.
SALT (sodium chloride): An abrasive
TOOTHPASTE A mild abrasive
VINEGAR (acetic acid): Cuts grease, removes
stains and is an excellent water softener.
WASHING SODA (sodium carbonate):
Cleans clothes, softens water, cuts grease
and disinfects. Increases the cleaning power
of soap.
Hints:
To save time and money, make your
cleaners in advance and buy the ingredients
in bulk for cost savings and to avoid excess
packaging..
Make large batches of the recipes and store
them in reusable airtight plastic containers
and spray bottles. Using a pretty spray bottle
or container makes cleaning days more fun
and pleasant.
Label all of your ingredients and keep them
out of reach of children. While most of these
all natural cleaners are not poisonous, some
can be harmful or even fatal if swallowed by
children or pets. See specific safety
precautions at the bottom of this page.
Add your favorite essential oils or herbs to
any of these formulas for fragrance
Air Fresheners - Deodorizers:
1) Place cloves, cinnamon sticks, allspice or
other favorite scented spice in a pot of water ,
simmer for 1-2 hours
2) Put a few slices of leftover orange or
lemon rinds in a pot of water, simmer for 1-2
hours
3) Place baking soda in an open container of
your choice. Good for closets, refrigerators
and other small enclosed spaces
4) 2-3 slices of white bread absorbs
refrigerator odors
5) Place lemon slices in an open bowl in the
kitchen
6) Lemon and baking soda spray:
Dissolve baking soda in 2 cups hot water,
add lemon juice, pour into spray bottle, spray
into air as air freshener
7) Place unscented kitty litter placed in bowls
to absorb room odors
8) Vinegar in a cup or bowl rids rooms of
odors
9) Charcoal placed in a bowl rids rooms of
odors
10) Simply light a match for a few moments
or burn a candle (scented or unscented). The
flame from either will "eat-up" bad smelling
gases in the air
11) Pour vanilla extract into a shallow dish
and set in an out of the way place
12) Spin-Fresh Bathroom Deodorizer
Add a couple of drops of your favorite
essential oil to the inside of the cardboard
toilet tissue roll. With each turn, fragrance is
released into the room.
All Purpose Cleaners:
1) Vinegar and Salt. Mix together for a good
surface cleaner.
2) Baking Soda. Dissolve 4 tablespoons
baking soda in 1 quart warm water for a
general cleaner.
3) Baking soda on a damp sponge. Baking
soda cleans and deodorizes all kitchen and
bathroom surfaces.
4) Use liquid castile soap and baking soda
or Borax in different ratios. Use a little soap
and soda-borax with lots of water on floors,
walls and counters. Use more soap, soda -
Borax for tubs sinks, cat boxes, anything that
can be well rinsed.
5) For a general, all-purpose cleaner, try a
paste made from baking soda and water or
mix salt and water with a little vinegar.
6) 3 tbsp. vinegar, 1/2 tsp. washing soda, 1/2
tsp. vegetable oil based liquid soap, 2 cups
hot water. Mix ingredients in spray bottle or
bucket. Apply and wipe clean.
Disinfectants:
1) Regular cleaning with plain soap and hot
water will kill some bacteria.
2) Borax has long been recognized for its
disinfectant and deodorizing properties. Mix
1/2 cup Borax into 1 gallon hot water or
undiluted vinegar and clean with this solution.
3) Mix a half-cup of borax with 1 gallon hot
water. Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme,
rosemary or lavender. Steep for 10 minutes,
strain and cool. Or add essential fragrant oils
instead of fresh herbs. Store in a plastic
spray bottle.
4) 2 tablespoons borax, 1/4 cup lemon juice,
2 cups hot water. Combine the borax and
lemon juice with the water in a spray bottle.
Use as you would any commercial
all-purpose cleaner.
5) Isopropyl Alcohol is an excellent
disinfectant. Sponge on and allow todry. Use
in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves.
Glass Cleaners:
Windows and Mirrors:
1) Use undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle or
2) Equal parts vinegar and water in a spray
bottle or
3) 1/2 lemon juice and 2 cups water in a
spray bottle or
4) 1/2 cup vinegar or lemon juice, 2 cups
water, 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil based
soap (such as Murphy's Oil Soap)
5) Mix 1/2 cup cornstarch with 2 quarts warm
water. Apply with sponge then wipe with
absorbent cloth or towel. Do not wash
windows or glass when sun is on them or if
they are warm. This causes the solution to
dry too quickly creating unwanted streaks.
