At our small homestead in Little Flower, we decided a couple of years ago that because we go to pretty great lengths to eat food grown without chemicals it was odd that we used chemicals all over the house to clean. Chemicals, in fact, that caused watery eyes and runny nose just to use them to clean the tub or the sink. That doesn't even include the warnings on toilet bowl cleaner. So, we set out to find some information on making our own cleaning supplies. The resources abound. While some of the places we looked are lost to the recesses of inaccessible memory, one of our favorites is The Urban Homestead (Expanded & Revised Edition): Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City (Process Self-reliance Series)
and we love it! It has a ton of ideas for all over your urban homestead.
Today, at the Irvington Skill Share, we'll be manning a table dedicated to our cleansers. It may be less exciting than the paper seedling pots of last year, but we hope some folks like it. In fact, you'll likely have been there already if you are reading this post as we'll have posted the link on the table so you can access the recipes below. Thanks for stopping in and good luck with your own journey whether it be one toward sustainability, local sourcing, and even urban homesteading. Those of us here at Little Flower Farms are glad to be on the journey with you.
The Goods!
Glass Cleaner:
50% distilled white vinegar
50% water
If for some reason you need it stronger, make it 75% vinegar. Great for glass, metal, or anything you want to shine.
Surface Cleaner:
75% distilled white vinegar
25% water
1T of liquid castile soap
A few drops of essential oil, for scent, if desired (Lemon smells great and helps with the breaking up of grease as well.)
Shake well before each use. Great for kitchen counters, porcelain which has no soap scum buildup, and floors. The fats in the castile soap help break up grease.
Wood Polish:
50% distilled white vinegar
50% olive oil
A few drops of essential oil, for scent, if desired (We like lemon!)
Shake well before each use. Great for any wood surface, apply sparingly and work in vigorously.
Tub Scrub:
Add liquid castile soap to baking soda slowly, while stirring, until the mixture has the consistency of cake frosting. Add a few drops of essential oil for scent, if desired. (Tea tree oil is a great one to kill germs. Or, get a "thieves" blend for great smell and germ killing)
Good for removing soap scum. Also works passably well as a laundry detergent (though not nearly as well as the next recipe). Pure Borax also works very well as a tub scrub.
Scouring Powder
Baking Soda
Essential Oil of your choice
Mix a few drops of super delicious smelling oils in with some baking soda and scour away! Simple! You can also cut a lemon in half and dip the cut end in some baking soda and use it like a scouring pad to clean stainless steel. It'll shine like new!
Laundry Detergent:
2 parts washing soda
1 part baking soda
1 part Borax
Mix thoroughly. Use 1 cup for large or heavily soiled loads, 1/2 cup for regular loads. Add 1/4 cup liquid castile soap to each load. The castile soap can be mixed into the whole batch of detergent, but it's hard to get it all blended.
Now, in our home, it is Frank who researched and made the cleaners. I, then, made these labels. Use them as inspiration for your own label making!
and we love it! It has a ton of ideas for all over your urban homestead.Today, at the Irvington Skill Share, we'll be manning a table dedicated to our cleansers. It may be less exciting than the paper seedling pots of last year, but we hope some folks like it. In fact, you'll likely have been there already if you are reading this post as we'll have posted the link on the table so you can access the recipes below. Thanks for stopping in and good luck with your own journey whether it be one toward sustainability, local sourcing, and even urban homesteading. Those of us here at Little Flower Farms are glad to be on the journey with you.
The Goods!
Glass Cleaner:
50% distilled white vinegar
50% water
If for some reason you need it stronger, make it 75% vinegar. Great for glass, metal, or anything you want to shine.
Surface Cleaner:
75% distilled white vinegar
25% water
1T of liquid castile soap
A few drops of essential oil, for scent, if desired (Lemon smells great and helps with the breaking up of grease as well.)
Shake well before each use. Great for kitchen counters, porcelain which has no soap scum buildup, and floors. The fats in the castile soap help break up grease.
Wood Polish:
50% distilled white vinegar
50% olive oil
A few drops of essential oil, for scent, if desired (We like lemon!)
Shake well before each use. Great for any wood surface, apply sparingly and work in vigorously.
Tub Scrub:
Add liquid castile soap to baking soda slowly, while stirring, until the mixture has the consistency of cake frosting. Add a few drops of essential oil for scent, if desired. (Tea tree oil is a great one to kill germs. Or, get a "thieves" blend for great smell and germ killing)
Good for removing soap scum. Also works passably well as a laundry detergent (though not nearly as well as the next recipe). Pure Borax also works very well as a tub scrub.
Scouring Powder
Baking Soda
Essential Oil of your choice
Mix a few drops of super delicious smelling oils in with some baking soda and scour away! Simple! You can also cut a lemon in half and dip the cut end in some baking soda and use it like a scouring pad to clean stainless steel. It'll shine like new!
Laundry Detergent:
2 parts washing soda
1 part baking soda
1 part Borax
Mix thoroughly. Use 1 cup for large or heavily soiled loads, 1/2 cup for regular loads. Add 1/4 cup liquid castile soap to each load. The castile soap can be mixed into the whole batch of detergent, but it's hard to get it all blended.
Now, in our home, it is Frank who researched and made the cleaners. I, then, made these labels. Use them as inspiration for your own label making!
