This site has all the ingredients you need
This site has all the ingredients you need
Thanks Peg. Was looking for a site with a heap of recipes but could only find dribs and drabs!
no problem
amazing how simple making your own cleaners are.
although, i have tried to buy washing soda at coles and couldnt find any in the laundry isle.... i'm also not sure what the natural liquid soap is
Can't you just grate the natural soap, soak it in water and put into a pump pack once sludgy? I read that's what people do with the last slivers of soap to use every last bit.
Or are you talking about the liquid detergent bit? Eco store make one. I was going to check it out to mix with the bicarb for the creamy soft scrubbing paste. Sick of not being able to clean the bathroom when baby around. I'm an ex cleaner so basically had "bleach, bleach, bleach" drilled into me but I really don't like it near DD
Well i dont really know what the washing soda is. I've looked in the supermarkets but havnt found anything called washing soda. Maybe its called something else.:
I've heard a lot of people use the lux soap flakes so perhaps I could add water to that and use as the liquid soap???
Does anyone know where you can buy bicarb soda in bulk quantities? Seems expensive to buy the little boxes intended for use in cooking when you use it for cleaning.
Also - MantaRay said something on the first page about using vinegar for washing floors - what's the method for doing this? Just a dash in the mopping water, or quite a bit? I have just been mopping the kitchen floor with hot water, for DS's safety, but it doesn't really get it very clean-looking.
I use about 1/2 cup of vinegar for mopping. I also add a couple of drops of eucalyptus oil or lavender oil for a nice clean smell. As long as the water is quite hot the floors come up quite well, just wish they would stay that way.
As for bi-carb Coles does sell their own brand in a plastic packet rather than a box, it is much cheaper. I have been meaning to check out some of the rural supply stores, as many years ago someone got me a large box from a rural store. Will post when I find out more.
i wikipedia'd it and it said other names are soda ash and sodium carbonate. Have no idea what product it would be sold under though. Read in another page lectric soda but the ingredient in that is sodium chloride.......:
Thanks Astrid - will have to get myself some nice-smelling oil so my kitchen floor looks and smells nice too. Will be interested to hear if you find some bulk bicarb.
xx
Peg, are you talking about washing soda crystals? I had a really hard time finding them in Coles too, I eventually found them not near the washing powders, but on the bottom shelf near the pegs - although that was a while ago & my local Coles has rearranged stuff since then.:
HTH
cheers for that, i'll have to have a really good look.:
it would probably be easier if I knew what i was looking for, but as i've never seen a packet of washing soda its probably what is making it hard to find.
Alright, im about to go for a WALK down the street and get all my 'green' cleaning ingredients...
Just doing my bit for the environment ;)
LOL
Just a quick question with the lavender oil etc... is it ok to buy the ones from the "cheap" shops like $2 shop etc..?
Also, what is best to clean carpets with and get them smelling fresh?
i have a feeling those cheap oils are not really good.:
I guess if its just the fragrance you want then they might be alright, but i think they may be made with artificial ingredients...which would include chemicals you may not want.
Essential oils are made only from the oil of the flowers, they are more pure then artificial oils.
So where do i get the 'real' ones?
RR - I always buy mine from coles or woolworths... in coles they're in the aisle with the candles, & kids party stuff etc.
I think in woolworths they're in the aisles with the health food/natural foods... but I have major pregnancy brain at the moment, so it could be the other way around! :rofl:
You can but them at shops like Living Energies etc but you'll pay a fortune for them :rolleyes:
In the toiletries section of Coles. There is ecualyptus oil, lavender and tea tree Think with the vaporiser stuff. If not go to a Chemist or health food store. Zest down near Swintons has them as well.
Thanks!!
I found that, Yes, the coles brand bi-carb is alot cheaper than the brand name stuff
:
Those oils are downright nasty. I put a cheap lavendar one in my bath one time and it BURNT my skin. I get the wollies ones.
Also carpets, last house had carpet everywhere and i hate the smell of carpet no matter what. I used to sprinkle bicarb and leave about 30 mins then vacuum it. well i figured you put a container of it in the fridge to stop it smelling so why not. Just make sure the vacuum is empty prior for good suckage.
i recently got some lemongrass essential oil from a local chemist... smells great and only cost $10:
try chemists or the health food shops, but avoid the $2 shops
I found a place called aroma fizz that sells large bottles of oil - 100ml and 200ml sizes. You can buy packs of clove, lavendar, orange and lemon oil for really good prices. Much more convenient than smaller bottles from the supermarket.
Orange, lemon and lavendar make an awesome smelling mix for floors!! DH hates it, but that's his problem ;)
btw - they also have an ebay store. Looking at it now there's another seller called nakedpress who does even larger quantities at awesome prices, and much bigger range. 1L of lemon oil for $40ish including delivery!! w00t
Ooh loving the info, thanks ladies!
Does anybody have a tried and tested recipe for a homemade insecticide? I know that spiders HATE lemon oil and have plans to treat all windows and doors at our new home with this, but is there anything else that people use and love?
I use eucalyptus on my benchtops (you do have to be careful as it is toxic) I just add a tiny dash to my vinegar spray, seems to deter ****roaches etc.
So just a bottle full of plain ol' white vinegar and a few drops of eucalyptus oil? Sounds too easy! And certainly much healthier for my family than the mortein surface spray!! =)
Yup, I do about 2/3 vinegar to 1/3 water with a few drops of eucalyptus for surfaces, bin, cupboard doors etc & plain vinegar 100% for Pie's highchair and stuff which goes in her mouth.
Much nicer :)
rockin'! Thanks =)
Does that work with flies too? We are inundated with them at the moment and it is gross. :sick: any suggestions for a natural fly deterrant would be great!
I know it's slightly off topic, but I bought some more cleaning vinegar today and it's more than 2 1/2 times more expensive to buy 'cleaning vinegar' than it is to buy regular white vinegar in the food aisle - and they are exactly the same! Hope that helps...
:
I just by the stuff in the food aisle
I just buy the regular vinegar... I didn't even know there was such a thing as cleaning vinegar :redface:
Ryatha, I don't know about flies, but I imagine they wouldn't like it much... couldn't hurt to try it :)
The cleaning vinegar should be cheaper!! It's basically just non-food-grade version of the same thing. They can't sell it to eat, so they sell it as cleaning supplies. Last time I bought it, it was half the cost of food grade. I guess they've upped the price due to more people interested in natural and DIY cleaners...
Madness!!
I am so inspired. I am going to buy a bunch of spray bottles and make all the concoctions suggested by Artechim and chuck out all those disgusting chemical cleaners that make my hands scaly and pollute the air.
Thanks for this thread guys!!!
What other books can I get as a reference for these natural cleaning recipes? I checked the spotless reviews and they didnt seem too good =(
I've been using vinegar in the dishwasher for months and it's great, but when I use bi-carb in the powder dispenser I get HEAPS of rejects. It'll clean the toast plates, but not much else. If I rinse everything so you can't see any marks, that defies the point of trying to be environmentally friendly(ish) as it wastes heaps of water. Any suggestions? TIA