zoebird
August 7th, 2006, 10:53 AM
Hi all!
as you know, i mostly use BS and vinegar to clean my home. I thought i'd share some sources and uses.
i found a great source for baking soda--if you use it for home and personal care. Costco has 12 lb bags for $3; feed stores sell 50 lb bags for $10 or so (check to make sure it's food-grade). we can't store a 50 lb bag, but it's a great, frugal deal. Also, vinegar is cheaper there (and comes in larger bottles).
i don't have a membership--a friend of mine picks it up for me when i ask. :)
here are many of the uses:
*all purpose scrub for dishes, sinks and countertops, tubs, floors (if needed)--perfect with white distilled vinegar. you can add essential oils to the vinegar to help with scent and added anti microbial functions. (tea tree, rosemary, and lavender have the best properties here)
*great for removing pet stains and cleaning the carpet (shake on carpet before vaccuming, then vaccum)
*great for laundry--add 1/2-1 cup baking soda and EO to washing cycle; add vinegar to rinse cycle (or use a fabric softener ball for timed release)
*dishwasher--toss a few tablespoons of BS into the bottom of the dishwasher, put vinegar in the section where one would put the 'jet dry' product. even with hard water, our dishes come out cleaner than they ever did before!
*oven cleaner--sprinkle oven with BS and then wet with spray bottle of water. let stand for a half hour at least, then wet a sponge and wipe the oven down. spray and wipe with vinegar to rinse and shine!
for personal care items:
UnShampoo: dissolve vinegar in your hand with water and rub into scalp. rinse well. then use a spray bottle and spray apple cidar vinegar into the hair for a conditioning rinse.
toothpaste/tooth powder: use it 'straight' or add a bit of food-great peppermint or spearmint oil to it to make tooth powder. you can add water to make a paste if you want.
there are probably other great uses--but this is doing well for us! and it's so inexpensive!
(we do have dr bonners castile soap as well--for various uses)
as you know, i mostly use BS and vinegar to clean my home. I thought i'd share some sources and uses.
i found a great source for baking soda--if you use it for home and personal care. Costco has 12 lb bags for $3; feed stores sell 50 lb bags for $10 or so (check to make sure it's food-grade). we can't store a 50 lb bag, but it's a great, frugal deal. Also, vinegar is cheaper there (and comes in larger bottles).
i don't have a membership--a friend of mine picks it up for me when i ask. :)
here are many of the uses:
*all purpose scrub for dishes, sinks and countertops, tubs, floors (if needed)--perfect with white distilled vinegar. you can add essential oils to the vinegar to help with scent and added anti microbial functions. (tea tree, rosemary, and lavender have the best properties here)
*great for removing pet stains and cleaning the carpet (shake on carpet before vaccuming, then vaccum)
*great for laundry--add 1/2-1 cup baking soda and EO to washing cycle; add vinegar to rinse cycle (or use a fabric softener ball for timed release)
*dishwasher--toss a few tablespoons of BS into the bottom of the dishwasher, put vinegar in the section where one would put the 'jet dry' product. even with hard water, our dishes come out cleaner than they ever did before!
*oven cleaner--sprinkle oven with BS and then wet with spray bottle of water. let stand for a half hour at least, then wet a sponge and wipe the oven down. spray and wipe with vinegar to rinse and shine!
for personal care items:
UnShampoo: dissolve vinegar in your hand with water and rub into scalp. rinse well. then use a spray bottle and spray apple cidar vinegar into the hair for a conditioning rinse.
toothpaste/tooth powder: use it 'straight' or add a bit of food-great peppermint or spearmint oil to it to make tooth powder. you can add water to make a paste if you want.
there are probably other great uses--but this is doing well for us! and it's so inexpensive!
(we do have dr bonners castile soap as well--for various uses)