Need some new ideas for how to naturally and frugally clean your cleaning tools?

Broom: The easiest way to clean a broom is to use another broom to “brush” or “sweep” between the bristles.

Toilet Brush:  Soak in straight vinegar to disinfect.

Mop:  Soak in a mixture of vinegar, warm water and baking soda.

Feather Duster:  I recommend using a microfiber dusting cloth instead of feather duster.  Feather dusters tend to scatter dust into the air, and the less expensive ones loose feathers quickly and can scratch delicate surfaces.  To clean a microfiber dusting cloth, just throw it into the washing machine with regular laundry soap and then line dry  (don’t use fabric softener on it).

Rubber Gloves:  I don’t personally use rubber gloves for cleaning since most natural cleaning solutions are much less harsh on the hands.  However, if you have sensitive skin rubber gloves are a good idea.  You can soak them in a solution of 1/4 parts vinegar to 3/4 parts water to clean them.  Don’t use straight vinegar (too acidic).  Air dry.

Toothbrush:  To remove the germs from a toothbrush you can soak it in mouthwash or straight lemon juice.

Squeegee:  A soft cloth soaked in a solution of vinegar and warm water will  remove slime from a squeegee blade.

Bucket:  Scrub with a paste of baking soda and salt.  Just mix the baking soda and salt with a little bit of water and use a washcloth or scrub brush.  More salt will make the paste “grittier” if the residue doesn’t remove easily.  Rinse well with warm water.

* Socks - good for cleaning walls, especially textured ones (sponges break off little pieces when you try to scrub textured walls).

* Scrubbers - cut up pieces of mesh potato bags and tie into a small ball - works great for scouring dishes!

* Sponges - throw your dirty sponge in the dishwasher or boil it with a bit of baking soda on the stove to make it look like new again.

* Towels - cut up old towels instead of throwing them away and use them for dish clothes or in the garage.

* Toothbrushes - save that old toothbrush! You can use it to scrub floors, stains on clothing, and more!

* Mop - to make a new mop head, try cutting up strips of old towels, shirts or socks. Rubberband or tie the top ends of the strips together, then secure to the mop stick.

* Window Cleaner - I’ve heard that newspaper works well to clean windows. You can also try old cloth diapers.

New cleaners hit the market with advertising pitches like “with the added power of baking soda!” and “now with bleach!” Why not just use the baking soda or bleach?

Our kitchen cabinets, the areas under our sinks, and bathroom cabinets are filled with cleaners labeled, “Do not swallow,” “If swallowed call a poison control center immediately,” and “Do not allow contact with skin.” The lists of ingredients on the bottles are barely pronouncable. The fumes are barely tolerable. We label things with poison stickers and use child saftey latches on our cabinets. But why?

There are safer and more natural alternatives! The suggestions below are better for our environment, our homes, and our children - and will save you $$$. So throw away those toxic cleaning solutions and clean naturally & frugally!

Here are just a few tips to help you get started:

(1) Make your transition slowly. Replace your commerical cleaners with a homemade substitute as you run out of each one. Be sure to mix up the new cleaner as soon as you run out of the commerical one so that it will be on hand and ready to use when you need it.

(2) Always keep your cleaners in a baby/child proofed area and store them in the area you will need them in (bathroom cleaners in the bathroom cabinet, kitchen cleaners in the kitchen).

(3) Store your cleaners in reusable airtight containers. Do not reuse bottles from commerical cleaners. Instead purchase empty spray bottles or recycle milk jugs. Be sure to label each container with the ingredients and purpose.

(4) Don’t forget to also replace your expensive scrubbers and cleaning tools with cheaper homeade alternatives!

Baking Soda - Baking soda is a great all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. It cleans, deodorizes, scours, polishes and removes stains. (Note - There’s a great article on this site about baking soda, “The Manifold Magic of Baking Soda“)Borax - It deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. It also prevents mold and odors. Great alternative for those who do not want to use bleach.

Cornstarch - cleans and deodorizes carpets and rugs, and can be used in place of baby powder.

Ketchup -cleans copper.

