The air in our homes is filled with fumes from petrochemical solvents added to detergents to dissolve dirt.
The average household contains between 3 and 25 gallons (1 gallon = 4.54 liters) of toxic materials, most of which are detergents.
What can be done?
Make your own safe detergents. Ingredients for them are not difficult to get, moreover, they are present in almost every home, with the exception of some.
The advantage of using home cleaning products that contain natural ingredients is that they are effective enough to not pollute or poison the indoor and outdoor air, and save you money.
Cleaning your home using natural remedies will also bring you a sense of satisfaction that you are protecting your health and the health of your loved ones.
It takes very little time to prepare your own set of detergents, and besides, they do not deteriorate for quite a long time - from 6 months to a year.
And, as an added bonus, the price of such cleaning products is only about 10% of the price of industrially manufactured products, and this, including natural aromatic oils, which are quite expensive.
What do we need
- baking soda;
Promotional video:
- washing soda;
- white vinegar;
- natural liquid soap or natural liquid detergent;
- olive oil or jojoba oil;
- lemon juice;
- lemon oil;
- tea tree oil;
- 5 spray guns;
- glass container.
In previous mailings, we talked about 5 basic cleaning products - soda (food and detergent), borax, vinegar and some essential oils.
Note: Natural liquid soap is easily obtained from natural bar soap by dissolving it in hot water.
Note: Be sure to immediately label manufactured products and keep them away from children and pets.
1. Bath Cleaner Recipe
Take half a cup of baking soda. While stirring, add liquid soap or liquid detergent to it until a creamy gruel is obtained.
Add 5 drops of an antibacterial oil, such as lavender, tea tree, or rosemary, if desired. Apply gruel to a sponge, clean the surface, rinse.
Note: To keep cooked food moist, add 1 teaspoon of glycerin and close the lid tightly, otherwise, make enough food to use at one time.
2. Glass cleaner
- 1 / 4–1 / 2 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent;
- 3 tablespoons of vinegar;
- 2 cups of water.
Mix everything in a spray bottle.
Note: Adding soap to the cleaner is important, it removes the smallest wax residues found in commercially available window cleaners. If you do not add detergent, the windows will be slightly cloudy and streaked.
3. Oven cleaner
- a cup of baking soda;
- water;
- a couple of teaspoons of liquid soap.
Moisten the bottom of the oven with water, then sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the bottom of the oven. Sprinkle with water again until it turns into a thick paste. Leave it overnight.
The next morning, you will easily lose fat. When you have dealt with the most unpleasant part, apply some liquid soap to a washcloth and wash off any remaining grease.
If the recipe didn't work, then repeat everything, but now increase the amount of baking soda and / or water.
4. Universal cleaner
- 1/2 teaspoon of washing soda;
- some liquid soap;
- 2 cups of hot water.
Pour this into a spray bottle and shake to dissolve the baking soda.
Use this cleaner as you would any other cleaner (spray the surface a couple of times and wipe it down with a cloth).
Note: Use gloves when washing.
5. Furniture polish
1/2 teaspoon olive or jojoba oil
1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice
- 10 drops of lemon oil (optional).
Mix the ingredients in a glass container. Dampen a soft polish cloth with this product and wipe down the furniture.
The shelf life of the funds is not limited.
6. Universal disinfectant
Store a 5% vinegar spray in the kitchen and use it occasionally on cutting boards, table surfaces, washcloths, etc.
Rinse off is not necessary, you can even leave the surface treated with vinegar overnight. The pungent vinegar smell will disappear within a few hours.
Vinegar is also effective on the edges of the toilet. Just spray and wipe off.
7. Means of fighting mold
- 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil;
- 2 cups of water.
Pour into a spray bottle, shake and spray onto problem areas.
Note: To dissolve the oil more efficiently, add some alcohol or vodka to the bottom of the spray bottle.
The shelf life is not limited.
Since vinegar kills 82% of mold, it can also be used for this purpose. Pour vinegar into a spray bottle and spray. The vinegar smell will go away in a few hours.
Natural detergents
This small review provides information about natural detergents and cleaning products, which, almost always, "do their job" no worse than their "chemical brothers", however, almost always, are much cheaper and harm us and our environment much less.
Bura
Borax (sodium borate) - crystals, borax melting temperature - tmelt = 60.8 ° C.
In nature - a mineral of the class of borates, the chemical sediment of drying boron-bearing salt lakes.
Borax crystals - transparent, colorless or grayish, have a greasy sheen, soluble in water (1 hour in 14 hours of water); the taste is sweetish-alkaline.
The chemical composition - Na2B4O7 + 10H2O corresponds to 16% sodium, 37% boric acid and 47% water.
Borax is deposited in large quantities along the edges of the Tibetan self-deposited salt lakes, from where it was first introduced into Europe, under the local name of tinkala.
Of other deposits, some of the shallow lakes of California should also be noted, in particular the shallow lake "Cleare", in the silt of which large borax crystals are found.
