Clean Deep, Clean Sweet with Herbs
With herbal cleaning products, your home will be less toxic
and will smell exactly right ~ by Sandy Maine
From The Herb Companion ~ March 2006 Issue
Here are some of the bad reasons why I wrote this: ammonia,
bleach, butylcellosolve, cresol, dye, ethanol, formaldehyde, glycol,
hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, napthalene, paradichlorobenzenes,
perchloroethylene, petroleum distillates, phenol, phosphoric acid, propellants,
sulfuric acid, and trichloroethylene.
I found these chemicals listed on the labels of popular cleaning
formulas. Each is dangerous and most considered hazardous waste. Are they fun to
use? No! Effective? You bet -- but they cost plenty, both in dollars and risk to
the environment.
Here are the good reasons for this article, along with
descriptions of the ways each benefits home-keeping.
Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a mild alkali useful
in a variety of cleaning applications. (Don't confuse this with washing soda,
also called sal soda, which is not the same substance.)
White vinegar, a slightly acidic liquid, is useful in
many cleaning formulas. (Heinz is one brand I often choose because I know it's
made from grains.)
Sodium lauryl sulfate powder (SLS) and sodium lauryl
sulfoacetate are simple and effective detergents derived from coconut oil.
There are concerns about using SLS on the skin, as it can be an irritant. It is
nontoxic as a detergent; however, if you prefer, substitute bulk castile soap as
a surfactant.
Unscented bulk castile soap, like SLS, serves as a surfactant by helping to loosen and wash away dirt. It's handy to have a
several-pound bar that can be grated into formulas when needed. It's available
by mail order.
Lemon, lime and grapefruit juices, fresh or in
concentrate, do more than smell great -- they're acidic and antibacterial and
make a lively addition to any cleaning formula.
Borax (sodium bromate) is a mildly alkaline,
water-soluble salt. It loosens dirt and stains while removing odors. Borax is
usually available in supermarkets, but it's available by mail, too.
Carnauba and olive oils are excellent additions to
wood cleaners because they recondition and polish the surface.
Beeswax turns formulas into pastes for waxing and shining.
Lanolin, a natural oil extracted from wool, restores some
of the fiber's natural sheen and water repellence when added to wool-washing
soaps.
Clay powder is a mild abrasive that absorbs essential
oils and disperses them easily in powdered cleaning formulas.
Pumice is finely ground volcanic rock; add it as an
abrasive to scrubbing compounds for big jobs.
More Good Reasons: Essential Oils
Essential oils offer important cleaning and disinfecting
benefits for homekeeping. Distilled from plant roots, rinds, flowers, seeds and
resins, essential oils are highly concentrated and intensely scented. Essential
oils are not the same as the synthetic scent oils that you can find at craft
stores. Such chemically contrived oils don't originate from plants, and they
cannot offer the cleaning and therapeutic benefits of essential oils.
Essential oils are highly concentrated, and a rule should not be
applied directly to the skin or to household surfaces. Never ingest essential
oils; should this happen by accident, do not induce vomiting -- seek immediate
medical help.
These are my favorite essential oils for cleaning. They are
effective, easy to obtain and not too expensive. A little goes a long way, so be
conservative.
Lavender is a disinfectant. Aromatherapists often use its
calming scent to ease tension, anxiety and depression.
Lemon, orange and grapefruit are tough degreasers
with refreshing, clean scents that can alleviate depression and fatigue.
Eucalyptus disinfects while helping relieve stuffy noses.
It's an excellent cleaning choice if you are fighting off a cold.
Tea tree is distilled from the Australian melaleuca
alternifolia tree, is effective against bacteria, fungus and some viruses; it's
terrific for cleaning when there's illness in the home.
White cedar disinfects and provides an uplifting scent.
It's another good choice when illness is present.
Lime has a lighthearted citrus scent so delicious that
it's easy to forget how well it performs as a degreaser and general cleanser.
Mix a few drops of this oil with a couple of tablespoons of baking soda for a
slightly abrasive kitchen scrub.
Pine is a fine old standby for home keepers. This
plentiful and inexpensive essential oil is a degreaser and a bit of a
disinfectant. Its clean, outdoor scent stimulates alertness -- sometimes helpful
during cleaning.
