Cleaning cheaply and safely.

My first Enjo party has turned me into a hippie, I have invested in a plethora of Enjo cloths, mops, and non toxic cleaners, and taken the advice of the young Enjo rep to stop using fabric softener. I've been told before that it is bad for my machine and a killer for my ECO MAX septic system, but have risked it for the love of soft fresh clothing. The suggestion I was given was to try white vinegar instead, I was sceptical at first, who wants to smell like I wino when clean, but after the first try I was impressed, the clothes are still soft, and actually smell quite nice. Not to mention the super saving from $4.00 a bottle to $1.00. This little savings prompted me to look a little further into the world of make your own cleaning products. Since I wasn't going to have to use bleaches and disinfectants anymore, (thanks to Enjo) that just left the dish washer, and washing machine powder. After a brief google search I came up with many sites offering recipes for home made cleaners all septic safe and Enjo friendly.

The first was the dish washing powder, I have a Dishlex dual dish drawer and though I love it to death, it becomes temperamental when you use the wrong cleaners in it, tending to over sud and then bleep and flash until it has had dried out. Here's the recipe I have used.
         1 cup Bi carb
         1/4 cup citric acid
         1/4 cup salt
         30 drops of lemon scented oil
 Blend together well and store in a dry place, spoon directly into powder recess of the dishwasher. Wow presto clean, healthy, cheap more can you ask for, Oh and forget that blue window cleaner rinse aid, white vinegar does the same job.


I purchased my ingredients in bulk from a local soap making company, 5kg of Bi carb cost $10, 1kg of citric acid powder was $5.00 and the lemon scented oil, I already had, but most shops sell it.

Next was the washing machine powder, I have a front loader, also not a big fan of suds, but most of the ingredients seemed aimed at softening the water.

      12 cups of borax powder (hardware shop)
      8 cups of baking soda
      8 cups of washing soda (laundry isle)
      8 cups of soap flakes
      Fresh Cotton scented oil to scent.

I didn't follow this to the letter, I had a little of my old washing powder left over so I chucked that in to, I was also worried about to much foam so I skimped on the soap flakes about half. The fresh cotton scent I bought from that same soap supply company, and it is the bomb, my washing smells the best ever.  The most expensive part was the borax powder, but from I understand it is not an essential part and I will leave it out next time.

I got a little arty farty with my new creations, buying metal old fashioned tins to store my new creations in.