Batson Family: February 2009

I honestly can't believe how simply, cheap and almost kinda fun this is! WOW, I mean why the heck are we introducing all these unneccesary chemicals into our lives and into the bodies of our children? Seems pretty lazy, and harmful to us and our environment. PLEASE read this and feel free to start your journey to being a little greener too. It really is the cool thing to do. I wish I could educate more people about this, but maybe my journey will help me understand it better and be able to help more people.

This is kinda long, so bear with me, copy,paste and print if you wish. That is what I did. Till everything comes second nature, I can just pull out my notebook and clean away without the worries of nasty chemicals or poisoning my kids!

Natural household cleaners N more

Week 1: Getting to Know Your New Friends

Step 1: Buy a jumbo grande box of baking soda and jug of white vinegar

Step 2: Purchase spray bottles: 1 for each bathroom, 1 for the kitchen, 3 extra. Size does not matter. If you like big get big. If you like dainty get small. Plain, colored, pretty, embellished...whatever!If you do not have covered storage containers handy, buy some small cheap ones. same number as the spray bottles. You can even purchase pretty glass or porcelain ones if you want. ** if you are fond of Chinese take-out or the deli the large and small plastic containers soup, potato salad, and chow mein come in are perfect. Keep those coffee and powder scoops. They are perfect for the baking soda. If you don't have any improvise with what you have. Spoons, measuring spoons, medicine cups, the top off of mouthwash...etc.

Step 3: With a marker or labeler mark your kitchen and bath spray bottles: 50% Vinegar. Mark one extra as 100% vinegar. Put the other extras aside. You will use those at a later time. If you want to, you can label your containers baking soda (one for each bathroom, 1 for the kitchen)

Step 4: Fill your spray bottles 1/2 water and 1/2 vinegar. And of course, fill the 100% with all vinegar. Fill your covered containers with baking soda.

Step 5: Put your new friends in their new homes. 1 of each into bathroom and kitchen. The kitchen also gets the 100% vinegar bottle. Why so many containers? You'll clean more if you don't have to trapeze all over the house to get your spray bottles and containers. Keep a set in each bathroom and a set in the kitchen, that way they are always handy.
The VAST MAJORITY of your household cleaning, dishwasher duties and laundry care can be done using just these two powerhouses. Before you use a stronger recipe, apply more elbow grease first!

Use the Vinegar and Water to: wash mirrors, windows, glass, and fixtures. Spray down the shower tile and door/curtain Clean kitchen counters, stove, table, and refrigerator Quick clean the kitchen and bathroom sinks

Use the Straight Vinegar to: clean the microwave (heat some vinegar in a bowl, let sit, then wipe away) or...spray the microwave, heat it for 20-30 seconds, let sit, then wipe. disinfect the cutting board; spray it on Put some vinegar in a small pot, throw in some cinnamon sticks and cloves and whole allspice heat until hot, turn off heat and let sit to scent the kitchen. Deodorize the toilet: pour it in and leave it Clean your coffee maker...pour it in and run a cycle.

Use Baking Soda to: Scrub the tub and deep clean the bathroom and kitchen sinks Scrub stubborn stains off of the counter, stove, and pots Deodorize the garbage disposal (pour some in and go away) Deodorize and clear drains (pour some in, go away, return and flush with vinegar) Pour some in the toilet, let sit, flush, add more and scrub before the water refills.

Got BS residue? Spray with vinegar, watch it fizz, and wipe away!

NOVEL IDEA: Instead of a covered container, use an old jar or parmesan cheese sifter for the baking soda. Poke some holes in the lid of the old jar and you have yourself a container that sprinkles on like comet.

MULTITASKER: If you are a 'poo freer you can use the same vinegar spray bottle and baking soda container to wash your hair.CAUTION: Don't use vinegar on marble! You can however, use baking soda. And if you have a very stubborn stain go with the milder acid in a grapefruit, scrub it away, then rinse very very very well with fresh water.