6) No-Streak Glass Cleaner: 1/4 cup white
vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 quart
warm water
Mix the ingredients and apply with a sponge
or pour into spray bottle and spray on. Wipe
dry with crumpled newspaper, buff to a shine.
(Use crumpled newspaper instead of paper
towels for lint-free results.
7) Rubbing alcohol is effective in place of
glass cleaner.
Scouring Powders:
1) Use a non-chlorine scouring powder such
as Bon Ami
2) Baking Soda or Dry Table Salt. These are
mild abrasives and can be used as an
alternative to chlorine scouring powders.
Simply put either baking soda or salt on a
sponge or the surface, scour and rinse.
Non-Abrasive Soft Scrubber:
1/4 cup borax
Vegetable-oil based liquid soap (such as
Murphys Oil Soap)
1/2 teaspoon lemon oil
In a bowl, mix the borax with enough soap to
form a creamy paste. Add lemon oil and
blend well. Scoop a small amount of the
mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface,
then rinse well.
Bathroom Cleaners:
Toilet Bowl Cleaners:
1) Baking Soda and Vinegar: Sprinkle baking
soda into the bowl, then squirt with vinegar
and scour with a toilet brush. Cleans and
deodorizes.
2) Borax and Lemon Juice. For removing a
stubborn stain, like toilet bowl ring, mix
enough borax and lemon juice into a paste
cover the ring. Flush toilet to wet the sides,
then rub on paste. Let sit for 2 hours and
scrub thoroughly. For less stubborn toilet
bowl rings, sprinkle baking soda around the
rim and scrub with a toilet brush.
3)1 cup borax, 1/2 cup white vinegar. Flush to
wet the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle the borax
around the toilet bowl, then spray with
vinegar. Leave for several hours or overnight
before scrubbing with a toilet brush.
4) Denture tablets are an excellent substitute
for toilet cleaner. Drop two tablets into the
bowl and clean as you would with toilet
cleaner.
5) Liquid castile soap and baking soda or
Borax, scrub with a toilet brush.
Drain Cleaner:
For slow drains, use this drain cleaner once
a week to keep drains fresh and clog-free.
1/2 cup baking soda
1 cup white vinegar
1 gallon boiling water
1/2 a used lemon
Pour baking soda down drain - disposal,
followed by vinegar. Allow the mixture to foam
for several minutes before flushing the drain
with boiling water.
Tub And Tile Cleaners:
1) Baking Soda. Sprinkle baking soda like
you would scouring powder. Rub with a
damp sponge. Rinse thoroughly.
2) Vinegar and Baking Soda. To remove film
buildup on bathtubs, apply vinegar
full-strength to a sponge and wipe. Next, use
baking soda as you would scouring powder.
Rub with a damp sponge and rinse
thoroughly with clean water.
3) Vinegar. Vinegar removes most dirt
without scrubbing and doesn't leave a film.
Use 1/4 cup (or more) vinegar to 1 gallon
water.
4) Baking Soda. To clean grout, put 3 cups
baking soda into a medium-sized bowl and
add 1 cup warm water. Mix into a smooth
paste and scrub into grout with a sponge or
toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly and dispose of
leftover paste when finished.
5) Rub the area to be cleaned with half a
lemon dipped in borax. Rinse well, and dry
with soft cloth.
Porcelain Cleaner:
Cream of Tartar. To clean porcelain surfaces,
rub with cream of tartar sprinkled on a damp
cloth.
Plumbing Fixtures:
1) To clean stainless steel, chrome,
fiberglass, ceramic, porcelain or enamel
fixtures, dissolve 2 tbsp baking soda in 1 qt
of water. Wipe on fixtures then rinse.
2) Vinegar and Paper Towels. Hard lime
deposits around faucets can be softened for
easy removal by covering the deposits with
vinegar-soaked paper towels. Leave the
paper towels on for about one hour before
cleaning. Leaves chrome clean and shiny.
Shower Heads:
1) Metal Shower Heads:
To remove deposits which may be clogging
your metal shower head, combine 1/2 cup
white vinegar and one quart water. Then
completely submerge the shower head and
boil 15 minutes.
2) Plastic Shower Heads:
Combine 1 pint white vinegar and 1 pint hot
water. Completely submerge the shower
head and soak for about one hour.
