Non-Toxic Cleaning Supplies

Various

Basic Supplies:

  • Baking soda
  • Bon Ami cleanserer
  • Borax
  • Cornstarch
  • Lemon juice
  • Liquid dish soap
  • Vegetable oil
  • Salt
  • White vinegar

All-Purpose Cleaner:

Mix one teaspoon of liquid soap or borax with a gallon of hot water. Lemon juice or vinegar added to the mix will cut grease and leave a fresh scent. Vinegar is a great deodorizer. For shower soap scum, add 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar mixture. It will foam up when the vinegar and baking soda are mixed, so don’t be alarmed. Use a brush to clean the tile and rinse with warm water.

House:

Tile/linoleum floors:

Dissolve 1-2 teaspoons of dishwashing soap in 3 gallons of warm water. Mop floor with this solution; to rinse follow this procedure with 1 cup of white vinegar in 3 gallons of cool water.

Wood Floor:

Water only with vinegar and wipe dry

Furniture Polish:

One part lemon juice and two parts canola oil

Rug/Carpet Spot Remover:

Immediate attention. Blot immediately. Sprinkle with baking soda, cornstarch or borax and let dry. Wash with club soda and vacuum.

Walls for black marks:

Baking soda

Windows:

Vinegar and water or club soda or 1 tablespoon of cornstarch per quart of hot water

Woodwork:

Alice’s Wonder Spray:

  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 2 tsp. borax
  • 32 oz. hot water
  • essential oil (optional) 20 drops
  • liquid dish soap (add last) 1/4 cup
  • Mix in a 32 oz. spray bottle.

Furniture Polish:

You can use a little olive oil and vinegar to polish your furniture. Use one part white distilled vinegar and three parts olive oil. Add a little natural lemon oil (not the synthetic kind) and you’ve got a great polish!

Rust Remover:

Toxic rust removers that are dangerous poisons are at the top of my list of cleaners to keep out of the house. You’ll be ecstatic to discover this simple, natural solution: Sprinkle a little bit of salt on the rust, squeeze a lime over the salt until it is nicely soaked in lime juice. Leave the mixture on for two or three hours. Use the leftover rind as a handy scrubber. Rust is gone.

Kitchen:

Dishwashing: Seventh Generation, Palmolive or Ivory

Dishwasher: Borax Sink,

Countertop: Baking soda or Bon Ami

Oven Cleaner: Baking soda and warm water, Salt or White Vinegar

Bathroom:

Alice’s Wonder Spray: see above

Unclog drains: Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda in and around the drain opening. Follow with a cup of white kitchen vinegar. Repeat if needed, and finally flush with hot water.

Laundry:

Stain Removing: Borax and water soaking

For Bleaching: Use natural sunshine instead

Fabric Softeners: White vinegar

Dry Cleaning: Use wet cleaning instead “Aqua Tech”

Clothes Washing: Laundry disks (found at food co-ops) or the following recipes:

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Sandy Shields, www.thefrugalshopper.com

Liquid Laundry Detergents

Recipe #1

  • 3 Pints Water
  • 1/3 Bar Fels Naptha Soap, Grated
  • 1/2 Cup Washing Soda
  • 1/2 Cup Borax
  • 2 Gallon Bucket
  • 1 Quart Hot Water
  • Cold Water

Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints of water, and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 Quart Hot Water to 2 Gallon Bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket with cold water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load. Recipe #2

  • Water
  • 1 Bar Fels Naptha Soap, Grated
  • 5 Gallon Bucket
  • 1 Cup Washing Soda
  • 4 1/2 Gallons Water

Place grated soap in a small saucepan and cover with water. Heat on low until dissolved. Fill bucket with hot water, and add soap. Stir to combine. Add 1 cup washing soda and mix well. As it cools it will thicken. May be used immediately. Use 1-2 cups per load.

Powdered Laundry Detergent

  • 1 Cup Grated Fels Naptha Soap
  • 1/2 Cup Washing Soda
  • 1/2 Cup Borax
  • For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons.

Where can I find the ingredients to make the detergent?

*Fels-Naptha® Laundry Soap Bar: Made by the Dial Soap Company, so any store that carries Dial should be able to get it for you. If you can’t find it in your area, try Ivory or Octagon Soap first and see if you can use it before buying the Fels Naptha online.

*Super Washing Soda: This is not the same as baking soda. Baking soda SHOULD NOT be used in place of washing soda. Washing soda is harmful if swallowed. It releases no harmful fumes, and is generally safe. Washing Soda can be found on the laundry detergent aisle of your supermarket. It comes in an Arm & Hammer 55-ounce yellow box. If you are having trouble locating this product, you may want to ask your local store manager to order it for you, or you can call 1-800-524-1328. The UPC number is: 33200-03020 or 033200-030201.

Cleaning Recipes

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