Lemon juice - great for whitening items and removing grease and stains on aluminum and porcelain.

Pure Soap - cleans almost anything and is mild.

Salt - regular table salt makes an abrasive, but gentle, scouring powder.

Washing Soda - Cuts grease and disinfects.

White Vinegar -great for whitening, cleaning hard surfaces and windows, and shining metal surfaces. Also removes mildew, stains, grease and wax buildup.

Air Freshener
- Leave opened box of baking soda in room.
- Add cloves & cinnamon to boiling water and let simmer.
- Use fresh flowers and herbs.

Carpet Cleaners
- For deoderizing: sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on carpet, using about 1 cup per medium sized room. Vacuum after 30 minutes.
- For deoderizing: mix two parts cornmeal with one part borax; sprinkle liberally, leave for one hour, then vacuum.
- To soak up big spills: dump cornmeal on the spill; after 5-15 minutes, sweep into a dustpan, then vacuum.
- Put 1/4 cup liquid soap or detergent in the blender with 1/3 cup water. Blend until foamy. Use this to clean spots on the carpet, then rinse with vinegar.
Copper Cleaner
- Pour vinegar and salt over copper and rub.
Disinfectant
- 2 cups water, 3 tablespoons liquid soap, 20-30 drops Tea Tree Oil; Mix well in (a spray bottle will work well) and squirt on everything from baby’s bottom to the cutting board.

Drain Opener
- Prevent clogging by using drain strainer.
- Pour 1/2 cup washing soda into drain followed by 2 cups boiling water.
- Flush drain weekly with boiling water for prevention.
- Pour 1/4 cup baking soda down the drain. Follow with 1/2 cup vinegar and cover drain tightly until finished fizzing. Flush with one gallon boiling water.
Furniture Polish
- Mix 3 parts olive oil with 1 part vinegar. Use a soft cloth.
- Mix 2 parts olive oil to 1 part lemon juice. Use a soft cloth.
General Cleaners (Porcelain, counter tops, etc.)
- Mix baking soda with a small amount of water.
- For stained areas, use paste of baking soda & water, let set a while, then scrub off.
- Mix 3 TBSP washing soda into one quart warm water.
Glass and Window Cleaner
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 cup household ammonia, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 gallon warm water; Mix the ingredients in a bucket and use to scrub windows.
Laundry Detergent
- Use washing soda or soap in place of detergent.
- Mix detergent half & half with baking soda (use 1/2 the recommended amount of detergent).
- Make a paste of washing soda and water for dirty spots.
- POWDER DETERGENT- basic recipe- 5 cups soap flakes, 7 cups of Borax; you can store this in an old laundry detergent box or a plastic container, and to wash, use only 1/2 cup at a time- make sure to shake it to mix up the soda and borax with the flakes. (for hard water, add 3.5 cups of washing soda to mixture)
- GEL LAUNDRY DETERGENT- 1/2 bar grated soap (Fels Naptha, Ivory or castille bar soap), 2 cups borax, 1 gallon rubbermaid or other plastic container with pour spout; fill the gallon container 1/4 full with water. add grated soap and soak over night (to speed up this process, you may melt grated soap in water by cooking on low heat); add washing soda and borax, add water to fill container; shake well before using; use only 3/4 cup per load; a gallon of this detergent can cost as little as 75 cents! (for hard water, add 1/2 cup of washing soda to borax mixture)
Linoleum Floor Cleaner / Wax
- Mop with 1 cup white vinegar in 2 gallons water to remove dull greasy film.
- Polish with club soda.
- Adding sour milk or skim milk to rinse water will shine the floor without polishing.
Metal polish
- 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon salt, I tablespoon white vinegar; Combine salt and flour in small bowl and stir until blended. Add the vinegar and mix into paste. Smear on the paste with a damp sponge or cloth and rub gently. Let the polish dry for about an hour. Rinse well with warm water, buff dry with a soft cloth. (for brass, bronze, copper and pewter; DO NOT use on silver, silver plate or jewelry)

Microwave Cleaner
- Heat 1 c. vinegar in a microwavable bowl for 1-2 minutes (should steam and loosen food inside of the microwave). Wipe out with a washcloth and warm soapy water.
Mosquito Repellant
- Oil of citronella can be burned in candles outdoors. It has a scent pleasing to people but not to mosquitos!
- Plant sweet basil around the patio and house to repel mosquitoes.
Multipurpose Cleaner (Tile and linoleum floors, formica counter-tops, appliances, etc.)
- 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 cup household ammonia, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 gallon warm water; Mix ingredients and store in tightly-capped container.