Rust Stain and Hard Water Deposit
Remover:
Apply full-strength vinegar or lemon juice and
let stand until spot disappears, rinse. Repeat
if necessary.
Mildew Remover:
Dissolve half-cup vinegar with half-cup borax
in warm water.
Lime Deposits:
White vinegar
Kitchen Cleaners:
Oven Cleaners:
1) The first step is prevention. Put a sheet of
aluminum foil on the floor of the oven,
underneath but not touching the heating
element.
2) Clean up the spill as soon as it occurs.
3) While the oven is still warm, sprinkle salt
or baking soda on the spill. If the spill is
completely dry, wet the spill lightly before
sprinkling on salt. When the oven cools,
scrape away the spill and wash the area
clean.
4) Baking soda, water; salt; vegetable
oil-based liquid soap. Sprinkle water on oven
bottom. Cover with baking soda. Let sit
overnight. Wipe off and apply liquid soap with
scouring pad. Rinse.
5) Retard grease buildup in your oven by
dampening your cleaning rag in vinegar and
water before wiping out your oven.
6) Sprinkle - spray water followed by a layer
of baking soda. Rub gently with a very fine
steel wool pad for tough spots. Wipe off
scum with dry paper towels or sponge. Rinse
well and wipe dry.
7) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil-based liquid
soap, 2 tablespoons borax: Mix the soap and
borax in a spray bottle. Fill the bottle with hot
water and shake well. Spray on oven and
leave for 20 minutes. Scrub off.
8) LAST RESORT ONLY: Fill a small glass
bowl with 1/2 cup full-strength ammonia,
place in oven and close. Let stand overnight,
then wipe loosened dirt with paper towels or
newspapers. If necessary, rub surfaces with
an abrasive, such as fine steel wool, then
wash with warm soapy water and rinse.
Repeat process if necessary. Provide plenty
of fresh air and wear gloves.
Refrigerators:
1) To clean exterior and interior walls,
dissolve 2 tbs. baking soda in 1 qt warm
water and wipe all surfaces. For stubborn
spots, rub with baking soda paste. Be sure to
rinse with a clean, wet cloth. (This works well
on other enamel-finished appliances as
well.)
2) To clean interior fixtures, such as
vegetable bins and shelves, wash in hot
soapy water, rinse well and dry.
Counter Tops - Kitchen Surfaces:
Fragrant Kitchen Rinse
Use any of the following essential oils, alone
or in a combination pleasing to you. Add 4
drops of oil to each pint of water. Pour into a
spray bottle, store away cool dark place. Use
as a final rinse after cleaning kitchen
surfaces.
Eucalyptus
Pine
Lavender
Cypress
Lemon
Lemon grass
Lime
Thyme
Grapefruit
Orange
Wintergreen
Rosemary
Sage
Pots and Pans:
1) Burned, and crusted on foods; Soak or boil
a solution of 2 tbs. baking soda per qt of
water in each pan. Let stand until particles
are loosened, then wash as usual. Use a
mild or moderate abrasive if necessary.
2) To clean a greasy pan easily, add 1 or 2
teaspoons of baking soda to the water in
which it is soaking.
Copper pan cleaner:
Sprinkle surface of pans with coarse salt.
Rub salt into stains with the cut half of a fresh
lemon.
No-Stick Cookware:
To remove stains from non-stick surfaces,
pour a solution of 1 cup water, 2 tbs. baking
soda into a pan, simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Do
not allow mixture to boil or to boil over the
side of the pan. Wash in hot soapy water,
rinse and dry. Apply a light coating of cooking
oil.
Baking Dishes - Enamel, Ceramic or Glass:
Soak in hot soapy water, then scour with salt
or baking soda and rinse thoroughly.
Dishes:
1) Use liquid or powdered soap instead of
detergents - which are petroleum-based. In
dishwashers, use equal parts borax and
washing soda.
2) Use Baking soda and liquid soap
Drinking Glasses:
1) Occasionally soak drinking glasses in a
solution of vinegar and water to really get
them clean. Makes them sparkle!
2) When a quick dip for crystal glassware is
needed, prepare a solution of baking soda in
tepid-cool water (l level teaspoon to a quart)
and brush with a soft toothbrush. Very good
for glass coffee makers and thermos jugs
too.
Spot-free Dishwasher Rinse:
Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse
compartment of your automatic dishwasher.
