How to live green in your home simply

Here is a simple list to start. From here you can make many specialty cleaners by mixing and expanding on these simple ingredients.

BAKING SODA (sodium bicarbonate): An all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. Cleans, deodorizes, removes stains and softens fabrics.

baking soda

BORAX (sodium borate): A natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. Please note safety precautions at the bottom of this page.

History of borax

CASTILE and VEGETABLE OIL BASED SOAPS: Cleans everything

Organic soaps

CORNSTARCH: Starches clothes, absorbs oil and grease

cornstarch

HERBS and ESSENTIAL OILS: For disinfecting and fragrance

Two of my favorite companies

Mountain rose herbs

Frontier herbs

LEMON JUICE: Cuts through grease and removes perspiration and other stains from clothing.A bleach alternative.

Lemon juice uses

SALT (sodium chloride): An abrasive

TOOTHPASTE A mild abrasive

VINEGAR (acetic acid): Cuts grease, removes stains and is an excellent water softener.

For an all purpose cleaner and sanitizer I use water with a little bit of vinegar and a couple of drops of GSE. Mix in a spray bottle and you are good to go. The vinegar cuts grease and the GSE kills the bad bacteria leaving only clean healthy surfaces.

GSE or grapefruit seed extract is a miracle in a bottle. Not only can it be used internally to treat most any cold or intestinal ailment it is a fabulous cleaner. I feed my dog a species specific diet which means I handle a lot of meat and my counters take a beating. The GSE will get rid of any bacteria which could harm me or my family.

GSE

To freshen your bathroom add a couple drops of your favorite essential oil into the cardboard tube of toilet paper. When you use the toilet paper the oils will release it's scent into the room.

For a scouring powder use a non chlorinated powder such as Bon Ami

Bon ami

Cleaning your metal ware

Silver

A cheap toothpaste (paste works better then gel) This is the before picture. The picture in module is after a minute or two.



Brass

Equal parts salt flour and vinegar mixed into a paste.

Chrome

Pure vinegar

Stainless steel

Baking soda and water paste

Porcelain

Cream of tartar on a damp cloth

To remove rust

Full strength lemon juice or vinegar

Mildew remover

1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 half cup borax in water.

The worst things we do in and around out homes and even on our pets are spray dangerous poisons to get rid of bugs.

We are so afraid of bugs that we are willing to put things on our bodies and our pets that cause cancer and do other horrible things to the immune system. Did you know liver cancer is on the rise (as well as all cancers) Most of the people who have or had it were exposed to the spraying our cities do to get rid of west nile. Did you ever notice the amount of butterflies is decreasing and now we are threatened with the loss of honey bees which are needed to propagate our crops.

Luckily there are cheap and non toxic ways of dealing with pests.

For your dog.

If you have fleas ticks or even mange Neem oil works wonders. Here is a bar soap that is easy to use rinses easily and lasts a long time. And best of all it is totally natural and non toxic.

dog flea soap

Also things you can do in your yard is spray a garlic barrier or plant rose geranium. For walks in the woods a couple drops of rose geranium essential oil repels fleas and ticks.

Note do not use this with cats. Cats can not metabolize essential oils and build up can cause liver failure.

For roaches and other crawly things in your home including fleas silverfish etc spread food grade DE Diatomaceous earth. Rub it into your carpet and say good buy to bugs.

DE also makes a wonderful natural wormer. 1 tsp per 20 lbs sprinkled over your dogs food for about three weeks will get rid of most internal worms.

DE