Reiki 4 Me Blog

Kindness's answer: i looked at the links he sent me, and he is right "large amounts" will be ecologically damaging wildlife and trees, although it does disperse quickly

The problem as I see it is not the effects after we use borax but before How is it taken from the Earth and transported — See How Borax is Mined

The company says they are environmentally responsible, but what large company today does not claim that? From Borax's website:

"While boron is ubiquitous in the environment, substantial deposits of borates are relatively rare — Nearly half the world's refined borates are mined in California's Mojave Desert, home of our Boron Operations — Although it began as an underground mine in 1927, Boron Operations was converted to a surface mine in the late 1950s, at which time extensive facilities for refining ore were built — In 1980, Borax built its boric acid plant, securing the company's position as the world's leading boric acid supplier
Borax also mines borates in the high deserts of Argentina's Salta province, more than 14,000 feet above sea level — Borax has mining operations at Tincalayu, Sijes and two dry lake beds, Salar Cauchari and Salar Diablillos - as well as a refinery at Campo Quijano —This is South America's largest borate mining operation, and the continent's sole source of natural sodium borates — Most of Borax's Argentinean production is supplied to South American customers"

Going Nuts Trying to be Green?



From the site: www. maggiespureland. com

The Soap that Grows on Trees!

Maggie's Soap NutsTM are the only laundry soap that grows on trees! [The site claims] they are truly effective, 100% natural and safe for your most sensitive skin…from the dried fruit of the Chinese Soapberry tree — They contain saponin, a natural cleaner used for thousands of years to clean clothes, just like the plants used by Native Americans for washing — In suffering rural economies Soapberry trees are cut down and sold as lumber and firewood to feed hungry families — Maggie's Pure Land reserves the Soapberry harvest years in advance, providing families with guaranteed income from living Soapberry trees

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How 2 make UR own cleaners + Natural Way 2 Clean Everything


i have combined 2 bulletins here, please note that the first bulletin suggested Ammonia which is a toxic Chemical Product : AMMONIA-BASED CLEANERS
Green Alternative: Use undiluted white vinegar in a spray bottle for most uses.. Make a great all-purpose window cleaner by combining ¼ cup vinegar, ½ teaspoon liquid soap or detergent, and two cups of water in a spray bottle..If you need a strong degreaser Citrasolve works great and is one of the few commercial products i buy that is not from organic ingredients (because it is not yet available that way)! Also Tea Tree oil can be deadly to sensitive cats, in fact most essential oils are toxic for cats, so i do not use it, to disinfect i use lemons, boiling water, and plain old elbow grease!

For the Earth's sake i use 100% organic lemons, vinegar, essential oils, and any other product that is available organic

i created a polish for the woodwork in my bathrooms and kitchens and smells great, lasts longer, and is the best wood polish i have EVER used!

100% organic olive oil mixed with 100% organic lavender oil


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Thank you!
Serina/ Seb*Strength through Peace
Matt P
Lopez
Granny

Most homes contain various store-bought products to clean their home effectively... Many of these manufactured cleaning products are toxic.. You can replace these products with safer alternatives that are easy to make and economical too

These recipes only require a few basic ingredients, items that are either readily available in your home or easy to find at your local grocery store.. Homemade cleaners are versatile, so will require less storage space than all of your conventional cleaning products.. The results are impressive - and will equal and often outperform commercial cleaners

Non-toxic cleaning can give you a deep feeling of gratification in knowing that your family's health is protected, and that your home is a place for your bodies to rest and recuperate rather than promote harm

Making your own nontoxic cleaning kit will take you no time at all with these simple, straightforward recipes, and you will be supplied with enough cleaning product for months of cleaning

As an added bonus, ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterparts—and that includes costly but worthwhile essential oils, and concentrated all-natural detergents for homemade recipes:

SUPPLIES:
Baking soda
Washing soda
White distilled vinegar
A good castille liquid soap
Tea tree oil
6 clean spray bottles
2 glass jars

CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER
Simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting.. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface.. This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn't leave grit

Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist.. Otherwise just make as much as you need at a time

WINDOW CLEANER
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
Spray bottle

Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use as you would a commercial brand.. The soap in this recipe is important.. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past

OVEN CLEANER
1 cup or more baking soda
Water
A squirt or two of liquid detergent

Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface is totally white.. Sprinkle some more water over the top.. Let the mixture set overnight. You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime will have loosened.. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven.. If this recipe doesn't work for you it is probably because you didn't use enough baking soda and/or water

ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER
1/2 teaspoon washing soda
A dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved.. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag

FURNITURE POLISH
1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar.. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces
Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely

VINEGAR DEODORIZER
Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in your kitchen near your cutting board and in your bathroom and use them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board before going to bed at night, and don't even rinse but let it set overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours. Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim.. Just spray it on and wipe of

MOLD KILLERS

Tea Tree Treasure
Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray... I've used it successfully on a moldy ceiling from a leaking roof, on a musty bureau, a musty rug, and a moldy shower curtain... Tea tree oil is expensive, but a little goes a very long way... Note that the smell of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days

2 teaspoons tea tree oil
2 cups water

Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas... Do not rinse...Makes two cups

Vinegar Spray
Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy area, and let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell. It will dissipate in a few hours...


