Acid Trip

In my quest to find all-natural cleaners for every purpose in the house I have come across a new and effective weapon. Citric acid! I've been using vinegar and baking soda to clean the bathrooms for about a year and for the most part, find either or both of these clean very well, with one exception: the glass shower door. Everything else sparkles but there is a dull white film on the door, no matter how much I scrub.

I accidentally came across some information online while searching for something else that said citric acid is an excellent cleaner for hard water stains. I was intrigued! Apparently one can purchase it in the grocery store in Australia, but I didn't have any luck locating any here so bit the bullet and ordered some online.

The information I had found recommended using a 10% solution for cleaning hard water stains, but I've since read that 6% will do the trick. Why use any more than is necessary? I put it to the test last night after mixing up a spray bottle with distilled water and the citric acid granules. Because it is an acid I did wear gloves for the measuring and mixing. Once diluted, I sprayed the shower door and gave it a good scrub. Voila! Finally a sparkly clean shower door.

Citric acid is used in foods and beverages as a preservative and/or flavoring to add tartness. It's environmentally benign so I feel good about using it when I need to without the worry that I'm putting something potentially toxic down the drain or into the bathroom air when I spray it.

Here's my recipe so I won't lose it:

Citric acid cleaner

60g citric acid granules

1L distilled water

More Homemade Cleanser Recipes

After reading this article- link- I was very disappointed to learn that one of my favorite companies, Burt's Bees, was owned by one of the most un-environmentally friendly companies around- Clorox. I suppose I should have known: products that used to be found at out of the way, small shops could now be found at commercial giants such as CVS and even Wal-Mart. Is nothing sacred anymore?

In response, I thought I'd post a couple more recipes for things I can make on my own. I have a terrible habit of jotting things down on pieces of scrap paper and then losing them, so this will at least ensure that I can find the recipes down the road when I need them.

A dear friend swears by a recipe of brushing her teeth with baking soda, then mashed strawberries for sparkly white teeth, which her Nana taught her to do. Can't wait to try it!

Homemade Toothpaste

6 tsp baking soda

4 tsp vegetable glycerine (available at Whole Foods)

1/3 tsp salt

15 drops peppermint extract

Mix all ingredients.

I may try adding a few drops of oregano oil, which has antibacterial properties.

Homemade Deodorant

2-3 Tbs unrefined Coconut oil

1/8 c baking soda

1/8 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder

Mix dry ingredients and add to melted coconut oil; Pour into glass jar or old deodorant container.

And here's a recipe for another household cleaner:

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

1 cup baking soda

1/2 cup vinegar.

Let soak 15 minutes in toilet bowl and scrub as usual.

I can't believe how much money we've been saving since I started making most of our household cleaners. On top of that, they're much more environmentally friendly. As we use the store bought ones up I'm replacing them with the ones I've made. Maybe I'm a total egoist but I actually think mine work better!

Green Cleaning

Over the past year I've become a lot more conscious of the cleaners I use around the house, partly because of how expensive some of them can be but more importantly because I want to be environmentally friendly. I had never really stopped to think about it- not only do the products we use affect the air quality in our homes, but they wash down the drain and into our water, affecting the delicate ecosystems.

I've been using home made laundry and dishwasher detergent for some time now. When I switched, I was willing to sacrifice a bit of effectiveness for being more cost-conscious and environmentally friendly. I was completely shocked when I found that the cleaners I made were actually more effective than the store bought ones. How could this be?

I've always been a bit of a nut about having sparkling clean sinks in the bathroom and a clean shower. In the past I'd spray with mildew remover, soap scum remover and then finish off with glass cleaner to give a nice shine to the tiles (horrible for someone with an underlying lung disease!) These days I'm using a simple cleaner that works just as well, without the awful fumes and for a fraction of the price. Plus, I can feel good about the fact that the ingredients are biodegradable and not harmful to the planet.

I thought I'd post the recipes for some green cleaners here, in part so I don't have to search for them each time I need a new batch, and in case anyone else is interested. Here they are:

Laundry Detergent

1 cup borax (found in laundry aisle)

1 cup washing soda (also in laundry aisle)

1 bar fels naptha soap, grated (either in laundry or soap aisle- i had to ask for it)

After grating the bar of soap, process in blender or food processor with borax and washing soda to create a fine powder. Use 1/4 cup for front loading machines, 1/2-3/4 cup for top loaders, depending upon size and level of dirt. I've never used powdered detergent, always preferring liquids, but this is a great cleaner, it dissolves well and my white things are whiter than ever. I've also been able to stop using fabric softener, but for those who have hard water 1/4 cup vinegar can be used with a drop of lavender essential oil. (And, no, your clothes won't smell like vinegar at all)

Dishwasher Detergent

1 cup borax

1 cup washing soda

optional - a few drops of lemon essential oil

Combine and use 1/4 cup per load.

All Purpose Disinfectant

1 tsp borax

2 tbsp white vinegar

2 cups hot water

1/4 tsp lavender essential oil

2 drops tea tree oil

Mix above ingredients until dissolved and put into spray bottle.

Soft Scrub Type Cleanser

1/2 cup baking soda

1/2 cup dish washing detergent (I used Dr Bronner's Peppermint Castile Liquid Soap)

1/8-1/4 cup vinegar

Combine ingredients, amount of baking soda may be adjusted to achieve desired consistency. I love the liquid castile soap, it smells very clean and pepperminty.

Multi-Purpose Cleaner

I use diluted Dr Bronner's liquid soap for cleaning hardwood floors, sinks and the toilets. It's about $9 for a large bottle at Trader Joe's and that will last me over a year. I haven't yet tried washing dishes in the sink with it but think it would be effective at that as well.

Insect Repellant

Citronella Essential Oil

Cedarwood Essential Oil

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Lemongrass Essential Oil

2 Tbsp Sweet Almond Oil

2 tsp Castor Oil

2 tsp Beeswax

Melt the oils together with the beeswax, add essential oils (I experimented, using a few drops of each). To be honest I haven't tested this yet, but can't wait to give it to my brother and see how it stands up to the black flies of back-woods Maine!

I'm always interested in new recipes, so feel free to leave them in the comments section- thanks!