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Home > Archive > Home Cleaning > August 2007 > fragrance sucks...
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fragrance sucks...
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| #1 Fan 2007-08-11, 5:25 pm |
| For some reason I am revolted by perfumed consumer products and it
irritates the hell out of me that I can't find any cleaning or
personal hygiene products that aren't overloaded with synthetic
fragrances. Now I try to make my own semi-homemade cleaning
products using scent-free ingredients.
Isopropyl alcohol and ammonia solution are the best cleaners in the
world, used separately or in combination. A mixture of roughly
equal parts isopropanol, ammonia, and water produces the perfect
surface cleaner which leaves no residue and cleans glass better than
Windex only with no blue dye or cheap industrial perfume and a
whole lot cheaper. Alter the three ingredients to taste, even a
very dilute solution is useful to wipe dust off teevee equipment.
The combination with less ammonia and more alcohol or just alcohol
can be used to clean your skin when bathing isn't possible. Fill a
spray bottle with the alcohol and water with just as much (clear!)
ammonia you can stand, spray on a clean paper or cloth towel, then
wipe your face, underarms, or whatever is oily and smelly. It also
makes a good surface sanitizing spray because no bacteria or virus
could withstand the combination and because it also evaporates
away completely leaving no residue.
Then there's glycerin. I've become addicted to unscented glycerin
soap, and liquid glycerin is also good to add to regular liquid
dish soap because it created more substantial lather. Glycerin
seems to act as a lubricant between surface and dirt and lets the
dirt be washed away. Glycerin soap dissolved in hot water makes a
wonderful bubblebath solution, and adding extra glycerine creates
the most luxurious hypoallergenic skin soaks imaginable.
I'm going to plug Kirk's coconut oil soap because it is awesome and
cleans so thoroughly that after I come out of the shower even my
farts are odorless. Add some glycerine soap to the lather and it
moisturizes your skin and hair and everything rinses away so clean.
For laundry it is whatever fragrance-free brand like All or Purex
or Tide Free, along with lots and lots and lots of borax and baking
soda, and varying amounts of oxygen powder bleach. Chlorine has
been banished since it gives me a sore throat.
For mopping floors an incredible floor-cleaning solution can be
made by mixing unscented laundry detergent with Pine-Sol and
ammonia. I know the Pine-Sol is scented, but I like it and if
you don't then the laundry detergent is still great and cheap and
it requires no rinsing because it isn't slippery like dish soap.
Baking soda is also useful for brushing teeth, though I always add
some Tom's toothpaste to make it more palatable. Oh, and don't
forget the hydrogen peroxide rinse before brushing, letting it fizz
between your teeth for a few minutes before sandblasting them with
the baking soda. Baking soda also is good for cleaning silver
jewelry, rubbing it over the metal with your fingers to remove soil
and polish at the same time.
So far I haven't found a satisfactory unscented dish soap. I've
always used Ajax because it mixes with ammonia and alcohol and
because the lemon scent isn't offensive to me, but I do wish it
came in a fragrance-free version.
| |
| Mark Thorson 2007-08-11, 5:25 pm |
| #1 Fan wrote:
>
> For some reason I am revolted by perfumed consumer products and
> it irritates the hell out of me that I can't find any cleaning or
> personal hygiene products that aren't overloaded with synthetic
> fragrances. Now I try to make my own semi-homemade cleaning
> products using scent-free ingredients.
Not all scents are synthetic. Many products have natural
scents that can be equally revolting.
>
> For mopping floors an incredible floor-cleaning solution can be
> made by mixing unscented laundry detergent with Pine-Sol and
> ammonia. I know the Pine-Sol is scented, but I like it and if
> you don't then the laundry detergent is still great and cheap and
> it requires no rinsing because it isn't slippery like dish soap.
The scent in Pine-Sol is primarily alpha-pinene, which
comes from one of it's major ingrediants, pine oil.
