Monday, October 15, 2007

Blog Action Day: Natural Cleaning Recipes

Bloggers Unite - Blog Action Day

Today bloggers around the web are uniting to talk about ways to achieve a better future in relation to the environment; each blogger chooses a special interest or topic to post about the environment. As I post this, there are 15,568 blogs with a RSS reach of 12,507,731 readers who have committed to participate today. You can read more about this effort here.

Junie Moon is one of the registered blogs supporting this effort. My chosen subject is making your own home cleaning products using natural ingredients. I dislike harsh chemical cleansers in my home--they are bad for Mother Earth and certainly bad for me and my family.



My search for more natural and gentler cleaning solutions began some years ago after developing some nasty and painful reactions to regular laundry detergents. Over time I began to notice other problems developing with the products I was using to clean my kitchen, bathroom, etc. Lots of research and experiments with ideas and recipes from the Internet and the library finally gave me an arsenal of safer cleaning products that I can make myself and use at home.

I’ve previously shared a few of the cleaning recipes I make on Flickr but I’m re-posting them on my blog. Because there are too many to post in one day, I’ll share two printable recipes today (as well as labels) and add one each day for the rest of this week to my daily posts.



For years I've been making my own laundry detergent. It takes less than 10 minutes to make and the results are worth it to me.



This detergent is healthier for me, cleans well, and has a wonderful fragrance. You can use other essential oils such as lemon, but I use lavender because its beneficial properties include being antiseptic, antiviral, and a natural bactericide.





This is the way I package my detergent when using as gifts. It holds two small bags of laundry powder—that is a sprig of the lavender I grow in my yard. The cardstock fold-over label was made on my computer. I call all my cleaning products “Clean Cottage” just for the fun of it.



I love this stuff--cleans countertops, bathrooms, fridge doors, stove tops, etc. I tie a strip of fabric around the neck of the spray bottles I use because...well, just because I like it.



This recipe calls for washing soda. This ingredient confused me when I first heard about it—what in the world is washing soda? Also known as sodium carbonate, washing soda is in the same family as baking soda but is processed differently. It’s an all-natural product that I get from Safeway’s laundry section. Look for Arm & Hammer Washing Soda.



You only need a minute amount of washing soda for this recipe only because it’s strong stuff. Don’t use it in a stronger formulation on fiberglass, aluminum or waxed floors.

I hope this helps you make your home a bit greener, too! Please check my blog each day for additional cleaning recipes you can use at home.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing June.
I love the idea of the all-purpose cleaner. I found that unusual "washing soda" the other day for something else. Only one supermarket has it here.

Rosie's Whimsy said...

Well, Junie Moon, you have got me thinking. I do alot of laundry and cleaning......have to with all the pets we have. So, I use a lot of store bought detergents and sprays. I will definitely be paying attention to your blog this week and trying out some of your recipes. Thanks for keeping us aware :-)

Kristi said...

Thank you for posting this. At one point I wanted to "Go Green" with all of my cleaning supplies but was overwhelmed with all of the "bizarre" ingredients in some of the books. I guess I was too lazy to look them up in stores etc. I did start using club soda as a glass cleaner and recently used a combo of Borax and baking soda to clean our shower base. But that's about the extent of it. I should know better, I studied both chemistry and biology in college with an emphasis on genetics (molecular biology) in grad school. I know how harsh those chemicals can be and I know what they can do to you and your DNA. I also know that they are not required to list all their ingredients on cleaning products.

So again thank you. I hope to get back on track with this!

Lisa Clarke said...

Thanks for sharing your recipes - I printed them out and will take them shopping with me! Maybe I'll get in on the Blog Action Day, too...

Anonymous said...

Great thread and I can't believe how beautifully you package your homemade products. Wait, yes I can! Mine sit in a jar with a boring label on them. I'd be interested in trying your laundry detergent as I didn't like how mine worked. Do you actually use Oxy Clean in your recipe? I've never used that.