Other deposits: Kashmir, Nevada desert, etc.
Borax is a raw material for the production of boric acid and other boron compounds, a component of fluxes for welding metals, a charge in the production of glazes, enamels, glass, detergents, electrolytes in metallurgy, insecticide, antiseptic, preservative for leather processing, etc.
5 easy ways to use borax
1. Toilet bowl cleaner
Empty 1 cup of borax into the toilet and let sit overnight. Brush the toilet the next morning. Borax will dissolve all stubborn layers overnight.
Borax also copes well with rust stains.
2. Fighting fleas
Spread borax in places where dogs usually sleep (bedding, carpets) and in general wherever you suspect fleas nest.
Borax releases boric acid, which is a poison (in order to harm an animal or person, you need to swallow very large doses of this substance).
3. Fighting mold
This method works well in places where mold and mildew need to be lime, but where there is no need to worry about the paint peeling off.
Make a paste with borax and water (thick enough). Spread it on a moldy surface. Leave it on overnight or longer.
Sweep away the dried powder, wash off the rest with water.
4. Scare away mice
Scatter borax on the floor along the walls.
5. Universal detergent
Mix 2 teaspoons of borax with 2 cups of water. Pour into a spray bottle.
Shake well before use.
Baking soda
It is a widely used mineral with excellent cleansing properties. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is made from soda ash. It is a weak alkali (pH 8.1; 7 is neutral).
Baking soda neutralizes the acidic taste of water and absorbs odors from the air.
Baking soda can also be used as a mild, non-abrasive cleaner for kitchen surfaces, sinks, bathtubs, ovens, and fiberglass.
It removes the smell of sweat and even neutralizes the chemical smell of detergents when added to the washing machine. It is a useful air freshener and carpet deodorizer.
1. Bath Cleaner Recipe
Take half a cup of baking soda.
While stirring, add liquid soap or detergent to it until a creamy gruel is obtained.
Add 5 drops of an antibacterial oil, such as lavender, tea tree oil, or rosemary, if desired.
Apply gruel to a sponge, clean the surface, rinse.
Note: The difference between soap and detergent (powders, liquid synthetic detergents) is that soap is made from natural ingredients and detergents are made from synthetic ingredients.
Naturally, soaps do not harm you and the environment as much as detergents, which are toxic to wildlife, in particular to fish.
However, the disadvantage of soaps is that minerals dissolved in water react with the soap, leaving an insoluble film on the surface.
This can lead to the fact that the fabric, when washed with soap, may turn gray, and sediment appears on the surfaces of objects.
Chemical detergents - they react much less with minerals in the water.
Therefore, if you are lucky and you have soft water, you can safely use natural soaps.
If your water is hard, then you have to use detergents.
However, try to use so-called "bio" products (from English. Biodegradable - capable of biodegradation), which will do less harm to the environment.
For cleaning the bath before bathing the child, it is recommended to use only baking soda.
2. Universal cleaning agent
Do not forget about such a simple and affordable cleaning agent as warm soapy water. In many homes, remnants that are no longer convenient to use are thrown away.
But if you bring a plastic vessel for them from household chemicals and collect the soap residues there, pouring hot water over them, you can get a jelly-like detergent for the sink, bath, and tiles.
Add baking soda to it and you have a good dishwashing detergent free of abrasives and harmful chemicals.
It washes well linoleum, plastic. And the addition of ammonia to the solution from the soap residues, gives an excellent means for cleaning painted floors, doors, window frames and other surfaces painted with oil paint.
3. Baking soda is great
cleans stains on washing machines
Even if you find a branded cleaner for enamel and plastic surfaces on sale, don't rush to shell out.
Simply dip a clean, dry cloth in the baking soda and scrub the stain.
4. The property of baking soda to absorb odors - useful when cleaning carpets
Especially for those who have pets in their apartment.
Sprinkle the baking soda liberally over the carpet. Leave it on overnight or longer if not uncomfortable.
Sweep most of the baking soda off the carpet, and vacuum the rest. Repeat if the smell is still present (you may have used insufficient baking soda).
Note: Wet baking soda absorbs odors more effectively than dry baking soda. However, it gets stuck in the fibers of the carpet and is more difficult to clean.
If you live in humid climates, you can use a spray bottle of white vinegar in water instead of baking soda.
5. Baking soda can
used to brush teeth
Dip your brush directly into the baking soda box, or mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with a pinch of salt in a cup. Then, wet the brush and clean.
6. Foot baths
They need to be done regularly, better - every day, but when we are busy, at least twice a week.
Baths with mint, nettle, plantain, mother-and-stepmother will help relieve fatigue and stress. Baking soda works well as an additive.
You can take a bath for 15-20 minutes, the water temperature is about 38 ° C, and so that it does not cool down, you need to constantly add hot water.
7. Means for
demineralization of wood
Prepared from the following components (d):
* hot water - 1000;
* baking soda - 40-50;
* potash - 50;
* soap flakes - 25-40;
* alcohol - 10;
* acetone - 200.
