Personal+cleaning+products

Every day we use personal cleaning products such as tooth paste and face wash or soap that are made up of common elements such a sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, hydrocarbons, and potassium. Every day body wash is the result of the chemical reaction between fats or oils and alkali such as sodium and potassium. Cleaning products are essential in everyday modern life.



Windex- an S.C. Johnson product which many people use everyday to clean hard surfaces consists of isopropyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, ammonia, and a small percentage of other substances. It is cheap and easy to make and can be packaged and shipped easily. It is a pure solvent formula. Clorox Bleach- A product that helps clean and whiten clothes as you do laundry. Many people use this in the washer machine, but it is also used to disinfect surfaces. It's two main ingredients are Chlorine and Sodium Chloride.

**Detergent**
is a surfactant; it is similar to soap but is more soluble in hard water. They are available as powders or concentrated solutions. They help break down hydrophobic compounds, like oil and grease, with water. They are also known to be foaming agents.
 * ** Dish soap ** : // Planet // or // Seventh Generation // Free & Clear (//in the dispenser in above photo//). When we eventually start making our own soap, I imagine we’ll use that for dishes instead.
 * ** Diswasher soap ** : // Ecover // tablets. I have been on a quest for the perfect soap and have tried just about every green brand. This one is the // only // one that works well. I hate that each comes in its own package ( // recyclable plastic // ), but it’s truly the only one that works for us. We can set our dishwasher to all the energy efficient cycles, and the dishes come out sparkling.
 * ** Counter & cupboard cleanser ** : // Bon Ami // or straight // Bob’s Red Mill // baking soda, followed by a spritz of // Spectrum // organic white vinegar diluted with water ( // 1:4 // ).
 * ** Floor cleaner ** : // Spectrum // organic white vinegar diluted with hot water ( // 1:8 or so // ). Or sometimes, hot soapy water.

In The Bathroom

 * **Hand, Face, & Body soap**: //Ballard Organics// unscented, local, organic, handmade liquid soap.
 * **Shampoo**: //Bob’s Red Mill// [|baking soda mixed with water, 1:3 or so].
 * **Conditioner**: //Spectrum// [|organic white vinegar mixed with water, 1:4].
 * **Shaving cream**: //Ballard Organics// unscented, local, organic, handmade liquid soap.
 * **Toothpaste**: //Tom’s of Maine// [|SLS-Free] Flouride Toothpaste.
 * **Toothbrush**: //Preserve// recycled plastic toothbrush.
 * **Deodorant**: //Bob’s Red Mill// [|baking soda mixed with]//[|Bob’s Red Mill]//[| cornstarch].
 * **Counter, cupboard, and shower cleaner**: //Bon Ami// – or straight //Bob’s Red Mill// baking soda – followed by a spritz of //Spectrum// organic white vinegar diluted with water (//1:4//) for disinfectant & shine.
 * **Mirror cleaner**: //Spectrum// organic white vinegar diluted with water (//1:4//).
 * **Tub & Tile cleaner**: //Bon Ami// or //Bob’s Red Mill// baking soda mixed with enough water to make a smooth thick paste (//scrub in and let sit 20-30 minutes, then rinse//). Followed by a spritz of //Spectrum// organic white vinegar diluted with water (//1:4//) for disinfectant & shine.
 * **Toilet cleaner**: Either 1/2 cup straight //Spectrum// organic white vinegar, or //Ecover// toilet bowl cleaner.
 * **Floor cleaner**: //Spectrum// organic white vinegar diluted with hot water (//1:8 or so//), with a tablespoon of dish soap.


 * ** Wood floor cleaner ** : // Murphy’s Oil Soap // in warm water ( // 1T soap per 1 gallon bucket // ).
 * ** Wood furniture cleaner ** : A dab of olive oil (//can be mixed 1:2 with lemon juice if there is a buildup of wax or other material//) or straight //Murphy’s Oil Soap.// In the past I’ve also used //Murphy’s Oil Soap Multi-Use Wood Cleaner with Orange Oil// but olive oil is working fine.
 * **Window & Mirror cleaner**: //Spectrum// organic white vinegar diluted with water (//1:4//).
 * ** Dusting ** : For non-wood surfaces, // Spectrum // organic white vinegar diluted with water (//1:4//). For wood surfaces, I use a microfiber dusting cloth (//it works with a static charge//).
 * **Laundry Soap**: //Planet// liquid laundry soap. My skin is very sensitive, and this is one of the few that works well but doesn’t irritate my skin. My next step is to learn about soap nuts.
 * **Fabric Softener**: //Spectrum// organic white vinegar (//1/2 C per load in washer//).
 * **Fabric Stain Remover**: Generic brand Hydrogen Peroxide (//2T per load in washer. If there are blood, wine, or other tough stains: pour directly on fabric and leave for 24 hours – scary the first time, but it doesn’t bleach and it works!//).