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Cleaning Up:  BOUNCE!  |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 30 2005 : 7:00:25 PM
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| bounce is so good for so many things i've learned! i put it in suitcases and backpacks and sleeping bags before putting them away .. i tuck them under the guest room beds (until the guests arrive) .. i've heard if you tuck one in your belt .. it will repel mosquitos .. |
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BlueEggBabe
True Blue Farmgirl
417 Posts
Susan
PA
417 Posts |
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MeadowLark
True Blue Farmgirl
2206 Posts
USA
2206 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2005 : 8:15:18 PM
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Gee wiz Frannie....suitcases,,,backpacks, sleeping bags and BELTS!!!! You sound like a college student LOL!!!!!
If I keep a green bough in my heart, the singing bird will come. |
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22angel
True Blue Farmgirl
498 Posts
Pam
Manitoba
Canada
498 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2005 : 10:49:57 PM
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That was an informative article, but seriously, pretty much anywhere you live, you are going to be exposed to chemicals and by-products of everything, regardless of whether or not you want to be. I am not writing this to be mean, or spark a debate, or anything, and I realize that you (meaning everyone) may live in the country and live a "simple" life w/o chemicals and such, but as so many live in cities, you can't really get away from any of it, regardless of how much you try. I also realize that you can control the way you do laundry, and so if it's your choice not to do it with fabric softener, that's your choice. I for one, will not do laundry without it, b/c of our hard water (seriously hard water), and lack of a dryer right now. Who wants crunchy hard clothes?? And if you work or have friends who smoke, that's just as bad. Driving a car/letting it run, pretty much everything exposes you to unwanted chemicals....Just my two cents worth.
Life isn't about finding yourself. It's about creating yourself. |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2005 : 07:30:52 AM
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I found this great fabric softener at the food co-op called Ecover. It is made from plant based products. Works great and is very concentrated so you only need a little in the rinse cycle.
Thanks for sharing the link to the article. Very informative.
http://rusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
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greyghost
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
Lynn
Summerville
Georgia
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Oct 31 2005 : 3:24:33 PM
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What bothers me, is they have an "ingredients" label on say, Downy fabric sofenter, and all it says is "contains biodegradable fabric softening agents."
Wow, that tells me all kinds of things.
How do you cross reference that article with actual fabric softener?
I saw the "sources" link. That helps to know it isn't just one source.
For all of us who are shocked by this knowledge... I'm going to find the thread on making your own detergent and softener and post the link here in a sec.
http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/snitz/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2050&SearchTerms=laundry+detergent |
Edited by - greyghost on Oct 31 2005 3:42:46 PM |
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KarenP
True Blue Farmgirl
666 Posts
Karen
Chippewa Falls
Wisconsin
USA
666 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2005 : 03:26:20 AM
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My mother uses dryer sheets to repel mice.
When we put the lawn tractor away for the winter she put one in the air filter area one under the hood, and one on the seat. Hasn't had any mouse problems since she does that. (I wouldn't want to live with that either!)
I just use LAVENDER EO. So far so good.
KarenP
"Purest Spring Water in the World" |
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quiltedess
True Blue Farmgirl
296 Posts
Nancy
Priest River
ID
USA
296 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2005 : 07:46:16 AM
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I've used Bounce dryer sheets to remove the gunk on my iron when I accidentally iron over fusible web interfacing. It works great. Put down a towel, put the dryer sheet on top and iron away with a hot iron.
Nancy
http://quiltedprairie.blogspot.com/ |
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connio
True Blue Farmgirl
535 Posts
connie
springtown
texas
USA
535 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2005 : 08:58:39 AM
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Hey Farm Girls!!!
Karen I have had mice problems in the house for months now. Every time my hay is mowed, I am inundated in my little, old house. Can't use poison because I have pets everywhere. I have tried something called Fresh Cab, and it did not work. What is Lavendar EO (essential oil????) and how do you use it to repel mice?