A hot solution is applied to the surface with a flute, after which it is washed with warm water and dried.
Household (washing) soda
Baking soda's chemical neighbor, sodium carbonate, is a stronger alkali, with a pH of about 11.
It emits harmless fumes and is safer than commercially produced mixtures, but gloves should be worn when handling it as it is caustic.
Baking soda removes grease, oil, gasoline, and other substances that usually use solvents to get rid of; wax, lipstick and neutralize odors just like baking soda.
Do not use it on fiberglass, aluminum or waxed floors unless you want to remove the wax.
Here are some recipes.
1. How to get rid of soot
Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 2 cups of hot water. Rinse the smoked areas with this mixture using a washcloth. Let dry, then rinse.
2. How to clean
smoked pans
Place 1 cup of baking soda in a sink, bucket, or other container. Fill with water so that the water covers the pans. Leave it overnight.
3. For removing very stubborn stains
Make a paste with water and baking soda. Spread a thick layer over the problem area. Let dry. Then, wash it off.
Note: Baking soda can remove wax and is often used to peel paint off, so make sure the surface you will be cleaning is chemically inert.
4. How to get rid of paint
See item 3.
5. Universal cleaner
1 teaspoon of baking soda for 2 cups of hot water. Pour this into a spray bottle. Or take a bucket of water and dissolve half a cup of baking soda. When washing, use gloves.
6. Another universal cleaner
* Half a teaspoon of baking soda;
* 2 teaspoons of borax;
* half a teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent (we talked about how they differ earlier);
* 2 cups of hot water.
Combine baking soda, borax and soap in a spray bottle. Pour hot water into it, screw the lid back on and shake to dissolve the ingredients.
Use this cleaner as you would any other cleaner (spray the surface a couple of times and wipe it down with a cloth).
If the surface cannot be cleaned immediately, apply the product again and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, wipe the surface.
Shake the bottle well before each use.
This product has no expiration date.
Be sure to sign the bottle.
And always wear gloves when handling baking soda.
Vinegar
Vinegar is one of the most commonly used ingredients in cleaning products made by knowledgeable people themselves.
Its main advantage is that it destroys bacteria, mold and viruses.
Heinz spokesman Michael Mullen presented numerous studies conducted by the company that show that 5% vinegar sold in a regular store kills 99% of bacteria, 82% of mold and 80% of viruses.
According to Tufts New England Medical Center research on drug resistance, common disinfectants used in washcloths and added to cleaning products, as well as antibiotics, contribute to bacterial resistance to antibacterial funds.
Moreover, most commercially produced disinfectants are not effective, as are most antibiotics.
Therefore, keep a spray bottle with 5% vinegar in the kitchen and, from time to time, use it on cutting boards, table surfaces, washcloths, etc.
Rinse off is not necessary, you can even leave the surface treated with vinegar overnight. The pungent vinegar smell will disappear within a few hours.
Vinegar is also very effective on the edges of the toilet. Just spray and wipe off.
In addition, vinegar does an excellent job of cleaning glass.
Add a quarter cup of vinegar to 2 cups of water and half a teaspoon of soap or detergent. Mix everything in a spray bottle.
Rinse aid for wooden floors. After you've washed your wood floors, dissolve 1 cup of vinegar in 3.5 liters of water. Vinegar neutralizes detergent or soap residues and other odors.
Often, rough grayish or yellowish spots form on the walls of a sink or bath. These are deposits of mineral salts contained in the water.
Experience has shown that they are very difficult to scrub or scrape off, they are very hard.
But, on the other hand, they can be easily dealt with by a solvent that you probably have in your kitchen.
Put a cloth dipped in vinegar on the dirty place - and, after half an hour, the deposits will be easily washed off.
Natural oils in the household
During the plague epidemics, a certain family of perfumers robbed the dead.
They knew very well about the antiseptic characteristics of certain essential oils and, dissolving them in vinegar, rubbed their bodies with them, which protected themselves from deadly diseases.
The famous Four Robbers Vinegar recipe, sometimes known as the "Tomb Raider Blend", is the result of this practice.
Aromatic plants with antiseptic properties have been known for a long time. Here are these plants (from the strongest to the weakest antiseptics):
* thyme (thyme), * rosemary, * eucalyptus, * peppermint, * orange flowers, * corn, * poplar, * Pine, * hemp, * tobacco, * belladonna, * hops, * max.
These are the "areas of application" of these oils.
1. Antiseptic bath spray
10 drops of any of the above oils, or a combination thereof, mix with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture where necessary. Do not rinse.
2. Mint spray from mice
Mice hate mint. Dissolve 2 teaspoons of peppermint oil in 1 cup of water and spray where mice appear.
3. Air freshener
Sometimes the air in the house becomes stale. In addition to airing, things can be improved as follows: mix 1 teaspoon of oils with water in a spray bottle and, from time to time, spray.
