| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Trace |
Posted - Jun 27 2007 : 11:51:43 AM
Hi, I did a search on the site to see if anyone else has started one but it didn't find one, so if I messed up, Sorry in advance, lol.
I am getting away from chemical cleaners and am trying other more enviroment friendly ones. I just bought my first bottle of Seventh Generation free & clear all purpose cleaner. Has anyone else used their product before? I like this one becuase it has NO SCENT.
Trace |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| GaiasRose |
Posted - Aug 10 2007 : 1:37:02 PM
quote:
Originally posted by gateway girl
I have a septic system and I'm sure going green won't hurt the septic but does anyone know for sure? I would like to get rid of all chemical cleaners in my house.
Is there a good dish soap I could make?
Shari
Life is a chain of moments of enjoyment, it's not just about survival. Live every second to it's fullest!
Shari- actually it WILL do your septic wonders. Most of the chemicals in commercially available cleaners are CAUSTIC to your septic and the vital bacteria in them. When you go greenw ith your cleaning (as in getting rid of all the 'cleaning agents' that you get in the cleaning aisle) you will be doing your septic a HUGE favor!!
~*~Brightest Blessings~*~
Tasha-Rose
Blogs: http://gaiarose.wordpress.com
http://womonandsprout.wordpress.com
Homepage:
http://ForestFaeries.etsy.com
Birth is safe, interference is risky; TRUST BIRTH |
| Trace |
Posted - Aug 10 2007 : 09:42:01 AM
Shari and Libby, Good luck with it. I love the fact that I am helping to feed to Good things in my septic system, lol.
I know what you mean Libby, our house is now over 153 yrs old, lol. and our septic tank is the original one to boot. I use the activator whenever I smell anything amiss outside and or when I notice that the toilet is not flushing like it should be.
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| Libbie |
Posted - Aug 09 2007 : 07:19:25 AM
Thanks for the septic activator "recipe!" We have an...ugh...cesspool where we are - it's so old it's not even a septic tank. Keep in mind, however, that the farmhouse I'm in is 135 years old, too! It works like a charm - no odor the VAST majority of the time - but I've been using Rid-X, too, and I'm sort of scared of the stuff - so I'm going to try the activator. Tracy - how often do you use it? Just when needed?
You all have such good ideas! Thanks for sharing them - our homes are such a big part of our lives, and I just love to think of farmgirls spreading health and happiness all over the place!
XOXO, Libbie
|
| ddmashayekhi |
Posted - Aug 09 2007 : 06:33:52 AM
I've been using 7th Generation cleaning products for the past year in my kitchen & bathrooms. I'm very happy with them. Their being odor free is the best part to me. Also they don't bother my hands at all. Being a natural cleaning product too is an extra bonus. I use Ecover for my dishwasher & it does a superb job. I have found "Toliet Kleener" a Earth friendly product, to do the best job on the iron stains in our toilets.
Dawn in IL |
| gateway girl |
Posted - Aug 07 2007 : 7:40:47 PM
Tracey,
Thanks for the recipe. I'll try that. I've been using Rid-X but this is my first experience with a septic tank. We moved into the house about 2 years ago and I just had to have repairs done to the tank. The pump went out. What a mess. The plumber that fixed it told me to keep using rid-x religiously and to stop using any harsh chemicals like bleach for my clothes. I figured going green wouldn't be harmful but I just wanted to be sure. I don't want that mess in my yard again YUK!
Shari
Life is a chain of moments of enjoyment, it's not just about survival. Live every second to it's fullest!
|
| Trace |
Posted - Aug 07 2007 : 6:18:54 PM
Hi Shari, we also have a septic system and I would think going green would be a benifit to it. I am reasoning, that all the chemicals would harm or kill off the helpful bacteria that help keep our septic systems active.
Here is what I use to gives ours a boost from time to time..
Septic Toilet Activator
Use this if there is a persistant odor from the septic tank and indications that the sewage digesting bacteria are not present in sufficient numbers
1 quart hot water
1 pound brown sugar
2 teaspoonsdried yeast
Dissolve the brown sugar in hot water and leave til it is luke-warm. Stir in the yeast, and immediately flush the mixture down the toilet. Do this last thing at night when there is not as much activity in the bathroom.
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| gateway girl |
Posted - Aug 07 2007 : 3:29:32 PM
I have a septic system and I'm sure going green won't hurt the septic but does anyone know for sure? I would like to get rid of all chemical cleaners in my house.
Is there a good dish soap I could make?
Shari
Life is a chain of moments of enjoyment, it's not just about survival. Live every second to it's fullest!
|
| Trace |
Posted - Jul 06 2007 : 2:47:05 PM
Tasha, if Minnesota was so farrrrr from NY, I'd be there in a heartbeat. That sounds like a lot of fun. Wish we had that here.
Can you make a sugar/liquid scrub and put it into a pump bottle?
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 04 2007 : 8:21:09 PM
Just a note-
My sister doesn't like the smell of vinegar but she uses the vinegar and water to wash her windows. She tried to put a citrus essential oil in, but she said it smelled like Pickles because of the vinegar! LOL So now she uses the vinegar and water mixture, and then spritzes the air and counters with a water/essential oil mix. She thinks she might be mixing the vinegar and water too strong. But she says now that she spritzes afterwards, she can't smell the vinegar and she loves the way the EO makes her house smell.
I like my vinegar and water strong and I don't mind the smell of vinegar. It took a little while to get used to it when I first switched, but now I love it.
