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Basic Ingredients

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There are many inexpensive. easy-to-use natural cleaning altematives which can be used safely in place of commercial household cleaning products. One shelf of simple and relatively safe ingredients can be used to perform most home cleaning chores. Ali thats needed is a knowledge of how they work and how different ingredients should be combined to get the cleaning power needed for a specific job.

Here are ordinary, environmentally safe ingredients which can be used alone or in combination for a wealth of household cleaning applications.

Baking soda

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. It is a common ingredient used in baking that can be used as an all-purpose. non-toxic cleaner. It is effective at removing stains and it is also a mild scouring tool for pots. pans and sink basins. It can neutralize acid. soften hard water and fabrics and extinguish grease fires. It can be used as a deodorizer around the home including in the refrigerator; on smelly carpets, on upholstery. on vinyl and down drains. It can clean and polish aluminium, chrome, jewellery plastic, porcelain, silver. stainless Steel, and tin.

Beeswax

Beeswax is secreted by worker bees whilst building the honeycomb. and is a pleasantly scented natural product. Traditionally beeswax has been used in wood polishes. It gives fumiture a great shine, a protective coat, and helps the wood develop a patina. In addition, the wax can be used as a lubricant for drawers and Windows. Beeswax is highly flammable, so it is important to follow certain procedures and precautions whenever melting it down for use in a polish recipe. Overheating beeswax can damage it and be hazardous. To avoid overheating, always place the Container or smali saucepan of wax. inside a larger pan of water. Never place a pan of wax directly on a hot piąte or gas ring, and never heat beeswax over a direct flame. Beeswax melts at 63° C to 65° C. It does not boil. and if it is overheated it could ignite, and burn ferociously. In the event of fire, do not use water to extinguish the flames. Use sand, a large damp cloth or a fire extinguisher. Beeswax should only be melted in stainless Steel or tin plated containers. (Other metals can taint the colour.)