4. Antiseptic
In case someone from your family is sick with a viral disease, such as the flu, you can disinfect the room where the patient is with a mixture of oils.
5. Deodorant
Place a couple of drops of an antiseptic oil in places where you usually get bad odors.
Note: In case you are pregnant or have problems with the immune system, carefully consider the choice of oils.
Tea tree oil
The Australian tea tree is widely used as a germicidal (bactericidal) and fungicidal (antifungal) agent.
The essential oil known as "tea tree oil" is obtained from the "melaleuca" tree with needle leaves.
There are 100 species of this tree, but for our purposes we need an Australian tea tree or melaleuca alternifolia.
Pour 2 teaspoons of Australian tea tree oil into a spray bottle, add 2 cups of water.
Shake the bottle well to mix the oil in the water.
Here are the cases in which you can use the tea tree solution.
1. As a deodorant and antiseptic. Use wherever you need to disinfect something or remove an unpleasant odor.
2. To combat mildew and mildew (downy mildew). Sprinkle on something that is moldy. Do not rinse.
Let the oil smell dissipate (it will take a few days).
The musty and mildew odor will also go away and will never return once you remove the source of the mold.
3. Add 1/2 teaspoon to the machine when washing towels or other fabrics that, for one reason or another, are in a damp room and can be damp and moldy.
How to wash without getting dirty?
How did the ancestors look after their teeth?
In general, I knew the answers from other cultures, but how did ours do it? The answer was found by chance and very simple. When I drove to my land, I felt like chewing on some weed. Well, I picked a young wheatgrass, go and chew - sweet, salty and the taste of fresh milk, as I remember it from childhood. After about ten minutes of chewing, the grass turned into small crushed cellulose fibers. But after all, each such fiber is cool, like a brush cleans teeth! What's more, the herb juice is alkaline! After a series of tests, I found out that almost all cereal grasses have such a property to brush their teeth well: wheat, rye, oats, wheatgrass, ryegrass, bluegrass, timothy grass, fescue, etc. Moreover, in order to give this the necessary medicinal properties and smell, it is enough to add a leaf of yarrow, mint, St. John's wort, oregano, thyme … or a sprig of mountain ash, willow, bird cherry to the cereals,irgi … Any plant of your choice and health! Experiment! I tried with wormwood, but this is for absinthe lovers.
By the way, willow bark also cleans teeth very well. You can chew a thin willow twig, however, the taste is bitter - for an amateur. However, I like it. When I rest on the river. Sura, then I do so.
A sprig of cedar or pine. The tip is softened by the teeth and becomes fibrous, and then like a regular brush. Always green and no need to harvest for the winter.
Chewing the resin of spruce, pine, cedar, larch and their needles will help to treat any gum disease. Likewise, the use of cedar nut oil inside, after a good "driving" it in the mouth.
It is very useful to chew honey in combs. By consuming only one honey, we “rob ourselves”. The fact is that the caps with which the bees clog the honeycomb contain many very useful substances. And there are a lot of them in the wax itself, including propolis. Therefore, chewing honey in combs, you not only consume it internally, but also treat your teeth, gums, and the entire mouth cavity. And the last thing. Find herbs that are effective for you. In summer it is better to chew them, and in winter to make decoctions and tinctures from them.
Chewing calamus root is very effective in treating periodontal disease and other gum diseases - it is, however, bitter, but even neglected diseases pass.
Linen, dishes
One friend of mine, who lives in the village, for example, birch ash insists on water (1: 3), and washes the neglected dishes with it: burnt pots and greasy pans. Cleans worse than Comets and Faeries. Only you need to wash the dishes with rubber gloves or a long-handled brush. Also, this solution can perfectly bleach linen.
White linen was washed as follows: Ashes from burning wood, i.e. firewood. You wrap it in cheesecloth, several layers, tie this bag, put it in a tub of linen, which is on the stove. While the stove is heated (from an hour or more), this whole thing is boiling on the sly. Then you take out the linen, rinse it, hang it up in the summer, and in the winter you can on the snow (not in the city). The sun completes the whole process, especially in the snow. No powder is capable of doing such a thing. What is cleanliness, what is the smell of freshness. And they wash the body with soap (grass), not linen.
Mustard - washing dishes Yolk, oatmeal, whey and something else - washing hair. Again, laundry soap. From bleaches - I don't know what. Surely there is some kind of herb appropriate.
There is such a herb - soap root: a herbal remedy for washing, incl. and hair. In Latin it seems saponaria
There is also such a funny plant - the dioecious bunch is called.
Soap root-soap-pipe! The plant does not come across often in the fields, does not bloom for long, digging out - a lot of fuss! But you can wash woolen things with mustard (only woolen things): dilute mustard powder in warm water - soak the things and wash after half an hour. You can wash it right away, if not very dirty. But cotton does not take at all! We only wash our hands on our earth with mustard. After washing, we drain the water into the beds (and it is useful and we save water!). Mustard washes away fat perfectly. After washing, you are not afraid that there are some chemicals left on the dishes that you can eat! In general, we buy mustard in packs - it goes well: you pour it on your hands, pour it on the dishes, pour it into salads, pour it into your socks if you decide to catch a cold! Only in the steam room in the bath, she should not wash - it burns! And if not very steamed, it cleans the pores well,and even if you rub it with honey … OUH! Blue clay bleaches cotton well! Try it, it is sold in Moscow in stationery - used for children's creativity!
