Cleaners:
These cleaners will save you a lot of money, many of them are better than commercial cleaners and they are better for your home environment and the overall environment.
Mold and Mildew Remover
2 teaspoons tea tree oil
2 ups water
Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem area. Do not rinse. (It dissolves the mold/mildew) Mark it clearly.
All Purpose Cleaner
2 Cups Water
1/4 Cup Vinegar
1/4 Teaspoon tea Tree oil ( peppermint works well too)
1 Squirt of lemon juice (or vinegar)
Mix in a spray bottle and mark it clearly.
Alcahol Glass Cleaner
1 Cup (isopropyl) Rubbing alcahol
1 Cup water
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
(a few drops of blue food coloring if you want it to look like windex)
Mix in spray bottle and mark it clearly.
Furniture Polish
1 Cup olive oil
1/2 Cup lemon juice
Mix in bottle. Shake well, apply small amount to a flannel cleaning rag or cloth. Spread evenly over furniture surface. Turn cloth to dry side and polish dry.
Susan Elliots Choice Liquid Laundry Soap
for the ladies from my church who got to sample hers and would like the recipe.
Ingredients:
4 cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (DIY washing soda from baking soda)
½ cup Borax
Directions:
-Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, Washing Soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)
Cheap homemade Laundry Soap
Small batch:
1 bar ivory soap
1 cup Super Washing Soda (DIY washing soda from baking soda)
1/2 C Borax
(A few drops of lavender, peppermint, tea tree, or other essential oil)
Grate bar on tiny grater or plane. mix all ingredients together. Use 1-2 Tablespoons per load. 1/4 C for heavy stains.
If you want this to be liquid then:
Grater the soap int a suacepan add 4 cups of hot water. Stir CONTINUALLY (or it willl bur to the botom and ruin the whole batch) over MEDIUM-LOW heat until soap dissolves and is melted. Fill a 5 Gallon bucket half full with hot tap water, add melted soap, washing soda, and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover, and let sit overnight to thicken.
1/2 Cup for average size loads. If you are using the soap dispenser use 1/2 cup laundry soap and 1/2 cup water.
Huge batch of Powdered Soap
1 box Super Washing Soda (DIY washing soda from baking soda)
1/2 box Borax
2-3 Bars Ivory Soap Grated super finely
(a few drops essential oil)
Use 1-2 Tablespoons/load. 1/4 C for heavy soil.
Fabric Softener Extender
1 bottle fabric softener
2 Bottles of water
Fill a bucket (that has a lid) with all ingredients. Cut up a sponge into 4 pieces and throw in as well. When ready to use, wring out extra mixture from two sponges and add to the dryer as you would a dryer sheet. It works well and is super cheap! (It will also reduce the amount of garbage that goes out.)
You can find a lot more by using using a search engine like Google. Try "DIY cleaners", "homemade cleaners", etc.
Ways to use Castile Soap
For Bath: 2 T soap in tub
Face wash: 2-3 drops in palm, add water and rub on face, rinse
Shaving: 10 drops, rub on skin, shave, rinse
Teeth: yes, it tastes soapy, but it’s safe and effective. One drop on toothbrush, brush well, rinse
Foot Bath: 1/2 tsp in small tub of water, add epsom slats for detoxing and nourishing
Dishes: Dilute, one to 10 ratio in a bottle (one with a pump is the most convenient)
Laundry: 1/3 - 1/2 C for LARGE load (cut that amount in half for HE machines)
Mopping: 1/2 C per 3 Gallons water
All Purpose cleaner: 1/4 cup soap in one quart of water in spray bottle add 1/4 t tea tree, orange, peppermint, lemon (I like lemon and peppermint together) or other essential oil (most citrus oils make good cleaners)
Windows: 1 T soap in one quart water in spray bottle, follow with another spray of 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water.
Fruit and Veggie Rinse: Little squirt in a bowl, add water and wash veggies
Dog Wash: wet the dog, put soap in hands, rub into fur. Rinse well
Plant Spray for bugs: one Tablespoon soap, in quart spray bottle filled with water 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
*With a few comments from me, the Castile Soap ideas came from Doug and Stacy from Off Grid With Doug and Stacy. Check them out on YouTube, they have a lot of useful tips for independent sustainable living.
Pesticides
This list of Natural Pesticides from the Global Healing Center may be helpful:
Fertilizers
This is a great one, some of them will may you laugh.
You can find a lot more by using using a search engine like Google. Try "DIY natural pesticides", "homemade kid-safe pesticides", etc.
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