~Eco-Friendly Living~

~Shopping List~

   

   

  

There's no need to return to the days of washboards and housemaid's knee!  All the ingredients you'll ever for natural cleaners to keep your home fresh and clean are on this list: 

  • Washing Soda is a natural water softener and grease cutter.  Used in moderation, it is a good heavy-duty cleaner for floors and walls.  Added to your wash, washing soda helps clean really dirty clothes.  *keep out of reach of children - toxic if swallowed*

  • Bicarbonate of Soda (baking soda) is infinitely useful around the home as a water softener, scouring powder, oven cleaner, stain remover, plaque buster, chrome polisher and facial cleanser.  Look for the biggest pack you can buy.

  • Vinegar is inexpensive and can be used for hundreds of household chores.  Look for the largest containers.

  • Salt is an abrasive but benign scouring powder.  It is also mildly antiseptic.  Buy in bulk and preferably not in a plastic container.

  • Lemon essence can be added to your homemade cleaners for that lemon-fresh smell.  Lemon juice is also an effective stain remover.

  • Essential oils can be used to perfume homemade cleaners.  Include olive oil or even vegetable oil as ingredients in homemade furniture and wood polishes.

  • Household soap or pure soap flakes are all you need for many cleaning and washing tasks.

  • Ammonia is good for oven cleaning and as an ingredient in a general all-purpose cleaner.  Avoid inhaling ammonia vapour.

  • Borax, a natural salt, is available through pharmacies and is a substitute for chlorine bleach.  It can be used to increase the effectiveness of plain soap, to soften water, whiten clothes, control mould and prevent unpleasant odours.

  • Vanilla essence can be used to eliminate unpleasant household smells.

  • Flour is good for polishing chrome and other metal.