Fine sand is also suitable as a cleaning agent. And it is very small. Only it is necessary to sift it …
You can grow soapwort (it grows by itself in the grandfather's garden). And I also read that you can use a wrapper - a cracker. This plant is from the carnation family and grows in meadows.
And you can also use horse chestnut. And the most common is ordinary ash. To wash things, to wash yourself, and not to stain the ash, it is necessary: - pour boiling water, or boil - filter - and allow to settle.
In winter, do not be too lazy to collect ash, store in a dry place. Enough for a lot, and wash and remove the wooden floor, add cement instead of cement to the clay when laying stone, deacidify the acidic soil, wash the dishes. I also sprinkle snakes near the stones that are prepared for work. They do not like ash, but they adore spending the night in warm stones. Mice are less curious too.
To wash my hair, I have already given up shampoos and mine exclusively with mustard, rinse my hair in herbal decoction. The result is wonderful!
They didn't wash with soap - they washed it off
If in the shower slowly, in a thin stream, moisten your body with a warm filtered infusion of furnace ash (lye), then a soapy solution of shampoo with an admixture of glycerin will drain from your body. Shampoo is a liquid potassium soap, a product of the interaction of fat and potash (potassium carbonate, lye). Soaps are potassium and sodium salts of fatty acids. Fat is an ester of glycerin and fatty acids. When fat is saponified with soda, ordinary soap and glycerin are formed. (Hence the glycerin soap). The analogue of lye in the house is baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). Sometimes I wash my head with a solution of baking soda (2 teaspoons per 300 ml mug): I pour the lukewarm solution slowly onto my hair, and then wash off the soapy water. The hair is the same as from ordinary soap. To moisten the body with lye, you need only 1-2 liters and 10 liters to wash it all off. Ash from a few logs is enough for this. Or you can simply smear it with ash (ash) in the bath, and then wash it off. I don’t know where the expression came from to sprinkle ashes on my head. Maybe before the bath? In general, the problem of individual detergent is solved for me. When washing, the same thing, just pour the linen with boiling water and lye, and when it cools down, wash it. To do this, of course, it is best to switch to linen (or nettle) fabric. Water after such a wash is an excellent fertilizer and it is better for it to water the beds.of course, it is best to switch to linen (or nettle). Water after such a wash is an excellent fertilizer and it is better for it to water the beds.of course, it is best to switch to linen (or nettle). Water after such a wash is an excellent fertilizer and it is better for it to water the beds.
My grandmother's recipe, birch and pine ash for hair works well. But hazel ash will get rid of your hair completely. Keep in mind.
But our ancestors did without soap
In the villages, they washed themselves with a decoction of wheat bran, as well as oatmeal. Such washing has a beneficial effect on the skin, especially dry and inflamed skin after working in the wind, cold or heat. Pour a teaspoon of bran into lightly moistened palms and massage your face moistened with water with light movements. When the skin turns pink, wash yourself with warm water and pat your face with a terry towel - the skin becomes soft, smooth, elastic.
For delicate skin in the old days there was also a recipe for washing: an infusion of dry herbs - chamomile, herbal tea, mint. Pour a tablespoon of the mixture with a glass of boiling water, hold it under the lid for 10 minutes. Add a tablespoon of potato starch to the infusion. Wipe your face with the resulting jelly and rinse with water after a few minutes.
How to wash your hair without soap? The simplest way is to moisten your hair with curdled milk and then rinse it off with warm water. Hair is cleansed of grease and dirt, becomes soft, brittle. To wash your hair, it is better to use boiled water, adding a little baking soda or ammonia. Soft water degreases hair well, does not irritate the scalp. In such water, nettle and birch infusions are prepared, which wash hair well even without soap.
To prepare the nettle infusion, pour fresh nettle in a basin with boiling water, when the water cools down, the infusion is ready. Birch infusion is best done in spring, using a birch broom with buds. Rinse the broom with hot water and cover with boiling water. After half an hour, you can wash with infusion. Rinse your hair with infusion of linden and chamomile: they have a beneficial effect on the scalp, prevent dandruff. The proportions of the preparation of the infusion are a handful of herbs per liter of water.
In Russia, it was customary to wash in baths with leavened brew. They rubbed her body, she cleansed the skin well. Oatmeal batter was also used as a soap. The dough was also kneaded into infusion of linden blossom, wormwood, rosemary, chamomile, and hops.
For those who want to wash without soap, we remind you that you should not collect herbs near roads and in the city, as plants absorb the exhaust gases of cars.
