I think one of the main problems is that we are programmed into believing we need a multitude of products............a bathroom cleaner, a kitchen cleaner, a floor cleaner etc etc when infact one product can do the job of many, freeing up lots of cupboard space along the way......

In theory we should need nothing other than white vinegar in our homes for cleaning. It can even be used as a fabric softener, and works like a dream, and theres no vinegary smell atall Tis great as a substitute for rinse aid in the dish washer n'all.

I do not only use vinegar exclusively though, lemon juice is a fave especially for getting rid of limescale and cleaning the microwave..........

For disinfecting a couple of drops of tea tree essential oil in warm water couldn't be better

I used to use ecoballs for the washing, but have change to soapnuts now which are much better. Soapnuts are fab, can be used for a multitude of stuff including washing the dog and the car They are a Fair Trade product and completely pure, have nothing added, they are simply harvested from the trees in India and voila!

Why buy Pledge when we have wonderful beeswax

Soapnuts? I've never heard of them, how do they differ from the wooden bally thing?

Um... can I watch you clean next weekend? Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee!!

We used them Eco ball things for a while, and Jo wasn't too impressed - but I guess two small grubby tree climbing, grass rolling round in little boys are quite a tough test

Was OK on our stuff mind.

These soapnut thingies then - where do you get them from ??

no you can't watch me clean

soapnuts

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

if you click on full details and ingredients all will be revealed

Woohoo, a new board! - great subject too!

White vinegar is fab - we put some in one of those garden squirter thingies (oh you know - one of these:

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

for ease of use & clean the bath, washbasin, & sink with it.

Soda crystals (

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

) also brilliant for things like unblocking drains and cleaning garden stuff - actually you can use them for almost anything, but they're not great for sensitive skin so I tend to keep them for the tough jobs. Bicarbonate of soda is gentler and I use that to clean the fridge & things like that.

And we buy Bio-D loo cleaner - made from coconut oil, citric acid, & vinegar - and Clear Spring laundry liquid & dishwasher gel - also all natural - from these people:

Only registered users can see links on this forum! Register or Login on forum!

(they sell soapnuts too, I think - haven't tried them though - we didn't like the soap balls either)

Didn't know you could use vinegar as rinse aid though - brilliant - got Ecover stuff at the moment & it stinks - will have a go with vinegar instead.

I think she meant clean the kitchen DelPet - not you actually clean

Ta for the link BTW - off to read it

OK read it now - I'll have to see whether they'll post to a BFPO address - and speak to Jo about it

there are tonnes of suppliers of sopanuts Andy......just google...........hopefully one of them will

Being a child from colonial days natural remedies were an essential ingredient in every household - 'modern remidies' were not available ... some where I have an old settlers cookbook will go find it!!

Such things as vinegar, lemon juice, bi-carb, glycerine, permangonate of potash, eucalypus oil, methylated spirits were all things that were considered to be essentials. Even chloride of lime ... now where can you get that these days!!

Natural Collection deliver to BFPO addresses - they sell lots of other useful stuff too.

We used to use only Ecover stuff but now even Tesco is in on it, also the Loo cleaner smells better. Most decent farm shops sell soap nuts altho we still use washing powder for the BnB sheets. as been said vineger for greasy things like windows etc. We use all liquid soaps in the bathroom, shower soaps, hair shampoo and hand wash. I think we use about 7/8 different cleaners for everything, and never ever any bleaches or phosphate cleaners . huh could go on all night

mm I think the only green cleaning thing we use here is organic hand-made soap from the local farmers' market.

Still use all the old favs on everything else, and I refuse to ever stop using bleach-based cleaner things because it's inimical to carbon-based life. ie no bacteria will ever get resistant, like they are already doing to so-called anti-bacterials.

I guess you can see me as a convertible target*! (But we do have a block of beeswax )

moonbells

*no I'm not a large open-top car

Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) is toxic and a strong oxidizer that can cause severe damage to living material and microorganisms have not developed resistance, but, for me the crucial fact is that algae and plants are no exception to the toxicity of bleach. Also the oxidation of coloured compounds results in bleaching their colour, plants and algae rely on a variety of coloured compounds to survive, when they are damaged or bleached out plants cannot photosynthesize.

So although it may kill harmful bacteria I am not happy using bleach........................tea tree essential oil is my antibacterial agent I rely on.

............ if I am completely barking up the wrong tree please correct me

yer safe coz I'm still dithering over colour and size

Juliet, Dianne is the same but good ol Natural Collection.

No please no

Go start one Juliet! Why not!

so long as their's no discussion about the benefits of wings