All Natural
Laundry Detergent
-Add 1/3 cup (80 ml) washing soda to water as the machine
is filling. -Add clothes.
- Then add 1 and a 1/2 cups (375 ml) of soap.
- If the water is hard, add 1/4 cup (60 ml) soda or
1/4 cup (60 ml) vinegar during the first rinse.
- For heavily soiled items, try presoaking in warm water
with 1/2 cup (125 ml) washing soda for 30 minutes.
- Rub the soiled areas with liquid soap or a solution
of 2 Tbsp (30ml) washing soda in 1 cup (250 ml) warm
water.
Softening fabrics (including
wool)
Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) white vinegar to rinse water.
Environmentally Friendly
Bleach
- Try adding 1/2 cup (125 ml) washing soda to each load
of wash to whiten whites and brighten colours.
- Or add lemon juice to the rinse cycle and hang your
clothes outside in the sun which will bleach clothes
naturally and will also save energy.
Dry cleaning
Most dry cleaning solvents are toxic — including
chlorine and formaldehyde which are highly toxic and
carcinogenic. These chemicals can often remain in your
clothes even after you bring them home.
Try to buy clothes that you can wash rather than dry
clean. Many of the clothes that are ‘dry clean
only’ are actually washable by hand with soap
and cold water or can just be pressed or ironed.
If the item can’t be washed by hand, call around
for a cleaning service that practices wet cleaning.
Wet cleaning uses heat, steam, vacuum, water and natural
soaps to clean your clothes. Wet cleaning also emphasizes
skilled laborers who inspect and clean each item of
clothing individually.
Wool de-shrinking
- Dissolve 2 cups (500 ml) salt in hot water and allow
to cool to lukewarm.
- Soak the garment for 3 hours.
Silk
- Soak in approximately 1 cup (250 ml) pure soap and
2 to 3 Tbsp (30-45 ml) baking soda.
- Squeeze garment gently and rinse thoroughly.
Stains
The first rule of thumb with stains is the sooner you
treat them, the more likely you are to completely remove
them. The second rule of thumb is to spot test any “remedy”
on your fabric first. If the spot you are testing starts
to discolor, you can stop it from leaving a stain by
“neutralizing” the cleaning agent. For example,
the effects of an acid like lemon juice or vinegar will
be neutralized or reversed by adding an alkaline like
baking soda and vice versa. Remember to wash after the
spot test.
• Coffee and chocolate: Mix egg yolk with
lukewarm water and rub on stain.
• Blood: Immediately pour salt or cold
soda water on the stain and soak in cold water before
washing. For a more stubborn stain, mix cornstarch with
either talcum powder or cornmeal in water and apply
mixture. Allow to dry and brush away.
• Chewing gum: Rub with ice. Gum will flake
off.
• Ink: Soak in milk or remove with hydrogen
peroxide.
• Grease: Strain boiling water through
white cottons and follow with dry baking soda or rub
with washing soda in water. For other materials, blot
with a towel, dampen stain with water, and rub with
soap and baking soda. Follow by washing in water as
hot as possible using extra soap. Note: make sure to
check washing instructions before using boiling water
or washing in hot water.
• Fruit and Wine: Immediately pour salt
or cold soda water on the stain and soak in milk before
washing. In general, it is a good idea to keep some
soda water in the fridge as a stain remover.
• Lipstick: Rub with cold cream or shortening
and wash with washing soda.
• Mildew: Pour strong soap and salt on the spots,
or spray with vinegar and place in sunlight. Keep the
spots moist and repeat as often as necessary.
• Rust: Saturate with sour milk (add 2
tsp/10 ml of vinegar to a cup of milk to make it sour)
or lemon juice and rub with salt. Place in direct sunlight
until dry, then wash.
• Soiled Diapers: Pre-soak in 3 Tbsp (45
ml) baking soda dissolved in warm water in either a
tub or washing machine.: Rub with cold cream or shortening
and wash with washing soda.
• Water marks on wood furniture: Using
a dry cloth, rub the mark with vegetable oil.
Green
Household Cleaning Recipe Ingredients
Environmentally Friendly
General Cleaning Recipes
Natural
Laundry Recipes
|
