#NatClean2012 Challenge - Week 5 - Lavender Carpet Freshener

This week's recipe is a really simple one, and our thanks go to Sam who recently reminded us about this fab recipe in a conversation on the Bathbomb.biz Ltd Facebook page.

Using just two natural ingredients you can create your own version of the commercially available carpet fresheners - without chemicals!

All you need is a quantity of Sodium Bicarbonate and some natural Lavender flowers.  Because you can make this ahead of time and keep some for later use, (and we recommend this because the aroma deepens over time) we would suggest that you find a suitable container just for the purpose.  Something like an old ice cream tub or a large coffee jar will be fine.

How much you make depends on the area of carpet you want to clean.  For an average sized rug you will need around 250g of Bicarbonate of Soda and a handful of Dried Lavender.

Simply mix the Bicarb with the Lavender and use immediately.  Sprinkle onto the carpet liberally - if you can leave it overnight so much the better.  If not, try to leave for a couple of hours and then vacuum up.  A definite plus is that your vacuum will also benefit from a Lavender aroma too!

If you don't like the idea of using Lavender flowers, or if you have a particularly light coloured carpet/rug then you can just use Bicarb on its own.

Alternatively add 5-10 drops of your favourite essential oil per 250g of Bicarbonate.  Stir the oil through the bicarbonate and leave overnight.  Before use, stir the mix and crumble any lumps.

Again, if in any doubt about the effects on your carpet please do a small test.

We hope you have been finding these #NatClean2012 recipes useful.  If you, like Sam, would like to share a recipe that you've found to be useful, do get in touch.  You can comment here, email or catch up with us on Facebook.

Enjoy :)

Natural Cleaning Challenge - Week 4 - Descaling #NatClean2012

Hard water causes limescale - we all appreciate that.

But did you know that you can remove scale easily just by using natural ingredients?

Using a simple solution of Citric Acid (a very mild acid, derived from and found in Lemons for example),

or vinegar, it's possible to banish accumulated limescale and with regular use, keep it away.

Limescale is mostly Calcium Carbonate which can be readily removed without the need for chemical descalers.  

Why would you want a chemical descaler in your kettle?  Or indeed want to pour the used chemicals down the drain?

Kettles clogged with scale will be less efficient so this #NatClean2012 tip will save you money whilst caring for our environment.

To descale a family kettle;

Either; 

Fill to just above the scale line

Add 2-6 teaspoons (depending upon the amount of scale. Do this frequently and you will only need a couple of teaspoons) of Citric Acid

Boil the kettle

Allow to cool

If clear of scale, tip out and rinse, boil again with clean water, the tip out.

If any scale remains, repeat. If you know your kettle is really "furry", leave the Citric solution overnight.  I've never had to do this though and we have REALLY hard water.

OR

Empty your kettle

Fill to just above the scale with vinegar*

Leave overnight

Tip out and rinse

Boil with clean water and tip out

*Any kind of vinegar will do, the aim is to rinse and rinse until the kettle is clear of any residual vinegar anyway. If you're worried about possible smell or taste remaining, use White Vinegar. 

Happily, you can press this method into use with your coffee machine, washing machines, dishwashers and baby bottle sterilisers.  Cheap, quick and with no fear of nasty chemicals remaining.

Coffee machine - as above in the water unit - leave overnight (switched off)

Dish washer - place Citric acid directly in the base of the dishwasher and run as normal

Washing machine - use a cup of vinegar or a solution of Citric Acid in your laundry powder drawer and run (without clothes) 

Here's my kettle in its various stages. 

I descale with Citric every couple of weeks so it's not too bad at the beginning but it will give you an idea.  This took only minutes.

Before - enough scale to affect the taste of your tea!

During - this was at the second boil

And after - no scale left at all

When using either the Citric Acid method or the Vinegar method, take care not to overfill the kettle - it will fizz and may foam.  If leaving overnight, it's probably best to leave a note near the kettle too...

Enjoy!

