In the days before the chemical revolution of the 20th century, our
ancestors relied on naturally occurring materials and substances to
help them with the housework. These included things like pure vegetable
soaps, grease-cutting vinegars, abrasives like calcium carbonate and
baking soda, citrus oils to remove odors and grime, and essential oils
of plants like birch and lavender to sanitize surfaces in the Home.
Not only did these homemade concoctions work well in many circumstances, but they had the additional advantages of being inexpensive
to make and completely non-toxic to use. For these reasons, many people
are happily rediscovering the art and science of do-it-yourself
cleaning products and creating much healthier homes in the process. Like Baking Soda Magic:
Polish the silver without elbow grease. Fill a
nonaluminum pan with hot water, place a small square of aluminum foil
(5 inches or so) in pan, add baking soda (1 teaspoon per quart) and
bring to a boil. Drop silver in briefly and remove with tongs. Wash
with soapy water and rinse and buff to a gloss. (Not recommended for
figured pieces: It will remove shading, so fine silver may look like
plate.)
Prevent mildew in bathing suits. On a beach outing, bring along a large zippered plastic bag containing 1/4 cup of baking soda. Put wet suits in, then shake the bag well. The soda absorbs moisture and sour musty odors until the suits can be rinsed or washed.
Keep your dishwasher smelling good when you're away. Sprinkle some baking soda inside the dishwasher and leave the door open just a bit. It won't smell musty when you return.
Substitute for other toiletries on a camping trip. You can use it as toothpaste, as deodorant and as a balm for bug bites.
Get rid of a musty scent. If the clothes aren't completely dry when the dryer shuts off and smell musty, sprinkle baking soda on them, then put them back in and turn the dryer back on.
Clean crayon off a chalkboard. Just use baking soda on a damp rag to remove the wax and make the board clean for chalking again.
Make a quick substitute for spackle.To fill in a small hole, mix a bit of baking soda and a bit of white glue until you have a paste, then use your fingers to ply the paste to fill in the hole.
And if that wasn't amazing enough...
Stop pool chlorine from turning your blond hair green. When you leave the pool, rinse with 1/2 cup baking soda stirred into lemon juice. Wet hair, then pour the mixture on top while it's still bubbling.
Salt Magic...
Pick up a dropped egg. If an egg breaks on the kitchen floor, sprinkle salt on the mess and leave it there for 20 minutes. You'll be able to wipe it right up.
Soothe a bee sting. Wet the sting right away, then cover it with salt. (I have to remember this one!)
Eliminate a grease fire. Pour salt on top to smother it. (Never use water on a grease fire.)
Test for rotten eggs. Put an egg in a cup of water to which you've added two teaspoons of salt. A fresh egg will sink, but one that's iffy will float.
Repel fleas. Wash the doghouse with it.
White Vinegar Magic:
Loosen a rusted screw or a rusted lock. Pour some vinegar on or into the area.
Soften a hard paint brush. Boil it in vinegar, or soak it in very hot vinegar, then wash in soapy water. (This one I really have to remember!)
Remove soapy gunk around faucets. Soak a paper towel in white vinegar, squeeze it out, wrap it around the chrome for 10 minutes, then wipe dry.

Remove the odor of cigarette smoke. Leave bowls of vinegar around the room. Or saturate a towel with vinegar and wave it all around the room.
Remove decals. Sponge distilled vinegar on any decals that stubbornly resist removal. After a few minutes, you should be able to scrape them off. (Use the edge of an old credit card to avoid scratching any surface.)
Soften jeans. Add a cup of vinegar to the last rinse.
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