Week 2: The Laundry-Beast

Step 1: Purchase a new jug of white vinegar and baking soda specifically for your laundry room.

Step 2: While it isn't strictly necessary, take this week to make a new friendknown as Borax which is a phenomenal laundry booster and can be used later to make stronger cleaning solutions. Keep this on a high shelf away from young children. Don't use a heavy hand with it! A little goes a long way and is meant for tougher jobs.

Step 3: If you are so inclined get a downey ball (trust me...who said we had to put gross chemical downey in it?). If you already have one great!

Step 4: Designate a measuring pitcher style measuring cup and/or regular measuring cups just for the laundry. Kind and number doesn't matter. I just use one 1/2 cup measuring cup and make due ; but other people are fussier and particular about wet and dry.

*CAUTION: Borax is NOT edible. Keep it out of reach of children and pets. It is harmful if ingested, however, you must deliberately eat it and since it is a salt it would be a feat to eat it because it is just as unpalatable as straight baking soda or simple table salt. Have respect for all chemicals including soap! Borax will not burn you, it is non reactive, and the box you buy is in crystal form so there is no dust and no breathing hazard (as long as you don't snort the stuff by sticking your nose in the box). You only need a very small amount of it for the tough, heavy duty jobs. Don't over use it. One box should last you a very long time.

Use the Triple Threat to manage your laundry!To clean the residue grunge and deposits out of your washing machine:Set your washer to "heavy/soiled". Fill your washer with hot water and add 3 cups of vinegar and 1 cup of baking soda. Let it run through its cycle but stop it after its spin and drain. Get a rag and wipe down the drum. Follow with a cold water rinse on the "heavey/soild" setting.

Baking Soda!

Boosting the power of your detergent:Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the wash cycle.If the clothes/towels are especially odiferous and 1/2 cup to the rinse cycle.

Vinegar!

Whiten Whites, Brighten Colors, Freshen, Reduce Static Cling, and SoftenTo Freshen, Soften, Brighten Colors, and Whiten Whites: Pour vinegar into the downey ball and toss in with the wash. The vinegar will release during the rinse cycle and will make those bold colors stick just like it does for easter eggs, will reduce odor, and will brighten the whites and soften the laundry by removing the gunk that turns whites yellow and makes fabric stiff.For Sweat Stains and Ring around the Collar: spray stains with straight vinegar before washing.

Borax!

The MuscleTo Boost the Detergent Power and Condition Hard Water: Add 1/4-1/2 cup to the wash (depending on load size) for laundry that needs that extra kick in the pants.Especially Stubborn Stains and Smells: Pre-soak the items in the wash with 1/2 cup borax (or 1 tbsp per gallon). Let pre-soak at least 30 minutes.

***If you have a really big washer or a big front loader (you lucky gal) change all the above 1/2 cups for all to 3/4 cup (except borax. Stick to 1tbsp per gallon). For small loads or small washers use less***

TIP: Got really stubborn toilet stains that you can't get out? Put in 1/4 cup of borax and let it soak before scrubbing.

The Triple Threat Requests Worthy Sidekicks

Earth Defenders

This week you should concern yourself with evicting your normal liquid soap and detergent and get rid of the chemical cleaning products stuffed in your cabinets. I know, I know, you may have still some left. So you can wait, but there is no time like the present! You shouldn't have much trouble pawning them off on family or donate them somewhere. At the very least, buy the replacements so that as soon as you run out you aren't tempted to buy something handy while you are too busy to "look for the good stuff."Brand doesn't really matter, go with what is on sale or easily accessible. When I started out Ecover was the only one available to me and I still use it exclusively for the kitchen. I recommend free and clear, but there are some kinds that have orange or lemon scents. Purchase evironmentally sound:

1. Dish soap

2. Laundry detergent

3. Regular soap (yes, the kind you wash with...go with Kirk's Castille Soap if you can get it. Fragrance free and only a dollar. Otherwise pick your favorite. A castille soap is soap made with olive oil or another vegetable oil. I think it is the best kind. )

**You should be able to identify all ingredients in a quality soap! You might see something like: saponified oil OR olive oil and lye/NaOH/sodium hydroxide. They all mean the same thing. Soap is a mixture of lye and oil/fat, nothing more.

