Princess Ivy

there is a lot in the news right now about environmental pollution, recyucling, being greener, chemicals in the atmosphere and in the water etc... Really, with the amount of prozac supposedly in the water suply, i'm surprised we have so much anti social behaviour
but what about our homes? there are a frightening array of chemicals on the market, some of which are quite toxic and even deadly, that have the supposed purpose of making the house easier to clean. I've been adicted to them for years - no not in an ingesting way. A new product comes on the market, guaranteed to clean that nasty brown stuff from behind the sink and i'm first in line. until now. A little while ago i had a nasty accident while cleaning the toilet (don't laugh). i used to put the most amazing amount of rubish into it (and of course the water supply), one day i tipped some bleach into the mix and nearly blew myself up. those warnings on the lables mean business, don't mix your products. My daughter also suffers from excema and i suffer with horrendus allergies.
i decided to do some research into the issues and soon realised just what i was putting into my system. those wonderful spray bottles with their pretty colloured contents (i used to colour co-ordinate)? each spray is breathed in inside your home. I've since stopped using them. i now use vineager and water and bicarbinate of soda for most jobs and am finding them very effective. not only that, but i've barely had any hayfever this season and my daughters excema has practically cleared up. Also saved myself a fortune.
just my 2c on how it is possible to be more ecofriendly and save money within your own home.

Alexa

Do you still use some of them ? What exactly to do clean with vinegar and bicarbonate of soda ? I usually clean my carpets with water and vinegar and they look great evry time I do that.

I wasn't always allergic and if the damn products are the source of my allergies, I want to know how to replace them as soon as possible.

__________________
"Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true" (R.W. Emerson)

Leto

You can clean almost anything with vinegar and baking soda. I use both for example to clean the kitchen and the bathroom. And sometimes uses vinegar only to clean the washing machine.

Yet the best protection against asthma and allergy is a good hoovering of the house and not to forget to open windows in every room at least 10 minutes a day (while the bed is still not made).


Ivy, if you want to have a scented house without the risk, you can put a bowl of water with essential oils drops near a heating source. Or mix in a spray bottle (an old perfume one for example) water and 10 drop of lavender or eucalyptus oil. Spray it on your furnitures after the cleaning.

Princess Ivy

a bowl of bicarb with a few drops of scented oil also works, as does a few dabs on your light blubs
alexa, i use vineager on just about everything, it cleans glass, surfaces and is a mild antiseptic. bicarb is added for tough stains or unblocking sinks etc... at the moment the only cleaning products i'm using are washing up liquid (works great on carpets especially if taken off with some vineager) and laundry detergent, which i double rinse off. i also use three sterident (denture cleaning tablets) in the bottom of the loo which makes it sparkiling and bright

Princess Ivy

also to note, if you sprinkle plain bicarb on your carpets and leave for fifteen mins it acts as a room deoderisor (for that 'no' smell smell), and dropping a cotton bud with a few drops of essential oil into your hoover will make it and anywhere it is used smell great.

Alexa

What do you do with the litter's smell ? It drives me crazy. Every time I put some bicarb, I had to clean the mess on my carpets. I bought in every room, kitchen and bathroom deodorisants. That's beside opening the windows everwhere at least one hour per day. I know it's not healty, but I really don't know what do do.

__________________
"Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true" (R.W. Emerson)

Leto

Litter ? Wash the box with hot water and vinegar, and let it dry alone. Never ever use chlorine, it just reinforce cat's urine smell.

Phyllis Sidheuaine

Another thing that could eliminate some of the odor (but only if you have rugs/carpeting) is something I use on my carpet: mix 1 T. cinnamon with 1 small box of bicarbonate. Sprinkle in the carpeting and let sit for at least 15 minutes before vacuuming. It leaves a rather pleasant, homey scent (like if you had just baked something.)

You could also set some out, I guess, in little dishes.

Phyllis Sidheuaine

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Arguing with you is like trying to hang myself in zero gravity<br /><br />This politickin' stuff is hard without detect evil.

Alexa

Well, thanks you all. I armed myself with vinegar and bicarbonate in the bigger size. And I intend to use them.

I cleaned my bathroom basket with hot water and vinegar and I liked the result.

I cannot do it with my "bac à litière avec couvercle" yet. It gives me headaches. Too much sand inside.

Damn, I had spent so much money for the best cleaner sh*** and I didn't know I could use bicarbonate instead.

__________________
"Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true" (R.W. Emerson)

Leto

For the bac à litière, just clean it totally once a month, and buy some "Litière compacte", you'll change the litter ball once a day it'll be more than enough.