When Life Gives You Lemons....Part 3 on Eco Friendly (and Pocketbook Friendly) Cleaning Products

So far, we have seen the uses for baking soda and vinegar around the home. Let me introduce you to our third eco-friendly contestant: Lemons.



Lemons are a natural disinfectant and odor remover. Who doesn't like the fresh smell of lemons?

Below is a plethora of uses for lemons. Feel free to add your own uses to the list. This comes from Reader's Digest:

AROUND THE HOUSE

Get rid of tough stains on marble You probably think of marble as stone, but it is really petrified calcium (also known as old seashells). That explains why it is so porous and easily stained and damaged. Those stains can be hard to remove. If washing won't remove a stubborn stain, try this: Cut a lemon in half, dip the exposed flesh into some table salt, and rub it vigorously on the stain. But do this only as a last resort; acid can damage marble. Rinse well.

Make a room scent/humidifier Freshen and moisturize the air in your home on dry winter days. Make your own room scent that also doubles as a humidifier. If you have a wood-burning stove, place an enameled cast-iron pot or bowl on top, fill with water, and add lemon (and/or orange) peels, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and apple skins. No wood-burning stove? Use your stovetop instead and just simmer the water periodically.

Neutralize cat-box odor You don't have to use an aerosol spray to neutralize foul-smelling cat-box odors or freshen the air in your bathroom. Just cut a couple of lemons in half. Then place them, cut side up, in a dish in the room, and the air will soon smell lemon-fresh.

Deodorize a humidifier When your humidifier starts to smell funky, deodorize it with ease: Just pour 3 or 4 teaspoons lemon juice into the water. It will not only remove the off odor but will replace it with a lemon-fresh fragrance. Repeat every couple of weeks to keep the odor from returning.

Clean tarnished brass Say good-bye to tarnish on brass, copper, or stainless steel. Make a paste of lemon juice and salt (or substitute baking soda or cream of tartar for the salt) and coat the affected area. Let it stay on for 5 minutes. Then wash in warm water, rinse, and polish dry. Use the same mixture to clean metal kitchen sinks too. Apply the paste, scrub gently, and rinse.

Polish chrome Get rid of mineral deposits and polish chrome faucets and other tarnished chrome. Simply rub lemon rind over the chrome and watch it shine! Rinse well and dry with a soft cloth.

IN THE KITCHEN

Prevent potatoes from turning brown Potatoes and cauliflower tend to turn brown when boiling, especially when you're having company for dinner. You can make sure the white vegetables stay white by squeezing a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice into the cooking water.

Freshen the fridge Remove refrigerator odors with ease. Dab lemon juice on a cotton ball or sponge and leave it in the fridge for several hours. Make sure to toss out any malodorous items that might be causing the bad smell.

Brighten dull aluminum Make those dull pots and pans sparkle, inside and out. Just rub the cut side of half a lemon all over them and buff with a soft cloth.

Keep rice from sticking To keep your rice from sticking together in a gloppy mass, add a spoonful of lemon juice to the boiling water when cooking. When the rice is done, let it cool for a few minutes, then fluff with a fork before serving.

Refresh cutting boards No wonder your kitchen cutting board smells! After all, you use it to chop onions, crush garlic, cut raw and cooked meat and chicken, and pre-pare fish. To get rid of the smell and help sanitize the cutting board, rub it all over with the cut side of half a lemon or wash it in undiluted juice straight from the bottle.

Keep guacamole green You've been making guacamole all day long for the big party, and you don't want it to turn brown on top before the guests arrive. The solution: Sprinkle a liberal amount of fresh lemon juice over it and it will stay fresh and green. The flavor of the lemon juice is a natural complement to the avocados in the guacamole. Make the fruit salad hours in advance too. Just squeeze some lemon juice onto the apple slices, and they'll stay snowy white.

Make soggy lettuce crisp Don't toss that soggy lettuce into the garbage. With the help of a little lemon juice you can toss it in a salad instead. Add the juice of half a lemon to a bowl of cold water. Then put the soggy lettuce in it and refrigerate for 1 hour. Make sure to dry the leaves completely before putting them into salads or sandwiches.

Keep insects out of the kitchen You don't need insecticides or ant traps to ant-proof your kitchen. Just give it the lemon treatment. First squirt some lemon juice on door thresholds and windowsills. Then squeeze lemon juice into any holes or cracks where the ants are getting in. Finally, scatter small slices of lemon peel around the outdoor entrance. The ants will get the message that they aren't welcome. Lemons are also effective against roaches and fleas: Simply mix the juice of 4 lemons (along with the rinds) with 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water and wash your floors with it; then watch the fleas and roaches flee. They hate the smell.