If you've enjoyed reading and using our #NatClean2012 posts please do comment and follow us on Twitter for more hints & tips.  Don't forget to use the hashtag #NatClean2012 that way we can share ideas :)

Natural Cleaning Challenge - Week 3 - Eco friendly jewellery cleaner #NatClean2012

Jubilee fever may be over, but we're still wearing our best sparkly jewels in honour of Her Majesty the Queen!

If your jewellery is looking a bit dull and lifeless, today's #NatClean2012 challenge is for you - let's get those sparklers sparkling and make you look like a Queen once again!

It's important to clean your jewellery regularly if you want to keep it in tip top condition - everyday wear and tear can make it look dull and lifeless, and who wants a lifeless bit of metal upon their person?

So, let's get cleaning - naturally!

Clean Silver Jewellery naturally

You will need:

• aluminium (tin)foil
• baking powder
• boiling water

Firstly line a bowl with the foil - make sure the bowl is something that can cope with boiling water or this could get a little messy!

Then put in your silver jewellery.

Cover the jewellery with baking powder. Make sure it's covered but don't go mad!

Now the fun bit; pour on boiling water until it covers the jewellery. It will fizz and foam a little - don't panic!

Leave it for around 5 minutes to perform it's fizzy magic.

Lift out the jewellery (we'd recommend using a fork if you don't want to be branded) and rinse under cold water.

Buff with a soft cloth and gaze in wonder at your new sparkly items :)

(Note of caution - be careful with costume jewellery, as leaving for too long in the boiling water could melt the glue - we'd advise soaking for a minute at a time)

Clean Gold Jewellery naturally

 You will need:

• cider vinegar

In a bowl, place the gold jewellery you wish to clean.

Add the cider vinegar until it covers the items.

Let it sit for 15 minutes, then take it out and buff with a soft cloth.

Bask in the knowledge that everyone will soon think you have a whole load of new jewellery and all for the cost of a bit of cider vinegar!

So there we have it - 2 great eco recipes for cleaning gold and silver jewellery - now you can look good and save the planet at the same time!

Will you take us up on our NatClean2012 challenge? If you missed the previous posts, click here to find them!

Let us know in the comments below (and on Twitter using hashtag #NatClean2012) if you have any other jewellery cleaning tips, and how you're getting on with our Natural Cleaning Challenge!

Natural Cleaning Challenge - Week 2 - Furniture Polish #NatClean2012

It's week 2 of our Natural Cleaning Challenge - have you taken the Challenge?

Last week we talked about a natural oven cleaner - how did you get on?

This week we're looking at a natural furniture polish.

I don't know about you but I really dislike the synthetic smell of most furniture polish - OK it may contain some funky chemical that 'attracts dust' and it make make my furniture look nice and shiny, but does it really have to smell like that?

And sometimes I wonder how people managed to keep their furniture dust and streak free before these polishes were invented!

So, let's create a lovely smelling natural furniture polish that you'll be proud to use, won't make your kids sneeze and doesn't cost the Earth!

Natural Green Furniture Polish

You will need:

• 2 cups of oil
• 1 cup of white vinegar

Now, this is where it gets interesting - you can choose pretty much any type of oil for this natural furniture polish recipe, depending on the smell you like. Coconut oil, jojoba oil, good old olive oil, linseed oil - take your pick (we wouldn't recommend chilli infused oil though!).

Mix the oil and the vinegar together and polish your furniture using a soft natural cloth. Simply wipe on, then wipe off for a long lasting sheen and a lovely smell.

You could use lemon juice in place of the vinegar, but please do be sure to test an area of your furniture first, as it may have a slight bleaching effect on some wood.

The great thing about this recipe is you can ring the changes every week with a different type of oil!

Fancy an even better smell? Add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to the mix (again test this first just in case).

We'd love to hear your variations on this recipe, so go ahead and give it a go, then let us know in the comments below how you got on!

Natural Cleaning Challenge - Week 1 - Oven Cleaner #NatClean2012

It's a task we all hate - cleaning the oven. But those chemical laden cleaners have made it so easy haven't they?

