Natural Cleaning

The following are a few of the commom household cleaning products that I have used for years. The majority of them came from a little purple book named Clean & Green by Annie Berthold-Bond. My mother and I had a non-chemical house cleaning business in 1996 named Down To Earth and these are the mixtures we used then and I still use in my home.



SUPPLIES~
White Vinegar
Baking Soda
Washing Soda
Borax
Non-petroleum liquid Soap (Tree of Life Dish Washing Soap works very well- I just buy a gallon jug)
Essential Oils; lemongrass, lavender, grapefruit, eucalyptus, tea tree, pine


CLEANING MIXTURES~

All Purpose Spray Cleaner
1 teaspoon washing soda
2 teaspoons borax
1/2 teaspoon non-petroleum liquid soap
2 cups hot water
1 teaspoon essential oil
spray bottle

Combine the hot water borax and washing soda in a glass measuring cup and stir to dissolve. Let cool a bit. (the hot water can melt a plastic bottle) Add the liquid soap and essential oil, gently stir. Put in the spray bottle.  Makes 2 cups

Bathroom Scrubber
1/2 cup baking soda
enough non-petroleum liquid soap to make a creamy mixture
1/2 teaspoon eucalyptus oil
10 drops lemongrass oil

Combine the ingredients with a spoon, until the consistency of frosting. Scoop generous amounts onto a sponge or rag and use it to scrub the counter top, sink or tub.


Air Freshener
2 cups water
1 teaspoon essential oil of choice
(this can be a mixture of 1/2 and 1/2 teaspoons of two different oils)

Put the water in a spray bottle, add the essential oil. Put the top on and shake to blend the oil and water. Spray the room. Remember to shake this each time you use it.


Floor Cleaner
(this can be used on wood, tile, and linoleum)

1/2 cup non-petroleum liquid soap
1/4 cup white vinegar
20 drops grapefruit or lavender essential oil
2 gallons water

Combine all ingredients in a large bucket. Use with a mop or sponge. This also works well on baseboards and cupboards.


Carpet Sprinkle
1 box baking soda
1 box borax (simply fill the soda box with borax once it it empty)
40 drops of essential oil of choice

Combine the baking soda and borax in a jar, put on the lid and shake to mix. Remove the lid and add the essential oil, re-cap and shake to blend well. Sprinkle over carpet and let set for 15-30 minutes then vacuum it up.