Nontoxic Cleansers
The following recipes come from the book, The Naturally Clean Home: 101 Safe and Easy Herbal Formulas for Nontoxic Cleansers. Read a review of this book by clicking here.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I tried out several of the recipes, and decided to share a couple of my favorites with you here, for our August POM.
Many of the ingredients for these recipes I already had in my home. I found the others easily in a health foods store. For containers, I recycled the bottles from the commercial cleaners I had; I washed them out well and relabeled them after I made the new solutions in them.
The following two cleaning solutions work really well for me, and I like them much better than the commercial cleaners I'd been using. Happy Natural Cleaning!
~ Caryl
Mold & Mildew Prevention Formula
Use this formula on shower stalls and curtains, the tracks between sliding glass doors, and other moist areas.
2 cups water
8-10 drops citrus seed extract
2 teaspoons tea tree essential oil
4 drops juniper essential oil
Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray areas and surfaces well but do not rinse. Note: If you already have a buildup of mold or mildew, allow the spray to "rest" on the surface areas for a few hours. Wipe with a soft cloth, then respray the areas and let dry without rinsing.
Cedarwood Dusting Aid
This is my personal favorite! I use it for bookcases, coffee tables, kitchen cabinets, and the antique dining room table that we refinished a few years back. I adore the scent of cedar on wood; the sweet orange oil adds just the right touch. This recipe makes enough for a large spray bottle.
1/2 cup oil soap (I like Murphy's Oil Soap)
3/4 cup water
5 drops sweet orange or patchouli essential oil
15-20 drops cedar essential oil
Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well. Spray onto wood and wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth.
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