Non-toxic cleaners

If you have not read my posts on “Because Clean shouldn’t hurt” and “Essential Oils 101" yet, I strongly suggest you do for even greater understanding.

Non-toxic is a priority for me, so are cost and effectiveness. After trying what felt like them all I became a
Independent Shaklee Dealer and hope you will consider these time-tested products. I also present these alternative if you can not right now ... because we all share this earth and I still win if you choose to get clean with methods that are safe for your family and the earth. Having said that, here are some of the recipes I found to work the best:

Laundry Soap:

1 bar bath soap, grated (your favorite brand, fels naptha is best) 1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda 1/2 cup borax and hot water. 5 - 10 drops essential oil if desired.

Place grated soap in a pot. Cover with water and simmer over medium heat until all soap is melted, stirring occasionally. Pour into 5 gallon bucket. Add washing soda and borax. Add 2 gallons water. Stir (I use a yardstick). Let sit overnight to gel. Use 1/2 cup per load. (You can pour this into old detergent containers or leave in the bucket. Please cover with a lid if leaving in the bucket to protect children and pets.).

Dishwasher: (I have hard water and this tends to leave a film with that).

Equal parts Borax and baking soda, ½ part washing soda. 2 - 3 drops essential oil. Use 1 TBSP per load.

Soft scrub: 1 2/3 cups baking soda 1/2 cup liquid soap 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons white vinegar, tea tree , lavender or rosemary oil for disinfectant.

Stir liquid soap (Castile or
Vegetable-based soap ) into baking soda. Add the water, and stir to be as smooth as possible. Add the vinegar and stir again. Pour into a squeeze bottle. (A clean, empty ketchup or syrup bottle works well.) Shake well before using, and keep tightly closed between uses.


All purpose:

2 tablespoons borax, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 cups hot water 5 - 10 drops tea tree, thyme, rosemary or lavender essential oil. Add borax to lemon juice, shake to dissolve. Add rest of ingredients. Use within a week.

Windows/Mirrors:

1 cup white vinegar, 3 cups water. Mix ‘em up and shoot. Adding 3 drops peppermint or basil oil will make fly repellant windows. Try microfiber cloths.

Wood:

2 parts olive oil to 1part lemon juice. Make fresh. Use a small amount and buff with a cloth.

Bug repellant:

1 tablespoon PURE vanilla extract, 1 cup water. Make fresh each week.