More Recipes:

Glass Cleaner:
1 gallon water
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon liquid dish detergent

or

1 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
1 cup water
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Mix and add to a spray bottle...

Wood Floor Cleaner:
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Mix well

All-Purpose Cleaner:
1 tsp borax
1/2 Tsp washing soda
2 Tbl sp lemon juice

In a spray bottle, combine the ingredients with 1 cup of hot water and shake...

Furniture Polish:
In a spray bottle mix 1 cup vegetable or olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice

Shake well and apply a small amount to a cloth...

Multi-Purpose Deep Cleaner:
1 cup household ammonia
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
1 gallon warm water
Mix well

As you can see, homemade cleaners are simple and frugal to make. They are safe and effective too. Replacing even one of your conventional cleaners with a greener alternative can make a difference. You've got to ask yourself if you're "killing yourself" trying to clean your house with commercial chemicals...

Quick Tips:

Dusting
- Re-use dryer sheets for dusting instead of the new Pledge or Swiffer cloths [more economical and ecological to dry your cloths in the sun and skip using dryer sheets]

Linoleum Floor
- Use club soda to clean

Fabric Softener
- Add vinegar to the rinse cycle

Microwave Cleaner
- Mix 2T baking soda or lemon juice and 1 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl.. Microwave for five minutes or until the liquid boils and condensation builds up inside the microwave… Wipe down [see recent post on why to not use microwave]

Chrome Cleaner
- Toothpaste is great for cleaning chrome
Dishwasher Rinse
- 1 1/2 white vinegar added to the rinse compartment of your dishwasher

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You may also want to check out these blogs for more information

Creating a healthy natural green home videos, links, & info
Green Home Eco videos and links
How to make your own green cleaners

Thank you for this wonderful post!
Aquaman ~ Ocean Defender

The Natural Way To Clean Everything In Your House



Cleaning Metal Surfaces:



Silver - Put some water in a pan with a few teaspoons of washing soda, bring to a simmer.. Throw in a little piece of aluminum foil, and then dip your silver right into the mix.. Pull the item out, dry it off, and shine it clean with a rag

Pewter - Wash your pewter items in warm soapy water (use biodegradable soap!), rinse, and polish with a clean cotton cloth…Instant clean!

Chrome - You can clean anything that is chrome just by combining 1 tablespoon of ammonia with 1 pint of water.. Just rub the concoction on the chrome and watch the dirt come right off

Iron - If you have iron cooking pans or other items that are looking a little rusty, you can clean them with a damp cloth and some steel wool.. Wipe down the item with the cloth, scrub lightly with the steel wool, rinse and then dry.. Be sure to rub in a little vegetable oil once it is dry to inhibit any further rusting

Brass & Copper - By combining a few tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of baking soda, you have a great brass and copper cleaning agent.. Just rub in on and then polish it off…so shiny! If your items are heavily soiled, you can soak them in hot vinegar and some table salt.. The shine will start showing up on its own, and once you see it, take the item out and rinse it.. You can also rub lemon on brass and copper to get into any grooves that need cleaning…just be sure to wipe it off once it is clean

Remove Candle Wax From The Carpet:




First lay the newspaper down on top of the wax and set an iron to low.. Once it has warmed up, start running the iron over the newspaper right on top of the wax.. Slowly the wax will start melting and get absorbed into the newspaper, lifting up off the carpet.. I had to do this once in my old apartment and it worked like a charm There was a little residue and color left over, but it was way better than the big hard chunks of wax that were on the floor

To Clean Wood Floors:




Before you work on making the floor sparkle, they should be cleaned with vinegar and water.. A small amount of vinegar in a bucket of warm water will do wonders for your wood floor.. Make sure your floor is sealed and you wring out excess water before mopping the floors, as too much water could damage your wood

That all being said, once they are clean, you can now work on making them shine:

- If you have natural unsealed wood floors (which you probably don't), you can use linseed oil with a rag, allow it to soak in for a little while, and then mop it up with a little more oil

- For sealed floors, you can use 1 part white vinegar to 1 part vegetable oil to give it a great shine.. Just combine the two, grab a rag, and rub it in like you are polishing a car.. The shine will blow you away

To Clean Appliances:




Microwaves - Mix 1/2 of water with a few teaspoons of baking soda in a microwave safe bowl.. Put the bowl in the microwave and run it for 2 minutes

Take out the bowl and wipe it clean with just a rag; every last spot will come out!

