Middle Path Health and Awareness
Guide to Non-toxic House Cleaners
FOR GENERAL USE
- Use White vinegar instead of bleach.
- Bi-carbonate of Soda instead of Ajax
- Use 4 drops of Pennyroyal in a plastic spray atomizer filled with water as a refreshener and flea repellent. You can spray it on rugs and carpets and use it in the toilet as a deodorizer.
- To wash clothes sunlight soap soaked in water till it goes squishy thrown into the washing machine is excellent.
- You can still buy the Sunlight soap container with the handle to use for washing up to replace detergents or most health food stores will have non toxic detergent and dishwasher products.
- One tried and tested commercial washing powder to wash clothes that people with eczema have found to be non-irritant is Surf®.
ALL PURPOSE CLEANERS
You can use any one of these.
- 6 tsp. liquid soap to 1 bucket of water
- 1 cup vinegar to 1 bucket of water
- 1 cup lemon juice to 1 bucket of water
OVEN CLEANER
- Sprinkle salt on spills immediately
- Clean oven with Baking soda, Vinegar and Salt.
- Use a #000 steel wool to clean your oven.
- Clean grease with a rag and vinegar.
- Sprinkle salt on spills and let it sit for a few minutes, then scrape the spill and wash the area clean.
- For stubborn spots, use baking soda and steel wool.
LEMON-MINT WINDOW WASH
Cleans your windows and discourages flies.
Add together
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 cups club soda
- 1 / 2 teaspoon peppermint essential oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Mix together and pour into plastic spray bottle
WINDOW CLEANER WITHOUT STREAKS
Add together
- 2 cups of water
- 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar
- Up to 1/2 teaspoon of liquid soap, or detergent
put in a spray bottle.
That's all there is to it. (Make sure you label the bottle and keep it out of the reach of children.)
STAIN REMOVERS
Soak fabrics in water mixed with any one of these:
- Borax
- lemon juice
- hydrogen peroxide
- white vinegar
CONTROLLING COCKROACHES AND ANTS
Mix together
Powdered Sugar and Borax
Combine in equal parts and sprinkle where they crawl.
HOMEMADE FURNITURE POLISH
Using 1/4 cup vinegar plus a few drops of oil
Makes for a much better wood cleaner and polish The vinegar pulls the dirt out of the wood, and the few drops of oil lubricates the wood so that it doesn't dry out.
The best oils to use are those that have the longest shelf life. Olive oil works well. The best choice of all is the liquid wax jojoba, because it never goes rancid. It is found in most health food stores.
Boiled linseed oils found in hardware stores have synthetic drying chemicals in them and shouldn't be used. I do love the smell of linseed oil in a furniture polish -- it is rich and nutty -- but use only linseed oil that is food grade.
You can substitute lemon juice for the vinegar. Organic apple cider vinegar is the best choice of vinegar, although it is not generally recommend for general cleaning because of the possibility of staining. If you are cleaning something that could possibly stain, use white distilled vinegar.
HOMEMADE FURNITURE POLISH CLOTH
Add together
- 10 drops lemon oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- A few drops olive oil or jojoba
Dip a soft recycled cloth, such as one of flannel, in the vinegar and oil mixture, and wipe furniture.
Most commercial lemon oil is not all natural, but may contain petroleum distillates. Use a pure source of lemon oil. Traditionally, lemon oil has been used for furniture because it is so lubricating and antiseptic.
BANISH MOLD FROM BATHROOM GROUT - FORMULA
Add together
- 1/2 cup 3-percent hydrogen peroxide solution (from your local pharmacy)
- 1 cup water
1. Combine water and hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. Spray this on the moldy areas and do not rinse.
2. Hydrogen peroxide will lose its mold-busting power if exposed to air, so only make as much solution as you will be using at one time.
SILVER POLISH
Clean Your Silver, kitchen and bathroom taps
If you have a small job, the best silver polish is white toothpaste. Dab some on your finger, and rub into the tarnish. For bigger pieces, use baking soda and a clean, damp sponge. Make a paste of baking soda and water. Scoop the paste onto the sponge, and rub the paste into the silver. Rinse with hot water and polish dry with a soft, clean cloth. For badly tarnished silver, leave the baking soda paste on the silver for an hour or so, before cleaning off with the help of the sponge and hot water.
The toothpaste works beautifully.
You can also apply this to any silver jewelry and photo albums. Buy the cheapest toothpaste for this purpose. Facets will sparkle too. Dab on the toothpaste with a used old toothbrush.
USING GREEN TEA AROUND THE HOUSE
Cleaning Mats
Yoga Mats (straw mats). Straw mats to be washed in tubs of water to which tea has been added. The tea works as a powerful deodorizer, leaves a fresh scent, and can even infuse the straw with a delicate sage color. You can use green tea to clean other washable surfaces, such as yoga mats and air mattresses.
Pussy Cat Litter Boxes
Used green tea leaves are wonderful in kitty litter as an extra boost for diffusing odors, and they help deter fleas from both cats and dogs.
Pet Beds
Sprinkle dried used green tea leaves on your pet's favorite pillow or bed. Great in doghouses or anywhere troublesome pet odors occur. If you can afford the extravagance, loose leaf gunpowder tea is great for dogs to roll around in. The crunching of the pellets releases a wonderful aroma, and helps to scratch wherever dogs have an itch. The pellets help give your dog a more pleasant smell.
Refridgerators
Place used green tea bags or leaves in a small bowl, uncovered, in your refrigerator to help absorb odors from onions and garlic for about three days. No need to throw them out just sprinkle the old leaves around your ferns, rosebushes, or other plants.
Kitchen Odours
Preparing fish? Cutting up garlic? Rid your hands of the fish or garlic oils by rubbing them with wet green tea leaves, an instant deodorizer. The leaves are also great for deodorizing and cleaning the pan in which you cook fish or garlic.
Green tea is high in nitrogen--and will even ward off pests and insects. Green tea is especially wonderful as a deodorant that absorbs offensive odors.