Most of us know the damage all those nasty cleaning chemicals are doing to our bodies, our homes and our environemnt, but do we all know what alternatives there are available??

I've started off with a few here - if anyone has other ideas this would be a great place to share them.

In the Laundry

Regular Washing
Borax acts as a water conditioner, boosting the cleaning power of your regular detergent by controlling alkalinity, deodorizing the clothes and aiding the removal of stains. Add 125g of borax to a standard machine load along with the recommended amount of detergent.

Delicates Hand Washing
Soak in a warm water solution to which you have added 50g of borax and 1-2 tablespoons of detergent for 10 minutes. Rinse well in clear, cool water and then use either the short spin facility on your washing machine or hang to drip dry.

Nappies and Baby Clothes
Pre-soaking nappies and baby clothes in borax solution will help get rid of smells and reduce staining. Flush out heavy soiling on nappies and soak them as soon as possible using 125g of borax in each nappy bucket of warm water. Follow the soaking with a hot water wash, adding a further 125g of borax to the recommended amount of detergent.

Pre-Soaking
Pre-soak tough stains in a solution of 4 litres of warm water and 1 tablespoon of borax. Wash as Regular Washing above.


In the Kitchen

Fine China
Fine china will shine brilliantly and tea and coffee stains will be removed when soaked in a solution of 125g of borax. Designs on hand-painted china will not fade using this method. Give the china a second thorough rinse with clear water and dry.

Refrigerators
Borax is excellent for cleaning and deodorizing your fridge. Lingering odours and spilled food can be washed away with a sponge or soft cloth using a solution of 1 litre of warm water and 1 tablespoon of borax. Wipe over using clean water afterwards.

Kitchen Bins
Deodorize your bins by washing them with a solution of borax and warm water. Afterwards dry the bin and sprinkle a little dry borax into the bottom.

Oven Cleaner
Mix 2 parts hot water with one part borax, mixing thoroughly until the borax has dissolved. Use a sponge (or very fine steel wool for very bad areas) to apply this solution liberally to the oven and leave overnight before scrubbing clean. Repeat if necessary and wipe over with a clean damp cloth afterwards.

Floor Disinfectant
Mix a solution of 125g of borax with ½ cup of vinegar in 4 litres of hot water. Add the borax first then the water, swishing around until the borax dissolves. Use to mop hard floor surfaces.

For wooden floors, damp mop the floor with a mild vegetable oil soap.

Cookware
Sprinkle borax onto pots and pans as you would a regular dry cleaner and rub with a damp dishcloth. Borax is non-abrasive and will not scratch pans.


In the Household

Spills and Stains
A number of spills on carpets and upholstery will cause stains and leave odours. Before treating carpet or upholstery test an unexposed area with a borax paste to make sure the dye is colourfast to borax. For problem wet areas, blot up the wet, sprinkle on borax , leave to dry and then vacuum up. The wine and other alcohol spills, dissolve 125g of borax in a pint of warm water. Sponge in the solution, wait 30 minutes then shampoo the area.

Mattress Odours (also suitable for pet urine and sour milk)
Urine odours from mattresses and mattress covers may be neutralised by damping the spot and sprinkling borax over it. Rub into the area and let dry then vacuum up.

General Carpet Deodorizer
Sprinkle borax onto your carpet, work into the pile and for anywhere between 2 and 24 hours. Vacuum up.

Glass Cleaner
¼ of a cup of vinegar in 1 litre of warm water.


In the Bathroom

Showers, Baths and Tiles
Sprinkle borax straight onto a damp sponge or soft cloth and use as you would a powdered cleanser. Once borax is dissolved it is non-abrasive and so is safe to use on fibreglass surfaces without scratching. Rinse thoroughly after use.

Toilets
To deodorize your toilet bowl, sprinkle in 50g of borax. Swish with your toilet brush and leave to stand for at least 30 minutes (overnight is even better).

Mould and Mildew Remover
Make a paste using borax and warm water. Apply to the affected area using an old toothbrush, leave for 10 minutes then wipe with a clean damp cloth. Rinse thoroughly.



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