Connie
cozycottage |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2005 : 09:29:22 AM
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Save your used dryer sheets for spring. Line the bottom of your flower pots and hanging baskets with them and it keeps the dirt from leaking out when you water.
Just one more way to keep stuff out of the landfill. |
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KarenP
True Blue Farmgirl
666 Posts
Karen
Chippewa Falls
Wisconsin
USA
666 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2005 : 3:23:04 PM
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Connie,
yes, lavender essential oil
I have about 6 strips of cloth which I soak down and hang in several spots in the shed.
I refresh them from time to time.
I have heard of FRESH CAB, but haven't tried it yet.
KarenP
"Purest Spring Water in the World" |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2005 : 6:23:53 PM
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Wow..and I bet your shed sure smells better than mine!!
Jenny in Utah
Put all your eggs in one basket..and then watch that basket!! Mark Twain |
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prairiemaid
True Blue Farmgirl
200 Posts
Margret
Canada
200 Posts |
Posted - Nov 09 2005 : 06:38:43 AM
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The world is toxic place, if I can reduce the exposure in my home, I'm going to! I have used dryer sheets in my dryer but can't use scented ones as dh sneezes at just about everything. I'm on the look out for something natural to stop static in the dryer, especially this time of year. And with long hair static drives me nuts!
I like the idea of using dryer sheets to repel mice! I'm going to try that in the shed!
Call me old fashioned. |
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lonestargal
True Blue Farmgirl
607 Posts
Kristi
Texas
607 Posts |
Posted - Nov 09 2005 : 08:10:46 AM
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| I've heard that Bounce has a lot of different uses but I don't like they way they smell. They all smell gross. For fabric softener have you tried plain white vinegar? I put it in my downy ball and it works for me and is cheaper than dirt!!! |
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl
8529 Posts
Frannie
Green County
Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2005 : 9:30:07 PM
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can't say that i LOVE the smell of bounce .. or even 'all-natural flowery perfumes and pot pouriis' ... and i do try to live a pretty healthy life-style .. but .. i just don't get my 'personal panties in a pucker' over everything .. would have to live in a bubble or would drive myself nutz attempting 'it all'. soooooo .. in life, i jus' pick and choose and indulge in a few things that might shorten my life by ten extra minutes on the face of this earth .. but give me extreme pleasure at the time! (like an occasional 'smackrel of chocolate' .. as winnie the pooh would say).
it's really interesting to see how certain things are so unhealthy for us and then it is discovered that it had more healthy qualities than unhealthy .. and vice versa! the biggies .. smoke and alcohol .. i have always avoided. have reduced my fat and carb intake over the years .. and exercise every day .. (well, o.k. .. THAT's a BIG FAT LIE!) but i'm like the energizer bunny ... always on the go .. and probably the biggest 'health booster' in my life is my cheerful outlook and attitude toward everything that comes my way!
i once read a wonderful little book of interviews of people who had lived to be a hundred years old .. and the advice that i rEad over and over again was to 'not worry so much' ... most of them said that it was usually the things we didn't worry about that smacked us in the butt (well .. o.k. ... maybe i paraphrased a little there .. but that was the message they gave.
live love laugh and be happy!!!!!!! xo, frannie |
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prairiemaid
True Blue Farmgirl
200 Posts
Margret
Canada
200 Posts |
Posted - Nov 12 2005 : 09:39:31 AM
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It can all be overwhelming sometimes. They tell us one thing is no good then later tell us it is beneficial. I don't assume to know how the others on this thread feel but speaking for myself, I am not worrying about all the little things that might be bad for me. What I am doing is getting the information because knowledge is power. And the power is in my hands to respond to what I've learned or stick my head in the sand. I do believe in indulgences, they are good for body and soul. Everything in moderation. It's the long term exposure to things that I think about. I have asked myself why cancer is so rampant in this day and age. I want to do what I can with the knowledge I gain to improve my health and well being. Live without regrets. It's all about choices, I say.
