Tuesday, October 03, 2006

I hate housework but I like making things

Yes, it's true. I, like many others, hate cleaning my house. Don't get me wrong, I like it when it's done but the process of washing dishes or doing laundry or scrubbing the shower is a drag. On a positive note, I guess vacuuming and sweeping are OK so if there are any eligible bachelors out there in search of a partner who prefers getting on the floor, let me know. I also can't stand clogged pipes and will do everything in my power to free them but I digress.... What I'm really wanting to get at here is the question of cleaning products which my darling friend Sarah brought up on Sunday.

Again, Grist comes to the rescue with a comprehensive article on cleaning your home covering everything from offgassing to making your own. Personally, I'm on a make-my-own kick in general & have enjoyed making food for my cats & using MakeYourCosmetics.com for ideas on zit zapping, housekeeping & more. Someday perhaps I'll even be making my own biodiesel...?

Ooo, I just found this lovely web page that does a thorough & succinct job of telling you what you need to know about making your own cleaners. I like it....

For all you red wine drinkers & spillers out there, I found this red wine stain recipe on some random-ass web site & I'm telling you it is miraculous:

2 T hydrogen peroxide
1 T liquid soap
water (not essential but if it's a big stain, it can help distribute the peroxide/soap combo)

The proportions don't matter as much as the freshness does so mix in small quantities. If the mixture has been sitting for a while, adding more peroxide usually makes it work again. This works on crusty old codgery red wine stains too. It might work on other types of stains too but I haven't had much luck so far.


P.S. Remember that the Three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) are in order of importance with "be a lazy ass who does nothing to curb waste" not even making the cut.

3 comments:

Mme Piggy said...

I effing hate housework too! HATE IT. Here's what I hate- toxic chemicals being breathed in by me! Also, who likes to clean the toilet??? Anyway, my husband-o and I have a little disagreement going about cleaning products, although I feel that I have swayed him to my side.He has no belief that organic, hommade products actually "cut through" (his words) the grit. Pfffft, I tell him. Vinegar, lemon juice, baking soad, water, and some Bonner's Liquid soap cleans just about everything, and leaves a nice, non-toxic smell. What I have not found is a way to get rid of mold without bleach. Any thoughts?

Unknown said...

As I understand it, bleach doesn't do a very good job of getting rid of mold anyway. I've been advised to use Borax (or other borate based detergent) & water, or vinegar. One place even said to try tea tree oil & water...? There's a commenter on this blog that has apparently experimented extensively: http://seattle.metblogs.com/archives/2005/07/mold_bane_of_th.phtml

Mme Piggy said...

Borax is supposed to be the bomb- you can apparently put it on plants to keep bugs away. Not sure. I will try it.