Katy Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 Due to my 3 year old getting into everything multiple times, I've decided to go back to DIY (edible) cleaning products. Yes, this is the same child you'll recall one of his recent adventures was breaking through the childproofing and ripping out his second story window screen to swing his upper body outside. Today he climbed over the baby gate into the kitchen, climbed up on one of the countertops, and got my diluted 90% spray bottle of Mr Clean out of the kitchen, where he poured it on a leather loveseat (now ruined), and apparently proceeded to bathe himself and his baby sister in it when everyone else was busy with real work and I was digging in the deep freeze for a lunch ingredient. Lunch was delayed while both had a real bath. Since this is the second time he's gone for that bottle, it's now going in the trash. Long ago, when I was single and quite sick a boyfriend suggested I try natural cleaning products in case the chemicals were a trigger for me. At the time I used: Flat club soda with a drop of blue food coloring and 20 drops of lavender essential oil for glass. Maybe with a shot of everclear per bottle in the winter if it was drying so slowly it would streak. Vinegar, water, and peppermint oil for almost everything but glass. Just alcohol (drinkable) and water if something needed a pH neutral cleaner. a paste of baking soda, water, orange essential oil and a squirt of dish soap for soft scrub/bath cleaner. I think the book suggested borax for the toilet, but I had enough nursing experience at that point that I already used bleach based toilet cleaning products only, at least for the inside of the bowl. Now that I'm going back to homemade, is there anything I should know? It seems like years ago I read a thread here about using citric acid instead of vinegar because it smells better and the powder is easier to store. Does anyone have directions for that or anything else I should know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted November 19, 2020 Author Share Posted November 19, 2020 Oh yes, and there was also advice to alternate with vinegar and peroxide if it was something really nasty because it will kill most things bleach will. Except norovirus. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 I find straight up baking soda actually works better for some tasks that the heavy duty chemical cleaners, especially in the kitchen. I have a white enamel sink (never again!) and grease eventually builds up even though I wash it with dish soap and a scrubby every day. A generous dusting of baking soda and a scrubby takes it all down to factory white. I have not found anything that works better. Same with the gas stove top. Some cleaners scratch the surface but baking soda doesn't scratch and cleans just as well. In both cases, I usually follow up by spraying with straight white vinegar, let sit for a few minutes, and wipe down to get it all shiny.....especially the faucet parts. This is so engrained in my household that when dd took a temp job cleaning out college apartments (GROSS), she requested BS for kitchens after the first day because the heavy duty chemical stuff was just not cutting it in the sinks and stove surfaces. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wathe Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 (edited) 28 minutes ago, skimomma said: I find straight up baking soda actually works better for some tasks that the heavy duty chemical cleaners, especially in the kitchen. I have a white enamel sink (never again!) and grease eventually builds up even though I wash it with dish soap and a scrubby every day. A generous dusting of baking soda and a scrubby takes it all down to factory white. I have not found anything that works better. Same with the gas stove top. Some cleaners scratch the surface but baking soda doesn't scratch and cleans just as well. In both cases, I usually follow up by spraying with straight white vinegar, let sit for a few minutes, and wipe down to get it all shiny.....especially the faucet parts. This is so engrained in my household that when dd took a temp job cleaning out college apartments (GROSS), she requested BS for kitchens after the first day because the heavy duty chemical stuff was just not cutting it in the sinks and stove surfaces. Yes, straight baking soda makes an excellent scouring powder for kitchen sicks sinks and stovetops ETa sinks, not sicks. Though bet it would be good for neutralizing vomit too! Edited November 19, 2020 by wathe 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 I would leave out the essential oils. maybe consider something edible but very bitter tasting to add so as to discourage eating / licking 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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