Clean your microwave Is the inside of your microwave caked with bits of hardened food? You can give it a good cleaning without scratching the surface with harsh cleansers or using a lot of elbow grease. Just mix 3 tablespoons lemon juice into 1 1/2 cups water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High for 5-10 minutes, allowing the steam to condense on the inside walls and ceiling of the oven. Then just wipe away the softened food with a dishrag.

Deodorize your garbage disposal If your garbage disposal is beginning to make your sink smell yucky, here's an easy way to deodorize it: Save leftover lemon and orange peels and toss them down the drain. To keep it smelling fresh, repeat once every month.

IN THE LAUNDRY

Bleach delicate fabrics Ordinary household chlorine bleach can cause the iron in water to precipitate out into fabrics, leaving additional stains. For a mild, stain-free bleach, soak your delicates in a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda for at least half an hour before washing.

Remove unsightly underarm stains Avoid expensive dry-cleaning bills. You can remove unsightly underarm stains from shirts and blouses simply by scrubbing them with a mixture of equal parts lemon juice (or white vinegar) and water.

Boost laundry detergent To remove rust and mineral discolorations from cotton T-shirts and briefs, pour 1 cup lemon juice into the washer during the wash cycle. The natural bleaching action of the juice will zap the stains and leave the clothes smelling fresh.

Rid clothes of mildew You unpack the clothes you've stored for the season and discover that some of the garments are stained with mildew. To get rid of mildew on clothes, make a paste of lemon juice and salt and rub it on the affected area, then dry the clothes in sunlight. Repeat the process until the stain is gone. This works well for rust stains on clothes too.

Whiten clothes Diluted or straight, lemon juice is a safe and effective fabric whitener when added to your wash water. Your clothes will also come out smelling lemon-fresh.

FOR HEALTH AND BEAUTY

Lighten age spots Before buying expensive medicated creams to lighten unsightly liver spots and freckles, try this: Apply lemon juice directly to the area, let sit for 15 minutes, and then rinse your skin clean. Lemon juice is a safe and effective skin-lightening agent.

Create blond highlights For blond highlights worthy of the finest beauty salon, add 1/4 cup lemon juice to 3/4 cup water and rinse your hair with the mixture. Then sit in the sun until your hair dries. Lemon juice is a natural bleach. Don't forget to put on plenty of sunscreen before you sit out in the sun. To maximize the effect, repeat once daily for up to a week.

Clean and whiten nails Pamper your fingernails without the help of a manicurist. Add the juice of 1/2 lemon to 1 cup warm water and soak your fingertips in the mixture for 5 minutes. After pushing back the cuticles, rub some lemon peel back and forth against the nail.

Cleanse your face Clean and exfoliate your face by washing it with lemon juice. You can also dab lemon juice on blackheads to draw them out during the day. Your skin should improve after several days of treatment.

Freshen your breath Make an impromptu mouthwash using lemon juice straight from the bottle. Rinse with the juice and then swallow it for longer-lasting fresh breath. The citric acid in the juice alters the pH level in your mouth, killing the bacteria that cause bad breath. Rinse after a few minutes, because long-term exposure to the acid in the lemon can harm tooth enamel.

Treat flaky dandruff If itchy, scaly dandruff has you scratching your head, relief may be no farther away than your refrigerator. Just massage 2 tablespoons lemon juice into your scalp and rinse with water. Then stir 1 teaspoon lemon juice into 1 cup water and rinse your hair with it. Repeat this daily until your dandruff disappears. No more itchy scalp, and your hair will smell lemon-fresh.

Soften dry, scaly elbows It's bad enough that your elbows are dry and itchy, but they look terrible too. Your elbows will look and feel better after a few treatments with this regimen: Mix baking soda and lemon juice to make an abrasive paste. Then rub the paste into your elbows for a soothing, smoothing, and exfoliating treatment.

Remove berry stains Sure it was fun to pick your own berries, but now your fingers are stained with berry juice that won't come off with soap and water. Try washing your hands with undiluted lemon juice. Wait a few minutes and wash with warm, soapy water. Repeat if necessary until the stain is completely gone.

Disinfect cuts and scrapes Stop bleeding and disinfect minor cuts and scrapes. Pour a few drops of lemon juice directly on the cut or apply the juice with a cotton ball and hold firmly in place for one minute.

Soothe poison ivy rash You won't need an ocean of calamine lotion the next time poison ivy comes a-creeping around. Just apply lemon juice full-strength directly to the affected area to soothe itching and alleviate the rash.

