Hi!
 

Just joined yesterday, and flicking through this thread. Go for it guys! The way things are going, it's definitely worth it, ecologically as well as economically, to produce as much as you can - not to mention the sheer sense of satisfaction you get as you bypass the over-packaged fruit and veg in the supermarket! Earlier this year, the price of leeks caught my eye, and I stood and gaped! Can't figure out the justification for that price, for something which seems so easy to grow, and doesn't need a lot of space - so if anyone has a few feet of flower bed to spare, shove a few leek plants in in spring!

For cleaning, including laundry, I'm relying more and more on old fashioned Washing Soda. I use it for cleaning the cooker, toilet, tiles, in-wash stain removing, keeping the drains clear, washing floors, countertops etc. etc.
And I get Ecover laundry liquid and washing up liquid bottles re-filled, so cutting down on all those plastic bottles, even if they were going into the recycling.

Good on ya
 

Well done LadyA and welcome to JT too! It's a great site with very friendly members who are always more than welcome to impart advice and accept it too. Where do you get your ecover from? Do you order it online or is it sold near you? I don't have any local suppliers unfortunately.

ecover
 

I get it in Tesco, but most of the supermarkets around here sell it. The Health Food shops sell it too, and then there's a sort of bulk food shop in Waterford, where you can buy things like oatmeal, flour, beans, dried fruit - all sorts of stuff - in bulk, just in big plain plastic bags. Or on the other hand, if you just want a small amount of something, they will sell you a small amount. And they have enormous drums of the ecover liquids, from which they refill your original bottles. Saves you sending empty plastic bottles to wherever they end up!

That's a great idea (the drums of detergent to refill the small bottles). I wonder if there's anywhere in Dublin that provides the same service?

ecover
 

There has to be! Ask at some of the health food shops - I know some of them refill them - or check ecover's website and ask them if they know of anywhere, cos I know it's something they are keen to promote.
http://www.ecover.com/gb/en/WhereToBuy/

Vinegar, white
 

Yes, I've seen that but there only teensie bottles. i was hoping for a 2.5 litres bottle of it. I have a lot of cleaning to catch up on, seen I have boycotted those chemical cleaners for so long!!!
That site looks good.
thanks for all the tips, am enjoying this thread. Regards to all.
Corker

Maybe they'd sell you the whole big drum of it?! ;) ;D

I asked in our local Spar, and they ordered me a 5 litre bottle of white vinegar. Cost €6.95, but I reckon its cheaper than all the other chemical stuff.

vinegar
 

If we all ordered it at our local Spar...then they would order it and ....we could start a trend? Worth a try...yes????...So...ask at your local Spar or LIdl or Centra or Superquinn or whatever.... Nothing to lose - right?

slugs
 

hi marie,
another tip for the slugs : used coffee powder from coffee maker , the egg shells work great too as carissa was saying also, but the coffee powder mixes in with the earth after while so you need to put some more at the base of the veggies . anything that is hard to crawl onto, so anything grindy does the trick perfect.
wont get rid of the slugs completely but will keep them away for a while.


also the flower marygold is supposed to be great for insects, but caution, one insect loves it, so you get rid of some but attract others with it...

hope that helps

cascais

Hi I joined today and I am having a great time reading all your tips.

If your shower head is blocked with limescale, put white vinager and bread soda in a plastic bag or deep bowl and leave the shower head to soak for a few hours. It loosens it up a treat and unblocks the holes, apparently it also works on taps too.

For blocked drains, pour a good amount of bread soda down the plug hole, then add a good glug of white vinegar. The foaming action, will help unblock the pipes. It helps if you haven't run water in the sink when you do this, so the bread soda goes down the plug hole.

cleaning products
 

hi all,

just wondering if any of you have tried soda crystals for cleaning?
apperently its an old fashioned way of cleaning, its been in use for over 200 years.
i seen this in the sho and laughed, and said "yeah right"
cause i thought it would be a load of bul
it was only 99c a bag and u only need a small cup full in a bottle of water. and one of those spray bottles.
i've recently been trying it out, just to see if it was any use.
i've used it on worktops, ceramic tiles , cooker etc and its just as good as any of the bottles of stuff u pay 3.99 for.

and u would get at lease 6 cups, the only thing i would say against it is it doesnt leave any smell...just cleans it

aperently u can used this in the kitchen, sinks and drains and ur washing.

havent tried it in my washing yet, though might try it on something thats no use, just in case lol

all the best,
tas

bread soda?
 

