Self-Sufficiency: Natural Household Cleaning. Rachelle Strauss
Published 2016—IMM Lifestyle Books
IMM Lifestyle Books are distributed in the UK by Grantham Book Service, Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7XQ.
In North America, IMM Lifestyle Books are distributed by
Fox Chapel Publishing
1970 Broad Street
East Petersburg, PA 17520
Copyright © 2009, 2016 text: Rachelle Strauss
Copyright © 2009, 2016 illustrations: IMM Lifestyle Books
Copyright © 2009, 2016 IMM Lifestyle Books
Rachelle Strauss has asserted her moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers and copyright holders.
Print ISBN 9781504800310
eISBN 9781607659723
CONTENTS
Foreword
What a refreshing book – and a great way to release yourself from the need to spend huge amounts on cleaning products. This book is like having a friend recommend the best products to clean your home with in a healthy, safe and economical way, and work towards self-sufficiency. Without getting too scientific, you’ll find simple explanations of why certain hazardous chemicals are so bad for us, and the great news is there are some excellent alternatives, from getting out the elbow grease and going back to tried-and-tested ingredients such as lemons and white vinegar, to buying products that are more eco-friendly and sustainable and don’t cost the earth, in every sense of the meaning. You’ll find clear, easy-to-follow cleaning ‘recipes’ to replace many commercial products, along with innovative suggestions for saving money and ticking the green box in the process. If you have young children, it’s liberating not to need a child lock on the cleaning cupboard because everything is natural!
Over the years and throughout my mission to seek out natural alternatives to just about everything, I’ve seen many books that can sometimes give me ‘green fatigue’, but not this one. There’s no preaching as to what must be done, rather a gentle persuasive nod towards making small changes which in turn will make a big difference.
This book is perfect for anyone dipping their toes into the ‘eco’ world and for those who care about the health and wellbeing of their family and the planet. It’s also ideal for anyone on a budget, and what better way to save money than to ditch the chemicals from your shopping trolley (cart) and look first to what’s already in your kitchen cupboards or growing in your garden.
You’ll be amazed how some of the ideas featured here can change your life. You’ll also probably feel better and suffer less fatigue, fewer headaches and skin conditions by making only a number of relatively minor changes. I hope you enjoy learning all about the green approach to cleaning!
Janey Lee Grace Author of Imperfectly Natural www.imperfectlynatural.com
Introduction
Welcome to the world of safer, greener household cleaning. Cleaning that will help you become more self-sufficient and benefit your health, the environment and your bank balance.
In the beginning…
I started making my own cleaning products when I was pregnant with my daughter. Being responsible for bringing new life into the world led to several lifestyle changes because I wanted to give my baby the best start in life. I was determined to have an organic baby! I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make these products! They actually worked and saved me money. If that wasn’t enough, I was saving packaging from the landfill and keeping toxic chemicals out of the environment. And my home looked and smelled great, too.
Benefits to health
But there was another benefit. I’d had a number of health conditions, such as headaches, frequent infections, stuffy nose, itchy eyes and sore throat for years. I’d learned to live with them, thinking that most people felt the same way. But within a few months of weaning myself off conventional cleaning products, my health improved dramatically. All those minor ailments I’d been living with had vanished, along with the air pollution in my home. That’s why I’m delighted to be able to share with you some of the secrets I’ve discovered about safer, greener and more selfsufficient household cleaning.
What you will learn from this book
This book will provide you with:
• Information about harmful ingredients used in some conventional household cleaning products.
• Details about using safer, readily available ingredients for cleaning.
• Simple, effective recipes for everyday cleaning jobs.
• Preventative cleaning methods so that you never have to do another spring clean!
• Ways to save money, space and resources.
• Tips to protect the environment.
• Information about ways to help improve your own and your family’s health.
Keep