Oven Cleaner
- Sprinkle salt on spills when they are warm and scrub.
- Mix 3 TBSP washing soda with one quart warm water.
- Use oven liners (trays) to catch spills and prevent a messy oven.
- Rub gently with steel wool.
- 1/4 cup ammonia, 2 cups of warm water; Pour ammonia and warm water in a glass baking dish and leave in a warm oven overnight. This will loosen the grime. Scrub with baking soda in the morning.

Silver Cleaner
- aluminum foil, baking soda, salt, very hot water; Combine the above ingredients in a clean kitchen sink. Put your tarnished silver and silver-plated items into the sink and let sit for a few minutes. The tarnish will disappear from the silver and reappear on the foil.

Silver Polish
- Rub article with toothpaste and soft cloth. Rinse with warm water & dry.
- Place cut-up aluminum foil in jar with water, add about 1 TBSP salt, mix. Place article in solution for 5-15 minutes. Remove and rub with soft cloth.

Sink Cleaner
- Combine baking soda and salt to scrub stainless steel.

Shoe Polish
- Polish leather with the inside of a banana peel, then buff.

Spot Remover
- Remove spots as soon as they happen.
- Blood stain - gently sponge with cold water, dry with towel. Repeat until stain is gone.
- Red wine - on rugs, dab out moisture with absorbant cloth. Cover stain with salt. Let sit for several hours. Vacuum when dry.
- Ink stains - soak in cold water, then wash as usual. If stain is on white fabric, wet fabric with cold water & apply a paste of cream of tartar & lemon juice, let sit for 1 hour. Wash as usual.
- Perspiration stains - sponge stain with weak solution of white vinegar & water or lemon juice & water.
Upholstery & Rug Cleaner
- Clean stains immediately with club soda.

Wall cleaner
- 2 ounces borax, 1 teaspoon ammonia, 2 quarts water; Dissolve the borax and ammonia in a big bucketful of water. Scrub a really dirty wall from the bottom up. if you scrub from the top down, the dirty water will run down over the dry, soiled wall leaving hard-to-remove streaks.

Window Cleaner
- 1/2 cup white vinegar to one gallon warm water. Just mix and scrub.
- Use straight lemon juice, dry with soft cloth.
- Use plain Club Soda and scrub with old newspaper.

Wood Floor Wax / Cleaner
- Equal portions of oil & vinegar. Apply in thin coat and rub in well.
- Painted wooden floors can be washed with 1 TSP washing soda per gallon hot water.
- Rinse with clear water.

Note: You can find more cleaning receipes at http://www.amitysworld.com/keeping/cleaningrecipes.shtml

Tips, suggestions, and recipes for healthy cooking in cast iron skillets.

Remember the wonderful smells of onions frying, eggs cooking, and gravy on the stove along with biscuts in the oven coming from Grandma’s kitchen? What wonderful childhood memories… those heavy black iron skillets that Grandma used to cook in — how was she ever able to lift them?

Today we live in the land of expensive, brightly colored telfon coating, non-stick skillets, and shiny stainless steel pans. Does anyone use cast iron anymore? Old-timers haven’t given them up! And the younger generations should consider what makes these skillets so loved.

Cast iron skillets are a economical and heathly way to cook.

I recently purchased three cast iron skillets for under $15 at KMart! Try finding shiny, color new fangled pans at such a bargain! Many newer style sets of skillets cost $50 and more!

Cast iron lasts for years when cared for properly. It never warps or dents and cooks well at a wide range of temperatures. It can be use to fry foods on top of the stove or to bake in the oven. Its uniform conductivity makes cast iron the ideal choice for slow-cooking desserts, as well as for frying and sautees.