**Your First Recipe! Dishwasher Detergent ReplacementMix 3 cups baking soda with 3 cups borax in a jar or container (make as much or as little as you like...equal parts. For something stronger do 3 cups baking soda and 4 cups borax for something less powerful use less borax or no borax at all. It depends on if you have hard water or a particularly nastily load to clean). Use in place of dishwasher detergent (keep a spoon or little scoop in the jar for convenience or alternately you can use a bottle instead to control the pour)Deodorizing and Cleaning Your DishwasherTo clean and deodorize the dishwasher: sprinkle baking soda on the bottom and run the dishwasher through a short cycle on the hottest setting. You may need to apply some elbow grease to clean out the corners of the door, gasket, and drain. Then pour a cup of white vinegar in the bottom and run it through another short cycle. To Make Your Glasses Sparkle and Deodorize at the Same TimeAdd vinegar to the "jet dry" reservoir in your dishwasher. If you don't have this feature, pour 1/4 cup of vinegar into the dishwasher just before its rinse cycle.

COOL TIP: use a marker to date the products you buy so that you know how long it takes you to use them up.

FRUGAL TIP: Because you are using laundry boosters you can use HALF of the detergent amount you usually do.

The Triple Threat and Sidekick Fight GrimeLet's face it, sometimes that greasy, grimy, gummy gunk is really hard to get off of the stove hood and the refrigerator. Instead of reaching for the Formula 409, make your own all-purpose-grime cutter. Your Second Recipe!Get one of those extra spray bottles and mark it as: All Purpose Cleaner. Or you can be clever and name it something catchy like Formula 911.Combine and Shake It Up:

· 2 cups hot water (to make dissolving easier)
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· 2 teaspoons borax
· 1/2 teaspoon liquid dish soap

Do you need something with a little more disinfecting power for those tough bathroom grossosities? You should have an empty spray bottle left.Your Third Recipe!Get that last spray bottles and mark it as: Disinfectant, Germ Eraser, or Mrs. Clean -- depending on your mood.Combine and Shake It Up:
· 1 cup hot water (to make dissolving easier)
· 1 cup vinegar
· 1/2 cup alcohol
· 1/2 tsp liquid dish soap

Lemon and Salt

This week is really simple.

You can substitute lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit for vinegar in any recipe thus far. Though it is much better to just add lemon to the vinegar cleaning products you've already made for a fresh citrus scent addition. Oh, they are also very tastey -- I love lemons!

First, purchase yourself a little palm sized grater for zesting if you don't already have one: Use Lemon and/or Salt to:Scrub your cutting board: Pour on salt and scrub with half a lemon.Freshen the disposal:

The lemon you just used? Throw it in the disposal.

Clean Copper: Pour on the salt and scrub with the lemon or lemon juice.Remove wine/grape juice stain: Pour salt on the stain, let sit to absorb, vacuumStubborn grape stain on the counter: Let a disc of lemon or lemon juice sit on the stain, cover with baking soda and then scrub it away.

Natural Sunny Bleach: Add lemon juice to the rinse cycle of white clothes instead of vinegar then hang out to dry. The lemon juice acts as a bleach booster for the sun. (also works to lighten your hair)Grapefruit and Salt: Dip half a grapefruit into salt and scrub your counters free of stains.

Cold Garbage Disposal Cleaner: Freeze used lemon bits into ice cubes and throw a few in the disposal and turn it on. It cleans the blades and freshens (its kind of noisy!) If you want the cubes to do double duty, you can make them water, lemon juice, and lemon zest so they can be plopped into an iced tea or other refreshment.