EVERYTHING IS IN NATURE
“And it turns out that even the forest has everything we need - soap, tooth powder, a brush, shoe cream, and perfume … For example, you can perfectly clean your teeth with crushed charcoal from a fire. Coal is not only an abrasive, but also an excellent disinfectant that destroys bacteria. The best charcoal for brushing your teeth is linden. And if you add dried and crushed mint leaves to the charcoal, your toothpowder will also be less black and much more pleasant to the taste. By the way, it is believed that the smell of mint activates the brain, so in the Middle Ages students were recommended to wear mint wreaths on their heads during classes. In ancient Rome, rooms were sprayed with mint water, and tables were rubbed with mint leaves to create a cheerful mood for guests. Mint boiled in boiling water can also be used to rinse your teeth. Another rinse for the teeth is a decoction of oak bark, which disinfects and strengthens the gums. Your teeth are already itching, but how can you clean them if you forgot the brush at home, and to the nearest selmag - 20 versts, and all in the forest? Very simple. Take a sprig of spruce, pine or softer - linden, aspen. On one side, split the stick into small pieces and bend for greater softness. Here is a brush, comfortable, soft and environmentally friendly. And soap grows almost at every step. These are the roots of the soapwort (Saponaria officinalis), known to many. Its root, dried and crushed, is especially good at washing, gives abundant foam. You can also take a related firecracker (Silene) - also a plant from the carnation family and also with white flowers. Instead of soap, you can use a doll, and a raven's eye, and the inside of a tinder fungus growing on larch. And with the roots of white dawn (Lychnis alba), you will not only wash your hands, but also wash your clothes. It is better to wash especially dirty hands with elderberries. They wash away dirt well, although they do not produce foam. But soap bubbles from forest soap will not work … But for them you can use the juice of pumpkin or cucumber stalks. As you can see, the soap is separate here and the bubbles are separate. Well, and what kind of medicines grow under our feet - on the road, in the forest, in the field, in the swamp - almost everyone knows for sure. And there is no need to tell where to put the travel agent, and where to the mother-and-stepmother, why drink chamomile or valerian. "But soap bubbles from forest soap will not work … But for them you can use the juice of pumpkin or cucumber stalks. As you can see, the soap is separate here and the bubbles are separate. Well, and what kind of medicines grow under our feet - on the road, in the forest, in the field, in the swamp - almost everyone knows for sure. And there is no need to tell where to put the travel agent, and where to the mother-and-stepmother, why drink chamomile or valerian. "But soap bubbles from forest soap will not work … But for them you can use the juice of pumpkin or cucumber stalks. As you can see, the soap is separate here, and the bubbles are separate. Well, and what kind of medicines grow under our feet - on the road, in the forest, in the field, in the swamp - almost everyone knows for sure. And there is no need to tell where to put the travel agent, and where to the mother-and-stepmother, why drink chamomile or valerian."
Cleanliness and hygiene in the settlement without chemicals and money
Without a long background. A few years ago, I came across an extensive article on the net about the products and drugs that are included in conventional cosmetics. Such as creams (day and night), cleansing foams, lotions, shampoos, hair styling foams. In that article, the degree of harmfulness of each drug was indicated. My hair on my head moved with horror !!!
Since then, I have tried to do everything for myself to maintain hygiene and overall appearance.
Let's start with the simplest, a cleansing and refreshing tincture.
Grind fresh or dried plants in a mortar (not necessary to dust) and add alcohol (90-96%) to insist in a dark place for 10 days, often shaking the bottle. Fresh herb should be almost to the neck, dry about half of the bottle. Then squeeze the alcohol and filter. Store bottle in a dark, cool place.
I prefer to keep the tincture undiluted, pouring out the amount I need as needed.
For use, take one third of the tincture from the bottle, add two parts of pure water to it, let it brew for two days. It is better to pour it into a bottle with a pipette built into the lid (such bottles remain from various drops from the pharmacy, but you can also buy it at retail) After washing in the morning and evening, drip onto a wet cotton swab from 7 drops to … (depends on the size of the tampon and the area to be treated)) Such rubbing cleanses and tone the skin.
Rose petals - give freshness, dry skin, smooth wrinkles.
Chamomile - softens, cleanses, makes the skin elastic.
Sage - cleans, tightens pores, disinfects.
Mint - cools, degreases, gives tone.
Calendula - softens, heals.
You can write a lot about plants, but the principle of preparing a tincture is the same. Whoever suits best, he does it. By the way, if you correctly mix various tinctures, you can get a wonderful cocktail with an amazing result, but this already depends on the individuality of the skin and the person himself.
Preparation of ointments
Cosmetic ointments are made on an oily basis, often with the addition of beeswax. There are quite a few cooking options, I will describe those that I personally tested and approved
1. In my opinion, the simplest. In good quality butter, mix in very finely chopped fresh herbs, or well grated dry. Let it brew, fresh - a day, dry - two days. Then melt this oil in a water bath, filter through a linen cloth, it is advisable not to allow watery drops from the bottom to get into the jars for storing the ointment. Cool down. That's it, the ointment is ready.