Ovens - You can rub the inside of your oven with wet steel wool to remove the tough stuff, and then sprinkle baking soda throughout the oven

Let it sit for a few minutes, then just wipe it all clean with a wet rag…all done and no caustic chemicals!

Coffee Makers - When the coffee maker is empty, pour in a mixture of 1 cup white vinegar and some hot water to fill up the reservoir to the top.. Run the coffee maker like you were making coffee, just without any beans in it.. Once the cycle has finished, run it twice more with just plain water, which will rinse out the vinegar and any build up left inside

The coffee will taste better the next time you make a cuppa Joe!

Refrigerators - Baking soda all the way…why would you want to spray chemicals in the giant box that holds your food! Make a nice paste from baking soda and water (equal parts of both) and scrub away..Wipe down with a clean cloth and all will be clean!


Removing Stains:




- On white items, apply white vinegar or lemon juice to the stained area.. Allow to soak in to the fabric then wash as normal

The stain should come right out as if it had never been there!

- If you happen to spill wine onto your clothes, grab the salt before doing anything else! Dump some salt on the stained area right away, which absorb a lot of the moisture before it sets.. Wash as normal as soon as you can

- For red wine stains, chocolate or other dark stains that have been there a while, you can try to soak the item in a bowl of glycerine, available from your local grocery or natural store.. Soak the clothes for a half an hour and then wash

- Party guest spills red wine on your nice carpet? Get up as much of it as you can with a wash or dish cloth, then quickly pour white vinegar directly on the spot.. Let it soak for a few minutes, then rinse it out with a wet rag

And then berate your party guest!

- If your kids come in covered with grass stains, you can usually get them out by soaking their clothes in either glycerine or or washing soda prior to washing

To Remove Mold In The Bathroom:




You can use Borax and white vinegar to make a spray that you can aim directly at the mold in the tub or shower.. Once you spray it , leave it to sit for 30-60 minutes and then go back in and wipe it off.. Presto, the mold will start coming off and you did not have to inhale toxic chemicals to do so.. Just mix about 2 ounces of Borax and a cup of white vinegar and you are ready to go.. As a back up and a maintenance tip, you can also periodically spray the moldy "areas" with straight vinegar and just let it sit there and soak in.. The vinegar will kill the mold that might be growing and it will halt the growth of new mold

Unclogging Your Showerhead:




Just remove the shower head, find a bowl or cup big enough for it to sit in face down, and fill it with about an inch of vinegar.. After letting it sit for an hour or more, remove it from the bowl and run water through it at the sink for a few minutes.. Put it back in the shower, and presto, your water pressure is restored

Removing Rust:




Here is what you need - Salt and lime juice.. Yep, that's it. Already have them in your house? Great, your rust remover is now free.. Just sprinkle some salt on the rusty spot and put some of the juice right on top of the salt…but not so much that the salt floats away.. You want the mixture to sit right on the rust.. Leave it to sit for a few hours and come back with a scrubber and go to work..It won't take much effort to remove the rust, I promise

Cleaning the Toilet:




Lemon Juice - I use real lemons by squeezing out the juice.. When I am done, I put pieces of the peel down the disposal to clean it out [i do not use the disposal but compost all kitchen scraps]

OR

Distilled white vinegar - I know you have this already!

And

Borax - Ok, you might not have this one.. But it is widely available for a few bucks and its cleaning powers go back years

You will need to combine the ingredients to make a nice paste in a bowl.. Put about 1 cup of Borax and about 1/4-1/2 a cup of either lemon juice or vinegar and it will mix together nicely

All you need to do is spread the paste you just made
into the toilet bowl and let it sit a while.. Then come back and scrub it with a scrubbing sponge (we use the washable kind, not the disposable kind) [i do not use sponges but cotton cloth rags] and flush the toilet

Polish Wood:




The first ingredient is water, of course.. Get yourself a spray bottle and put 3 cups of water in there

Once the water is in your sprayer, you will be adding two additional items:

- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar

Add them to the spray bottle and shake the bottle up a little to make everything mix together.. That's it, that is all the wood polish you will ever need.. Be sure to test the spray somewhere on the furniture just to make sure you have the mixture right and you will not damage the wood

Natural Disinfecting:




- You can add 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil to a gallon of water to wash windows, floors and toilets to scrub away the germs

- To chase away bugs, but a drop of tea tree oil near where they are coming in and you can bet they won't be coming in that way anymore

