Today's recipes are clean, green and homey as the title of The Country Almanac of Housekeeping Techniques That Save You Money: Folk Wisdom for Keeping Your House Clean, Green, and Homey states!
Scroll down for recipes for eco-friendly glass cleaner, leather stain treatment, toilet bowl cleaner safe for plumbing, and insect cleanup and repellent.
Glass cleaner
Graphic artists and illustrators have known this trick for years. Possibly the finest streak-free glass cleaner you can use is simply a 25:75 mix of distilled white vinegar and water, soaked into white (not colored) newsprint. Wad up the newspaper sheet, wet it, and rub the glass clean.
Dry with a fresh sheet of newsprint. If there is a film on the glass, add a drop or two of liquid soap for the initial wash; thereafter you can use just the vinegar mix.
Leather stain treatment
Damaged shoes, leather clothing, furniture, and antique desktops can benefit from vegetablebased glycerine. It absorbs moisture, works as a lubricant and cleans surfaces. It performs well on grease and oils. Simply apply glycerine to the stain (don’t use on suede) and let it soak in. Wipe off with a cotton cloth, then dab away residue with warm water and a mild soap.
Toilet Bowl cleaner
For a simple and inexpensive toilet bowl cleaner, mix 1/2 cup (120 ml) of distilled white vinegar and 1/4 cup (55 g) of baking soda (you can double these ingredients if needed). Pour the vinegar into the bowl and let it soak for 15 minutes. Then add the baking soda and scrub the fizzy solution with your toilet brush. Neither ingredient will harm the plumbing, or more important, your septic system.
Insect cleanup and repellent
Create a simple glue trap by mixing three parts corn syrup and one part water. Heat this mixture and drip it on to strips of cardboard. Set these glue traps in tight closets, behind couches, or by bed headboards and sideboards where there is contact with a wall surface.
Or, try this homemade solution from the Department of Entomology at Clemson University, South Carolina. Puree 21/2 whole lemons (including rind) in a blender. Combine this concentrate with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water and apply it with a spray bottle. Use around pet food bowls, counter-top canisters, and door thresholds.
For spider control, knock down the webbing first, then apply the solution. They will not rebuild, even with little vigilance on your part. The spray smells great and does not stain or leave a film, but always test on a sample area first.
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More about the book:
The Country Almanac of Housekeeping Techniques That Save You Money: Folk Wisdom for Keeping Your House Clean, Green, and Homey
by Richard Freudenberger and The Editors of Back Home Magazine
Our forefathers and mothers knew how to keep their homes clean and homey—and live richer while spending less. Many of today's products are expensive, bad for the environment, and don't work any better than Grandma's methods, which only cost pennies.
The editors at Back Home Magazine have collected hundreds of formulas for effective cleaning, gardening, and home maintenance—as well as ways our ancestors saved on heating bills, prevented costly repairs, and maintained a cozy, charming home with little besides ingenuity.
Drawing on the advice and techniques of contributors across the country, this indispensable guide shows you the best ways to take care of everything in your home from wood floors, to tile, to stainless steel appliances--and how to get the longest life out of every household item from pots and pans to pillowcases.
The Country Almanac of Housekeeping Techniques That Save You Money is chock-full of solutions, recipes, and how-to projects for living a simpler, cleaner life and keeping your home beautiful.
Richard Freudenberger is the publisher of Back Home Magazine and has authored several books on country skills and sustainable living. He lives in Lancaster County, PA.
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