2. Skip the store-bought air fresheners and instead try boiling cinnamon, cloves, or any other herbs you have a fondness for. Fresh chocolate chip cookies also have been known to create a friendly aroma. Plants which reduce toxic materials are: Aloe Vera, English ivy, fig trees, chrysanthemum, spider plants, Chinese evergreen, bamboo palm, and lily. Decorate liberally with these plants and they’ll act as a natural air purifier.

3. To make your own dish soap place 500 mL of pure soap flakes in a pot and mix with 4 litres of water. Heat the mixture on medium heat until it boils. Let it cool before you use it. You can also add some vinegar to it for tougher grease stains. This soap cannot be used in dishwashers, so to make a soap that can, mix equal parts borax and washing soda.

4. BORAX - In the laundry section you’ll find a medium sized cardboard box marked “Borax”. Also known as sodium borate, it is a complex mineral found in lakes and other evaporate deposits. It is a laundry booster, which has been around for over 100 years, but it works for so many other things as well. Use borax most often as a carpet cleaner. Whenever we rent a wet carpet cleaner from the grocery store we use 1/2 cup borax to 1 gallon of hot water.

5. For clogged sinks, pour 1 cup washing soda into the water surrounding the drain, as close to the drain as possible. Within a minute, the water should go down. If water hasn’t yet backed up, or you don’t have any washing soda, pour 1 cup baking soda down the drain followed by 3 cups boiling water. You can also try pouring in ½ cup baking soda and ½ cup vinegar. Leave in drainpipe for 1 minute then rinse with hot water.

6. For stains in your toilet, make a paste about the consistency of toothpaste using borax and lemon juice. Apply the paste to the sides of your toilet and let it sit for about 2 hours. Scrub the surface thoroughly and rinse. Another technique is to sprinkle baking soda on the sides of the bowl and add vinegar. Scrub the surface with a toilet brush.

7. For tough stains on counter tops, let a few drops of lemon juice sit for a few minutes then scrub with baking soda. Other all purpose cleaners can be used on such stains, along with vinegar diluted in water. Make sure to wipe the cleaners off before you use the countertop again.

8. Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families who have sensitive skin. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively.

- Froso

Add comment October 29th, 2008