Orange-type cleaners are strongly scented by one of
their major ingrediants, orange oil, which contains
d-limonene. Both alpha-pinene and d-limonene are
cyclic terpenes which provide a non-toxic solvent
action which is responsible for much of the cleaning
effectiveness of these products.
Many people who claim to have sensitivity to synthetic
chemicals will react strongly to these, even though
they are not at all synthetic. Alpha-pinene is a
by-product of the wood products industry, and
d-limonene is a by-product of the orange juice
industry (it is extracted from orange peels).
Both compounds occur naturally in the raw material,
and are not at all chemically modified.
> Baking soda is also useful for brushing teeth, though I
> always add some Tom's toothpaste to make it more palatable.
After many years of brushing with pure baking soda,
I switched to Tom's on the advice of my dentist,
who said that baking soda is abrasive and will
attack tooth enamel. I much prefer baking soda,
especially because of the strong flavor in Tom's,
which I believe comes from peppermint oil.
| |
| Medusa 2007-08-12, 3:25 am |
| On Aug 11, 3:32 pm, #1 Fan <f...@superstar.stalk.net> wrote:
> For some reason I am revolted by perfumed consumer products and it
> irritates the hell out of me that I can't find any cleaning or
> personal hygiene products that aren't overloaded with synthetic
> fragrances. Now I try to make my own semi-homemade cleaning
> products using scent-free ingredients.
Look Online; lots of non-synthetic products out there. I can't
tolerate any petroleum based products. I buy Aubrey Organics
shampoos, lotions, and face soaps. For just regular soap, I use
Ivory, but some people are allergic to the lanolin it contains.
> Isopropyl alcohol and ammonia solution are the best cleaners in the
> world, used separately or in combination. A mixture of roughly
> equal parts isopropanol, ammonia, and water produces the perfect
> surface cleaner which leaves no residue and cleans glass better than
> Windex only with no blue dye or cheap industrial perfume and a
> whole lot cheaper. Alter the three ingredients to taste, even a
> very dilute solution is useful to wipe dust off teevee equipment.
> The combination with less ammonia and more alcohol or just alcohol
> can be used to clean your skin when bathing isn't possible. Fill a
> spray bottle with the alcohol and water with just as much (clear!)
> ammonia you can stand, spray on a clean paper or cloth towel, then
> wipe your face, underarms, or whatever is oily and smelly. It also
> makes a good surface sanitizing spray because no bacteria or virus
> could withstand the combination and because it also evaporates
> away completely leaving no residue.
Baking soda and white vinegar are my cleaning products of choice.
Best of all, these are MUCH less expensive than conventional products.
> Then there's glycerin. I've become addicted to unscented glycerin
> soap, and liquid glycerin is also good to add to regular liquid
> dish soap because it created more substantial lather. Glycerin
> seems to act as a lubricant between surface and dirt and lets the
> dirt be washed away. Glycerin soap dissolved in hot water makes a
> wonderful bubblebath solution, and adding extra glycerine creates
> the most luxurious hypoallergenic skin soaks imaginable.
>
> I'm going to plug Kirk's coconut oil soap because it is awesome and
> cleans so thoroughly that after I come out of the shower even my
> farts are odorless. Add some glycerine soap to the lather and it
> moisturizes your skin and hair and everything rinses away so clean.
>
> For laundry it is whatever fragrance-free brand like All or Purex
> or Tide Free, along with lots and lots and lots of borax and baking
> soda, and varying amounts of oxygen powder bleach. Chlorine has
> been banished since it gives me a sore throat.
>
> For mopping floors an incredible floor-cleaning solution can be
> made by mixing unscented laundry detergent with Pine-Sol and
> ammonia. I know the Pine-Sol is scented, but I like it and if
> you don't then the laundry detergent is still great and cheap and
> it requires no rinsing because it isn't slippery like dish soap.