Wash dishes as usual.
Coffee - Tea Stains:
To remove coffee stains from cups or
counters, rub with baking soda paste.
Drain Opener and Garbage Disposal
Cleaner:
For slow drains, use this drain cleaner once
a week to keep drains fresh and clog-free.
1/2 to 1 cup baking soda
1 cup white vinegar
1 gallon boiling water
1/2 a used lemon
Pour baking soda down drain - disposal,
followed by vinegar. Allow the mixture to foam
for several minutes before flushing the drain
with boiling water.
Garbage Disposal:
To eliminate garbage disposal odors and
clean and sharpen blades, grind ice and
used lemon and/or orange rinds until
pulverized.
Kitchen Safety: Fire
1) Emergency fire extinguisher: if a greasy
pan catches on fire, turn the heat off and try to
cover the pan. Sprinkle powdered baking
soda over the fire. (Fill a large coffee can with
baking soda and keep it near the stove.
2) An oven fire is easily extinguished by
closing the door after shutting off the heat.)
Carpets - Upholstery:
1) A great non-toxic carpet stain remover is
club soda. Soak spot immediately with soda
and blot until the stain is gone.
2) Pet Urine on Carpets: Dab area with
toweling to absorb as much as possible,
wash spot with liquid dish detergent, and
rinse with 1/2 cup vinegar diluted in 1 qt
warm water. Lay towels or paper towels over
the spot and weight down to absorb excess
moisture. Let stand 4 to 6 hours, then
remove toweling, brush up nap and allow to
dry completely. Use an electric fan to speed
drying.
3) Red wine stains can be removed from
carpet by rubbing baking soda in and
vacuum.
4) Sprinkle cornstarch onto carpet, vacuum.
5) To remove grease spots from carpets, first
sop up the liquid with a sponge, then rub a
liberal amount of baking soda into the spot.
Let it absorb overnight. Next day, remove the
excess and vacuum the area.
6) To remove grease spots from carpets, first
absorb excess with a sponge, then rub a
liberal amount of corn starch into the spot.
Let sit overnight, then vacuum.
7) Dry cornstarch sprinkled on rug and
vacuumed.
8) Carpet Fresher
4 cups baking soda or cornstarch
35 drops Eucalyptus essential oil
30 drops Lavender essential oil
25 drops Rosewood essential oil
or any combination of your favorite essentail
oils
Measure 4 cups of baking soda into a bowl,
add essential oils. Break up any clumps that
form, stir until well mixed. Before vacuuming
sprinkle powder from a shaker type can or
jar( reuse cleaned plastic or glass-recycled)
jars. Let it sit on the carpet for about 15
minutes then vacuum.
9) Herbal Carpet Freshener
1 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup lavender flowers
Crush the lavender flowers to release their
scent. Mix well with baking soda and sprinkle
liberally on carpets. Vacuum after 30 minutes.
10) Sprinkle baking soda on carpets before
vacuuming for a natural rug deodorizer
Furniture Polish and Scratch Covers:
1) This polish should to be made fresh each
time you use it.
1 lemon
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon water
Extract the juice from the lemon. Mix with oil
and water.
Apply a thin coat on your wood surface and
let sit for five minutes. Use a soft cloth to buff
to a deep shine.
2) Use 3 parts light mineral oil and 1 part
olive oil and a drop of lemon juice.
3) Use a little olive or lemon oil and some
beeswax.
4) Hide wood scratches by rubbing with the
meat of a walnut.
5) Use a soft cloth and wipe with a bit of
mayonnaise.
6) Rub furniture with a cloth dipped in cool
tea.
7) Mix 2 parts olive oil with 1 part lemon juice.
Apply mixture to furniture with a soft cloth and
wipe it dry.
8) 1/8 cup linseed oil, 1/8 cup vinegar, 1/4
cup lemon juice. Mix ingredients, using soft
cloth, rub into wood.
9) To remove water stains on wood furniture,
dab white toothpaste onto stain. Allow the
paste to dry and then gently buff off with a soft
cloth.
Floor Cleaners:
1) A pencil eraser removes heel marks from
a floor.
2) For greasy, no-wax floors:
1 cup vinegar
1/4 cup washing soda
1 tablespoon vegetable oil-based liquid soap
2 gallons hot water
Combine all ingredients, stirring well to
dissolve the washing soda. Mop as usual.
