I think that those who are really interested in this subject (as I am, moderately) could do far worse than to get hold of a couple of books by the wonderfully-named Shannon Lush and Jennifer Fleming: "Spotless" and "Speed Cleaning". I have listened to Ms Lush's quite folksy cleaning solutions on ABC radio for some years now, and I have to say that there's much to be said for white vinegar and 'carb soda' (as my dear old Mum used to call it). Throw in some lavender or something to make it smell nice, and everything's sparkling and sweet-smelling and you haven't asphyxiated in the process :)

Actually, in our little business we sold a 'healthy number' of those books last Xmas, so people are obviously interested in alternatives to chlorine-based cleaners and other household poisons. Having said that, I'm also conscious of the evils of sodium - but I guess it boils down to having as clean a toilet (or kitchen, or whatever) as possible while trying to minimise one's impact further downstream, as it were.

Nice topic, Gibo. Your best yet :)

Thanks to all of you for your toilet suggestions.
Coca cola seems a bit expensive though I may get to a cheaper version of cola.
Im currently using a slosh over of hot water from the bathroom sink next to the toilet bowl with a bit of Homebrand hand wash which washes away the pee but doesnt really disinfect as I would like.
Not buying commercial toilet cleaners would save me a lot of money each year so Im going to stay away.
I keep getting this feeling we're being persecuted by chemical companies with all this blue goo from toilet cradles holders going down the toilet.
Its as if the majority of people want to save the planet but here we have the chem corps doing the opposite by encouraging their products, as Creation dies. And theyre getting away with it.

Right; well here's my contribution:

White vinegar/carb soda (right CJ!) are it! Maybe add Epsom salts to your cupboard. That's all you need for most all things in the hoosie!
(Oh yes;- and soft soap).

Last visitor of the day; slosh a fair slug of vinegar down the pan. EVERY night. You will hardly ever,-if at all!,-need to clean the toily pan.
Spray w/vin on the shower tiles 'bout 30 minutes before your shower,-tiles don't go black in grout area.
Use soft soap for hands/shower,-NOT soap. No scummy build-up. I have never 'cleaned' my bathroom sink in over a decade.
Pour some carb down your plug-holes and then some vin. The 'chemical' reaction clears the drain, pour hot water in after 20 mins or so.
..oooh I could go on...!

Soft soap IS more expensive than soap ('orrible stuff!). Buy $2 large bottles of shampoo from yer five and dime. Decant 60% shamp/40% water. Muchos cheaper.

White vinegar?, well it IS cheap, but tha can make it half the price. Decant half into another bottle, then top both up with warm water and shake. Leave a couple of weeks and they will come back up to strength.

I know I've wandered a bit Gibo, but I do love a good little tiportwo!!

Ginx you and Celivia are bloomin' brilliant.

Hate housework - love your advice.

If this hasn't already been mentioned you can also use vinegar and water - spray mixture on your windows, mirrors and wipe dry with newspaper - no residue, sparkly clean, recycles newspaper, 'cos you can then layer newspaper under mulch in garden where you want a more acid soil and this prevents weeds but allows soil to breath.

:-)

Hi Ginx,
I didn’t know that diluted vinegar will come back up to strength. Intriguing!

Pelican,
Awww, your grandmother sounds cute. Mine also lived to 93 in good health. She not only used natural cleaning products and beauty products, she also refused to use plastic bags. She brought her own containers to the deli.

She made her own very nice smelling rosewater and lavender water by soaking the petals/flowers she picked from her garden and used them for her skin and sprayed them around the house. Bottles of those waters made welcome Christmas presents, too!
Grannies- don’t we love them!

Fractelle,
yes vinegar is excellent for cleaning mirrors and windows. I hadn’t thought about using the papers in the garden- thanks.
My husband has a wormfarm -yes eeeeeuw- and uses newspaper in there as well.
Not sure if worms like the taste of vinegar though, hehe. I can imagine their scrunched-up faces.

“We have been duped into buying stuff we didn't really need…”
that’s so true. We’ve been brainwashed into thinking that cleaning with expensive, chemical products is more convenient, quicker and easier. We are told that this or that kills 99% of the germs so we need it.
But there are MANY natural products that kill germs just as well. All these chemicals are an attack on our health and especially on our children’s health.

Women are also being told that they need all these (very expensive) creams, lotions and potions- because we’re worth it. These creams are full of chemicals, artificial fragrances, preservatives that are not beneficial for our skin at all. All we need is a very basic moisturiser and sun cream for outside. I add my own, oh so beautifully smelling essential oils to the bases. I buy my products from a wholesaler once a year and mix-and-match the products to suit my needs. I don’t need perfumes- the natural oils smell much nicer, I think.

Thanks for those book titles, CJ, I’ll certainly check them out.

Celivia, I bought a ragged old housekeeping book in a sale. The author of the vinegar tip said her grandmother gave it to her,-so we're talking a pretty ancient tip!

I've been decanting/topping up for about 8 years now;-the vinegar is weak on first whiff, but does get stronger the longer you leave it.

I use it for most things.

Fractelle, I like your tip. Most every degradable goes on my garden. I haven't the space for a composter so onto the garden it all goes. The cardboard wrapping of a shelf unit, fridge, and whatall, have now degraded into the soil! Currently a feather quilt is nicely disintegrating and some herbs are enjoying a warm brown-ish fuzzy!