Hey,

I have had at least 5 animals in my life for a long time.  I have been told that you can never smell I have animals when you come in my house.  At one point I had 9 animals in a 2 bedroom apartment (my 5 plus my roommates 4!!!!) and the landlord was cool because the apartment was clean and fresh smelling!!!  Geez it was a lot of cleaning for such a tiny place though!!!!

Now years later I have 5 animals in a full size house.  Much easier but still a challenge!!  The kitty litter is cleaned both morning and night, I poop scoop after the dogs each evening (I know nothing to do with in the house!!), I vacuum (although quickly) every day or two, I wash ALL the animal bedding once a week just like I do my own.  Blah, blah, blah.

For years I have spread baking soda over my carpets once a week to ensure all scents are out.  Yes, my animals are groomed daily and bathed every 3 months...but still.  Curly 64 suggested adding essential oils to the baking soda.  I LOVE IT!!!

I hate Febreeze but have used it for a few years now.  Thanks to Curly I know I no longer need to use it on my carpets.  Can anyone tell me if using water plus essential oils will be okay on my couches, curtains, etc?  I realize you would have to shake up the mix, but would it work?

I use a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water to wash my floors, kitchen, bathroom, etc.  Can anyone tell me, if I add essential oils in, will it be good?

What about laundry...can I add an essential oil to my laundry....since I use a 50/50 mix of detergent and baking soda.  Worried that essential oils might be a determent since we know OIL is bad in the machines.

And what about washing my floors ( I do the hands and knees scrubbing technique).    Can I add essential oils into my rinsing water?

Curly uses lavender.  I have a small sized house so when I did the carpets I used peppermint to do the main part of the house andc did half of the hall to me bedroom with peppermint (stimulant) and lavender for the other half of the hall and bedroom (to sleep well).  

Open to a tonne of suggestions about doing natural cleaning...even if it does not fall in the area I have spoken about.  I like clean...but I especially like natural!!!!

LOL, thinking I should buy shares in baking soda and vinegar.  We will all come around to the natural way instead of Mr Clean (I mention this one because I used it for YEARS).  Good cleaner...but anything that is flourescent...you have to worry about!!!

Will love to hear what you all use to clean...well....ANYTHING from normal stuff to silver or whatever.

JD

several good questions!
I really don't have to clean since i have a cleaning person 
So all i really know about natural things are: food and cosmetics/hygeinic products (mine are all organic, both)
I know that the "health foods" store I go to for groceries sells many cleaning products, but I have heard of people just making their own with lemon and essential oils, etc.
Sorry, I wish I was more knowledgeable on the whole cleaning thing.

BTW Jerry, I hope we get some input too.  I know there are a LOT of poeple out there with ideas!!!

JD

Lemon juice with baking soda.  Would not have thought of that.  I will try it!!!

Lisabelle, you mentioned course salt (I presume like rock salt) for cleaing.  I presume you do not dissolve it first as you might as well use any salt to do that!!!  Do you find that the abbresive nature causes scratches?  I use a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water for cleaning....but it is so so in the toilet bowel.  I mean...it all looks clean...but it isn't convincing me it is clean there.  As for the rest..I am happy with the V/W mix.  Toying with adding essential oils like orange or something to give a nice fresh smell when I clean!!

JD

Funny that you mention the lemon in the microwave recipe!  I use 1/2 of a lemon,sliced,put it in some water and put that in the microwave for 1 or 2 minutes to get rid of fish smell in the micro if I heated up some fish.  Works like a charm!
For the dark coffee/tea stains in coffee cups,I use alittle bleach with hotwater in the cup and let it sit a few minutes.  The cups come out like new!

You're welcome.  Just be sure to wash with soap and water after you dump out the bleach/water mix.  Your cups and mugs will be sparkling clean!

OHHH, I am sooo excited about the info supplied by you all (ya' obviously I don't have a life that cleaning materials exicite me!!!).  I really plan on reading all about it all more thoroughly this weekend and purchasing the books.  Being on a septic tank I NEED natural, and aside from that I like the natural smell as opposed to the fake stuff (frebreeze) and frankly, I have found, while essential oils are expensive, they last forever and are much cheaper in the long run than the commercial s#@& we buy and do a much better job (well when mixed with the right ingredients).  Thank you all for the info.  Pls, keep it coming.

JD