Environmental measures in your home

[karrie]

I went to resurrect an old thread that talked about my home made cleaner, because I wanted to post a video I found. Alas, the thread has been closed due to its advanced age... lol... so I will simply repost what I opened that thread with.

Since coming down with fibromyalgia, I've become very aware of the impact chemicals have on my system. The wrong smells, the wrong cleaners, can leave me curled up in bed with severe headaches and bother me for days. So, I've started cleaning much 'greener'. Ultimately, while it's nice to know they're easier on the overall environment, I'm just in it for the peace of mind in MY immediate environment. There are a couple things we've started changing. We stopped buying Windex, and switched to vinegar. We stopped buying Mr.Clean, and switched to Orange TKO. I also bought a bottle of 'Natura' for around the kitchen, but, when it ran out today I simply made a homemade version. I figured while we're all busy sharing recipes, I'd share this one here.

All Purpose Cleaner
1 teaspoon Borax
1/2 teaspoon of washing soda or 1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of dish soap (go organic if you really want to be enviro friendly)
2 cups hot water
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons teatree oil
optionally, you can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for scent. I added a little eucalyptus and lemon oils.

Place all ingredients in spray bottle (making sure vinegar goes in only after water), shake, and use. The essential oils will rise to the top, requiring you shake it before each use.

Since posting this ages ago, I have stopped using tradfitional cleaners almost alltogether. I use this bottle cleaner here, and for scrubbing I have a powder, similar to AJAX or Comet, but nonscratching, that is a simple formula of half and half washing soda and Borax.

What made me want to resurrect the thread is a commercial a friend passed my way the other day...

YouTube - Shiny Suds funny commercial

 

[YukonJack]

karrie, I am sorry to hear about your affliction. Hope that you recover.

Since I lost ALL my sense of smell a few years ago, I became more aware of the things I should be aware of.

I try to do all the environmentally correct things in my household.

 

[Avro]

For cleaning we use Swish green and clean products....the very same my first buisness uses as well.

 

[JLM]

I went to resurrect an old thread that talked about my home made cleaner, because I wanted to post a video I found. Alas, the thread has been closed due to its advanced age... lol... so I will simply repost what I opened that thread with.

Since coming down with fibromyalgia, I've become very aware of the impact chemicals have on my system. The wrong smells, the wrong cleaners, can leave me curled up in bed with severe headaches and bother me for days. So, I've started cleaning much 'greener'. Ultimately, while it's nice to know they're easier on the overall environment, I'm just in it for the peace of mind in MY immediate environment. There are a couple things we've started changing. We stopped buying Windex, and switched to vinegar. We stopped buying Mr.Clean, and switched to Orange TKO. I also bought a bottle of 'Natura' for around the kitchen, but, when it ran out today I simply made a homemade version. I figured while we're all busy sharing recipes, I'd share this one here.

All Purpose Cleaner
1 teaspoon Borax
1/2 teaspoon of washing soda or 1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of dish soap (go organic if you really want to be enviro friendly)
2 cups hot water
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons teatree oil
optionally, you can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for scent. I added a little eucalyptus and lemon oils.

Place all ingredients in spray bottle (making sure vinegar goes in only after water), shake, and use. The essential oils will rise to the top, requiring you shake it before each use.

Since posting this ages ago, I have stopped using tradfitional cleaners almost alltogether. I use this bottle cleaner here, and for scrubbing I have a powder, similar to AJAX or Comet, but nonscratching, that is a simple formula of half and half washing soda and Borax.

What made me want to resurrect the thread is a commercial a friend passed my way the other day...

YouTube - Shiny Suds funny commercial

Good thread Karrie- This generation has an obsession about cleanliness to the point where it's actually UNhealthy - too much bathing dries out the skin for one thing. When I was a kid Saturday night was bath night when we pulled the tin tub off it's nail on the wall and we all had a bath. When you go to the grocery store there is often an entire aisle devoted to various cleansers. It's reached the point where it's a major sickness. I was so happy just the other day when my grand daughter came home from school and announced that her teacher told her bathing more than once a week is unhealthy. Another thing I suspect is making a lot of people sick are all these deodorants. Then there are the 47 different kinds of bathroom sprays, which are totally unnecessary if you just keep the bathroom window opened half an inch. It's no wonder the number of personal bankruptcies are running rampant with this compulsion we have for buying so much garbage.