Hi tasmin,

is that the same that's called bread soda? I use that for washing the cloth nappies after I soaked them in vinegary water. It's fine, doesn't leave any smell on them either though :)
Haven't tried it to use as a surface cleaner, but might give it a go despite all my love for Cif products...

Regards,
p

hiya

no, this is called soda crystals.

my mam used to used the soad bread all the time.

god theres a memory lol


tas

Yes, soda crystals have been used for years. My mum & my granny washed clothes in it especially whites. Also, a very handy way to clean your bath and save showering yourself with talc when you get out of the bath - put a handful of soda crystals into the bath while running. Hop in and scrub yourself. You get out and your skin is as soft as a baby's and your bath is clean after soaking in the crystals too!! Clean bath while relaxing in it (no scrubbing involved)!! That's a product worth trying! I forgot about it so thanks for reminding me.

washing up liquid and laundry soap
 

any one got any receipe for eco friendly stuff????????????/

milk
 

this is good for rubbing on leaves of your plants to restore there natural shine

?
 

I always thought soda crystals were caustic

Natural Alternatitives
 

I thoroughly agree with the suggestionsfor cleaning. I ve been using distilled white vinegar for cleaning window glass, floor tiles, and mirrors for several months now. I use bread soda for cleaning saucepans and cooker. We have had to abandon use of mos chemicals in the home because of serious lung disease.

However there are even more non toxic remedies.

Washing soda or soda crystals are a fantastic stain remover in your washing machine or hand wash. The cost a tiny fraction of what branded specialised stain removers do and are available in almost alll supermarkets.

For animal care. Apple cider vinegar applied to your dogs coat as a shampoo and rinsed off will keep fleas and ticks at bay. A small amount of cider vinegar added to your dogs daily feed will help prevent some bone diseases and hip displasia. ( It helps break down excessive calcium deposits) Odourless garlic capsules added to your pets feeds will really discourage fleas ticks and most worms. And if your dog rolls about in something really smelly, let their coat dry out, then liberally sprinkle him with bread soda and rub into coat. Then brush out thoroughly and you ll find he has a sweet smelling sparkling coat from his "dry shampoo"

Oh Jesselva, excellent ideas there. I have a labrador who loves rolling in smelly things. Also, they're renowned for hip problems and as she's a pure bred, tics and things like that are detrimental to her (purebreds are very delicate apparently). I shall be using all your ideas. Thanks a million.

Yes, some of the larger breeds are very prone to hip problems', We have 3 Rottweilers' , a labrador, and a little corgi/terrier. We found the Rottweilers were plagued with a mite which caused them dreadful distress. It seemed to always be a constant round of injections and very little relief for them. I happened by pure chance to come across a book called " household hints and tips" by a Margaret Bradley, published by L&K Designs. it s fairly newonly published 2008, but apart from the usual household tips, there is a pets and outdoor section in it, thats where I found the Doggie Remedes, and they really do work. They havent been troubled by this mysterious mite for the past 3 months', Its fantastic. My heart was broken watching their distress from either constan scratching, or constant needles.

anyone make their own soap/detergent?
 

I googled this and I got this link

Don't know who this Duggar family are.. but they seem to have a lot of kids!, 20!!

They have receipes for soap and detergent on their website, see below

TIPS FOR LAUNDRY SOAP: We use Fels-Naptha bar soap in the homemade soap recipes, but you can use Ivory, Sunlight, Kirk's Hardwater Castile or Zote bars. Don't use heavily perfumed soaps. We buy Fels-Naptha by the case from our local grocer or online. Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found on the laundry or cleaning aisle. Recipe cost approx. $2.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4 Cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)



Powdered Laundry Detergent- Top load machine

1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax

-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)





Inexpensive Fabric Softener Recipes

Recipe #1
1 Cup White Vinegar
Add vinegar to rinse cycle. Works great. Removes residue and odors. Also helps to keep washing machine and hoses fresh and clean too.

