Cleaning with Vinegar and Tolerating the Smell

Whole Foods carries the Mrs.Meyers Clean day and Seventh Generation products that I love. I've also used Method brand from Target. I have never used the Shaklee products, but I've heard they are wonderful. I've heard Amyway cleaners are good too, I've used the SA8 laundry detergent and it's great. I agree with some of the others that are asking if you are using the right ratios, there are days where my house smells like a salad when I haven't paid enough attention to my bucket. I hope this helps.

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Vinegar is a great cleaner, but don't use it full strength. For example, for cleaning hardwood floors the ratio is 1/4 cup white vinegar for every half gallon of water. You might want to google vinegar cleaning recipes or there are recipe books you can buy by ordering from the info on the back of the white vinegar container. Also, we use BabyGanics, baby safe cleaners. they make all purpose, bathroom, window, etc. All cleaners have no smell and are completely non-toxic. If baby gets ahold of the cleaner and gets on his skin or tries to drink some, it is not dangerous at all. Available at Bed, bath and beyond, babies r us and probably other places too.

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Hello C.. I don't like the chemical either, and the chemicals are not good for our little ones. I started using Method and Seventh Generation cleansers. Both brands use all natural ingredients and don't have much scent. I have the Method Tub and Tile Cleaner, and it does a good job. They are both carried at Target, Babies R US, and several other grocery stores in my area. Seventh Generation is a little pricey, but worth it. Also I don't know if you have tried diluting the vinegar with some water,but that may help the scent. Good Luck.

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I so remember the days of cleaning with vinegar and baking soda and like you was determined to to not use chemicals, yet my home smelled just like a salad and I found I had to really put out alot of effort! I did find an alternative that was effective and actually odorless - and ended up using the entire line and LOVED it. A tip for the shower, a moist room breeds mold - so keep it well ventilated and for bathrooms that are stubborn we used to dry the shower after using it

I have a section on my blog called "moments of greenness" that shares more: www.bestwellnessconsultant.com

I use vingar all the time to clean with.After awhile you get use to the smell. The smell should not linger forever though. Are you mixing the vingar with water? Go to www.vingartips.com and you'll find out great ways to clean without using harsh chemicals.

I use " one step tub and shower cleaner" ( distributed by-Compac Industries)www.compacind.com I really love them! I clean with them alot. We ordered a bunch from our store because they're always out of them.
They are cleaning pads filled with soap stuff , there are four per package.You use wuth cold water. They are great for tub, shower, crome, cleaning counters in bathroom, kitchen sink, etc... They are advertised as" safe for all surfaces, disposable, easy to use, non toxic, biodegradable.

C.,
I too don't like using chemicals to clean with so I use a cleaning line called Mrs.Myers. I love it because it's natural but also leaves a lavender scent in the air. It's safe to use on things your child will touch and if they were to ingest it it wouldn't hurt them because there is no chemicals in it. I get my cleaning products at our health store but I know Target carries them and you may find them in other stores. They make a counter top cleaner, toliet cleaner, floor cleaner, all purpose cleaner, window cleaner, hand wipes, a powder for your sinks, showers, and bath tub, and so much more! I know there are other lines that make similar products and are naturaltoo that you could try as well. I hope this helps and hopefully you can get away from that vinegar smell :)

Try Bon Ami. The only place I've been able to find it is at the grocery store in the cleaning aisle. That's all natural with no scent and does the job! It is recommended by Martha Stewart in one of her books.

By now, I'm sure you are sorry you asked that question!
There are a lot of us Shaklee Gals out her to remedy that solution. I have an extreme passion for the company and it's products because it changed my families life. My son had been so sick as an infant. It took me 7 years of medical searching until I found out the solution was prvention and NOT getting rid of the symptoms that the cleaners were causing.

Even Oprah loves them. You will thank the day you decided to go green and "Get Clean"

www.shaklee.net/debv/getclean

Hi C.,
Bravo to you for being aware of the chemicals in name brand cleaning products. I work with a wellness company that manufactures over 360 products including all natural, nice smelling chemical free cleaning products that are guaranteed to be 25%-50% less expensive than 409 & Lime Away.
Please visit my website www.livetotalwellness.com/rechisholm, I would love to share more information with you.
R. Chisholm
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All the Method products are great. I use the granit cleaner and the glass cleaner. They are safe, smell great and are sold at Target.

