I have a neat little black and white book entitled, The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing written by Michael de Jong. I wrote about this book in my last blog, and just wanted you to know this is my Bible for cleaning! The great thing about this book, is the author uses natural products. In fact, he only uses 5 cleaning agents: baking soda, borax, lemon, salt, and white vinegar. Most of us have these cleaning agents in our homes, and the important thing is that these cleaning agents are natural and inexpensive. Today, I am going to tackle the “wonderful world of baking soda”. 1. A sweet- smelling refrigerator: Place a newly opened box of baking soda in your refrigerator or in a closet. Replace every month. Recycle the old and used box by pouring it down your drain to keep your drain free of odors. 2. Spot cleaning wallpaper: Make a paste of baking soda and water. A paste may be made by adding a few drops of water to a quarter cup of baking soda. By the time you mix them together, the paste should have the consistency of toothpaste. Wipe it on the wallpaper with a soft, clean cloth. Attempt to remove the soil or spot using a slow, methodical, circular motion. Follow by wiping again, with a clean lightly dampened cloth. Be careful and use a delicate hand, otherwise, you could rip the wallpaper. You will need a little patience. 3. If you use a scouring pad made of metal: by adding baking soda you may prevent it from rusting. 4. This is a trick I use all the time, as I buy old books: Place musty books, old or new, into a plastic bag with (dry) baking soda. This will eliminate mildew and “stinky” odors. Allow the baking soda to absorb the odors and mildew. This process may take a few weeks. 5. Use baking soda on your hands to rid odors such as onions and garlic. Quickly scrub your hands with baking soda and water. Use a nail brush, and then rinse with warm running water. No more onion/garlic smell!
healthforhappiness.net 