Recipe #2

1 Container of Name Brand Fabric Softener
4 Inexpensive sponges, cut in half

Pour entire container of softener into a 5 gallon bucket. Fill empty softener container with water twice. (2 parts water to 1 part softener) Add sponges to softener/water mixture. When ready to use wring out extra mixture from one sponge and add to the dryer as you would a dryer sheet.

...Sounds cheap and greener but does it smell and clean as good?!

soapnuts
 

I don't make my own detergent, but last summer I bought a bag of soapnuts at the Oxfam Fairtrade shop just off Grafton Street. I've been using the same bag since, washing about three to four loads of laundry per week. A bag of soapnuts costs about 9 euro. They claim you can use soapnuts for virtually all cleaning - that you can make washing up liquid, shampoo, etc.. However, I followed the instructions and made a batch of what was supposed to be washing up liquid, and it turned out to be a lot like colour-tinged water, and about as effective. Since then, I've stuck to using it in the washer. It's not a panacea - it won't remove grass or wine or grease stains any more than most detergents, but it's cheap and it gets the majority of things clean. I simply pre-treat stains as I did when I was buying detergent. I would recommend them.

making dish washer powder
 

I found this on the internet and I tried it and it works pretty good

2 teaspoons of bread soda as the powder and vinegar as the rinse aid

you can also use equal quantities of Borax and Bread soda mix together and use 2 teaspoons as before.

It's great for keeping the dishwasher and washing machine clean as well.

Can be used as an oven cleaner just sprinkle over the bottom of the oven and spray with a little water, leave for a while and then remove. works a treat better then the spray over cleaner that nearly kills you when you spray it.

Bread soda is a good degreaser and is an old fashioned cleaner that is environmentally friendly.

it's a water softener.

It has many other uses to numerous to mention here

has anyone any other uses to tell us

Natural, Healthy Cleaning Products: Video
 

The cleaner your home, the more toxic it may be...

http://www.jumbletown.ie/forums/show...033#post217033

My answer to a cleaner healthier environment!
 

I reluctantly joined Melaleuca.com 2 years ago.....Initially I thought their products were expensive and then realised that they weren't as my shopping bills reduced dramatically! i had decided to go Eco as this planets problems are rapidly accelerating out of control.
All their products are Eco friendly and of top quality.
I especially love their soaps and shampoos as well as their cleaning products.
To be honest i do not find their washing products brilliant...ok for coloured clothes but for items like chefs jackets....a 'no no'!!! Their washing up liquid is fantastic! Better than any I have ever used before including say the likes of well know general products that we all have bought in our supermarkets.
Their cosmetics are fantastic. Checkout their products and get back to me with any questions! I am not vying for business here...I just love their goods!
My advice to folks who wish to sign up is to spread the costs around with say 3 friends.....become a member to avail of cheaper costs and share out the products with your 3 friends.
Am sure you will be thrilled at how much you will save on all these toxic cleaning products that are in our supermarkets!
And remember Vinegar and Bread Soda are the most fantastic cleaning products! Cheap to buy and use!
Dimples 1553

Vinegar
 

Hi All,

Can anyone tell me where I can buy a large bottle of white vinegar? They only have small bottles that cost a fortune in the supermarket & doesn't go far with the use it gets here.

Thanks & regards,
colmsmum.

Bread soda is a good degreaser and is an old fashioned cleaner that is environmentally friendly.

it's a water softener.

It has many other uses to numerous to mention here

has anyone any other uses to tell us[/quote]

Hiya - I think if you read this entire thread from beginning to end you'll find about a million uses for Bread soda listed on it and a lot of them I didn't know. I've typed up a list at this stage and printed it. It's hanging up in my kitchen and gets referred to often. I clean my electric cooker and my range with bread soda, washing up liquid and lemon juice and my face with bread soda and sugar!!

Would your local chip shop buy you some in the cash and carry?

Never thought of that, thanks for the tip.

