Natural Cleaning Solutions

[PharaohKatt]

What sort of things do you use to clean around the home? Vinegar, bicarb, natural oils... What gets those carpet stains out?

I'll start off by offering a solution and asking a question.

First, to get pee out of the carpet. Those of you who have kids or pets know what a pain it can be when they wee on the carpet. It smells, it stains, and it's annoying to clean up.
A method I've found that works is to sprinkle the area with bicarb soda to soak up the wee. Then pour some vinegar on the area. It'll fizz up and look very cool. Leave this to dry, then vacuum up the remaining bicarb. Done!

And now a question:
I have recently adopted a cat, and now my house smells. I have cleaned up all the areas he has peed, but it still lingers. I can't find any one object or area with the smell, just this constant scent in the air. Any idea how I can get rid of it?

[Amber]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

You may have to find an enzyme remover for cat urine. Untill the smell is gone, the cat will probably keep peeing over it

[PharaohKatt]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

I did a huge clean of the bathroom today and found some hidden objects that had been peed on. I cleaned all of it up and aired it out. Now the smell is gone! Woo!

[Clive]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

Vinegar and baking soda are also useful for cleaning out the refrigerator. Sprinkle on the bicarb, spritz some vinegar, let it foam and wipe it away. This is especially handy when mold has popped up.

Slice a lemon in half, sprinkle some salt on it, and use it to scrub candlesticks or other metal ware that has gotten dingy. You could also use vinegar and a toothbrush in place of the lemon.

Sprinkle cinnamon powder or some other strong spice on the carpet before you vacuum to keep the vacuum bag from getting smelly.

To clean kitchen rags and the mop, fill the sink with hot water, add a squirt of soap and a capful of bleach. Let the rags and/or mop soak overnight, ring out and dry, or just use the wet rags to wipe down surfaces.

[Celest]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

to clean stuck on food from inside the microwave,
put half a lemon in a bowl of water and microwave for a couple of minutes,
the lemon steam loosens the food, all you do is wipe off

[PharaohKatt]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

Thanks for the ideas, guys, keep em coming!

Cabbage is really handy to use to polish pewter. Best thing I've found. Also, grate a lemon skin to get zest, then squeeze this to get lemon oil. Very handy for floors, plus it smells great! (quite time consuming though).

Anyone have a recipe for a good all-purpose cleaner? Preferably one I can spray.

[thalassa]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

[quote author=PharaohKatt link=topic=1351.msg27663#msg27663 date=1294582274]
Anyone have a recipe for a good all-purpose cleaner? Preferably one I can spray.
[/quote]

I've used a fairly similar recipe for a while now, that I change up a bit here and there, but its basically soap, essential oils and water, along with lemon juice or vinegar. Right now I've been using a capful of Dr Bonner's lavender soap, about 10-20 drops of lavender essential oil and a 1/3 cup of lemon juice (it smells better than vinegar) in a spray bottle to clean just about everything. I have a blog post on the subject, which I had originally posted on the pre-crash forum.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

There is an enzyme product made for cleaning up parrot poop which is called "Poop-Off" LOL It comes in a spray bottle, is non-toxic, and cleans everything. It's expensive but I'm only on my 2nd bottle in 21 years since it goes a long way. I even got red wine out of white carpet with it. And there's absolutely no sign of my bird's occasional "carpet bombs".

[thalassa]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

I steam clean my carpets with white vinegar. It works pretty well, but the best thing for urine is a commercial product called Nature's Miracle---it gets rid of pee smell like nothing else.

[PharaohKatt]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

[quote author=thalassa link=topic=1351.msg27664#msg27664 date=1294583083]
I've used a fairly similar recipe for a while now, that I change up a bit here and there, but its basically soap, essential oils and water, along with lemon juice or vinegar. Right now I've been using a capful of Dr Bonner's lavender soap, about 10-20 drops of lavender essential oil and a 1/3 cup of lemon juice (it smells better than vinegar) in a spray bottle to clean just about everything. I have a blog post on the subject, which I had originally posted on the pre-crash forum.
[/quote]

I tried a mix of this, without the soap though. I used vinegar, water and eucalyptus oil (much more common than lavender oil here). Ended Uo doing a ratio of 1cup vinegar, 1 cup hot water, capful of oil.

OMG it works so brilliantly! It cleans, disinfects, smells great! I love it

[thalassa]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

^I add the soap because it acts as an emulsifying agent and mixes in the oils throughout the mixture.

[PharaohKatt]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

Would any sort of soap do? Like dishwashing liquid?

[thalassa]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

[quote author=PharaohKatt link=topic=1351.msg28016#msg28016 date=1294721770]
Would any sort of soap do? Like dishwashing liquid?
[/quote]

Absolutely. I've used Ivory and Dawn in a pinch, but mainly I use Dr Bonner's.

[Corvus]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

*bookmarks* I have to show my mum this page. I hear ash mixed with water is a good jewlery cleaner, I haven't tried myself yet though.

[Clive]

Re: Natural Cleaning Solutions

[quote author=Corvus link=topic=1351.msg28069#msg28069 date=1294770081]
*bookmarks* I have to show my mum this page. I hear ash mixed with water is a good jewlery cleaner, I haven't tried myself yet though.
[/quote]

That reminds me, if you dye your hair and get a stain on your skin, get your finger wet with saliva, dip it in some ash (if anybody in the house smokes an ashtray works well), and rub it on the stain. Leave it for about ten minutes and scrub it off; the stain will be gone. Apparently this is an old theater trick but I've tried it myself several times and it works wonders.