Cleaning The Toilet

Having a clean home is something most of us like to have. If you believe TV advertising, cleaning products can perform miracles. Showers are clean with one wipe and toilets are sparkling with one fragrant little disc. All is not what it seems to be.

Toilet cleaning products are so expensive and can easily increase your food budget by about $10 a month. It doesn't have to be that way. I've been a domestic cleaner for about 17 years and on average cleaned more than 10 toilets a week. I've used every toilet cleaning product on the market. This is what I've learnt over the years -

* Toilet cleaners do not keep mould from growing under the rim.
* Disinfectant wipes are too thin to do a good job. At approximately 8cents a cloth often you need to use two.
* Toilet brushes do NOT get into all the crevices.
* The stick on toilet discs get in the way of cleaning the bowl
* Toilet blocks without the cage disintegrate when you move them to clean the bowl.
* Cheap liquid toilet blocks do not last very long.
* Blu loo ends up splashed all over the walls.

Here's how I keep my toilets sparkling clean on a budget.  I use no name chux type cloths. If they are big I cut them in half.  I spray a couple of squirts of Miracle Spray or disinfectant into the toilet bowl and onto the cloth. I wipe the outside of the toilet first, folding over the cloth when it gets dirty so that I  get a clean surface. I then wipe the inside of the lid,  then the seat,  then the underneath of the seat then the top of the toilet bowl where the seat rests.   Using your rubber gloves and cloth, wipe over the toilet bowl digging down as far as you can go into the pipe. Then wedge the cloth up under the rim ( if your toilet has one ) to get out the grime.

Flush

I throw the cloths into a bucket with disinfectant to soak until my next wash day.   The cloths are put into a linen bag and thrown in the washing machine with the towels. These cloths are so durable they can last up to six months. All for about 10 cents per cloth. Combine that with the budget friendly Miracle Spray which costs about $1 per litre.   Cheap and easy as.

If you keep your toilets clean, then you'll find that toilet blocks and other products are not that necessary after all.

Put A Pump On It.

Putting a pump on cleaning products and toiletries can save you small fortune.  A few years ago I noticed a family member preparing to wash some dishes.  Out came the dishwashing liquid and SQUIRRRRRRRTTTT.  Yes you guessed it.  An enormous squirt of dishwashing liquid went into the sink.  Combine that with fast flowing water and the family member ended up with a sink full of bubbles and very little water.  Infact,  you couldn't see the water and the bubbles were a foot high.

I know I've been called tight or cheap but sometimes portion control just makes sense.  I don't like to see waste whether it be money,  consumables or possessions.  I would prefer to be a good steward of what I have.  Yes it might save a few dollars here and there.  It could help the environment too.  Portion control in my house really makes life easier.

Quite a few products now come with pumps on them.  You'll find them on large bottles for easy use.  What do you do with those pumps when the bottle is empty ?  If you are throwing them out because you don't have a need for them,  think again.

Here are some examples of how I reuse pumps to save us money -

*  Large bottles of shower gel come with a pump.  I'm unlikely to refill a large bottle simply because it's not cost effective to buy small bottles of shower gel for that purpose.  Sometimes those pumps will fit large bottles of shampoo and conditioner.  TRESemme shampoo and conditioner doesn't come with pumps and those large bottles are hard to manage in the shower.  Put a pump on it and you have portion control.  Dilute the shampoo and conditioner and you'll save even more money.

*  As I mentioned above,  dishwashing liquid is hard to portion control.  I saved pumps from liquid hand soap ( before foaming hand wash days ) and put them on the dishwashing liquid bottles.  I know two pumps of the liquid will wash my dishes.

*  Darren uses hair gel each day to tame his curly hair.  For years he used containers of hair gel and it was messy.  A couple of years ago we found hair gel in a pump bottle.  Now when the bottle is empty we refill it with other brands of hair gel.  No more trying to screw on a lid with sticky hands.

*  We've saved liquid hand soap bottles and refilled them with shower gel.  Portion controlling shower gel,  no matter how small the bottle is,  can be tricky in the shower.  We've even emptied all the little bottles from hotel accommodation into a pump bottle.