Equipment To Get You Started
To make your herbal cleaning formulas, you'll need measuring
cups and spoons, and wide-mouth and narrow funnels. Use large stainless steel or
glass bowls rather than ceramic or plastic ones that might absorb essential oils
scents.
Gather up an assortment of spray bottles, squirt bottles and
shakers with flip tops (such as parmesan cheese container). Assorted jars or
plastic storage tubs are handy, too. You can use all of these to store your
products. For labeling the containers, you'll need labels, markers and tape.
Hot Housekeeping Tips
Carnauba and Lavender Furniture Wax
1/4 cup carnauba wax
2 Tbsp beeswax
1 1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp lavender essential oil
Melt waxes over low heat in small saucepan. Stir in olive oil,
then lavender oil. Pour mixture into a tin, plastic or glass container and allow
to harden.
Eucalyptus, Lavender and Tea Tree Spray
This spray cleaner is great for general cleaning duties to
disinfect surfaces, wipe out mold and discourage its return. Eucalyptus,
lavender and tea tree all are known for their antimicrobial properties.
Together, they smell exquisitely clean, and they know how to get the job done.
1 tsp sodium lauryl sulfoacetate
1 tsp borax
1 Tbsp white vinegar
2 cups hot water
1/4 tsp eucalyptus essential oil
1/4 tsp lavender essential oil
3 drops tea tree essential oil
Mix all ingredients together and stir until dry ingredients
dissolve. Pour into spray bottle for use and long-term storage. To use,
spray as needed on any surface except glass. Scrub and rinse with a clean, damp
cloth.
Lemon-Mint Window Wash
If you live where flies routinely cause problems in the summer,
you'll love this recipe. Your windows will be sparkling clean, and the fresh
lemon juice and peppermint oil in the formula discourages the pesky critters
from perching on your windows again.
Before you wash the windows, whisk away dust and dead bugs from
the casing using a small, hand-held broom. For shiny windows, use sheets of
newspaper (black and white only) to scrub and shine. The newspaper ink may
darken your hands, but it shines the windows without streaking.
Juice from one fresh lemon
2 cups water or club soda
1/2 tsp peppermint essential oil
1 tsp cornstarch
Mix all ingredients and pour into a plastic spray bottle. Shake
well before using.
Spritz-and-Spray Toilet Bowl Cleaner
The baking soda and vinegar in this formula dissolve mineral
buildup, while the oils loosen grime and give a fresh, clean scent.
1/4 tsp sodium lauryl sulfoacetate
2 Tbsp baking soda
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp orange essential oil
1 tsp grapefruit essential oil
2 cups water
Mix all ingredients in a 4 cup measuring cup or bowl. When you
mix the vinegar and baking soda, it will foam. Let this mixture stand for 10
minutes before pouring into a spray bottle.
Eucalyptus-Mint All-Purpose Disinfecting Soap for Kitchen and
Bath
This soap can be used for washing dishes, floors, stoves,
refrigerators, sinks and hands. It's mild to the skin but effective enough to
get cleaning jobs done. The eucalyptus and mint provide a disinfecting quality
as well as a fresh scent. Any areas washed with this soap will be undesirable to
crawling insects and flies -- they'll stay away for quite a while.
5 cups grated castile soap
1/2 cup baking soda
1 tsp borax
6 cups hot peppermint tea
1 tsp eucalyptus essential oil
Put grated soap into a 3-quart stainless steel saucepan and add
hot mint tea. Simmer for 15 minutes on low heat. Add baking soda, borax and
eucalyptus oil. Store in a labeled plastic jug or squirt bottle. Shake before
using.
Grapefruit Abrasive Cleaner
This cleanser gets its punch from finely ground pumice, a
volcanic rock dust. It's comparable to soft scrub and can be used for tubs,
sinks, tiles and even hardworking hands that have been stained with grease. The
lingering scent is pungent and fresh.
1 cup fine-grade pumice
1/2 cup clay powder
2 Tbsp grapefruit essential oil
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup sodium lauryl sulfoactetate
1/2 cup boiling water (or enough to make a thick paste)
Mix all ingredients together and stir. Store in a labeled
airtight container. To use, apply gently with a damp sponge or cloth an scrub.
Use a light touch on fiberglass fixtures.
Links to Other Pages and Web Sites
Aromatherapy
Natural Health Hut