Metal Cleaners:
Silver:
1) Use toothpaste instead of toxic silver
cleaner to clean and brighten even your best
silver. Use an old soft bristled toothbrush
and warm water.
2) Rub with a paste of baking soda and water.
3) To magnetize tarnish away, soak silver in
salted water in an aluminum container; then
wipe clean.
4) Soak in boiling water, baking soda, salt,
and a piece of aluminum foil.
5) When a quick dip for silverware is needed,
prepare a solution of baking soda in
tepid-cool water (l level teaspoon to a quart)
and
brush with a soft toothbrush.
Brass:
1) Mix equal parts salt and flour with a little
vinegar, then rub.
Chrome:
1) Rub with undiluted vinegar.
Copper:
1) Rub with lemon juice and salt, or hot
vinegar and salt.
Stainless Steel:
1) Rub with a paste of baking soda and water.
2)wash with vinegar and water,towel dry.
Automotive Cleaners and Care:
Windshield Wiper Frost Free Fluid
Mix 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and coat
the car windows with this
solution.
This vinegar and water combination will keep
windshields ice and frost-free.
Car Soap
1/4 cup vegetable oil based liquid soap, and
hot water. Mix in pail. Wash your car on the
lawn instead of your driveway to reduce runoff
to the street or storm sewer.
Car Wax
1 cup linseed oil, 4 tbsp. caranuba wax
(available at automotive stores), 2 tbsp.
beeswax, and 1/2 cup vinegar. Put
ingredients in top half of a double boiler or
saucepan. Heat slowly until wax has melted.
Stir, and pour into a heat resistant container.
After wax has solidified, rub it on the car with
a lint-free cloth. Saturate a corner of a cotton
rag with vinegar and polish the wax to a deep
shine.
Miscellaneous Cleaners:
Candles - Wax:
Sponge with a piece of cotton dipped in
rubbing alcohol.
Decals - Gummed Label - Price Tag
Remover:
Use vinegar. To remove non-slip appliques
and strips from bathtubs, saturate a cloth or
sponge and squeeze hot vinegar over
decals. Vinegar also removes stick-on hooks
from painted walls. Saturate a cloth or
sponge with vinegar and squeeze the liquid
behind the hook so that the vinegar comes in
contact with the adhesive. In addition, vinegar
can be used to remove price labels and other
decals from glass, wood, and china. Paint
the label or decal with several coats of white
vinegar. Give the vinegar time to soak in and
after several minutes the decal can be
rubbed off. (NOTE: Use these methods only
on washable surfaces and washable paint)
Grease Cutters:
1) Use lemon juice, vinegar, or sprinkle with
borax and scrub with scrub brush.
2) 1/2 tsp. washing soda, 1/2 tsp. vegetable
oil-based liquid soap, 3 tbsp. vinegar, and 2
cups hot water. Mix in spray bottle, spray and
scrub, wipe clean.
Paint Brushes:
Soften hard paintbrushes in hot vinegar for a
few minutes. Then wash paintbrush in soap
and warm water and let dry.
Rust Remover:
1) To remove rust from tin-ware, rub with a
peeled potato dipped in a mild abrasive such
as baking soda or salt.
2) Aluminum Foil. Briskly scrub rust spots on
car bumpers with a piece of crumpled
aluminum foil, shiny side up.
Shoe Polish - Care- Deodorizer:
1) Cold Pressed Nut Oil, Olive Oil, Walnut Oil,
or Beeswax:
Apply oil - wax to leather then buff with a
chamois cloth to a shine.
2) Lemon Juice.
Good for black or tan leather shoes. Follow
by buffing with a soft cloth.
3) Vinegar:
Remove water stains on leather by rubbing
with a cloth dipped in a vinegar and water
solution.
4) Petroleum Jelly.:
A dab of petroleum jelly rubbed into patent
leather gives a glistening shine and prevents
cracking in the winter.
5) Vinegar:
To shine patent leather, moisten a soft cloth
with white vinegar and wipe clean all patent
leather articles. The color of the leather may
be slightly changed.
6) Art-Gum Eraser and Sandpaper or Emery
Board:
Dirt marks on suede can be rubbed out with
an art-gum eraser. Then buff very lightly an
emery board.
7) Add a shine by polishing it with the inside
of a banana peel, then buff.
