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Cleaning With Lemons And OlivesA drop of lemon, say citrus-fruit experts who have been meeting here in annual conference, can: remove tea spots from table linens, remove rust, especially from clothing

 

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Avoid Using Aluminum FoilPlease remember that aluminum foil uses the most energy of any synthetic product on the market. It is expensive and in most cases can be replaced by pure elbow grease.

 

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Green Cleaners and Stain RemoversGood stain removers include hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, and laundry soap bars, such as Zote, Lirio, and other brands available at Latino or Afro-Carribbean stores and on line.

 

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Use Half Of Dryer SheetsWhen using fabric softener sheets, cut them in half. They work just exactly the same as a whole sheet does.

 

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Vinegar as a Fabric SoftenerMaking your own fabric softener is so simple, just take a one gallon jug of white vinegar and add your own preference of essential oils. I add 40 drops of the oils to the vinegar and shake back and forth to mix up.

 

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Vinegar and Aluminum Foil To Replace Fabric SoftenerToss 1/4 cup of vinegar in your washer. It's a natural softening agent and helps remove soap residue. Then toss clean clothes in the dryer with a large wadded up ball of aluminum foil.

 

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Use Lemon for Cleaning MicrowaveFound a dried up old lemon in your crisper? Don't toss it! Cut it up, put it in a bowl of water, and heat in the microwave for a minute of so. Leave it in the microwave for several minutes to let the micro get good and steamy inside.

 

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Get One Last Load From Laundry SoapUse pliers to pull the spout out from liquid laundry soap when the bottle is empty. You can get one more load out of what would normally get thrown away.

 

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Product Review: Eco-Clean Laundry BallThis laundry ball is used in the washer and reduces consumption of laundry soap by 75%. It enhances the cleaning of clothes. It is solar powered so you put it in the sun once a month.

 

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Set Washer to Drip DryWhen you're doing a load of washing, set the cycle to "drip dry". The clothes will come out wetter (even dripping a bit), but if it is really hot/windy they will dry in adequate time.

 

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Use Vodka As Shower CleanserUse cheap vodka to clean fiberglass shower stall. Spray on, and wipe clean. It cleans soap scum and shampoo residue. Take precautions to keep the vodka away from the material that seals the drain.

 

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Coffee Grounds to Deodorize RefrigeratorOdors in the fridge or freezer will be gone overnight if you place a dish of used coffee grounds in a bowl and place it in the center of the refrigerator/freezer. It works better then baking soda!

 

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Make Paper Towels Serve Dual PurposeEvery time I wash my hands and use a paper towel to dry them off, I use the fact that it is wet and give a quick clean-up swipe to either the splashes of water on the sink and counter top or another small spot of dirt that could use the ol' once-over.

 

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Dryer Sheet to Freshen Line Dried ClothesIf you line dry your clothes, you can still use dryer sheets to freshen your clothes or towels. Remove them from the line and place them and a dryer sheet in a large bag or basket with a lid.

 

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Make Your Own Fabric Softener SquaresTake a package of soft cloths and cut them in half. Soak in fabric softener, wring out well, and hang dry. When ready to put a load of clothes in the dryer, slip a dried softener sheet in.

 

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Don't Leave Clothes Outside OvernightI have found that leaving your clothes on the line over night causes them to smell funny. I think it's because of the dew. It might depend on what part of the country you live in whether or not they don't smell from the dew.

 

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Use Vodka for DisinfectantI read in this book on cancer years ago that the best why to disinfect your house is with vodka. It was found to be the only disinfectant that wasn't toxic to cancer patients. You use 4 parts water, one part full strength vodka.

 

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Use Wood Ashes for Clear DrainsTo keep your drains clear and your septic system working a little better, pour the very finest white or gray wood ashes from your fireplace or heater down the kitchen drain, the bathtub and sink drains, and even rinse some down the toilet from time to time.

 

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Reuse T-shirts for Hand RagsI enjoy the luxury of having a clean paper towel to wipe all and any messes, but I'm not okay with how fast I could go through a roll, the loss of forests, and the expense.I live in a household overrun with guys so we have t-shirts coming out of our ears.

 

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Portable Clothes Line on VerandaI got myself a portable clothes line. I stand it out on my front veranda to dry clothes. It's great, saves power and is protected from weather. It can be set up in a garage or carport.

 

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Old Fashioned White LaundryI remember the days when we used a big black 3-legged wash pot over an open fire to wash clothes. If there's anything I learned and remember best, is how to get and keep white clothes clean and the whitest possible.

 

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Use A Net Bag For Clothes PinsA lot of us still hang our clothes out to dry during the nice days on clothes lines that require you to use clothes pins. A lot of us leave the clothes pin bag hanging on the lines to use the next time and end up with dirty nasty looking bag...

 

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Use Thin Wash Clothes for SwifferI bought a basic 'swiffer', not the battery operated kind. Instead of buying the wet sheets, I use thin wash cloths. I wet them with detergent water, and squeeze it out and they fit on perfectly into the little holes.