Call me old fashioned. |
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Krisathome
True Blue Farmgirl
90 Posts
Kristin
Iowa
USA
90 Posts |
Posted - Nov 12 2005 : 12:27:31 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by prairiemaid
It can all be overwhelming sometimes. They tell us one thing is no good then later tell us it is beneficial. I don't assume to know how the others on this thread feel but speaking for myself, I am not worrying about all the little things that might be bad for me. What I am doing is getting the information because knowledge is power. And the power is in my hands to respond to what I've learned or stick my head in the sand. I do believe in indulgences, they are good for body and soul. Everything in moderation. It's the long term exposure to things that I think about. I have asked myself why cancer is so rampant in this day and age. I want to do what I can with the knowledge I gain to improve my health and well being. Live without regrets. It's all about choices, I say.
Well said, Margaret! I do what I can and try not to worry about what I can't. I would love to buy organic prduce but things here in my little town are 3 times as much as regular fruits and veggies. So I buy regular things. I do my best and that's all I can do. |
Edited by - Krisathome on Nov 12 2005 12:29:24 PM |
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LJRphoto
True Blue Farmgirl
760 Posts
Laura
Hickory Corners
MI
USA
760 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2005 : 8:48:49 PM
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I would just like to point out that the article posted that poses all the health risks of fabric softeners can hardly be considered an unbiased report since the author is using scare tactics to sell a product. I'm sure that fabric softeners are not good for the environment or for our familys' health I'm just not willing to take the information too seriously when they are telling me how bad what I'm using is and oh, by the way, we have this great product that won't kill your family for sale right here.
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect." -Mark Twain
http://ljrenterprises.blogspot.com/ |
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manda
Farmgirl in Training
49 Posts
amanda
corralitos
cA
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Dec 28 2005 : 9:32:59 PM
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I agree -everything in moderation. I am a vegetarian and always try to buy organic products but I still indulge in Cool Ranch Doritos every now and then. I use bounce when I wash the dog bed covers and quilts. I like the smell. Also remember not all "natural" things are good for you -cocaine and tobacco come to mind.
Manda |
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prairiemaid
True Blue Farmgirl
200 Posts
Margret
Canada
200 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2005 : 05:22:19 AM
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Both very good points.
Keep a place apart, within your heart, for little dreams to go! |
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cherryhillhouse
Farmgirl in Training
27 Posts
Barb
Dorr
MI
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2005 : 12:23:29 PM
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It is overwhelming to keep up with all of the warnings and such about the dangers around us. One of my favorite health resources, Dr. Andrew Weil, reported that going organic with just the top 12 most contaminated fruits and veggies would reduce pesticide exposure by more than 50% so that seemed like an attainable goal for me. I recently read an interesting idea in the book entitled "The China Study". That author says that a healthy body from the right diet and exercise is capable of overcoming problems from toxin exposure, so fretting about dryer sheets or any of the other numerous hazards would be unnecessary. Its the diet and exercise that are difficult though...
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
Posted - Dec 29 2005 : 1:05:39 PM
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Laura and Amanda, well said! It sounds like you've found balance in your lives, and can live at peace with your decisions.
Barb, Andrew Weil is a favorite of mine, too! I don't recall the reference to the twelve most contaminated fruits and veggies, though, although I haven't been to his website in awhile. Or was it in one of his books? I have several in my To Read stack, and have at best just skimmed through them. Could you list them, or at least point me where I can find them? I try to eat organic as much as possible, but out here in the middle of White Bread America, it's not always available. (But you've got to love the irony, eh?) Thanks!
Oh, and I've been known to use fabric softener sheets to wipe down the horses in the winter when their coats crackle with static electricity. If I pull off a blanket or sheet, they sort of resent the little zaps. I've tried them for mosquitoes because I don't react well to deet anymore, but they didn't do me that much good against biting flies. I get some other organic stuff at Walmart for bug spray now.