Cast iron skillets also add iron to our food, which many Americans lack in their diets today. Doctors often recommend cast iron skillets for patients who are anemic or borderline anemic (low iron levels in the blood).

Seasoning Your Cast Iron: Raw cast iron is a porous material which needs to be “seasoned” before use. Seasoning your cast iron will create a non-stick surface, prevent the food from acquiring a metallic favor as it cooks, and help the pan to resist rust and corrosion. The non-stick surface will improve over time. To season your new pans, preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Wash each pan in hot, soapy water and hand-dry immediately. Using a paper towel or cloth, coat the pan with a thin layer of olive (or vegetable) oil or melted shortening. Be sure to coat all surfaces, including the handle. Place the pan in the oven for one hour. Remove while hot and let cool to room temperature. When cooled, hang your pan to store. If stacking, place a paper towel between your pans.

Cooking With Cast Iron: Once your pans are properly seasoned, they should be fairly non-stick. This quality will improve the longer you use the pan. For the first little while, you may need to add a bit of oil each time you cook in the pan. Never forget your potholders! Cast iron pan handles get HOT when cooking!

Cleaning & Caring For Cast Iron: You need not wash your pans with soap and water. After use simply rub them clean with oil and a paper towel or dishcloth. To remove stuck-on residues, place salt and vinegar or oil in your pan and heat in on low heat for a few minutes, then rub clean. Alternatively you may scrub it clean with coarse salt and water. Be sure to always dry your pans throughly immediately after use. Never place cast iron in the dishwasher — this will cause them to rust.

Now that your pans are seasoned and your ready to cook, here are two of my favorite recipes to get you started.

Skillet Corn Bread

You Will Need:
- 2 cups Corn Meal
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar

To Prepare:
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease the inside of your 8-inch cast iron skillet and place it in the oven. In a medium or large bowl, beat your egg and add milk and oil. Stir in sugar, then cornmeal, just until moistened. The batter should be lumpy - do not overmix. Carefully remove your skillet from the oven and pour in the batter. Return to oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes. The top of your cornbread should be golden-brown and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean when the bread is done. Serve warm.

Cream Breakfast Gravy

You Will Need:
- 1 cup Self-rising Flour
- 1/2 small can of Canned Evaporated Milk
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Grease or shortening
To Prepare:
This recipe works well cooked in a skillet after frying bacon or sausage. Leave the bacon or sausage grease, as well as any small bits of meat, in the skillet. You may also use cooking oil or shortening in place of the bacon or sausage grease. In a large bowl measure out 1 cup of self-rising flour. Add the milk. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes, then slowly add to the heated skillet, mixing well as you add it. Heat to boiling. If the gravy is too thick, add a bit of water. If too thin, add a bit more flour. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy cooking with your cast iron! Care for them properly and they will be one of the best (and smallest) investments in your kitchen. Frugal and healthy - what better way to cook?

Have you overlooked the many practical uses of vinegar? Clean, disinfect and shine for pennies!

Heinz company spokesperson Michael Mullen has cited numerous studies to show that a straight 5 percent solution of vinegar such as you can buy in the supermarket kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (viruses). He noted that Heinz can’t claim on their packaging that vinegar is a disinfectant since the company has not registered it as a pesticide with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, it seems to be common knowledge in the industry that vinegar is powerfully antibacterial.

Here are twenty-seven uses for vinegar:

* Deodorize your sink drains: Pour a cup down your drain, let stand about thirty minutes, then run cold water.

* Unclog a drain: Dump 1 cup of baking soda down your drain and follow it with 1 cup of vinegar. When they mix, they foam and expand, cleaning your drain. Allow a few minutes for the mixture to do it’s job, then flush with hot water for several minutes.

* Disinfect and clean wood cutting boards: Rub with vinegar to disinfect and clean. If your cutting board has deep grooves, you can also soak the board in vinegar for 5-10 minutes.