>
> Baking soda is also useful for brushing teeth, though I always add
> some Tom's toothpaste to make it more palatable. Oh, and don't
> forget the hydrogen peroxide rinse before brushing, letting it fizz
> between your teeth for a few minutes before sandblasting them with
> the baking soda. Baking soda also is good for cleaning silver
> jewelry, rubbing it over the metal with your fingers to remove soil
> and polish at the same time.
Tom's makes some great toothpaste. Baking soda works, but use it
carefully. It can wear down the enamel of your teeth.
> So far I haven't found a satisfactory unscented dish soap. I've
> always used Ajax because it mixes with ammonia and alcohol and
> because the lemon scent isn't offensive to me, but I do wish it
> came in a fragrance-free version.
I have found a few tolerable ones. Look for unscented, dye-free dish
soaps. Ivory has a good one, but there are others out there.
Good luck!
Medusa
| |
| Phisherman 2007-08-12, 5:25 pm |
| On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 13:32:30 -0700, #1 Fan <fan@superstar.stalk.net>
wrote:
>For some reason I am revolted by perfumed consumer products and it
>irritates the hell out of me that I can't find any cleaning or
>personal hygiene products that aren't overloaded with synthetic
>fragrances. Now I try to make my own semi-homemade cleaning
>products using scent-free ingredients.
>
I dislike fragrances too. There are a few stores that have cosmetics
near the front door. I avoid these stores.
>Isopropyl alcohol and ammonia solution are the best cleaners in the
>world, used separately or in combination. A mixture of roughly
>equal parts isopropanol, ammonia, and water produces the perfect
>surface cleaner which leaves no residue and cleans glass better than
>Windex only with no blue dye or cheap industrial perfume and a
>whole lot cheaper. Alter the three ingredients to taste, even a
>very dilute solution is useful to wipe dust off teevee equipment.
>The combination with less ammonia and more alcohol or just alcohol
>can be used to clean your skin when bathing isn't possible. Fill a
>spray bottle with the alcohol and water with just as much (clear!)
>ammonia you can stand, spray on a clean paper or cloth towel, then
>wipe your face, underarms, or whatever is oily and smelly. It also
>makes a good surface sanitizing spray because no bacteria or virus
>could withstand the combination and because it also evaporates
>away completely leaving no residue.
>
Alcohol is a good cleaner for glass. I use it to spot clean too and
great for removing hydrocarbon chemicals.
>Then there's glycerin. I've become addicted to unscented glycerin
>soap, and liquid glycerin is also good to add to regular liquid
>dish soap because it created more substantial lather. Glycerin
>seems to act as a lubricant between surface and dirt and lets the
>dirt be washed away. Glycerin soap dissolved in hot water makes a
>wonderful bubblebath solution, and adding extra glycerine creates
>the most luxurious hypoallergenic skin soaks imaginable.
>
>I'm going to plug Kirk's coconut oil soap because it is awesome and
>cleans so thoroughly that after I come out of the shower even my
>farts are odorless. Add some glycerine soap to the lather and it
>moisturizes your skin and hair and everything rinses away so clean.
I prefer white fragrance-free Dial soap for body washing and unscented
shampoo. If I wanted to smell lavender I'll go to my herb garden; if
I wanted to smell roses I'll go to the rose garden.
>
>For laundry it is whatever fragrance-free brand like All or Purex
>or Tide Free, along with lots and lots and lots of borax and baking
>soda, and varying amounts of oxygen powder bleach. Chlorine has
>been banished since it gives me a sore throat.
I use Tide Free with small amounts of bleach for whites. A cold water
rinse and dryer should get rid of most chlorine smell. Vinegar in the
rinse will help remove (or at least neutralize) many odors, but the
preferred method is hanging fabrics outdoors in the sun. UV rays
often destroy fragile aromatic compounds.
>
>For mopping floors an incredible floor-cleaning solution can be
>made by mixing unscented laundry detergent with Pine-Sol and
>ammonia. I know the Pine-Sol is scented, but I like it and if
>you don't then the laundry detergent is still great and cheap and
>it requires no rinsing because it isn't slippery like dish soap.