Just thought I would share with you, in case some of you don't like the smell of vinegar like my sister.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
| GaiasRose |
Posted - Jul 04 2007 : 7:42:08 PM
I make a sugar scrub with soap, sugar and olive oil for the moisture. It's wonderful stuff...
say if any Minnesota girls want to come tot eh Cass County Fair in a couple of weeks, I am giving two workshops, one on homemade cleaning products-as there are ZERO chemical cleaners in my home- and one on natural, homemade bath and body care. It's gonna be fun fun fun!
I am glad you are all having so much fun with this...seeeeee, cleaning CAN be fun!
~*~Brightest Blessings~*~
Tasha-Rose
Blogs: http://gaiarose.wordpress.com
http://tasharose365.wordpress.com/
Homepage:
http://gaiasrose.etsy.com
http://ForestFaeries.etsy.com
Birth is safe, interference is risky; TRUST BIRTH |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 04 2007 : 5:54:03 PM
Mary-
That is a good idea. You can make a sugar scrub with liquid soap, you just have to add a lot to get past the point of saturation. You can do the same for hard bars of soap too, if you make your own soap.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
| EagleNest |
Posted - Jul 04 2007 : 2:57:40 PM
I just learned a trick for cleaning greasy hands. Add sugar with the soap and scrub. It really cleans and doesn't dry out your skin. Gets under the fingernails too.
Mary
Learning something new every day.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Gal 5:22 |
| Trace |
Posted - Jul 04 2007 : 11:26:53 AM
I know I'm doing good when my son told me the other day.. Mom I am glad your not using those chemical things, they stink. "Set a good example" comes to mind, lol. I love what Borax does for my tub/shower, it gleams. Just made another batch of "scouring powder" and this time I poured some into a used shaker jar for easy use and have labled it. It sits right next to the sink.
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| Annie S |
Posted - Jul 03 2007 : 2:24:00 PM
The all natural route is the only way to go - baking soda, vinegar, borax. There are so many books out there regarding how to clean "green" and web-sites as well where you can find how to make any "potion" you want. It's just so much fun looking up all these things and learning so much. I'm always buying vinegar in the large gallon size and always two at a time since I go throught it so much, same with the borax and baking soda. Just gotta have a lot of it around.
Peace and love.
Annie |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 01 2007 : 6:20:49 PM
You know what is funny? We ran out of vinegar before I left on vacation...and what happened a few days into my vacation? I got a call from my fiance saying "Hey Hun, Wheres the vinegar??"
LOL It is so nice when the guys are on board with us too- isn't it?
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tying, one hand to hold Nora! |
| Phils Ann |
Posted - Jul 01 2007 : 4:45:46 PM
I've now got a bottle of vinegar and alcohol. Thanks, Tasha!
Ann
Sairy Hill Thicket
There is a Redeemer. |
| Persephone |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 10:49:24 AM
I use vinegar, and baking soda almost exclusively. The laundry is another story- dh does that, and I do nothing for stains, and it's all chaos- but hopefully that will be remedied when we move. (and we might be moving out of diapers too, which will cut down! yay!) I also use an all purpose cleaner I got from Annie Berthold Bond's book- it's a tiny bit of borax, washing soda, and castile soap diluted in a few cups of hot water. Those three things, and I"m pretty much covered.
Tasha, how can vinegar kill good germs and not bad? Who decided what's "good" and "bad"? |
| Alee |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 10:04:14 AM
I am so glad that your new cleaning products are working so well for you :) I don't know what I would do without mine anymore :)
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tying, one hand to hold Nora! |
| Trace |
Posted - Jun 29 2007 : 09:18:31 AM
Alee, he didn't think it would hurt his hands, LOL Needless to say, he has changed his thinking, with a genlte nudge from me ( ;
Tasha, I had to tell you, I LOVE your vinger/alcohol combo. I used it this morning on our toilet, YAHOO.. it is fabulous!!!! and I put to use my "new" scouring powder on my bathroom sink. And thanks for the lemon juice tip also. I have one of those old farmhouse porcline cast iron sinks, and the built in dish rack side gets discolored (the sink is over 70 yrs old) and I poured the juice on the surface and it fizzed like peroxide does. It is brighter and whiter now, thanks again!
Trace
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| Alee |
Posted - Jun 28 2007 : 7:44:16 PM
Yikes! Have him use baking soda! LOL Why was he using comet?
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tying, one hand to hold Nora! |
| Trace |
Posted - Jun 28 2007 : 7:36:57 PM
Bought the borax tonight. My husband is on the band wagon to now. He is all excited that I found a nautral homemade formaul for scouring powder. His hands get really bad and he was using comet to clean them. That kinda freaked me out, so I found him an alternative. Going to mix it up tomorrow for him to try.
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| Maryjane Lee |
Posted - Jun 28 2007 : 3:03:43 PM
Thanks for the wonderful ideas ladies! You are all an inspiration to me! Making some big changes around my house  !
Hugs,
Maryjane Lee
The Beehive Cottage~
est.1971 |
| GaiasRose |
Posted - Jun 28 2007 : 2:41:23 PM
my mix is probably about12:1 vinegar being the greater. i just buy the big gallon of the cheap store brand vinegar for cleaning and for my herbicide outside.
~*~Brightest Blessings~*~
Tasha-Rose
Blogs: http://gaiarose.wordpress.com
http://tasharose365.wordpress.com/
Homepage:
http://gaiasrose.etsy.com
http://ForestFaeries.etsy.com
Birth is safe, interference is risky; TRUST BIRTH |
| Trace |
Posted - Jun 28 2007 : 1:49:49 PM
Tasha, what proporations do you use for the toilet cleaner?
Does it matter which type of vinger you use?
Trace
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| Trace |
Posted - Jun 28 2007 : 1:45:23 PM
Thanks girls, you have inspired me. After jazzercise class tonight I am stopping at the store for a big box of BS and one of Borax!!!
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
