Marcie, The farm market you went to sounds interesting. I could spend a few hours in a place like that too.
You mentioned you don't want to use toxic cleaners. Vinigar and baking soda are both good natural cleaners that are cheaper to use. You may have already seen these but in case you haven't here are some good suggestions. Carol Early civilisations as far back as the Sumerians used vinegar as a condiment, a preservative, a medicine, an antibiotic and a detergent. It's non-toxic, inexpensive, and wickedly effective. It doesn't pollute, combust or eat bodily tissue. It's readily available, won't rot, and never loses its strength. Outdoors * If you park outside in winter, mix 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and spray it on your car windows in the evening to prevent frost and ice from forming. * If your cat leaves buried treasure in the kids' sandbox, pour vinegar around the edges of the sandbox every couple of months. The cat will take his business to the neighbour's sandbox. * Bug spray: Put undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle and add several drops of dish detergent. Blast the bugs with the spray. No fog, no fumes, no toxicity, no bugs. Workshop * White vinegar is a solvent for many glues (including stubborn old wallpaper paste); Apply vinegar to the unwanted bond and let it soak in until the bond weakens. * Mix white vinegar with water-based inks to create gorgeous stains for wood. The resulting finish has a silvery sheen and a deep, transparent tint. Pour vinegar into a mixing jar, add ink until the desired concentration is achieved. Apply with brush or rag, wiping away excess. * Age new lumber by brushing on a solution made in the following way: Soak a bunch of rusty old stuff in a jar of white vinegar. After two or three days, the solution will be ready to apply. Depending upon the amount of tannin in the wood, the 'stain' will turn the wood either silvery or almost black. Try a test patch first. * Pickling wood -- Soak a handful of galvanized nails in white vineg for 2-3 days. The vinegar dissolves the galvanizing and when applied to oak will produce a beautiful grey "dusty" look to the oak. Indoors * Remove stubborn mildew smell (or pet odours) from fabric by adding 2 cups of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. * Vinegar is a great solvent for grease. Clean deep fryers by boiling vinegar and water in them. Use straight vinegar to clean range hoods and greasy appliance surfaces. * Insider's Tip: Make a cheap cleaner for flooring, including Pergo and laminates: 1/3 part white vinegar, 1/3 part rubbing alcohol (to speed drying), 1/3 part water, several drops of dishwashing liquid. Spray and mop. * To set a permanent knife-edge crease in pants, dip a cloth in a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Wring out the cloth and then press the creases. * De-skunk the air when people visit wearing too much perfume; spray the air with a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar. * If you habitually leap out of bed in the middle of the night trying to ease foot or leg cramps, try boosting your potassium level: Mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of honey and a cup of hot water, and drink before hitting the sack. * Cure hiccups instantly by swallowing a teaspoon of vinegar. Your body will shudder like a ship hitting a reef and you may swear in disgust, Common Uses For Baking Soda Make a paste of baking soda and water and rub on insect bites to relieve itching. Remove coffee and tea stains by scrubbing pots or cups with baking soda and a plastic scouring pad. Add 1/3 cup baking soda to a wash cycle as a bleach booster or to the rinse cycle for cleaner smelling laundry. To remove black scuff marks from floor, rub them with a paste of baking soda and water. Clean fiberglass showers and tubs with baking soda sprinkled on a sponge. Sponge clean and wipe dry. Soak sour smelling dishcloths and sponges in water and baking soda solution. Use a solution of water and baking soda to clean and deodorize the inside of your microwave. Put a few spoonfuls in a cup of water in the microwave, boil for two minutes, then wipe down the inside with a sponge. Sprinkle a little baking soda into the laundry hamper to minimize odors. Remove crayon marks from walls by scrubbing gently with an old toothbrush and a paste of baking soda and water. A bowl of baking soda in your fridge will help remove excess moisture and absorb odors. Sprinkle some baking soda in your veggies crisper and cover with a cloth or paper towel for crisper veggies that last longer. Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge for cleaning out your refrigerator and benchtops without scratching. Baking soda can be thrown on stove fires to extinguish the flames. The carbon dioxide generated when the powder burns starves the fire of oxygen. Baking soda lightly sprinkled and mixed into cat litter will help control odorddb your hiccups will stop. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