Groady Fixtures and Shower Head: Make a paste of 3 parts salt, 1 part baking soda, and enough vinegar to make a paste. Schmear it on the fixtures and let it sit for a while then rinse away.

Shiney!Citrusy House: Peel the lemon or lime before using (I prefer a knife to get nice thin slices of all zest and dry them out in the oven). The house will smell good and then you can take the dried pieces, cut them into smaller pieces and put them in your vinegar solutions to scent them over time.

Recipe!

Baking Soda Carpet DeodorizerIn a jar with holes punched in the lid or in a parmesan cheese dispenser, fill with baking soda and add lemon zest, or orange zest, or lime zest, or dried lavender flowers, or mint, or potpourri of your choice. Sprinkle on carpet, let sit for a few hours if you can, then vacuum.

SMART TIP: To keep the smell contained and prevent spills, cover the jar mouth with a round piece of paper, foil, or plastic before putting the lid on for storage.

Wood Wonders with Oil!

The Furniture Needs Love Too!You've probably run out of spray bottles by now, so decide how many you want this week based upon the new recipes you want to make.You can use a regular size spray bottle for the cleaner and duster, but for the furniture polish recipe, I suggest buying a small spray bottle. You don't want to mix too much and have the oil go rancid. Halve the recipe if you don't have a lot of wood furniture. Don't forget to label the spray bottles!If you are worried about the olive oil going rancid (though if you don't use too much and wipe it off well that shouldn't happen), go with jojoba -- it won't go rancid because its really a wax. Almond oil has its own cent -- use your nose and decide what you want. You don't have to use lemon...lime, orange, and grapefruit work just as well.

Recipe:

Lemon Fresh Furniture Polish Combine:1/2 cup olive oil/almond/jojoba oil1/4 cup lemon juiceShake well before each use. Spray a very small amount on (a little goes a long way) and wipe with a cloth, or spray or dab on the cloth then wipe. Test in an inconspicuous spot before doing the whole piece. (you can also throw in zest pieces to get a deeper infusion)

Recipe: Lemon Fresh Light Furniture DusterCombine:1/2 cup vinegar1/4 cup lemon juice1 tbsp olive/almond/jojoba oilShake well before each use. Spray on and wipe with a cloth, or spray or dab on the cloth then wipe. Test in an inconspicuous spot before doing the whole piece. (you can also throw in zest pieces to get a deeper infusion)

Recipe: Wood Cabinet and Paneling CleanerCombine:2 cups hot water1/2 cup vinegar1/4 cup olive oil/almond/jojoba oil

Shake well before use. Wipe on and wipe off. Test it in an inconspicuous spot first

Armed and Dangerous...Let's Freshen Up!
First a Recap of your Prepared Arsenal:
1. Baking soda and 50% Vinegar in all bathrooms and the kitchen
2. Baking soda, vinegar, and borax in the laundry room
3. All Purpose Cleaner
4. Bathroom Disinfectant Cleaner
5. Dishwashing Mix
6. Carpet Deodorizer
7. Furniture Polish
8. Furniture Duster/CleanerPurchased Detergents/Soaps

1. Earth friendly laundry detergent
2. Earth friendly dish soap
3. Earth friendly regular soap
What's Next?
1. Replace your toothpaste with a SLS free kind or with a mix of equal parts baking soda/salt and xylitol to taste if desired
2.

Replace your shampoo with detergent free or baking soda and vinegar3. Get rid of all commercial air fresheners

Stove Top Air FreshenerIn a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water heat until hot cinnamon sticks, cloves, all spice, or nutmeg in any single spice or combination desired. Once hot, turn off and the house will smell of spice.