A friend of mine works at a huge rendering plant. She took me through once, and it was fascinating! They take railroad cars full of kitchen grease, dead livestock, the leftover carcasses picked up from veterinarian's offices when their freezer gets full, and roadkill. It all ends up in the fat base of makeup, fabric softener, and other products we see every day. She showed me some of the sludgy fat that will be fabric softener once the perfumes and dyes are added, and it's just this gray, gross, rendered liquidy fat. After watching the processing, I can't imagine even half the additives that article claiming is in fabric softeners really being in there. And dryer sheets are basically just dehydrated fat saturated fabric. Just feel it. No wonder it makes your towels soft. And if you're not careful and you use too much, especially over time, then your towels won't absorb liquids well. |
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julia hayes
True Blue Farmgirl
1132 Posts
julia
medical lake
wa
USA
1132 Posts |
Posted - Dec 30 2005 : 07:58:20 AM
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I adore you farmgirls! I always learn something new! I live on a small farm..am trying to be as enviro-friendly as possible. Am trying to live simply and sustainably. I use fabric sheets in my dryer for things that tend to get really stinky..anything having to do with the dogs..We have a skunk living under the barn so you can just imagine! Other than that I made dyer bags from scraps of fabric. I made an insert that I filled with lavender and added a few drops of essential oil. The insert is sewn shut and then put into the quilted dryer bag. It gives the dryer a nice lavender scent. I just keep adding essential oil as needed. Once the lavender dries out completely, I cut open the insert, sprinkle the lavender around and toss the insert fabric. I seem to get quite a few loads out of them.. at least 30 or more..I'm going to try some mint inserts too! I still have a static issue and I too have long hair so....the fabric sheets do help. Knowing that the fabric sheets are covered in rendered fat, it makes me wonder how I can do something similar.hmmmmmm. have a lovely day!! Julia Hayes
being simple to simply be |
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cherryhillhouse
Farmgirl in Training
27 Posts
Barb
Dorr
MI
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - Dec 30 2005 : 09:56:13 AM
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Mary Ann,
The "dirty dozen" list is as follows:
Apples - strawberries - peaches - spinach - celery - cherries - bell peppers - imported grapes - nectarines - pears - red raspberries - potatoes (except sweet potatoes). I think he made the recommendation in one of his books, many of which I read for my holistic health classes.
That visual of the vat of fat was enough to convince me to try Julia's idea for dryer sheets. It sounds much nicer and I love the smell of lavender.
Barb
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cajungal
True Blue Farmgirl
2349 Posts
Catherine Farmgirl Sister #76
Houston Area
Texas
2349 Posts |
Posted - Dec 31 2005 : 05:44:59 AM
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This thread has "bounced" all over....from good uses to harmful possibilities. We farmgirls are certainly no "dumb hicks". Just look at all the smarts and common sense bouncing around in this chat.
When I can't hang clothes outside, I like to use a dryer sheet just for the smell...sometimes I put lavender or lemon essential oils on a rag and toss them in. But, with about 16 loads of wash that gets a bit pricey.
When my daughters were babies I was a momma bear that didn't want anything unnatural to touch them. I went a bit extreme. The list of everything I did is just too long. I really tried to live as natural a life as I could. Time passed. I grew a bit wiser. I also grew a bit tired. There were some things that just took way too much time and energy. So, today, I pick and choose my battles and allow quite a few indulgences.
Oh, I also keep a dryer sheet near the gerbil cage....much sweeter scent!
Blessings
Catherine
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
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westernhorse51
True Blue Farmgirl
1681 Posts
michele
farmingdale
n.j.
USA
1681 Posts |
Posted - Jan 01 2006 : 3:54:40 PM
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Gotta love you Frannie!!!! and I do! Michele
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
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Cleaning Up: BOUNCE! |
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BOUNCE!