Shoe / Sneaker Deodorizer
6 Tbsp Cornstarch
3 Tbsp Baking Soda
20 drops Rosemary essential oil
20 drops Tea Tree essential oil
5 drops Lemon essential oil
5 drops Clove essential oil
Mix all, then put 1-2 Tablespoon in each shoe
/ sneaker and rub it in. Allow the powder to sit
in the shoe overnight.
Stain and Spot Removers:
1) Concrete Grease Spot Remover:
To remove grease from concrete flooring
sprinkle dry cement over grease. Allow it to
absorb the grease, then sweep up.
2) Ink Stains:
Use a non-aerosol hair spray to remove ink
stains.
Tar Remover:
Food grade linseed oil. Wet rag with linseed
oil and rub hard
Vinyl Cleaner:
1 tsp. to 1/4 cup washing soda, and 1 cup
boiling water. Dissolve the washing soda in
the boiling water. Apply with sponge, wipe off
with a damp cloth.
Wallpaper Cleaner:
1) Roll up a piece of white bread and use it to
"erase" marks on wallpaper
Insects / Rodents:
Fleas and Ticks
Wash pets with castile soap and water, dry
thoroughly, apply an herbal rinse made by
adding 1/2 cup fresh or dried rosemary to a
quart of boiling water (steep for 20 minutes,
strain and cool. Spray or sponge onto pets
hair, massage into skin. Let air dry, do NOT
towel dry as this removes the residue of the
rosemary.
Roaches:
1) Mix equal parts boric acid with flour ,
sprinkle around cracks and crevices or
2) Mix equal parts boric acid with sugar,
sprinkle around cracks and crevices or
3) Mix equal parts boric acid with corn meal,
sprinkle around cracks and crevices or
4) Diatomaceous earth (pure silica): sprinkle
around flours, cracks and crevices or
5) Cucumber peels: set out on counter tops
overnight to repel roaches or
6) Mix Borax with a little brown sugar and
flour and sprinkle behind appliances, under
sink, and in corners. Cockroaches carry the
mixture back to their nests or
7) Heloise's Famous Roach Recipe:
1/4 cup shortening
1/8 cup sugar
8 oz. boric acid
1/2 cup flour
Ample water to form a dough
Mix all, form small balls of dough and set out
in open plastic sandwich bags (to retain
moisture longer, when hardened, replace
with new dough)
CAUTION: Boric Acid and borax can be toxic
to small children and pets, keep well out of
their reach and inform other household
members of the whereabouts and purpose
of the borax and boric acid dough and/or
powders. Always refer to safety precautions
on the package.
Flies:
Shoo-Fly Potpourri
2 cups lavender flowers
1 cup rosemary
1 cup southernwood
1/2 cup spearmint
1/2 cup santolina
1/4 cup pennyroyal
1/4 cup tansy
1/4 cup mugwort
1/4 cup cedarwood chips
10 yellow tulips
3 Tbsp orris root
Moths:
Use cedar chips, shredded newspapers,
lavender flowers. Moths don't like the smell.
Mice:
1) Buy a "Have-a-Heart" mouse trap, catch
the little guys alive and unharmed and set
them free far from yours or anyone else's
home.
2) Keep a cat / cats to deter mice from even
thinking about taking up residence
3) Keep things clean! No food left out for the
little guys to eat. Food, after all, is why they
entered your home to begin with. They are
not there to disgust you or make your life
miserable, they just want something to eat!
Don't oblige them.
4.) Try not to have food on ground- chicken
-duck -goose-rabbit food as this draws them
too.
CAUTION: Boric Acid and borax can be toxic
to children and pets, keep well out of their
reach and inform other household
members of the whereabouts and purpose
of the borax and boric acid dough and/or
powders. Ammonia should also be used
with caution. Always refer to safety
information and precautions on the
package.
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| The information given here is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace or supersede medical advice. Those individuals with a medical problem need to seek medical attention when necessary. Do not use the herbs or remedies posted on this list without the aid or supervision of a well-trained and clinically knowledgeable herbalist. |
| The information given here is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace or supersede medical advice. Those individuals with a medical problem need to seek medical attention when necessary. Do not use the herbs or remedies posted on this list without the aid or supervision of a well-trained and clinically knowledgeable herbalist. |
| The information given here is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace or supersede medical advice. Those individuals with a medical problem need to seek medical attention when necessary. Do not use the herbs or remedies posted on this list without the aid or supervision of a well-trained and clinically knowledgeable herbalist. |
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