Community Chat

[goldensrbest]

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@mustang66lady wrote:

@goldensrbest 

I don't make any homemade cleaning products but just wondered if you had checked out the blog, One Good Thing by Jillee.   She has "recipes" for all kinds of cleaning products, laundry products, etc.  

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Yes ,i have.

[SilleeMee]

@goldensrbest 

Yes, rubbing alcohol will kill germs on surfaces. But it has to be 70% concentration, not higher or lower. Water in the mixture works as a catalyst to help kill germs by denaturing their protein outer layer (cell membranes). Slow kill is best. Usually 91% isopropyl will coagulate proteins so fast that the outcome creates bugs that are more resistant to the next round of disinfection.

[SilleeMee]

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@goldensrbest wrote:

@SilleeMee , DO you clen your shower with your cleaning mix?

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I usually use a chlorine-base cleaner, like Clorox bathroom cleaner. @goldensrbest 

[SilleeMee]

When I worked in a hospital lab, a 10% bleach solution was made weekly to use as an all-purpose disinfectant for most hard surfaces in the lab. The key to it's effectiveness is put it on then let it dry down on it's own for about 10 minutes, no less. If the surface dries too fast then the germs will still survive. So a second application was often done to make sure surfaces were void of germs.

You can make your own 10% bleach solution but put it in an opaque container. Bleach deteriorates upon exposure to light and will be effective for just a day or two at the most if it's in a clear or translucent container. Then you have to make new or just put it in an opaque bottle at the start and make it fresh when it runs out.

[ROMARY]

'One good thing by Jillee' is a great blog site!

I signed up for their newsletters.

A big thank you!

[butterfly123]

1. ALL PURPOSE CLEANER

This all purpose cleaner can be used all over the home to wipe down surfaces, and sanitise your home. Equal parts white vinegar and water. Add around 10 drops of essential oils to offset the vinegar smell, however this smell should disappear soon after cleaning down surfaces. You can also try infusing your vinegar with the rind of lemons or oranges to offset the scent. You can do this by adding citrus rinds to a jar, cover with white vinegar, seal and store in a cupboard for 2-4 weeks. Once the vinegar has infused, strain and use alongside normal vinegar in this mixture to add a fresh scent (this is a concentrated liquid so you don't need much of it to get a nice smell). Avoid use on marble, stone or granite surfaces.

2. TOILET CLEANER

For a sparkling loo, glug in some white vinegar, a good shake of bicarbonate of soda with around 10 drops of your favourite essential oil into the basin. Leave to sit for a few minutes, scrub with the toilet brush, fizzing up the mixture and getting rid of all the nasties. Use the above all purpose cleaner for surfaces, leaving to sit for a minute or two before wiping away.  

3. LAUNDRY DETERGENT

Soap nuts are a traditional and simple way to clean your clothes. When the soapnuts are mixed around in your washing machine, they will release saponin, dissolving dirt and cleaning your laundry in the process.  You can simply add them into your washing machine in a pouch, grind them up or make them into a homemade liquid detergent by boiling them in water. You can reuse the soapnut pouch for around 4 to 5 washes, until they turn grey. And the coolest thing is that when you're done with them, they can be composted in your garden!

4. WINDOWS AND MIRRORS

Mix together 1 part white vinegar to 4 parts water and use on your windows or mirrors to polish and clean. I also add in some essential oils for a fresh scent. My favourite to use for this is lemon. Try to avoid doing this on a hot day as can leave streaks.

5. AIR FRESHENER

Fill a spray bottle up with water and around 10 drops of your favourite essential oil, such as lavendar. Give it a sniff and a spray, and add a few more drops of oil if it needs it. Go slowly, less is more when it comes to essential oils! When you're happy with the scent, then you can use it to freshen up the air, your furniture or linen.

6. MOULD AND MILDEW

Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar (optional: add tea tree oil for added mould and mildew killing properties) and spritz the affected area. Let it sit for around 30 minutes and rinse off the area with warm water. Scrub off with a cloth if it needs some assistance!

