Natural Cleaners
I decided to add this section because there are a lot of people are sensitive to all the chemicals used in cleaning products. My internet buddy, Eliza, posted these on a mailing list and I wanted to share these with others. If you have a creation you would let me post here, let me know *smile*
Furniture Polish
Pound fresh sweet cicely seeds. Place a handful on a rag and rub on wood.
Furniture Polish
Mix 2 parts vegetable oil and 1 part lemon juice. Wipe on areas to be polished.
Furniture & Floor Polish
Mix 3 parts olive oil with 1 part white vinegar. Wipe on areas to be polished.
Glass Cleaners
Fill a spray bottle with equal amounts of vinegar and water. This is my favorite glass cleaner because it does not streak.
Glass Cleaner
Fill a spray bottle with:
2 cups rubbing alcohol
2 TBS household ammonia
1 1/2 TBS liquid dishwashing detergent
Window Cleaner
Make a wet paste out of cornstarch and water. Wipe on windows and let dry. Wipe off.
Wall Cleaner
Mix in bucket:
1 gallon of water
1 cup household ammonia
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
Carpet Cleaner
1 TBS vinegar
1 TBS household ammonia
Mix with one quart water.
Carpet Cleaner
Sprinkle cornstarch on the carpet and let sit for 10 minutes. Vacuum.
Deodorizer for Cat & Dog Messes
Clean up mess. Sprinkle baking soda on the area and then spray with vinegar. Let sit for about an hour. Wipe up with a mild soap and water solution.
Oven Cleaner
Sprinkle fresh spills inside the oven with salt. The salt will absorb the spills and can be brushed away once the oven has cooled.
Oven Cleaner
Do this only if your kitchen is well ventilated. Preheat the oven to 200F and then turn it off. Pour 2 cups of straight ammonia into a non-aluminum pan and place on the middle rack. Shut the oven door and let sit overnight. By morning the grease will be easy to wipe up.
Refrigerator Cleaner
Spray and wipe clean with equal parts of vinegar and water.
To Clean the Dishwasher
Once a month, pour a cup of vinegar into the dishwasher and run it through the whole cycle. This will clean, disinfect and reduce the soap build up.
Herbal Disinfectant
Simmer a handful of the leaves and stems of rosemary, juniper, lavendar or sage in 2 cups of boiled water. Strain and use to clean kitchens and bathrooms. Adding a little dishwashing detergent helps to cut the grease. Recipe can be doubled.
Kitchen Cleaner
Once a month, wipe down entire kitchen and the inside of the refrigerator with 2 TBS chlorine bleach in one gallon of water. This will kill off all the harmful germs.
For Greasy Dishes
Add a splash of vinegar to your dishwater to cut the grease.
Garbage Disposal Cleaner
Grind a couple of ice cubes made from vinegar in the garbage disposal and then run cold water for about a minute.
Get Rid of Sink Odor
Pour a 1/2 cup of vinegar down the kitchen sink. Flush with cold water a half hour later.
Air Freshener
Simmer 2 tsp. cinnamon in 2 cups of water.
Bug and Rodent Deterents
Ants:
Spray vinegar on ant trails and around the areas they are getting into your house. Place sprigs of pennyroyal, tansy, or rue in the cupboards and shelves.
Fleas:
Fleas hate laurel leaves, rue, and winter savory. Crush and place under rugs, sofa cushions, doormats, etc.. Add a tsp. of vinegar to your pets drinking water.
Flies:
Hang sprigs of lavender, mint, pennyroyal, peppermint, or rue. Make potpourris out of lavender. Grow any one of these herbs in and / or outside of your house.
Moths:
Make sachets out of lavender, lemon, thyme, mint, rosemary, tansy, or wormwood. Place in linen closets and drawers and in closets.
Weevils:
Place bay leaves on shelves and in cupboards. Put a whole leaf in with your flour, rice and dried beans.
Mice:
Place sprigs of tansy or mint on your shelves, cupboards and anywhere mice have been seen to deter them.
Draft Stopper
Instead of rolling up a towel and placing it in front of the crack under your door, you can easily make a more attractive draft stopper in one or two hours.
1. Use a heavy, dark material such as a tweed or canvas, that is about 5" wide and 5" longer than the width of your door.
2. Fold the material in half,wrong side out, and sew one short side and the long side, leaving one end open for stuffing.
3.Turn right side out. Stuff with cut up scraps of fabric, leaving some room so that the tube is flexible.
4. Turn in edges and sew shut.