Recipe:

Ginger Spice Spray Air Freshener
1 cup water (or 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup vinegar)1-3 cinnamon sticks1/2 teaspoon ginger1/2 teaspoon allspice1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Mix well in a small spray bottle and spray wherever desired.Recipe: Scent Essence Air Freshener
1 cup water (or 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup vinegar)
Your Choice:Lemon Extract (or lemon juice/zest)Lime Extract (or lemon juice/zest)Vanilla Extract (or vanilla bean)Almond ExtractMix well in the concentration desired in a small spray bottle and spray wherever desired.
Recipe (Advanced): Closet and Drawer Freshener Pomander Ball

What you need:1. An orange (something with thin skin not thick!) or another citrus fruit. Apples also work nicely.2. Whole cloves3. 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg4. 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon5. 2 teaspoons allspice6. 2 teaspoons orris root powder OR sandalwood oil (essential) 7. A nail or embroidery needle about the width of the clove stems** you may use any spice pre-mixture you want. Apple Pie Spice, Pumpkin Pie Spice, Garam Masala, etc.**

Prick holes in the fruit in a desired pattern. The most common is up and down rows, but you can get fancy. Insert cloves into the holes about 1/8 of an inch apart. Mix the spices in a bowl and roll the fruit in it until it is completely covered (use the leftovers to make more pomanders). Put the fruit into a paper bag and keep in a cool, dry, dark place for three weeks to six weeks so that it can shrink and harden (it won't mold because of the orris root powder). When cured properly it will be light and sound hollow if tapped on a surface. If you use sandalwood oil paint the fruit with the oil (you don't need a lot) then roll into the spices.Toss into a drawer or attach a pretty ribbon with pins to the dried pomander and hang in a closet or wherever you want a nice scent. You can also affix a ribbon or string to the top of the fruit first and then put in the cloves. If you want to wrap the ribbon around the fuit, use masking tape the width of the desired ribbon to mask off an area before studding with cloves. Pomanders keep indefinitely.

You've Come A Long Way Baby! You Can Consider Yourself a Tree Hugger!So you should be at intermediate level now and you are well on your way to making more green changes in the weeks to come. Here are a few more recipes for you to add to your arsenal. These are the last friends you will meet in this series:

Aloe and Witch Hazel
and Recipe: On the Go Lemony Fresh Sanitizing Handwipes1/4 cup alcohol1/4 cup water 1/4 cup aloe juice (optional)1/2 lemon juicedPaper Towels cut to size and folded, or reusable flannel/cotton clothSealable ziptop plastic bag or small flat tupperwareMix all the ingredients and paper towels/cloths and seal in a flat tupperware container or a small jar. Your container should be small enough to be easily portable and stored in a purse, diaper bag, or glove compartment. This is meant for travel cleaning on the go. Paper towels is a convenience but you can buy recycled ones to compensate, using cloth requires you to take care to have a place to toss the used ones (easy to do, just keep a small toss bag in the car or diaper bag)Recipe:

Easy Soothing Baby Wipes2 cups of witch hazel1 cup aloe vera juicePaper towels or reusable cotton/flannel clothsFind a suitable container to your liking (a big one for the home and a small flat one for on the go). Mix well and use like regular commercial wipes.Baking Soda and Vinegar Parting Tips:

To deter ants: sprinkle baking soda along ant paths outside the homeTo clean tools and pots: mix baking soda and vinegar into a paste, schmear on your tools and gardon pots, rinse clean, and dry thoroughly.

To keep outdoor cushions fresh: store in bags sprinkled with baking soda before storing for the season.

To freshen the dog: sprinkle baking soda on fur, leave for a few minutes then brush off (best done outside!)

To remove fleas: wash dog or cat in a solution of vinegar and water. Don't rinse -- let air dry.To freshen pet beds: Sprinkle with baking soda, let sit for an hour or more and vacuum clean.

COOL TIP: Put large bay leaves strategically in your cabinets to deter bugs. I have bay leaf "bits" in open mini preserve containers in the corners of my cabinet labeled Bug-B-Gone.

BE SURE TO VISIT MY BLOG ON HOW YOU CAN GO POO FREE, MEANING, YES, NO SHAMPOO! (lots of chemicals in that stuff too..)