I use vinegar on everything and think it works great in the rinse cycle with a bit of lavender essential oil for the laundry.

I love Dr. Bronner's, too...h

Lena said...

Thank you for taking the time to share your recipes, and beautiful labels with us. I use a lot of baking soda to clean with. In my kitchen especially, and I try to buy products free of many of the harsher chemicals, but I know I could do better. Thank you.

Kristi said...

Totally different subject... As for knitting and keeping track, this swap just popped into my head. When I saw it I thought "what the heck are these for?" but then when I started knitting I wondered how I'd keep track of what stitch to do next. Then I put it together and figured the markers must somehow be for knitting. Anyway, did you see this swap: http://thestitchmarkerexchange.blogspot.com/

a pink-bee said...

Wow! I will get everything to make this next trip out ! You have the best ideas ! Thanks Junie :)
crystalxo

Pamela Jane said...

jjJust in time for fall cleaning! Years ago, I used to formulate my own cleaning products and cosmetics, too. But after moving in and out of the country so often, I lapsed. Yours are so prettily labeled that it will seem creative to start up again.

Kate said...

Thanks for sharing. This is one of the next things I need to try and was just thinking of looking for some recipes. Thankyou!

Mrs.Kwitty said...

JunieMoon--you are the coolest!

randi said...

Oh, i love this post! So many great ideas here!

I have a question regarding the laundry detergent: Do you know if it can be used in a front-loading (a high efficiency) machine? I would love to make my own, but I don't want to wreck my machine! At this point i use the special HE detergent.

Overwhelmed! said...

Junie Moon, would you be willing to consider sending me a small packet of your lavender laundry detergent to try before I attempt to make my own batch? I'd be happy to pay for it or I can post a review of it on my blog and give you some linky love there. :) Let me know what you think and I'll send you my mailing address.

Thanks!

Thanks! :)

Unknown said...

I love this JUNIE! Love it! I hope you don't mind I am so copy all this and doing this!

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for all the "recipes." So perfect - and with such great packaging too. I am inspired :)

Anonymous said...

Just curious: Do you know if this detergent can be used in a HE (High Efficiency) washer? I would love to make my own, but I don't want to break my machine! ;)

Anonymous said...

See just how economically priced and inexpensive it is to use Bio-Enviro "Concentrated Formula" ~ makes gallons of cleaner for pennies, but we do also offer a "Ready To Use" - "Non-Concentrated Formula" for those of you whom prefer to have the product ~ Ready to Use

Bio-Enviro is extremely diverse: Glass - 1:256 (one ounce to two gallons of water), All Purpose - 1:128 (one ounce to one gallon of water), Heavy Cleaning - 1:64 (two ounces to one gallon of water). No product on the market can come remotely close to this pricing or the small amount of product used.

A Distinctive, Non-toxic Cleaning Alternative: Bio-Enviro is all natural, bio-degradable, 100% safe, non-toxic alternative to chemical based products for cleaning as nature intended. Bio-Enviro contains amazing attributes with a blend of special ingredients; when continually cleaning with this solution it will keep pests from wanting to be in the use of it’s environment.

WHY USE BIO-ENVIRO MULTI-PURPOSE CLEANER?

All natural products replace harsh conditions and harsh chemicals, they prevent adverse health and ecological effects. They are just as if not more effective than traditional chemicals. All of the active ingredients themselves are biodegradable, just as mother nature has given us them, so they are readily absorbed back into nature.

http://www.bio-enviro.com

Anonymous said...

This is great! It is easy to DIY, but for those not so inclined to make their own there are companies that do it for you. Just be careful with which products you use - not all green cleaners are alike.
I started my own cleaning products manufacturing company after getting poisoned by chloramine gas while cleaning a clients home. Sound Earth is the name, in Fishkill, NY. Manufactured in Fishkill also. http://www.soundearth.com
Happy cleaning!