"Just spray on, leave, then wipe", says one brand.

But just exactly what are you 'spraying on'?

When the warning on the back tells you to well ventilate a room, not to get the product on your skin, and not to breathe it in, it can't be good can it?

That's because the most common basic ingredient in oven cleaners is lye; either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. This can burn your eyes and skin, and can be fatal if swallowed.

Some oven cleaners can also contain butane, monoethanolamine and Dithylene glycol monobutyl.

We don't know about you but we feel pretty icky spraying our oven with things we can't even pronounce!

And that's before we think about the residue left behind on an item we use to cook food for our children!

But help is at hand, with our Natural Cleaning Challenge Week 1 Oven Cleaner!

Try the following recipe, and let us know in the comments what a difference it makes for you. Or tweet about it using the hashtag #NatClean2012!

NATURAL ECO FRIENDLY FUME FREE OVEN CLEANER

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate)
• Half a cup of washing soda (most supermarkets stock this)
• Tablespoon white vinegar (not malt!)
• Hot water

Method:

1) Turn your oven off and allow it to completely cool

2) Wipe off any excess dirt or spills with a cloth dipped in very hot water

3) Add the baking soda to the washing soda and mix

4) Gradually add the hot water until you have a thick spreadable paste

5) Add the vinegar - it will fizz at this point, don't be alarmed!

6) Spread the paste all over your oven surface (rubber gloves and an old paintbrush would come in handy for this part!)

7) Leave it overnight (make the most of it, order takeaway!)

8) The next day just wipe off with warm water

9) Admire your sparkly oven and feel smug that no parts of the planet were harmed in the cleaning of your oven!

If your oven is particularly greasy (don't worry, we won't tell!) then use an additional cup of washing soda in the initial mix.

The great thing about this oven cleaner is that it doesn't scratch your oven and so can be used on enamel and porcelain, and if you wanted that lemon fresh smell you could add a few drops of lemon essential oil.

That's it - it's really that simple!

Grab your ingredients, cool down your oven and... 3...2...1...GO!

(Don't forget to tell us how you get on in the comments! And on Twitter using hashtag #NatClean2012)

Natural Cleaning - will you take the challenge? #NatClean2012

With the advent of shops such as Poundland and The 99p Store, buying cleaning products has never been so cheap. Add into that the millions of pounds that manufacturers throw into their advertising campaigns, and you'd be forgiven for thinking that you had the best bargain in the world with a £1 toilet or kitchen cleaner from a well known brand.

But most of us know life isn't just about money or glamorous brands; it's about being eco-friendly, about staying healthy and about avoiding the chemicals and additives that most modern cleaning products contain.

So, with that in mind, we at Bathbomb.biz are issuing a challenge - a natural cleaning challenge!

Over the next few weeks we're going to challenge you to replace one of your cleaning products a week with a natural alternative. Even better than that, we're going to give you the recipes and guidelines you need for that alternative, using things you probably already have around your home.

Think about it; currently you probably use a lot of the following:

• Chlorine
• Phosphates
• Caustic cleansers
• Hydrocarbons
• Benzisothiozalinone

Without even thinking about it - they're found in toilet cleaners, oven cleaners, kitchen sprays, detergents and more. And that's just the start.

Yes they make things clean and sparkly. Yes they make things smell good. But these chemicals (and more) are also linked to a  variety of health and environmental problems, due to the way they are manufactured as well as the impact they have once they're washed down the drain.

We owe it to ourselves and our environment to avoid them.

So we're going to show you how to use:

• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Essential oils
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Bread
• Walnuts
• And more

to make your home shine, smell fresh and most of all BE CLEAN.

No more toxic chemicals, no more fabricated smells that don't last, and we'll even bet that our natural cleaning challenge recipes are cheaper too!

So are you up for it?

Let us know in the comments if you're in, and look out for our next post or watch Twitter for the hashtag #NatClean2012