2. Heat a good quality vegetable oil in a water bath. The better the oil, the better the ointment will be. I prefer olive, rapeseed, sesame, almond … there are many options. Put fresh or dry herbs and flowers in the oil. From 10 minutes to half an hour, the herbs should be in oil in a water bath, then filter the oil, put it in a water bath again, add wax (calculation: for 50 ml of oil, 10 g of beeswax) Then connect your imagination and … you can drop essential oils, a little lemon juice, or aloe juice, camphor and honey can be added. You can also add a few drops from previously prepared tinctures, if the plants from which they were prepared did not get into the oil. The main thing is to make sure that not too much liquid gets into the ointment, the wax does not emulsify so much.
3. It is very similar to the first, only herbs and flowers are placed in cold vegetable oil and infused for about a week in a warm dark room. Then this oil is heated in a water bath, wax is added and then everything is done according to the N2 method. I use this method most often, the stove has less to stand and less energy is consumed (electricity, gas)
The shelf life of such ointments is not so long, so prepare small portions.
Preparation of creams
The general recommendations on which I started are based on ready-made emulsifiers from lecithin or lanolin. Herbal extracts based on oils, tinctures and herbal infusions are driven into them with a brush in a water bath. But I quickly cooled down to such creams, although they are stored for quite a long time, again, emulsifiers are quite expensive, especially natural ones.
A couple of years ago, while making mayonnaise on my own, it dawned on me !!! Egg yolk is the most ideal emulsifier !!! And on the same day I made myself a daytime refreshing cream. The cream, however, turned out to be a lot, and it is advisable to store it for no more than a month.
Now the recipe for cooking. I say in advance that any oil is infused with herbs, water additives are also herbal infusions and decoctions, a tincture with alcohol serves as a preservative at the same time.
In a glass, porcelain, stone or clay bowl, grind the yolk separated from the protein. Gently add vegetable oil to this yolk drop by drop, carefully rubbing each drop. After infusion of 100 ml. oil mass will be very steep, very oily, now you need to add a teaspoon of broth or infusion, stir, then oil again, then again infusion, broth, or fresh plant juice. Over time, the brush will have to be replaced with a wooden whisk, or even a mixer, having practiced a couple of times, it will become clear when and how much water is better to add. Finally, drip a little of a suitable tincture and a couple of drops of essential oil into the cream.
When the cream meets all my requirements, then it turns out on one yolk not less than 0.5 liters, sometimes more. A lot, but you can share with friends or relatives.
I should probably add that FRESH yolk is used, not boiled
It is very important at the very beginning - add oil to the yolk drop by drop and immediately mix these drops, the more cream is formed in the bowl, the faster you can mix the components.
Hair care without chemicals and money
Making natural shampoos and rinses at home, and then applying them and washing them off the walls in the bathroom, at first, may seem too laborious, but I have not used anything else for the fourth year. So, do not be alarmed, if you consciously prefer this method of personal hygiene, then over time it will not take much time.
To begin with, in the evening in a saucepan (from 3 to 5 liters), brew herbs. Dried or fresh, it doesn't matter. On medium heat, bring water with herbs to a boil and turn off the heat, leave to infuse overnight. The next day, filter the broth and heat to a temperature slightly higher than what you usually use in the shower.
Step two. While the broth is heated, we prepare shampoo, separate the egg whites from the yolks, remove the white flagella from the yolk. Add a teaspoon of honey to the egg YOLK, mix well, and you're done. Now we take a pot of broth and a bowl of shampoo to the bathroom.
(Approx. I prefer to wash under running water, see under the shower)
First, moisten your hair and body abundantly (relaxing under the trickles of water and enjoying them is also useful, but not necessarily, of course). Then the water can be turned off to save money. Apply the yolk-honey shampoo evenly to the hair, massage it and leave for the time it takes for your body hygiene. For the body, I use blue clay, a walnut shell scrub, or just a stiff brush or loofah. After the body has received its portion of the procedures, then wash off the shampoo from the hair and the clay from the body with a large amount of water. It is not bad to pour cold water over after that. Now we take the shampoo bowl, wash it and, scooping up the slightly cooled broth from the pan, rinse the hair with it. Pour the broth over your head slowly, massaging the scalp with your free hand and rinse strand by strand. For shampoo, 3-4 egg yolks (depending on their size) and 3-5 liters of broth are enough for me.
The main herbs for decoctions are nettle, chamomile, celandine, calendula, rose petals, birch leaves. A glass of beer added to the broth gives hair elasticity (while the hair is wet, it smells like beer, but after drying the smell disappears). You can also add all kinds of other herbs and flowers to the broths (from friends, of course).
The only thing is that owners of light hair need to be careful with the selection of herbs for rinsing. All light flowers are suitable for them - chamomile, white rose, white lilies, jasmine … Or you can lighten the broth with fresh lemon juice.