Large Gallon Bottles of Vinegar
 

Have you any friends who work in catering? If so ask them when they go to the Cash & Carry i.e Musgraves to pick you up a bottle there! Or ask wherever you work as if it's an office they must have cleaners etc andsee if your firm have a Cash & Carry Account set up.

Hope this helps!
Dimples1553

green cleaning
 

I am exhausted! have just spent the past few hours scooshing vinegar on windows and washing paintwork and dusting and hoovering and generally getting ready for an invasion due a week today. Nothing like visitors to get the sleeves up. When I was at home many moons ago vinegar was the liquid of choice for washing the windows, and that happened every week. My mother would die if she could see the windows on our house. vinegar is also magic in the bathroom, including in the bath. I recently got a couple of books on Vinegar and Bicarbonate of soda - baking soda here in Ireland. I have begun cleaning my teeth with the bicarb, and I do think I see a difference in colour. I put it in the washing machine and it seems to have cleared out the residue of soap. It has been used in the dishwasher and takes away the smell, and the dishes and cutlery were gleaming. I need to keep my feet as cool as possible or I run the risk of eczema outbreaks, and decided to give them a bicarb soak yesterday. yep, it works. I know from reading through all the entries that there are a lot of you who are well acquainted with the benefits of said cleaning agents. The little video put up by Chris is also to the point. I want to get bigger quantities, now that I have this bee in my bonnet. I have googled but to no effect, so will see if Musgraves will look kindly on an innocent member of the public looking for the above two items, and borax. I forget why borax, and also soda crystals. Then when all the existing cleaning agents are finished, no more of them. Well, maybe a pack of fairy non-bio in case. So, thanks for all the tips and I hope it all helps to reduce somewhat the amount of chemicals flushing down the tubes. So now, a cup of tea is in order, and then maybe another couple of windows....

I'll PM my address and directions, come over here for a cup of tea and I'll be very glad to watch and learn how you get the windows all gleaming :oD. My notepad is at the ready - lol

I am also being invaded next week and am completely ashamed of the state of the place!

Well done on what is definitely a monumental task

Good woman sandramcs. I hope you had a chocolate bikkie too after all that. Definitely deserved. I'm tired just reading about all your work. If you want to come and do my windows you're more than welcome!

Funny you should mention about the bicarb on your teeth. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that I had the start of staining on one of my teeth and used bicarb on my toothbrush, gave them a scrub and it came off after one go!

Pah! to all these miracle teeth cleaning chemicals!

It doesn't taste too bad either, just a bit salty.

My favorite is to clean the drains with it. Shovel a few teaspoons of bicarb down the plug hole, add a good glug of vinegar and then pour on boiling water from the kettle and watch it foam!!

And yes, why is white vinegar so expensive now, are the taking advantage of all of us who have started using it for cleaning as it used to be sold really cheaply!

Well, nice to hear from you all. Tea is drunk, no chocolate allowed in the house at the moment, long term reduction plan for a wedding outfit. Federer doing not too badly on the courts, and I will just clean the car windows for safety reasons before tackling the dinner. I don't usually have leisure for cleaning marathons, but have stopped work till August so am enjoying doing it in manageable spurts. I will keep you posted on Musgraves prices.

Aw thanks Chris. I knew I was tolerating the mess for the good of my family ;-)

natural cleaning alternatives
 

Don't forget the loo. Throw a good dollop of white vinegar in for a few hours or overnight. Follow that when you'r ready to start cleaning with a handful of baking soda. It will fizz up and you can scrub to you hearts content knowing that you are not contributing to the planets pain! (and it doesn't cost the earth)

Hi all very helpfull post keep it up.

Lemon juice is great for bringing your white tshirts back from the brink. I noticed that my other halfs were looking really dingy from sweat stains and probby deod too, this was after washing!!!
So I filled a bucket with hot water and lemon juice popped all his tees in there, soaked overnight and spun and hung on the line. Dazzling.
He's delighted. As am i as I don't have to listen to the complaints about cheap powder...etc or it's not a brand name.........blah blah

dental tablets
 

hi all,
i found that if you use two dental tablets on stains with hot water the stain vanishes like magic.

they are great for the bath and loo too.

might try them on my tiles next :-)