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Thought I would share a couple of recipes, care of a wonderful book I've just gotten my hands on called "Organic at Home" by Murdoch Books.

All-purpose cleaner

2 heaped tabelspoons bicarb soda
1 tablespoon white vinegar

mix together and store in an airtight container. To use, wipe surfaces with a soft cloth dipped in the solution. Rinse with clean water.

Disinfectant

1 tsp borax
2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
60ml liquid soap
500ml hot water

Mix together. To use, store in spray bottle and spray on then rinse and allow to dry.

Natural toilet cleaner

225g borax
60ml white vinegar or lemon juice

Mix ingredients. To use, pour into the toilet bowl. Leave at least a few hours - overnight if possible - then scrub the bowl with a toilet brush.

Hope some of these help

yep cheers green-girl.

Never sure about Borax though, is it a chemical and is it not pretty dangerous if not handled correctly?

Yep, it is poisonous, but like most things is OK if handled carefully!

Nev

I did wonder that myself... I guess it is just the way the world is now that you will never eliminate poisons 100% from your environment.... I'm reducing as much as I can... guess that's all we can do....

If anybody knows of any disinfectant that does not include borax, please share!

But can you put it in a septic tank?!?! And what's it called in French?

Trouble with these home made recipes is the cost. Vinegar and lemons aren't cheap. What I do with squeezed lemons is keep them by the sink and bleach my grubby stained fingernails with them! Just stick my nails in and squidge about a bit, wait a minute or two, then rinse. Works a treat!

we used borax dissolved in water as an eco-friendly treatment for the timbers in our new roof. and we weren't very careful slapping it on either. glad to know there's another use for it, as we still have more than half a big sack left - i better get cleaning!

GreenGirl, have you tried tea-tree oil, supposed to kill just about anything in the way of bugs...........

Nev

Tea Tree oil is a native of Australia (I don't think it grows anywhere else). Australian soldiers in the 2nd world war all carried tea tree oil in their pack. It's gentle enough to use directly on the skin but 12 times stronger than carbolic acid! It's an antibiotic, antiviral, fungicide, insecticide, bactericide and a natural disinfectant.

Other disinfectant oils are lemon, pine (no coincidence that these are found in cleaning products) eucalyptus, lime and grapefruit. Lemon & eucalyptus will also dissolve oil and grease.

Hope no one minds me reviving an old post. I clean my entire home with nothing but baking soda, vinegar, and cotton cloths (cotton diapers). I don't really have a list of recipes though. I clean the tile in the kitchen and bath with a bit of vinegar mixed in some water - on my hands and knees with a cotton cloth. I wash the windows with plain water - inside and out. I put a bit of baking soda down the drains to freshen them. I mix a paste of water and baking soda for cleaning the fixtures and shower stall. I even use baking soda and a brush to clean those pots or pans that sometimes don't want to come clean.

I do have a recipe somewhere for making a paste to clean the inside of a self-cleaning oven but it's not stored in a logical space. Next time I come across it I will post it. The same paste can be used to clean other greasy messes.

Sounds good! I was wondering about my oven...

Does anybody know who sells baking soda in large quantities (UK)?

Isn't baking soda what we in the UK call bicarbonate of soda (not to be confused with baking powder, which has other stuff in it too). Try the local grocer or supermarket.

No idea what's in it, or how it's made. Maybe out resident chemists can tell us.

I always just see those tiny little tubs of it - I thought that maybe somebody sells it by the kg!

Hedgie still seems to be struggling with the builders?!

You can buy household cleaning soda in bags. I've bought it in the past in England. What I don't like about it, however, is that it needs so much rinsing, because it leaves white marks everywhere.

Anyway try an old fashioned hardware store for it.

Is that the same stuff, then? Cleaning soda that comes as crystals, and bicarb? I remember my mum used it to soften the washing water with.

I'm not sure if it is the same as the stuff you cook with (bicarb in the little pots). I have a feeling now there are two different kinds of soda. Oh I dunno, where's Nev when you need him?!