101 chemical free ideas for the home

[inishindie]

Some ideas from days gone by.

18:Sheets were given a new lease of life when cut in two; the unworn sides were then sewn back together. When these wore out they were cut up and used as napkins. Then eventually they would be used for cleaning cloths.

19: Flour bags were sewn together to make handy sheets –not the modern paper ones!

20: Shoppers went to the bakery with a pillowcase in which to bring home the bread.

21: Dry cleaning clothes is hard on the material. Chemicals used in this process are harmful to the environment. In days gone by the clothes were washed in lukewarm water then hung up to dry without wringing.

22: A goose wing (detached from the goose of course!) was great for dusting- they were free from chemicals too!

23: Greaseproof paper was used to wrap food. This worked just as well as harmful tin foil or clingfilm.

[Chickenlady]

24. Use natural sanitary products rather than the chemical filled nasties most commonly found (and implicated in toxic shock syndrome): cotton reusable pads, a mooncup, or Natracare products.
25. Use cotton hankies rather than bleached tissues or kitchen roll. Fewer chemicals and better for the environment.
26. Try soapnuts for your laundry. They are great on dark clothes, but I have to admit to using Ecover liquid on the whites.

[inishindie]

It's vinegar time again for the house!

27 Polish the chrome on your car. Vinegar is a great chrome cleaner, look around your kitchen too and have a go at getting the grime off any chrome-plated surface.

28 Cleans and disinfects work surfaces, mirrors and glass. Mix a few caps full of vinegar to the water when you are cleaning the windows and work surfaces. Use it neat on kitchen surfaces.
29
Sooth tired and aching feet. Put some vinegar in a bucket of warm water and get soaking those feet after a hard days work.

30 Repair scratches in wood. Put some neat on a soft cloth and rub gently on the scratches.

31 Stop hiccups. My lad swears by this, just swallow a teaspoon full and your hiccups will disappear in an instant!

32 Whitens whites in the washing machine and brightens colours. Add some to the washing cycle, you will find that the vinegar also fades sweat stains.


cheers

http://inishindie.blogspot.com/

[blondiegreen]

33. Use a ball of aluminum tinfoil in your dryer instead of static cling sheets like Bounce. Works just the same but no added chemicals!

[AXJ]

34. Use GIN instead of wine vinegar, it does the same job and em.. does not smell of vinegar. Brilliant window cleaner and general purpose dusting aid. 33% solution with water. Used in many hotels and restaurants to avoid upsetting guests with allergies.

Note: Gin and Tonic does not work, but if you add some angustoras bitters it has to be the only household cleaner that doubles as an aperitif

34b. Buy your Gin in Spain...

[Thomzo]

if you add some angustoras bitters it has to be the only household cleaner that doubles as an aperitif

:

[witch way?]

[quote="inishindie"]Some ideas from days gone by.

22: A goose wing (detached from the goose of course!) was great for dusting- they were free from chemicals too!

What's dusting? ww.

[colours]

23 Bicarb and vinegar cleans soap scum. Wet a cloth/sponge with vinegar and sprinkle bicarb. While it is foaming wipe on shower screens, etc. Soapscum comes off without scrubbing OR chemicals.

[colours]

23 Bicarb and vinegar cleans soap scum. Wet a cloth/sponge with vinegar and sprinkle bicarb. While it is foaming wipe on shower screens, etc. Soapscum comes off without scrubbing OR chemicals.

Sorry that was 34.

35 Add bicarb in your dishwasher (where the soap tablet would go) and vinegar in the rinse bit. Works fine.

[Silver Ether]

34. Use GIN instead of wine vinegar, it does the same job and em.. does not smell of vinegar. Brilliant window cleaner and general purpose dusting aid. 33% solution with water. Used in many hotels and restaurants to avoid upsetting guests with allergies.

if anyone touches my gin bottle for cleaning with they will find themselves cleaning drains with a toothbrush for a month

[Rosendula]

5. Use white vinegar instead of fabric conditioner.

Running low on fabric conditioner so I thought I would finally get round to giving this a go.
IT WORKS!!! Just a tablespoon of it, and they come up just as soft as they did with Ecover. I had heard of it before, but was nervous about the kids going to school smelling like fish and chips. They don't! In fact, no-one in my family even knows I've swapped over

[MrsD'ville mkII]

Following a tip I was given by another Isher, bicarb can be used instead of shampoo. I've been experimenting with what works best and this morning I put some along my parting to absorb any g-r-e-a-s-e then after I'd cleaned my teeth and faffed around for a few mins I got in the shower and rubbed more bicarb all over my hair then rinsed it out. No chemicals or overpowering shampoo pongs and gives the drains a quick bicarb rinse too. My hair has been particularly shiny today but not as soft as with conditioner. I can live with that!

I'm sure I have more but can't dredge them from my mind atm.

[MrsD'ville mkII]

Stale crusts of bread cut into cubes then baked make great dog biscuits.

Also make great croutons, and can be grated/blitzed then frozen for recipes that need breadcrumbs or a gratin topping.

9. Make your own yogurt and eat as is or use natural flavourings like vanilla, home made jam, stewed fruit, etc. No nasties and no plastic pots to chuck away.

Also good as a gut restorative for people taking antibiotics and eaten and used topically for yeast infections eg thrush, candida. Realise that should go in the natural remedies section!

I think I've just posted twice...

[LBR]

Baking soda is good for cleaning teeth and for deodorant (pat on damp underarms. Don't rub, as rubbing makes it too abrasive.)

A very mild soap can be used for brushing teeth as well.

Vinegar is good for a hair rinse..

Vinegar is good for cleaning linoleum as well as glass.

I clean the inside of my car with unscented, organic, liquid castile soap diluted in water.

[Louiseh]

Citric Acid

Descale your kettles, coffee machines, baby bottle warmers, sterilisers, I use 10g of citric (1 tablespoon more or less) to 200ml of water and leave for around 20mins. I prefer it to vinegar, as vinegar takes a while to work, but citric is fast reacting!

Clean off water marks on shower doors etc, make a paste and rub gently.