A cup of household ammonia in a bucket of water is my favorite for
cleaning floors. The smell is short-lived. I have many large pine
trees creating a natural fresh smell.
>
>Baking soda is also useful for brushing teeth, though I always add
>some Tom's toothpaste to make it more palatable. Oh, and don't
>forget the hydrogen peroxide rinse before brushing, letting it fizz
>between your teeth for a few minutes before sandblasting them with
>the baking soda. Baking soda also is good for cleaning silver
>jewelry, rubbing it over the metal with your fingers to remove soil
>and polish at the same time.
If you have odor on your hands, put a couple tablespoons of baking
soda in your hands and pour in 1/8 c. vinegar. Rub the foam over your
hands for a minute then rinse--odor is gone.
>
>So far I haven't found a satisfactory unscented dish soap. I've
>always used Ajax because it mixes with ammonia and alcohol and
>because the lemon scent isn't offensive to me, but I do wish it
>came in a fragrance-free version.
| |
| Oddsman 2007-08-12, 5:25 pm |
| Phisherman wrote:
> I prefer white fragrance-free Dial soap for body washing and unscented
> shampoo. If I wanted to smell lavender I'll go to my herb garden; if
> I wanted to smell roses I'll go to the rose garden.
and if you wanted to smell poo, come into my works toilet.
| |
| B. Stern 2007-08-12, 8:25 pm |
|
"#1 Fan" <fan@superstar.stalk.net> wrote in message
news:y1pvi.657$4w7.534@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net...
> For some reason I am revolted by perfumed consumer products and it
> irritates the hell out of me that I can't find any cleaning or
> personal hygiene products that aren't overloaded with synthetic
> fragrances. Now I try to make my own semi-homemade cleaning
> products using scent-free ingredients.
Your list of cleaning materials is very instructive.
I would think that the magic eraser would fall into the category of this
discussion. I had ignored them thinking they were just another cleaning
gimmick to be avoided. But because so many people were singing its praises,
I decided to try it and became an instant believer. I now buy them by the
dozens and find them indispensable in the bathrooms and kitchen. The ease
with which this sponge-like material cleans simply by wetting it and without
powders or pails of solutions is amazing.
Stern
| |
| Mister Superstar 2007-08-22, 1:25 pm |
| Medusa wrote...
> On Aug 11, 3:32 pm, #1 Fan <f...@superstar.stalk.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> Look Online; lots of non-synthetic products out there. I can't
> tolerate any petroleum based products. I buy Aubrey Organics
> shampoos, lotions, and face soaps. For just regular soap, I use
> Ivory, but some people are allergic to the lanolin it contains.
I don't like Ivory because it doesn't lather well. Kirk's rinses
away clean, though I think it is the glycerine they add to it that
helps. I'm not a fanatic about organic stuff; I have no problem
with synthetic chemicals as long as they don't smell.
| |
| robgood@bestweb.net 2007-08-25, 5:25 pm |
| On Aug 11, 4:32 pm, #1 Fan <f...@superstar.stalk.net> wrote:
> Glycerin soap dissolved in hot water makes a
> wonderful bubblebath solution,
Not so wonderful. Soap is more irritating than most bath foams for a
given amount of foam, and it may require a tremendous amount in some
waters.
| |
| robgood@bestweb.net 2007-08-25, 5:25 pm |
| On Aug 11, 10:28 pm, Medusa <Medusa4...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> For just regular soap, I use
> Ivory, but some people are allergic to the lanolin it contains.
But Ivory soap doesn't contain lanolin!
| |
| robgood@bestweb.net 2007-08-25, 5:25 pm |
| On Aug 12, 4:57 pm, Phisherman <no...@nobody.com> wrote:
> I prefer white fragrance-free Dial soap for body washing and unscented
> shampoo.
Dial doesn't make a fragrance free soap. Their white is scented.
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