Chemistry

[dancerjodi]

I spent some time last night making some cleaning products for the kitchen

-Dishwasher powder: equal parts borax and cleaning soda (made by Arm and Hammer, in the soap aisle in the supermarket)
-Glass cleaner: 1 qt warm water to 2 tsp vinegar (works awesome, and I used a squeegee to save paper towels)
-Liquid dish soap: some shaved soap bits from a castile bar and warm water - I'm not convinced on this yet so I may get some liquid castile soap to put into our countertop pump instead.
-All purpose cleaner: 1 qt warm water to 1/8 cup of borax

It was a lot of fun, I'm amazed how cheap this stuff is, and how far a box or bottle could go. For example, one bottle of spray cleaner would cost $3-$4 in the store compared to some warm water and 2 teaspoons of vinegar. My next adventure will be making some kind of floor cleaner and bathroom cleaners (the vinegar + water and something with baking soda, I'd imagine). The book also has natural recipes for cleaning stainless steel and chrome, which I'll need to take note of.

One thing that's a bit over the top is this author's suggestion of how often to clean things. If Brian and I spent all of our free time cleaning when we weren't at work we wouldn't get done what this woman suggests - very interesting.

I'm also removing our liquid antibacterial soaps http://www.tufts.edu/med/apua/Patients/antibact/antibact.html. I have three bottles of Bath and Body Works stuff I'll pass on to my sister, because she loves them. I had an extra castile soap bar that I broke in half to use in the two bathrooms - it cost a whopping $1 at the supermarket, and is made from a base of coconut oil (with a couple of other all natural, pronounceable ingredients). Again, I'm not going crazy, but if this is all stuff I can find at my local supermarket for cheap, and it will simplify things I'm all game for it. I need to get some more spray bottles so that I have a set of cleaners on each floor.

Mal seemed to like the time hanging out in the kitchen together. We're 1/2 through his recovery and I'm so pleased with how he's doing, e-collar and all. The stitches come out early next week and then he can play with Jayne again. We left him alone without the collar for 2 hours last night, figuring we'd be home soon enough and he hasn't bothered the stitches at all when we've been around. He was just fine when we got home. We've been leaving it off him at night when we sleep, because Brian's up so late and I'm up so early its only a couple of hours that he's not watched. He's got the collar on if we're gone for a long time (like during the work day) but otherwise he's free from it. The recovery has gone MUCH better this time around, with him having freedom from that collar most of the time, being able to clean himself, and being able to roam a couple of rooms (rather than being cooped up in the den all of the time).

Comments

[devina.livejournal.com]

Our cleaners use vinegar, water, baking soda, and Bon Ami for just about everything in the house.

How did the dishwasher powder work?

Cleaning

[dancer.livejournal.com]

I haven't used this dishwasher powder yet (the dishwasher isn't full yet) but I have used one in the past that was Borax + Baking soda (versus Borax + Cleaning Soda) and it worked pretty well. I'm assuming since cleaning soda is a soap, it will work better than baking soda.

The liquid dish soap worked fine, I'm just not sure how keeping it mixed in a pump will work (versus just using the bar of castile soap as needed). I figured I'd use it on the sink to wash dishes and hands and I love the pump we have (hence using it that way). If it seems to be too watery, I may just get some of that Dr. Bonner's liquid castile stuff for the pump.

I've never heard of Bon Ami (googling), it looks like its just cleaning soda (sodium carbonate) with some limestone mixed in it to make it a bit more abrasive.

Re: Cleaning

[bluemetalpig.livejournal.com]

Dr. Bronner's rocks. I'll have to remember that for when I get my own place, along with all the other homemade stuff.

Re: Cleaning

[dancer.livejournal.com]

I really love this Green Clean book. It only cost like $11, has tons of tips, recipes, product suggestions (if you don't want to mix your own), recycling ideas (what can go down the sink and what can't) and all of that. Its even waterproof, so that if you keep it near the sink it won't get destroyed. I've found tons of things online before, but I like how this book gives a bunch of different options and keeps it all together.

I found that the supermarket near us sold castile soap in bar form but not liquid (like the Dr. Bonner's is). I'm not sure if that's just a natural food store kind of thing (and I'm sure it will cost more). They both work the same, its just an ease of use issue. And, I'm stubborn and want to keep using my soap pump :) The castile soap bars were kind of in the bottom of a supermarket shelf in the corner. I couldn't even tell what it was, it was just a nondescript bar in plain white paper packaging. I guess the company has been in business since the 1700s or something.

Re: Cleaning

[bluemetalpig.livejournal.com]

I think that Bronner's is a natural food thing, but it's concentrated and can go a long way. The bars sound good, I just think that soap shavings can be a pain. Can't complain if you're saving a buttload of $$ though lol.

Maybe I'll get that book for Tammy's bday so I can borrow it later!

Edit:

[dancer.livejournal.com]

OK, Bon Ami is Cleaning soda with natural bleach added. I have a recipe for natural bleach too, so I could actually make the same thing as Bon Ami at home for probably less than the stuff costs on its own. :)

[roaming.livejournal.com]

More recipes here.

We use AA Clean, twice a month for the big stuff -- vacuuming, washing everything down. Tom got them from tobi. They're great.