Natural Cleaning Recipes

Originally Posted by chelsea

Hmm, can you use vinegar in a front load washer? And would you just throw it in or put it where the softener is supposed to go?!

Yes, you just put it where the softener goes. This is what I do when I wash my cloth diapers!

Does anyone have a recipe for cleaning carpets that you can put in your steam cleaner?

Thanks!

[chelsea]

Originally Posted by hink4687

Yes, you just put it where the softener goes. This is what I do when I wash my cloth diapers!

Thank-you! I waited a long time to hear that!! I'm off now to put vinegar in my front-loader!

[Rabbit]

Originally Posted by hink4687

Does anyone have a recipe for cleaning carpets that you can put in your steam cleaner?

Thanks!

[Mama Rophe]

Originally Posted by chelsea

Thank-you! I waited a long time to hear that!! I'm off now to put vinegar in my front-loader!

I have heard that you should NOT use vinegar with diapers because the urine is already acidic and vinegar is acidic so it can make your diapers smell really bad. I would suggest baking soda instead.

Actually, I think urine contains amonia compounds and amonia is extremely base...acidic vinegar counteracts urine smell for animals and people.

Originally Posted by gentle_mama04

I have heard that you should NOT use vinegar with diapers because the urine is already acidic and vinegar is acidic so it can make your diapers smell really bad. I would suggest baking soda instead.

Well that's why you put the vinegar in the rinse once the diapers are already clean. Its actually important to do because it restores the PH balance because the baking soda I add to the wash causes a high ph balance and the vinegar then brings it back to normal during the rinse.

I just wanted to add something about the carpet cleaner. I was reading the back of my seventh generation carpet cleaner to see whats in it and it has hydrogen peroxide, citrus oils, and some solvent to break down dirt. So I mixed up about a 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide, 10 drops of orange oil, and a teaspoon of detergent and added it to a gallon of water in my steam cleaner and it got my carpets cleaner than any other cleaner i've ever used. So I just had to share because I was super excited!

[Rabbit]

I know that regular carpet cleaners don't rinse well, so they make your carpet even dirtier quicker than before the cleaner was used. Your natural cleaner recipe sounds really appealing.

Originally Posted by Natalie

I know that regular carpet cleaners don't rinse well, so they make your carpet even dirtier quicker than before the cleaner was used. Your natural cleaner recipe sounds really appealing.

Really? I never knew that but I totally believe it! I was starting to have to steam clean my carpets almost weekly...it was getting a bit ridiculous! Hopefully this will cut back on that!

[Mama Rophe]

What type of detergent did you add?

[chelsea]

Originally Posted by hink4687

I just wanted to add something about the carpet cleaner. I was reading the back of my seventh generation carpet cleaner to see whats in it and it has hydrogen peroxide, citrus oils, and some solvent to break down dirt. So I mixed up about a 1/2 cup of hydrogen peroxide, 10 drops of orange oil, and a teaspoon of detergent and added it to a gallon of water in my steam cleaner and it got my carpets cleaner than any other cleaner i've ever used. So I just had to share because I was super excited!

What kind of hydrogen peroxide? Did you use the food-grade kind that's really strong and will burn through your skin if you touch it directly...or the weaker kind you buy over-the-counter? That sounds like a great recipe...I love the smell of citrus essential oils!

I guess detergent's not the best word. I just used dish soap.

And I didn't realize there were different grades of hydrogen peroxide! I just used the cheap over the counter stuff. And it makes my carpet smell soooo good! I just got finished steam cleaning my living room.

[Mert]

Originally Posted by Leah

I just put the vinegar in when I load everything, right after I put the soap in. I follow it with baking soda to neutralize the odor and to increase the softness. It works great!

I've been using vinegar in a downy ball for all our clothes, but dh says his cotton shirts are getting a little scratchy. I wanted to try using baking soda, too. Would I just put it in at the beginning with the soap or pour some into the downy ball? That doesn't seem like a good idea somehow. Anyone use both vinegar and baking soda? Any thoughts?

We use both with diapers. You want to use the baking soda during the wash and vinegar in the rinse.