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In general recipes for home-made cleaners are really a guide. You’ll have to spend a bit more time experimenting with recipes and trying out alternative products, but it’s well worth it—for your time and effort you’ll make a huge difference in how much exposure you and your family have to toxins in the home. And once you’ve got the basics down, you’ll be amazed at how many nontoxic products you can make with so few ingredients. You can also save money by not buying commercial cleaning products. And they make great gifts!
We highly recommend the books "Home Safe Home" by Debra Lynn Dadd and "Clean & Green" by Annie Berthold-Bond. They both have great recipes for natural cleaners, and Dadd's book also has recipes for personal care products and great tips for all-around natural living.
(It’s important to remember that all the ingredients in natural and nontoxic cleaners are still chemicals, and should be handled with care. Some are food grade, such as vinegar and lemon juice, but most should not be ingested. Some can be irritating to the skin or eyes. All should be kept out of the reach of children and labeled clearly.) |
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Most basic cleaning can be accomplished with a few simple, nontoxic ingredients, including baking soda, vinegar or lemon juice, water, liquid soap, borax, and washing soda. Essential oils can be added for fragrance, and in some cases can add disinfecting or anti-microbial action.
Borax can be found in most supermarkets, with cleaning products, along with washing soda. Both must be mixed thoroughly in water to dissolve so they won’t leave a safe but unsightly film behind. Note: washing soda can scratch soft materials such as fiberglass and aluminum.
Also to note when making your own cleaners: depending on how hard or soft your water is, you may need to adjust the proportions of ingredients. Vinegar or lemon juice helps to dissolve mineral deposits, so you may want to add more if you have hard water. You may also need to add more soap if you have hard water, because the extra minerals in hard water can interfere with soap’s cleaning action. |
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| We often use the terms soap and detergent interchangeably, but they are actually quite different. Soaps are made from animal and plant ingredients in a process called saponification. They can be formed into solid bars, flakes, or liquids. Soaps have been produced and used by humans a very long time and are effective cleaners. Detergents were developed during World War II when natural oils were scarce. They are made mostly with synthetic ingredients, and tend to make more suds than soaps. They also clean more effectively in hard water than soaps. But the environmental and health costs of detergents are also greater—ingredients in detergents may cause effects such as skin irritaion, digestive problems, and hormone disruption. In the environment they often do not break down readily and bioaccumulate in living tissues and food chains. They can also cause hormone disruption in wildlife. |
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Body balms, lip balms, “vapor rubs,” lotions, etc. can all be made from different combinations of the same basic ingredients: light oils, cream oils, natural additives, and melted beeswax.
Light Oils:
Olive Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Hempseed Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil
Cream Oils:
Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil
Additives:
Vitamin E Oil (preservative), Jojoba, Lanolin (changes texture), Wheat germ
The first time you make personal care products at home, it is recommended that you the pour a little of the mixture into one container and refrigerate while you allow the rest of the batch to simmer on low. After 30 – 60 check the consistency of the product in the refrigerator. If you want it to be less oily, add more wax, and if you want it to be less waxy, add more base oil. Make a note of how much additional ingredients you added so that you won’t have to repeat this step next time. |
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When using essential oils in homemade products (or as an alternative to perfume) it is important to read the labels, research the company that the oils came from, and know the difference between the different possible types of essential oils.
Natural Essential Oils are derived directly from the plant source that the name suggests. For example, Lavender Essential Oil is actually derived from a lavender flower.
Synthetic Essential Oils are derived from plants, but not the plant that the name suggests. For example, a synthetic lemon scent might actually be derived from a geranium. This is important for people who have allergies to certain plants or fruits.
Artificial or Perfume Oils are made from petrochemicals.
True, Absolute or Concrete Oils are pure, undiluted oils. In Extracts or Tinctures, the oils have been diluted with grain oil. Extended Oils contain plasticizers.
NOTE: You don’t ever want to apply pure, undiluted Essential Oils directly to the skin. They are extremely potent and can be irritating to the skin. Also, pure Essential Oils are never to be taken orally. If you buy pure essential oils, it is important to dilute them before applying them to your skin. You can add a few drops of oil to either 1 oz of vegetable oil or vodka. |
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