- Lavender oil or tea tree oil can be applied directly to cuts and scrapes where it will cool the pain and help fight infection

- Mixing a few drops of tea tree oil with some water in a spray bottle can clean mold in the bathroom, disinfect the floor after the dog has an accident, or can clean up after your child has been sick (or you, after a night like the ones in college)


Clean The Air:




For starters, the easiest way we have found to make things smell better is to use essential oils.. In an empty spray bottle I mix water and a bunch of drops from a bottle of essential oils.. Done! You can adjust the amount of drops you put in the bottle and of course you can always change the scent any time you want.. Right now I have some cranberry scented essential oil in our water bottle…the place smells amazing and it can be sprayed on anything; the couch, the curtains, etc

- Another thing you can do is to simmer water on the stove in a pot with cinnamon sticks or essential oils in it.. However, since this one uses natural gas or electricity, it is not the best choice

Plus, you have to remember to keep your eye on it so it doesn't burn off and start catching the pot on fire!

- You could also put little boxes of baking soda around the house to absorb any bad odors.. We do this for the litterbox.. Even though our cat is not exactly a stinker, the baking soda absorbs any strong smells that he might leave behind.. This also works great in the refrigerator to absorb the leftover smell from last night's chili

- And lastly, you could always get some flowers from your local farmer's market and put them in vases around your house.. The smell of fresh flowers is always a pleasant one and it leaves behind no toxic residue like plug-ins and sprays

Unclog Your Shower Drain:




Step 1 - Put the DRY baking soda down the drain… I use about 3/4 of a cup

Step 2 - Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar down the drain after the baking soda.. Be sure to cover the drain immediately afterwards with a rag or plug, filling the hole completely so nothing can escape.. This is because the interaction of the two will cause a "mini volcano" that will want to come up and out of the drain..you want to keep it down there

Step 3 - Leave this concoction in the drain for about 30 minutes…While you are waiting, boil a tea kettle full of water

Step 4 - After 30 minutes, remove the plug and slowly pour the HOT water down the drain…All done! Your drain should flow smoothly now… If not, just do it again… We normally have to do our tub drain often because of the wife's long hair, but it cleans it out every time

And there you have it! An easily accessible natural cleaning list

If you have any additional tips or ideas, please let everyone know in the comments!

SOURCE

For information about borax go here: How does borax clean
I do not use borax, that is a personal choice [neither do i as there is some question about the Earth friendliness of mining of borax]

So many of the standard cleaning agents we have all used in our homes are made with toxic chemicals and petroleum derivatives. When we spray 409 or some other standard cleaner around our homes we and our children breathe in ammonia and hundreds of other toxins. Most laundry and dish soaps are made from petroleum, which is a non-renewable resource.
We don't need to pollute our homes with these scary cleaners, right?

Fortunately it is very easy to use a few simple ingredients to make your own effective, healthy cleaning potions. White vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, borax and good old water are mainly all you need to get started. And you won't believe what you can do with toothpaste! Making these cleaners will save you money AND protect the environment and the health of your family.


Make An All-Purpose Floor/Kitchen/Bath Cleaner

Mix together a tablespoon of borax (available in most grocery store laundry sections), a tablespoon of liquid soap (like castile soap, which is also available at most grocery stores), a tablespoon of lemon juice, and a quart of warm water. Shake it up and use it as you would a normal cleaner.


Window Cleaner:

Fill a spray bottle with water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice or a 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Spray and wipe off as you would with a standard cleaner.


Bathtub Scouring Agent:

Mix baking soda and water into a paste. Scrub the tub. You can polish it off with a spray of the all purpose cleaner you made above for further sanitizing, if you like.


Furniture Polish:

Mix one 1 cup mineral oil and 1 cup white vinegar. Rub it on with a clean cloth.


Carpet Freshener and Cleaner:

[better to just get rid of most of your carpet especially if you have pets, like Kindness did] Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet then vacuum it up. If you need to treat spots, mix 1/4 cup of liquid soap (like castile) and 1/2 cup of warm water. Beat them together and then rub the foam into the spots. Then rinse with clean water and blot dry.


Silver Polish:

Toothpaste! Yes– this works! Just put some toothpaste on an old toothbrush or wet cloth and go to town. When you're done polishing, rinse the item well in warm water and then dry with a soft cloth.


BONUS TIP: How to keep your drain clog-free without corrosive liquids!

1. Put two tablespoons of baking soda into/over the drain of your sink or tub.

2. Pour one cup of vinegar on the baking soda. (It will fizz a lot– do not panic, this is normal.
)
3. Wait about five minutes, and then pour a kettle of boiling water over the soda/vinegar residue.

4. If this doesn't work, try it a second time. If this doesn't work then, get out the good old snake.