Wanna Be a Steader!

Homemade Cleaners and Other Goodies...

Emily (at Emily23) asked if anyone makes any household cleaners, etc.  I thought I'd give you some of my favorite recipes for cleaners and other goodies...Many of these recipes I found on Homesteadblogger!

Automatic Diswashing Detergent

1 c. Borax

1 c. baking soda

~ Use 2 TB each load.

Spray Cleaner

3 c. water

3 TB white vinegar

2 ts pubbing alcohol

~ Pour ingredients into a spray bottle.

Carpet Deodorizors

#1

Sprinkle baking soad OR conrnstarch on carpet, using about 1c per med-sized room.  Vacuum after 30 minutes.

#2

Mix 2pts cornmeal with 1pt Borax.  Sprinkle liberally, leave for 1 hour, vacuum.

Disinfectant

2 c water

3 TB liquid soap

20-30 drops Tea Tree Oil

~Mix well in a spray bottle and use.

Natural Toothpaste

1/2 ts baking powder

1/4 ts. hydrogen peroxide

1 drop of pepperment or spearmint essential oil

~NOTE:  I do use a flouride treatment from my dentist in the evening.

Natural Deodorant

1/2 c. baking soda

1/2 c. corn starch

2-4 drops of an antibacterial oil, such as lavender

~NOTE:  I LOVE this!  Ever since I read several credible articles about the link of alluminum in anti-p's being linked to breast cancer in women, I've used this.  Of course, you need to be careful wearing black and/or sleeveless tops, since it's a powder.  But I think it works very well.

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><

P.S. - I'm still looking for a liquid dish soap recipe!

Untitled Comment

01:46, 2006-Jun-21 .. Posted by NewHarvestHomestead

Boy, this one was tough! Not too many recipes out there for liquid dish soap. Here's one from HGTV

Save that empty dish-soap bottle, and refill it with a homemade dish soap. Fill a 22-ounce squirt bottle with Castile soap, which is a pure odorless soap. Add 15 drops of lemon or lemongrass essential oil, six drops of lavender essential oil and five drops of bergamot essential oil.

And here's another one from thriftyfun.com

# 1/4 cup soap flakes
# 2 cups hot water
# 1/4 cup glycerin
# 1/2 teaspoon lemon essential oil

1) In bowl combine soap flakes and water and stir until the soap is dissolved. Cool to luke warm.

2) Stir in the glycerin and the essential oil, leave to cool. AS it cools it will form a loose gel. Stir with a fork and break up the gel and then pour into a narrow-necked bottle. An old shampoo bottle makes an excellent container.

3) To use, squirt 3 teaspoonfuls into hot running water.

Untitled Comment

03:00, 2006-Jun-21 .. Posted by abmiller

These are GREAT recipes, thank you for sharing them!

I've started a separate "recipe" folder just for "green" recipes that I get off homesteadblogger. I will add these to my collection.

Thanks again!
~Anissa

Wow!!

12:20, 2006-Jun-22 .. Posted by Nonni

Thank you for posting those! Perfect timing too ;-)

I'll get on it....

11:34, 2006-Jun-23 .. Posted by deedee06

Kim, I will do what I can to retrace some steps and come up with a list of websites and books about simplicity that I have found helpful. I always enjoy others' lists. It may take awhile, but when I have a fairly complete list, I'll blog it.
We are still having fairly cool, somewhat windy weather. I love it!
Congratulations on your daughter's graduation. She sounds like a very accomplished young woman!