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Grandma's Recipes
May/June
2006
By Linda Mason Hunter
©
2006 Linda Mason Hunter. May not be reprinted without
written permission of the author.
Grandma Nelle
1896-1999 |
When it
comes to housekeeping, I take cues from my grandmothers, Nelle and Hasel, who were both born in the 1890s, before the
advent of synthetic chemicals. Though they used vinegar and
water for most of their household cleaning tasks, each
had a few baking-soda tricks up her sleeve. They didn’t know
it, but today we’d call such habits green. Here are a few of
their no-mess, no-fuss recipes:
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Air
freshener: Put some cloves in a pan of water and
simmer it on the stove. For bathroom odors, a simple lit
match often does the trick.
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Disinfectant: Vinegar is a good natural
disinfectant. But if you have newborns or
immunosuppressed family members who need microbiocidal
action, a registered disinfectant is called for.
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Drain
cleaner: Dissolve fatty, greasy clogs by mixing a
1/2 cup of baking soda and one cup distilled white
vinegar in boiling water. Pour the solution down the
drain and cover with a drain plug for several minutes.
Flush with tap water until it clears.
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Fabric
softener: Add 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to
your washing machine’s wash cycle.
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Floors:
In a bucket, mix 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar and 1
gallon warm water. After washing floors, rinse with
water. Don’t leave large pools of water to dry.
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Mildew
remover: Mix vinegar with water, or sprinkle baking
soda on a damp sponge to clean affected areas. Proper
ventilation and dehumidifiers can reduce or eliminate
the growth of mildew and mold.
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Oven:
Commercial oven cleaners are among the most dangerous
household cleaning products. Prevention comes first:
Line the bottom of the oven with aluminum foil, under
but not touching the heating element (if the oven is
electric). When spills occur, simply replace the foil.
Or clean up spills as they occur: Let the oven cool,
sprinkle salt on the spill, then wipe away the spill and
wash the area clean. To clean a badly crusted oven,
sprinkle it with baking soda and spray with water. Allow
it to sit several hours or overnight. Scrape off the
stains and spills, then thoroughly wash oven with hot
water.
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Scouring
Powder: Lightly sprinkle baking soda onto the
surface to be cleaned. Wipe with a sponge. Rinse well.
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Shower
Walls and Tiles: Although bathrooms are particularly
susceptible to mold, mildew, and harmful bacteria, to
get a bathroom truly clean you don’t need industrial
disinfectants, chlorine bleaches, and other dangerous
chemicals. Plant-based cleaners and essential oils with
antiseptic properties are smart alternatives. In
commercial products, look for such ingredients as borax,
hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil, and pine oil—all are
good, nontoxic fighters of mold and mildew.
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Tiles,
Countertops, Sinks, Tubs: My favorite make-your-own
recipe is a soft scrub that smells fresh and won’t
redden your hands. Mix 1/2 cup baking soda with liquid
castile soap into a creamy paste. Use a sponge to apply
and clean; rinse surface well.
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Windows:
Try spraying club soda on the window and wipe with a
clean linen towel. Or clean with two teaspoons distilled
white vinegar in one quart warm water. |
A few of Grandma Nelle's green cleaning supplies
Tips for
Moms: An Ounce of Prevention
Young, developing bodies are especially vulnerable to
chemical exposure. Here are some tips for keeping kids safe.
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Launder
clothes and bedding with natural washing agents that do
not contain phosphates, optical brighteners, chlorine,
perborates, or synthetic fragrance.
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Store all
cleaning products—even eco-friendly ones—on a high shelf
in an out-of-the-way cupboard. Better yet, keep them
under lock and key.
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Get rid of
synthetic air fresheners, especially the slow-dissolving
kind, such as mothballs and toilet deodorizers.
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Use
unscented, biodegradable dryer sheets.
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Do not use
chlorine- or perborate-based bleach, or any product that
contains them.
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Do not use
synthetic pesticides.
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Try to use
natural disinfectants.
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Do not use
antibacterial soap. Instead, wash hands thoroughly with
warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds, making sure to
get in between fingers and under fingernails. |
For Baby
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Wipe baby’s
changing area after every diaper change with a natural
enzyme-based cleanser.
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If you use
disposable diapers, look for ones that are chlorine- and
fragrance-free.
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No matter
what kind of diapers you use, flush waste down the
toilet rather than throwing it away. It’s not good for
landfills.
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If you use
cloth diapers, rinse them in the toilet after dumping
waste, then put them in the diaper pail (make sure it
has a tight-fitting lid). Soak diapers in the pail with
a solution that’s one part distilled white vinegar to
ten parts water. |
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 PROJECT:
Calculate Your Ecological Footprint |
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How much space does your lifestyle require? Find out.
Calculate your own ecological footprint by taking the quiz
at
www.myfootprint.org.
Then, you can compare your Ecological Footprint to what the
planet can sustain.
Adjusting your entries or playing with the “Reduce Your
Footprint” calculator will show how lifestyle changes affect
the Footprint size. Enter simple goals for your life on the
Action Calculator (such as a pledge to eat less meat) and
find out how many acres of land you could save just by
implementing that goal. Post your goals in a place where you
can see and review them every day. |
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