I use vinegar water solution to clean my bird cages and yes it does linger but personally it doesn't bother me,for cleaning esp in the bathroom you can get a small bottle of Tea Tree oil you can find it at healthfood stores and at Trader Joes its a tad pricey but you only need about a capfull to a gal of water less water if you want it a bit stronger for cleaning mold,it also has a scent to it but it will dissapate in a short time and is non toxic to use but still keep it away from kids,oh and if the mold is really bad like on window sills grout between tiles etc you can dip a qtip in it and brush it directly onto the affected area but use ventilation if you use it full strength like that
hope this helps

ps bleach is NOT a natural product and is highly toxic to you and the enviroment and you can become allergic/sensitive to it to a point where you can not be around it at all

I use a mixture of half vinegar and half hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. It does smell a bit, but doesn't linger. Hope this helps.

C.-

You could also try those cleaning materials called "Go Green." They have very little smell to them, but clean very well. Also, there is a product out there called Melaleuca. It's all natural, very gentle odors, and great for the environment...and safe for children. If you want to try, go to www.melaleuca.com and check it out.

Good luck.
Crystal
Plainfield

C. -

Try Shaklee Products. they are amazing. Non-toxic - good for the earth - all-natural - hypoallergenic - biodegradable - no phosphates. ShakleeGetClean.com
Very safe for home use, pleasant or no odor.

M. K

I'm using shaklee products and really like them. I also like Nature's Sunshine products (another club-like organziation w/ great stuff). I add essential oils to my shaklee spray bottles to make them smell nice and EOs are also naturally antibactieral, antiviral, antifungal (add 5 drops to a load of laundry!).

There is a Mr Clean "mop-type" thing that I use and LOVE. The extended handle is removeable, so you can make it handheld. You attach disposable soap-filled scrubbers to the rubber pad and it's super easy to wipe down your shower. I used it while pregnant and after - there are no fumes - then just shower afterward. I love it, and I understand your hate for the vinegar smell!!!! Save it for your coffeepot...
Kaboom! Cleaner is also great, but pretty fumey and you have to rinse it off well. It's good for the annual scrub-down though and removes everything!

C.-
We have been using vinegar and water or baking soda as cleaning agents for years. We have not bought a cleaning product for just as long.
I believe if you dilute the vinegar (either 1/4 v and 3/4 water or 1/2 of each) it will help decrease the odor and still clean just as good. You may however have to keep it on a little longer before scrubbing.

Check the vinegar website for other tips

I buy essential oils from the health food store and put a few drops in each bottle for a fresher smell. The smell of vinegar makes me gag, so it works for me, and I also have a small cleaning business and have gotten no complaints. Also make suer you are mixing four parts water to one part vinegar, otherwise it may just be too strong.

I've been using "Simple Green" for years before all of the green stuff has come about. It's safe, and it saves a lot of money. I think I bought it at Menards or Lowes or someplace like that. They may also have it a Walmart. Buy a separate spray bottle so that you can dilute with water. I use it to clean pretty much everything in the house. However, to get that mold in the shower, only a cleaner with bleach works for me. The Simple Green does clean it....but only the bleach gets the mold completely. But, bleach is a natural product, although harsh. Good luck!

Yes, I use some wonderful products that are soo safe for your family and the environment. They work Great! and are priced really well too. If you want more information on where to get them you can email my friend Erin at ____@____.com and she'd be happy to help you.
S. H.

Hi C.,

Go to Whole Foods or Jewel Health Food Section & find products that call themselves Earth Friendly. Read the ingredients to be sure. There is a nice selection available now for all cleaning products that are natural with no harsh chemicals.

Don't waste money on store bought.
12 oz cold water
1/2 oz soapy ammonia
2 oz alcohol
several drops essential oil, optional
.....also does a GREAT job on mirrors and windows

have you tried for in the shower Automatic shower cleaner from scrubbing bubbles it works good and you use it after you take a shower.and for the tiles in the kitchen have you tried mister clean it works good to.