Now a couple of recipes for hair resuscitation. Verified many times and approved as many times - HNA !!! If someone does not want to get a light reddish tint, he can buy non-dyeing henna (it is easy to order in pharmacies), if you keep ordinary henna on dark hair for no longer than 15-20 minutes, then the redhead will also not be noticeable.
The second, also very effective way, is castor oil in half with egg yolk. Keep it under the film and towel for about half an hour - the effect is wonderful !!! (the only thing - this mask thickens on the hair and it takes a long time to wash it off).
For hair styling, a hair wax is prepared, applied as a regular gel or the same ready-made "hair wax". The recipe can be taken from the messages above "preparing ointments", only less oil and more beeswax should be taken. You can use sugar water as a hairspray (I rarely use it).
Put on aloe cotton wool soaked in diluted juice on a comb or hair brush and comb your hair with this brush.
After the kiwi is eaten, it is useful to massage the hair with the inside of the kiwi skin.
Oh, yes … how then to wash the bathtub from the rinse aid … In a bottle of ordinary vinegar, insist, for about a week, a chopped lemon, filter, pour into a bottle with a sprayer.
After shower procedures, rinse the walls and the bathroom with clean water, spray the vinegar infusion on the walls, after 3 minutes rinse with a soft damp sponge and again with water.
During the flowering of the nettle, collect the "nettle catkins" - these are mature and semi-ripe seeds. Dry them and add them as seasoning to all possible dishes, cold and hot. After a while, the hair will simply transform! For the better, of course.
Before exhibitions or selling horses, horse breeders specially mow mature nettles, dry them in the shade and feed them to horses. After a while, their hair becomes healthy, bald patches overgrow, the horse shines … Believe me, nettle seeds do not have the worst effect on people
Hair dulls only if henna is used too often. If henna is used every three months, then the hair will only benefit from it.]
For dry and flaky skin, a tincture made from fresh aloe leaves is very suitable. Fill a small jar to the top with finely chopped leaves and leave in the sun for two weeks. Then squeeze through a linen shawl and filter the tincture. Further application is common. But after the tincture on dry skin, it is useful to apply an ointment, cream, or easily lubricate with herbal oil. Cocoa butter is very good and can be used instead of cream.
Wraps are beneficial for all skin types. A tablespoon of dried herb is brewed, or a handful of chopped fresh, infused for 20 minutes, the broth is filtered and a small towel (preferably linen or cotton) is abundantly moistened in this broth. Fold the towel several times lengthwise until you get a wide (20 cm) ribbon, squeeze slightly so that it does not drip, place the middle of the ribbon under the chin and on a part of the neck, and with the ends cover the face along the cheeks and cross them on the forehead. With this method of wrapping, the maximum area of the face is covered and there is a free space for breathing.
About greens.
Any greens can be used as wraps, but it is more useful to eat it. Parsley has proven itself very well as a herb for the skin of the face, but not many people know that parsley root is many times more useful and effective than leaves.
Dill has not shown itself very clearly as a component for cosmetics, but its seeds are healing for the entire digestive tract (in its effect, it is very similar to caraway seeds)
From fresh herbs, I prepare tinctures and various masks for immediate use. For dry skin, masks based on egg yolk, honey, cream are useful. Egg white, honey mixed with lemon juice, cottage cheese are suitable for oily skin. To prepare a mask with herbs, you must first check your personal tolerance. Once I threw a couple of leaves of rue in a mortar, then I barely opened my eyes (it was a long time ago, but I remember well how I then covered my face with bags of frozen food so that it would not swell)
How to get rid of dark spots after acne that last for 5 months. First, I want to explain why these specks appear. After the pimple is gone, the skin begins to heal. At first this skin is very thin, therefore it is primarily subject to pigmentation. Firstly, pigmentation occurs from exposure to the rays of the sun, and secondly, beta-carotene, which is found in many vegetables and food additives. So you can get rid of the spots by simply bleaching the skin. For bleaching, the following plants have proven themselves excellent: - strawberries and strawberries, parsley juice (both leaves and root), dandelion juice (not milk, but juice from the whole plant, it is advisable to always mix it with another juice, otherwise it will be difficult to wash), lemon juice, onion juice, calendula juice, fresh potatoes, cranberries, currants, gooseberries, tomatoes.
Sour milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, yogurt are also good for bleaching.
You can prepare a whitening mask for dry skin. Gather strawberries or strawberries, currants, gooseberries, add lemon juice and olive oil. Apply to face for 20 minutes. Several such masks and spots will noticeably fade or disappear completely.
For oily skin. Parsley juice, cucumber juice, onion juice, lemon juice (just a teaspoon each), beat everything in egg white, leave on the face until the mask dries. The remaining mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.
And so, I have listed the main plants, you can use their juice as a face wipe (3-4 times a day), you can make masks. You can mix them, you can make infusions and tinctures from them.
Recommended reading: "Life without chemicals. Honey-based cosmetics".