 

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Using Newspaper to Reduce Paper Towel UseSave on paper towels by using newspaper to clean, and clean up some things. I save newspapers, and I cut them in half or smaller. You can just separate small sales flyers like you get from CVS, Walgreens, etc.

 

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Use the Sun to Whiten LinensIf you want to use bleach on your laundry, use very little bleach and then hang it outside in the winter sun. The Victorians used this method; in large houses laying out white linen on special "bleaching lawns" on bright winter days.

 

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Use Nylon Net Produce Bags for ScrubbersWe all have those nylon bags that potatoes and onions come in. One day after returning from the grocery it occurred to me to cut them in squares and use them to scrub with.

 

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Dryer Sheet for Tub CleanerUse dryer sheets to scrub the tub. Wet the tub down, and use an already used dryer sheet. For tough rings, you can use an unused sheet. It works so good.

 

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Natural Treatment for Rust and Mildew StainsHere is a natural way to remove mild mildew and rust stains from clothing. Use lemon juice (1/2 cup) and salt (1/4 cup). Mix ingredients together, creating a paste like substance.

 

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Natural Air FreshenersWinter is coming and with that the windows and doors will be closed up tight and odors trapped inside. Here are some ideas to sweeten the smell of your home without harmful chemicals:

 

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Use Vinegar Instead of Dryer SheetsActually this has to do with laundry, I have been told this before, but I tried this last weekend. I was not happy with my dryer sheets; I would rather not use them. Our sons use them so we have lots of them.

 

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Use Your Trampoline as a Clothes Drying RackI do not have a clothes line where I live but like to dry my clothes outside. Thinking about those sweater drying racks that you can put in the bathtub to dry items, I realized I already had a larger, and more efficient one available - my trampoline!

 

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Add Vinegar to Your Wash for Soft ClothesAdd 1/2 cup of white vinegar to your wash. There will be no need to use fabric softener or fabric sheets. It makes your clothes soft. It might take a few washings to get the built up fabric softener out of your cloths.

 

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Tips for Hang Drying ClothingEnjoy many benefits from using your clothes dryer less. You'll save energy and money by running it less. In colder, dryer climates and seasons you'll put moisture back into the air by hanging your clothes to dry; therefore, running a humidifier less if you use one.

 

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Clean Baked on Grime With Baking Soda and VinegarWhen you have baked on or cooked on grime you are fighting with on your pots and pans and bakeware, try this:

 

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Reuse Tulle as a ScrubberMany times the dishes need a little extra scrubbing power before they go in the dishwasher. Instead of spending money on the sponges with the scrubber side I use the tulle to serve the same purpose.

 

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Use Child's Wagon to Haul Laundry OutsideI load two round baskets instead of using one large basket with my laundry to make them lighter and carry them out the door and put them in a children's wagon.

 

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Cold Water Can Be Too Cold to Get Clothes CleanWhile waiting in a commercial establishment, I perused an old Martha Stewart Living magazine, might have been the Sept. 08 issue. She indicated that a cold water laundry wash in the very cold winter may be too cold for the detergent to function properly.

 

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Switching to Stainless Steel Pot and PansI switched to all stainless steel pots and pans a few years back when the news came out about the fumes from scratched non stick pans was potentially caustic. It took some getting used to cooking wise.

 

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Use Vinegar for Cleaning PurposesMany hospitals are now using white vinegar to clean and disinfect everything. With cut backs, it has become more economical. With germs (all over the world), that have become immune to cleaning solutions and antibiotics, vinegar has become the number one choice.

 

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Avoid Cleaning Chemicals With MicrofiberI just purchased microfiber towels and a microfiber mop from QVC.com and I love them. You use the towels to clean almost anything without chemicals. Use them slightly wet to clean countertops, your stove, the bathroom sink, etc. I have never been able to get the shower glass to look clean.

 

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Use Wood Ash for CleaningHere's a different use for your wood ash. It could be used for any household cleaning needs that requires scouring. It can also be used in the garden as fertilizer and if you have a pen for livestock....

 

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Buy Each Child Their Own Colored TowelDo less wash, buy each child a towel in their own color. When my 4 kids were growing up, I had a problem with them just throwing their bath towels onto the bathroom floor. I remedied this by buying each child their OWN towel in their own color. The rule was that they were each responsible for their own towel.

 

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Avoid Chemical Cleaners for Spring CleaningMy tip for your spring cleaning is basically simple. Don't do it! Think of the environment and all the chemicals you will not be placing into the environment if you don't do it!

 

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Soap Nuts: The Soap That Grows on TreesMaggie's Soap Nuts is the only laundry soap that grows on trees! Truly effective, 100% natural and safe for your most sensitive skin. Soap Nuts are the dried fruit of the Chinese soapberry tree.

 

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In Praise of VinegarVinegar! White or apple cider are both wonderful cleaning products. If you have a smoke smell (like I recently did when my son started a fire on my range)...

 

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Alternative to Microfiber ClothForget microfibre cloths and proprietary cleaners. Place a sheet of newspaper in a basin of water; if it doesn't disintegrate, it's ideal for cleaning glass (windscreens, mirrors, and panes).

 

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