You can add essential oils to your cleaning mix and some actually help with cleaning too. You are then scenting your cleaning solution. They can actually enhance the cleaning solution too!!

You can check out some different essential oils at my website.

http://www.thebodyshopathome.com/web/faithjones

Click aromatherapy then click essential oils

The euculpytus is great when you have a cold. When my kids are sick I clean their room with this to keep that smell there!!

Good Luck!

You are definitely right about the chemicals in both products and I'm glad you stopped using them. I've been shopping with Melaleuca for almost 4 years. I've been migraine free for this long also.

You can take a look at their cleaning line at www.saferforyourhome.com or www.melaleuca.com. The PC price is the price I pay and you can too if you want to be a preferred customer. Just let me know. (They accept new customers on a referral basis and pay customers when they refer other customers.)

All new customers get $20.00 in free products every month for 5 months. All products come with 100% money back guarantee. They are concentrated so one bottle of Tough & Tender [used for the kitchen] fills a 24oz spray bottle 4x. It's only $5.24 for PCs. Can't beat $1.31/bottle!

M.
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hi C.,
have you ever heard of 'melaluca'? they are an all natural cleaning products company (detergents, household cleaners etc)they work really well and don't have any sort of nasty smell... i would give them a try - you purchase online
A. p

I too was concerned about toxic chemicals in the air we breathe. I use Shaklee's natural, safe, non-toxic products that work awesome, and will get rid of everything you are talking about! They are also an extremely good value, you will save loads of money using them. You can go to www.shaklee.net/bowerman to check out the products. Please feel free to email me any questions. Good Luck, N. B

Clorox now makes a natural cleaning line. I bought it but haven't used it yet.

C.,

My name is S.. I have a 6 year old daughter and another little girl on the way. I shop/work part time for a wellness company that provides a variety of personal care and cleaning products that are naturally based and safe for you home.

These products are effective without using harsh chemicals like the ones found in 409 but smell wonderful. They use natural enzymes and citrus solvents to clean. So they are safe to use around our children.

My family and I love all of the products that they have to offer, but I would say that we really feel great about using these alternate cleaning supplies. They are also less expensive than the name brands that you can find in the grocery stores (that was imporant too!).

If you are interested please feel free to contact me!

S. Echols-Moodie
____@____.com
1-###-###-####

I really like Young Living cleaning products (they are called Thieves). They clean really well and smell great. They are made from natural oils. The household cleaner is usually diluted with water, so you can vary the strength which is really nice. Young Living has a website: www.youngliving.org
Good luck!

M.

We just started using Shaklee products! They are all natural, very concentrated so they last a LONG time and best yet, no odor!!! They are more expensive up front but b/c they are concentrate, they last longer than a bottle of 409 were. It is also one of Oprah's favorite things!

i thought i heard that lemon is a neutralizer for all kinds of odors. can u try that? or something with citrus in it???

My husband is a distributor for Shaklee if you'd like some natural, no-odor cleaning products. Here's his website and you're more than welcome to connect w/ him if you have any questions...

www.shaklee.net/greenhomeaffects

We found Shaklee after searching ourselves for cleaning products that didn't have all the chemicals, but we didn't like any of the store-brand "all natural" or organic cleaning product. They either didn't work all that great or the smell was awful. We love the products at Shaklee so much that both my husband and his father became distributors! :)

If you're interested, feel free to browse his site. There's everthing from cleaning products, make-up, vitamins, a weight-loss program, laundry detergant/fabric softener/dryer sheets, etc etc etc. We personally use the cleaning products (everything you'll see in the "Get Clean Starter Kit"), laundry products, diswasher soap and I use the make-up. The BasicH cleaning product even has 100 uses! :) Not only can it clean your kitchen, but it's actually gentle enough to use as a bug spray on kids!

Oh the smell..you can also use lemon juice in the shower, it reduces build up like vinegar. The product line METHOD at Target has a all purpose cleaner which is purple with lavender scent. My favorite without chemicals, there shower spray isn't bad either.