Relieve rough hands and sore feet You don't have to take extreme measures to soothe your extremities. If you have rough hands or sore feet, rinse them in a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and water, then massage with olive oil and dab dry with a soft cloth.

Remove warts You've tried countless remedies to get rid of your warts, and nothing seems to work. Next time, try this: Apply a dab of lemon juice directly to the wart, using a cotton swab. Repeat for several days until the acids in the lemon juice dissolve the wart completely.

From Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things

~D

Green Cleaning--How to be Eco-Friendly (and Pocketbook Friendly) Part 2

In my last post, we discussed the uses of baking soda. Right up there with baking soda is white vinegar. Yes, I know, it can have a very strong odor. But the smell actually dissipates, leaving a fresh, clean smell. Trust me!

Again, I am using an article by Noel-Marie Taylor. She lists sooooo many great uses for vinegar.

Vinegar: (Almost) the Only Cleaner You'll Ever Need
Cleaning with vinegar is powerful, natural--and cheap!by Noel-Marie Taylor

Most cleaning products fall into one of two categories: toxic or expensive. While both types will clean almost anything (or at least, anything within their limited range of capabilities), there's a third option. It's inexpensive and not at all poisonous to humans. It's multi-purpose as well--one container will take care of laundry, kitchen cleaning, even bugs and weeds. This "miracle cleaner" is vinegar.

Vinegar is a weak form of acetic acid that forms through the fermentation of sugars or starches. It is completely edible, and cannot harm your stomach. And luckily for us, many things can be cleaned using it.The uses of vinegar are nearly endless. In addition to cleaning, it is an excellent item for cooking and for home science experiments (remember the vinegar-and-baking soda volcanoes from grade school?). The health benefits are many as well.

In this article, we are focusing on the uses of vinegar as a cleaner. Note: plain white vinegar is the best for the following uses; cider and other vinegars may have unwanted side effects. Vinegar is used in 100% concentration unless otherwise specified.

Your Vinegar Spray Bottles In addition to your regular bottle of vinegar, a really useful item is a spray bottle. Ideally, you want two--one with pure vinegar, the other with a half vinegar, half water combination. Having vinegar in a dispenser of this type makes its use much simpler in many cases.

All Around the House

1. To remove stickers that have been used to "decorate" furniture and other surfaces, moisten with vinegar. Let sit for at least ten minutes, then remove.

2. For persistent room odors, place a bowl of vinegar in the room overnight.

3. For spills on carpet, use a sponge or cloth to soak up as much liquid as possible. Then spray with a mixture of half vinegar, half water. Let stand for about two minutes, then blot with towel or sponge. Repeat as needed.

4. For more persistent stains, use a mixture of 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap, and 1 cup warm water. Proceed as suggested above. When finished cleaning, dry using a hairdryer set on low.

5. To clean windows, spray with half vinegar, half water. Wipe clean with either newspapers or cloth.

6. To clean silver, pewter, copper, or brass, dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in one cup vinegar. Add flour to create a paste (1/4 cup or more). Apply the paste to the metal item, and let stand for at least fifteen minutes. Rinse with warm water and polish with a soft cloth.

7. No-wax floors can be cleaned with a solution of 1 cup vinegar per gallon of water for a shinier surface.

8. To clean wood paneling, use a mixture of 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 2 cups warm water. Apply to paneling with a soft cloth. Dry with a clean cloth.

In the Bathroom

9. To remove corrosion or chemical build-up from showerheads, soak in vinegar overnight.

10. Remove stains from the toilet bowl by spraying with vinegar and spraying.

11. To remove soap build-up from faucets, clean with a mixture of 1 part salt to four parts vinegar.

12. Spray shower walls and shower curtain with vinegar to help prevent mildew.

In the Kitchen

13. To keep ants away, spray vinegar along doorways, windowsills, countertops - anywhere that ants are likely to appear. If you find an ant trail (path that ants use repeatedly), clean it with vinegar.

14. To remove odors from the sink or garbage disposal, pour in a cup or more vinegar. Do not rinse out again for at least an hour.

15. For a clogged drain, first pour in 1/2 cup baking soda. Then add an equal amount of vinegar. When the mixture finishes bubbling, rinse with warm water. (Note: some garbage disposals do not react well to this cleaning method; check with the manufacturer first.)

16. Wipe your hands with vinegar after chopping. It will remove strong scents like onion and garlic, as well as stains from fruit juices.

17. To clean wooden cutting boards, wipe with vinegar.

18. Remove strong odors. Rinse jars with a half and half mixture of vinegar and water to remove garlic or other strong odors. Boil water with several spoons of vinegar to remove the smell of burnt food from your kitchen.