7. MICROWAVE CLEANER

Place a small cup of vinegar and the juice of a lemon in the microwave and switch it on for 2 minutes. Leave the door closed for a further minute or so to steam, then open and simply wipe down the inside with a damp cloth. No need to awkwardly scrub!

8. WASHING UP LIQUID/DISH SOAP

Castile soap works perfectly as a washing up liquid as well! Simply mix 4 parts castile soap to 1 part water in a repurposed container of your choice.

9. FURNITURE POLISH

Olive oil works perfectly as a furniture polish. Mix together 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 3/4 cup of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon. 

10. FLOOR CLEANER

Vinegar is back again as an amazing way to clean your floors! Just add 1/4 cup to your bucket of hot water with a squeeze of castile soap. Scrub away! 

11. CARPET DEODORIZER

Fill a jar with bicarbonate of soda and 10 drops of essential oil. Shake together and store for use on carpets when they need freshening up. Shake over carpet, leave for up to 30 mins and vacuum. Your carpets should smell really lovely and fresh.

12. OVEN CLEANER

Combine 1/4 cup bicarbonate of soda, 1 tsp of salt and some water. Keep adding water bit by bit until you create a paste. Cover your oven in the mixture and let it sit overnight. Scrub and wipe clean the next day with a damp cloth, and voila, sparking oven!

13. CHOPPING BOARD CLEANER

To disinfect your chopping boards, chop a lemon in half and rub over the surface of your chopping board, then wipe clean. If you have any tough stains, then you can squeeze some of the lemon juice onto the chopping board and let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it off. 

14. DRAIN CLEANER

For a blocked drain, pour a good amount of bicarbonate of soda followed by some white vinegar to your drain. These two ingredients will react together to break down any dirt, grime and grease clogging up the drain. After 10-15 minutes, pour boiling hot water down the drain to clean everything out (make sure to only do this on metal pipes, as the boiling water could melt the plastic pipes - otherwise just turn on the hot water tap). 

15. STAIN REMOVER

This stain remover should come to the rescue for any accidents you have! Mix together 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup bicarbonate of soda, a squeeze of castile (or any liquid) soap, and 2 cups of water. Give it a good shake and keep in a spray bottle to use whenever you have a tough stain on your clothes or the carpet. 

[Cakers3]

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@goldensrbest wrote:

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@SilleeMee wrote:

I like to make a disinfecting spray with Thieve's oil. That is an EO blend of different oils that has a very interesting story behind its name. During the plague time in Europe, some thieves would cover themselves with different oils, germ-killing types, so that they could rummage and steal from dead plague victims and come away with not getting infected...so the story goes.

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I wonder if plain old rubbing alcohol really kills germs ,and also tea tree oil,you know so much about these things.

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@goldensrbestI make almost all my cleaning products myself.

Thieves oil - you can make your own-it's a mixture of eucalyptus, lemon, clove bud, cinnamon bark, rosemary ESSENTIAL OILS.  You can find exact measurements online and how to use it.    It is more economical to make your own.

Tea tree oil-I use quite a bit  and yes, it is a disinfectant that works as a cleanser in your home and also on cuts, abrasions, etc.  It will also inhibit mold growth.

Any and all essential oils should be organic and not to be used directly on skin or other surfaces; only because some people react to the undiluted oil.

Tea tree oil, however, must be pure Australian grade-and have a min. of 36% terpinen-4-ol and an average (minimum) of 3% cineole.  Tea tree oil is oil of melaleuca alternifolia, distilled and steamed from the leaves.

[Cakers3]

Keep in mind if you are switching to natural cleaning products you may have to use some extra "elbow grease" at first since many natural/homemade products are preventative rather than removal in characteristic-such as mold stains.

[spud188]

My Dental Hygenist raved about my gums and teeth after I started using Thieves toothpaste. I did not make it myself Young Living Oils sells all kinds of Thieves products.

[depglass]

Yikes, too much exactness in these formulas.  I'll stick to commercial products. I don't have a chemistry degree.  Clorox Wipes is my absolute favorite product.