* Cut grease: When washing greasy pans or dishes, add a few tablespoons of vinegar to your soapy dishwater.

* Clean the dishwasher: Vinegar reduces soap build up, so throw a cup of vinegar in your dishwasher and let it run a full (empty) cycle once a month or so.

* Clean the coffeepot: Hard water can clog a coffeepot and cause yucky buildup inside it. To remedy this, pour 1 cup vinegar in your coffeepot, fill the rest of the way with water, then run it through a cycle as usual (without coffee grounds in the filter). Rinse the coffeepot out. Fill it with fresh water and run another cycle without coffee to rinse the inside of the coffee maker.

* Loosen food grime and clean the microwave: Place a microwave-safe bowl with 2 cups water, 1/2 cup vinegar inside the microwave and microwave on full power for 3-4 minutes (it needs to boil). Keep your microwave closed for a few minutes to allow the steam to loosen the grime, then open your microwave, carefully remove the bowl, and wipe clean!

* Clean windows: Mix 1 cup vinegar with 5 cups water, and you’ve got a great window cleaner. If you must have blue window cleaner, just a few drops of blue food coloring!

* Remove grease from kitchen walls: Put straight vinegar on a dishcloth to wipe grease off kitchen walls, or the stovetop.

* Remove pet urine stains (and smells) from carpet: Mix about 1/4 cup of vinegar to a quart of water. Soak a washcloth in the mixture and blot the area several times.

* Clean kitchen and bathroom faucets: Soak a paper towel in vinegar then wrap it around your faucet to remove mineral deposits.

* Clean and shine no-wax vinyl or linoleum floors: Mix 1 gallon of water with 1/2 cup vinegar in a bucket, then mop or scrub your floor with the solution.

* Inexpensive scouring powder: Combine two tablespoons each of vinegar and baking soda for an effective scouring powder.

* Clean the toilet rim: Put straight 5% vinegar in a squirt bottle and use it to clean the rim of the toilet. It disinfects, too!

* Prevent mold and mildew in the shower: Wipe down tile or Formica shower walls with a sponge or cloth dampened with water and vinegar. The vinegar will clean the walls and inhibit the growth of mold and mildew.

* Unclog the showerhead: Mineral deposits from hard water can cause a sputtering, clogged shower head. Place the showerhead in a pot, add enough vinegar to completely cover it. Heat the vinegar to just below boiling, then remove from heat. Allow to sit for at least 6 hours. The acid in the vinegar will eat away the deposits. Rinse the showerhead well, and it’s ready to go again.

* Get rid of the funky smell in that lunchbox: Soak a piece of plain bread in vinegar, then place it in the lunchbox overnight and the smell will disappear!

* Remove rust: To get rid of rust, soak items in vinegar (do not dilute). This will work on any metals.

* Remove residue and styling product build up from hair: After shampooing, rinse your hair with a mixture of 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 warm water to remove all the build up and get rid of that dullness.

* Eliminate smells: Run a hot tub of water and pour in one or two cups of vinegar. Hang smelly clothes on hangers along your shower curtain rod. This will remove smoke and other tough smells.

* Get rid of stickers, decals and sticky residues: Rub a few coats of vinegar on the area and allow to soak. Then wash off with a wet washcloth and the sticky will rub right off.

* Polish patent leather purses and shoes: Place vinegar on a clean cloth, then rub over patent leather. Wipe dry with another clean cloth.

* Remove stains: Rub a small amount of vinegar gently on fruit, jelly, mustard or coffee type stains and wash as usual. No more stain!

* Clean your glasses: Place a drop of vinegar on the lens, then rub with a cotton cloth.

* Get the smell out of your cloth diapers! Next time those cloth diapers start to smell, add a 1/2 to 1 cup of vinegar in your last rinse.

* Polish your car: Rub vinegar on chrome to clean and shine it.

* Remove bumper stickers: Soak a cloth in vinegar and lay it over the bumper sticker. Allow to soak a few minutes. The bumper sticker should peel right off. Rub vinegar over the area to remove the sticky residue, if necessary.

* Next time you have a sore throat, try gargling with cider vinegar!