19. Vinegar is an excellent cleaner for all kitchen surfaces - counters, refrigerators, stovetops.

20. To clean your microwave oven, put a microwave-safe bowl of 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 cup water in the oven, and cook long enough to boil. In addition to removing any lingering odors, this will loosen any baked-on food from the microwave's walls.

21. To remove coffee or tea stains from china, clean with a mixture of vinegar and salt.

In the Laundry

22. To keep colors from running in the wash, soak in vinegar before washing.

23. To decrease lint on clothing, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.

24. Many persistent stains can be removed with vinegar: coffee, chocolate, ketchup, jam, cola, wine. Gently rub stain with vinegar, then wash.

25. To make your "brights brighter", add 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.

26. For fresher cloth diapers, add one cup distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle. This will break down uric acid and remove both lingering stains and scents.

27. To remove scorch marks from an iron, rub with a mixture of vinegar and salt.

28. To remove soap residue from the washing machine, run an empty (no laundry) cycle with one cup vinegar added.

29. To remove the smell of smoke from clothing, add a cup of vinegar to a tub of hot water. Let clothing hang in the same room for several hours.

Pet Care

30. To keep cats off windowsills or other surfaces, spray with vinegar. This will also keep them from scratching upholstery (spray an unnoticeable area of the fabric first to make sure the vinegar doesn't cause a stain).

31. To keep dogs from scratching their ears, clean with a soft cloth dipped in diluted vinegar.

32. If your dog should have a run-in with a skunk, vinegar will take care of the smell better than even tomato juice. Using vinegar diluted 50% with water, rub the dog's fur. Rinse with warm water. Repeat as needed.

_________________________________________________

Noel- Marie Taylor is a freelance writer located in Columbia, Maryland. Her work has appeared in many magazines, including PC Magazine and The Mother Is Me. A stay-at-home mom to two children, she is also the designer of several cross-stitch kits for children.

Green Cleaning--How to Be Eco-Friendly (and pocketbook friendly, too)

I am going to dedicate the next several posts to cleaning. What does that have to do with being Self-Sustaining, you may ask?

Hygiene. Food Safety. Pest Control. If you can't keep yourself healthy, can't keep your food supply safe from micro-organism and the scurrying-organisms, what is the point of working toward self-sufficiency?

• Part of being self-sufficient is reducing the necessity for doctor's visits. We want to keep our visits down to pro-active visits: annual screenings, flu shots, etc.


• Building our food supply means protecting our food supply from contamination. Our goal is safe, healthy food.


• Pests carry disease, and can undo all your hard work.

Many of you are probably already working at living more green, and already use the Big Three when you clean: Baking Soda, White Vinegar, and Lemon Juice. I am going to take each one individually over the next three posts to lay out the benefits and uses of each one.

I am starting with Baking Soda. Can you say cheap, my friends? I found a great series of articles by a guru named Noel-Marie Taylor. Most of these I already knew, but I did pick up a few new tips. Here is what she has to say about baking soda...

27 Ways to Clean with Baking Soda

There are many non-poisonous products that can be used for basic household cleaning. Next to vinegar, the most useful of these is baking soda. Like vinegar, baking soda has three major things going for it as a cleanser:

It's non-toxic. Sure, eaten in large amounts it might make you feel unpleasant, but it's not poisonous.

It's multi-purpose. The suggestions in this article are only a few of the many ways that baking soda can be used as a household cleanser.

Best of all, it's CHEAP! The cost of baking soda (especially when purchased in several pound large boxes) is far less than that of any other, specialized cleaning agent.

Baking soda (or bicarbonate of soda, as it is also known) is a naturally occurring material, present in most organic life forms. It can be "made" from sodium carbonate, or soda ash. The soda ash is dissolved in a carbon dioxide rich solution, and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) precipitates out.

As its name suggests, baking soda can be used for cooking. It can also be used medicinally, and, as we will discuss in this article, for cleaning.

In the kitchen

The kitchen is the most likely place to find baking soda. Don't stop with using it for baking, though!

1. A box or small bowl of baking soda in the refrigerator, freezer, or any cupboard will keep away unpleasant odors.

2. Similarly, baking soda will keep away garbage odors; sprinkle the bottom of the pail, and then sprinkle again after you put a new bag in.

3. Grease fires can be put out by sprinkling them with baking soda.

4. To clean surfaces, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth. Wipe, then rinse with clean water.

5. To remove stale smells from food containers, rinse out with hot water and baking soda. If the smell persists, let the container soak overnight in the baking soda and water mixture.

