A wide variety of cleaning products is available to today’s consumer, but our great-grandparents managed to keep their farm homes clean without them.
Lindsay Coulter, dubbed the Queen of Green as the nature conservation outreach co-ordinator with the David Suzuki Foundation, suggests working more in harmony with nature and getting back to old ways that could lower cleaning costs.
She said farms and acreages have to be especially conscious of the cleaning products they use.
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“Everything you dispose of is getting into the environment, water, sloughs and pastures, that much faster,” she said.
For example, she said fragrances and bleaches commonly found in commercial cleaning products contain toxic substances that are harmful to health and downgrade air quality in homes and barns.
“Folks have got caught up in the marketing that clean should have a smell.”
Coulter said vinegar, baking soda and yeast are found in most homes and have a number of green cleaning applications.
A mixture of brown sugar, baker’s yeast and warm water makes a good septic tank treatment, while a good all-purpose cleaner consists of Borax, castile soap, vinegar, hot tap water and a dash of lavender or lemon.
For a cleaner with more scouring capabilities, try a mix of baking soda, castile soap, tap water and vinegar.
Baking soda also cleans countertops and sinks, while a bucket of vinegar and warm water is an effective way to disinfect and wash floors. Buying ingredients in bulk can save money.
Laundry soap made from Borax, washing soda, soap flakes, water and essential oils costs Coulter about $1 per litre to make.
Prevention is the best medicine in preventing problems such as hantavirus in barns, so Coulter recommended regular maintenance and cleaning and sweeping to keep areas tidy and clear of grain.
She said farmers and ranchers are well known for their ingenuity in finding solutions and advised them to look for what works best for them.
Green tips:
* Read labels and avoid products with substances you can’t pronounce. Fragrances can contain up to 4,000 chemical ingredients.
* Look for biodegradable products but expect to pay a premium. Alternatively, save money by buying ingredients in bulk and making your own concoctions.
* Avoid paper towels and extend the lifespan of old towels, sheets and clothes by converting them to dust and cleaning rags.
Dishwashing soap
Recipe 1
2 c. soap flakes 500 mL
1 gallon tap water 4 L
25 drops essential oil, such as lemon, lime or grapefruit (optional)
Combine first two ingredients in a pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Simmer until the soap flakes have dissolved, cool, then transfer to a squirt bottle. Add essential oil last.
Recipe 2 – Mix and put in squirt bottle:
1/2 c. liquid castile soap 125 mL
1-2 c. water 250 – 500 mL
23 drops essential oil (try 20 drops lime and 10 drops sweet orange; vary scents with lemon, bergamot or lavender)
All purpose cleaner
For kitchen and bathroom surfaces, including shower mildew and baked on microwave gunk, combine and put in spray bottle:
1 tbsp. Borax 15 mL
1/2 c. liquid castile soap 125 mL
1/2 c. white vinegar 125 mL
1 gallon hot tap water 4 L
20 drops essential oil such as lemon, lime, grapefruit, bergamot, eucalyptus, lavender or tea tree (optional)
For scouring, mix:
12/3 c. baking soda 400 mL
1/2 c. liquid castile soap 125 mL
1/2 c. tap water 125 mL
2 tbsp. white vinegar 30 mL(add last)
Carpet deodorizer
2 c. baking soda 500 mL
4-5 crumbled bay leaves
1/2 c. cornstarch 125 mL
1 tbsp. ground cloves 15 mL
Mix. Sprinkle on carpets. Let sit up to 24 hours and vacuum. Smells great. For stains, sprinkle baking soda, rub in and let sit one hour. Scrub with stiff brush and vacuum out.
Silver polish
4 c. water 1 L
1 tbsp. baking soda 15 mL
1 tbsp. salt 15 mL
Aluminum foil
Put ingredients in a pot with silver items. If what you have needs more space, increase everything in proportion. Boil for three minutes, making sure the foil stays in contact with the silver.
Furniture polish
Recipe 1
1 c. olive oil 250 mL
1/2 c. lemon juice 125 mL
Put in squirt bottle and use cloth to polish.
Recipe 2
2 tbsp. olive oil 30 mL
1 tbsp. white vinegar 15 mL
4 c. warm water 1 L
Mix and store in spray bottle. Rub on with cloth when dusting.
Wood floor polish
1/4 c. olive oil 60 mL
1/4 c. white vinegar 60 mL
10 drops essential oil such as lemon (optional)
Mix. Spray and polish.
Drain declogger
1/2 c. baking soda 125 mL
1 c. white vinegar 250 mL
4 c. hot tap water 1 L
Pour baking soda into drain, add vinegar. Let sit 10 minutes. Chase with boiling hot water. Repeat weekly to prevent future clogs.
Septic treatment
2 c. brown sugar 500 mL
1 tbsp. baker’s yeast 15 mL
5 c. warm water 1.25 L
Mix ingredients till dissolved, pour solution in toilet and flush.
Toilet bowl cleaner
1/2 c. baking soda or 125 mL
Borax
1/2 c. washing soda 125 mL
white vinegar
Mix washing soda with baking soda or Borax. Apply to surface. Scrub and flush. Add splash of white vinegar to deodorize.
Countertop cleaner
Baking soda
Lemon juice
Mix into paste and spread on surface. Let sit 30 minutes for ink and other tough stains. Wipe with damp cloth. Gets rid of smells, too.
Stainless steel
Olive oil
White vinegar
Rub surface with olive oil on a cloth. Wipe away with vinegar-soaked cloth. Let dry and watch streaks and smudges disappear.
Essential oils
These have therapeutic effects as well as a pleasant scent. For cleaning purposes, try:
Anti-bacterial: geranium, lavender, lemon, lime, patchouli, tea tree.
Anti-fungal: cedar wood, lavender, lemongrass, patchouli, rosemary, tea tree.
Grease cutting: grapefruit, lemon, lime.
Liquid laundry soap
1/2 c. Borax 125 mL
1/2 c. washing soda 125 mL
1 c. soap flakes or 250 mL
a bar of soap, grated
2 gallons water 8 L
20 drops essential oil (optional)
Combine borax, washing soda and most of the water. Boil soap flakes in remaining water and add to first mixture (you can also melt grated bar soap in the microwave). The soap will gel the mixture. If your water is hard, add more washing soda. Use about 1/2 c. per load. Works in cold water.
Laundry powder
Mix:
1 c. soap flakes or 250 mL grated bar soap
1/2 c. Borax 125 mL
1/2 c. washing soda 125 mL
Use 1 tbsp. (15 mL) for light loads and 2 tbsp. (30 mL) for heavier loads.
Glass cleaner
Before going natural, it may be necessary to use alcohol to remove the waxy residue from the store-bought cleaner. Combine ingredients in a spray bottle. For best results, use newspaper to wipe off.
Recipe 1
4 c. water 1 L
2 tbsp. white vinegar 30 mL
Recipe 2
2 tbsp. Borax 30 mL
3 c. water 750 mL
Dishwasher detergent
1 c. washing soda 250 mL
1 c. Borax 250 mL
white vinegar
Mix equal portions washing soda and Borax. Use only every fourth or fifth load to prevent a white film on dishes. Add white vinegar to the rinse cycle.
Source: David Suzuki Foundation