6. To clean silver, use a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water. Rub the paste onto each item, then rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.

7. To remove scuff marks or grease spills from the floor, sprinkle with baking soda and then wipe with a warm, damp cloth. This is even safe for no-wax floors!

8. For burnt-on food in the bottom of pots, sprinkle with baking soda, then add hot water. Let soak overnight; the dried on food will come loose much more easily.

In the Bathroom9.To remove stubborn stains from most surfaces, use a baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda, one part water). Apply, let stand, then scrub or wipe clean.

10. Hairbrushes and combs can be cleaned in a baking soda solution.

11. To avoid clogged drains, pour 1/4 cup baking soda down weekly. Rinse through with hot water.

All Around the House

12. To remove scents from a carpet, sprinkle with baking soda. Let stand for at least fifteen minutes, then vacuum. Repeat as needed.

13. If there is a smoker in the house, put baking soda in the bottom of each ashtray to keep away some of the stale smoke smell.

14. Baking soda in the litterbox will help prevent odors.

15. To quickly clean pets and remove "wet dog" odor, sprinkle with baking soda and brush out their fur.

16. To help remove spills, blot as much as possible. Then clean as you normally would. When finished, sprinkle with baking soda. Vacuum. This will decrease the chance that some of the spilled item will remain in the carpet and cause unpleasant odors later.

17. Children's toys can be cleaned using 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water. Submerge in this mixture (or wipe with a cloth dampened in it), then rinse with clear water.


In the Laundry

18. Replace half of each measure of laundry detergent with baking soda to keep clothing fresh.

19. To remove grease stains, either add baking soda to the wash load or pretreat the stains with a baking soda paste.

20. Pretreat diapers in their pail with baking soda. This will keep odors from becoming overpowering between washings.

21. Baking soda increases the effectiveness of chlorine bleach. Add 1/ 2 cup to your laundry, along with the usual amount of bleach.

22. If you keep a laundry hamper, add some baking soda every day to keep the hamper from smelling between emptyings.

Outside the House (Yard and Garage)

23. Baking soda can be used to help clean up grease spills.

24. To remove burnt food from the grill, sprinkle with baking soda, then soak. After several hours, the charred pieces will come loose easily.

25. Lawn furniture can be easily cleaned with a rinse of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water.

26. The children's pool can be cleaned and have mildew removed by washing with baking soda in warm water.

27. Before packing away your camping gear after a trip, sprinkle with baking soda.

If you really get into using baking soda for cleaning, consider buying it in bulk; see if you can join a co-op or if your local natural foods or bulk store can order it for you. After all, it doesn't spoil, and the uses for baking soda are nearly endless!
_______________________________________________________
Noël-Marie Taylor is a freelance writer located in Columbia, Maryland. Her work has appeared in many magazines, including PC Magazine and The Mother Is Me. A stay-at-home mom to two children, she is also the designer of several cross-stitch kits for children.

Green Tomatoes

It is mid-June, and the vines are loaded with green tomatoes. I am salivating, waiting for the taste of the first ripe red tomato of the season, but I must say, I do have a love affair with green tomatoes.

I will probably cave in to my desires, and make a batch of green tomato salsa. I love it in chicken tacos (can I hear you say YUM?).

Here is a simple recipe:

5 green tomatoes, diced into small pieces

1 small onion, diced into small pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large jalepeno, seeded and finely diced

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, than reduce heat to a simmer, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Once it reaches room temperature, throw in the cilantro and mix well. This is yummy over scrambled eggs or omlets, on tacos, or as a dip with tortilla chips.

Enjoy! (and try and leave some tomatoes on the vine long enough for the red ones...)

~D

Every Little Bit Counts

Okay, so here is the "harvest" from the garden today. I hear y'all laughing--don't think I don't.

Some days, we get more than others. Today was one of those days that fell in the "not so much" category: two cukes, two crookneck squash, 3 strawberries, 1 jalepeno, and 1 cherry tomato. Looks pitiful, doesn't it? And yes, that is the one lone egg we harvested today.

Looks can be deceiving, though. I sliced the cukes, sliced the jalepeno into very thin strips, added vinegar, sugar, galic and black pepper. Garnished it with a cute little cherry tomato. Now I have a refreshing, zippy salad!

I sliced the squash, sliced a small onion, and sauteed them in a little olive oil. I then made an omlet using the egg we gathered and some cheese we had in the refrigerator. Even the sprig of fresh basil came from the garden.

And the strawberries? Well, lets just say they made a nice little appetizer while I fixed myself a lunch from the daily harvest.

Like I said, every little bit counts.

~D