Each time you go to throw out a pump bottle,  think again.  Can you refill that bottle with something else ?  If not,  will that pump fit onto another bottle ?  It's well worth a try.

Soap Making

For a few years now I've been wanting to make soap but was too frightened.  I think I was frightened of the safety aspect and the unknown.

Soap making was one of my goals for this year so I thought it was time to take the plunge. I came across a very simple and cheap recipe from a blog I follow called House of Simple.  Phil is the blog writer and he promised it would be easy.  So one Saturday I followed the instructions ( to the letter ) and the soap turned out beautifully.

Here are the instructions from House of Simple ( used with permission )  


Blended Vegetable Oil Soap
Safety Note: Wear eye protection, mask and gloves, keep kids and pets away, perform in close proximity to running water in case of spills, keep a window open for ventilation.



INGREDIENTS

1.25 litres of cheap blended vegetable oil (no name is perfect)
173 grams of caustic soda
450 mils of water


METHOD(please follow method exactly in this order)


1. Place water into a very large plastic mixing bowl
2. Pour caustic soda very slowly into water whilst stirring continually with a wooden or plastic spoon until dissolved
3. Add in vegetable oil slowly, stirring all the while with a wooden or plastic spoon
4. Mix with stick blender till a firm trace has occurred - must look like thick custard.
5. Place into large plastic flat-bottomed container - cover with an old towel.
6. Leave totally undisturbed for 24 hours7. Remove from plastic container (twist the container slightly - turn upside down to pop out).8. Cut into bars with the sharpest knife you have

9. Put bars away on a wire rack in a cool airy place to cure for 6 weeks

This recipe will make about 12 bars of simple, frugal and lovely-to-use soap. This recipe is a great one to start with if you have not made soap before as there is no oil blending required, no thermometers required, no special molds or perfumes required either. The ingredients are not expensive which is important for a first time soap maker and vegetable oil is very forgiving

Wendy's notes -

*  I used silicon baking moulds as well as small oblong cake tins.  Silicon baking moulds can be found really cheap at op shops.

*  If using metal cake tins,  line them with cling wrap first for easy removal of the soap when it sets.

*  If the soap hasn't set enough within 24 hours, leave it for another 24 hours then you should be able to remove it from the moulds.

*  If you have an Aldi near you,  they have the cheapest blended vegetable oil at under $8 for 4 litres.

*  I bought the Caustic Soda from Bunnings.  I think it was in the paint section.  Make sure the container has the words "  for soap making " on it.

*  Make sure you have all your moulds close by and ready to use straight after the mixture reaches trace.

*  These soaps will make wonderful presents when added to a fancy face washer or hand towel.

*  I did not put a coloring or fragrance in the soap as I have skin allergies.

Some of the soaps I made

Reaching trace.  It looks like thick custard

Rose moulds

Waiting for the soap  to set

This was from Bunnings

Bathroom Bin Liners.

Bathroom bins can get quite smelly and dirty.  A great way to protect the inner bin bucket is to use old bread bags as bin liners.  I use five bread bags at a time on a bin I purchased from Kmart for $7

Remove the inner bin bucket.

Cut a slit in the bread bag about 1/3 of the way down from the top

Line the inner bucket with the bag.  Move your hand around the inside to squash the air out of the liner.

Continue lining the bin another four times.  This is a great time saver and means your not scrounging around for bin liners each week.


When replacing the inner bin bucket,  flatten all the liners and edges to one side and slide the bucket into the bin.

February's Theme - Being Water Wise

Now that the kids are back in school,  I thought it was time to set a monthly theme to help save time,  money and energy.  I'm very goal driven and find that I achieve so much more when I have goals written down

Each month I'll post a new theme and I hope you will join in as we strive for cheaper bills,  more home cooked food and a well organised life

February's theme is being water wise.  Australia is a very dry country and for many,  many years we experienced a crippling drought.  Severe water restrictions were put in place and we eventually got used to watching every drop of water we used.

A couple of years ago the water restrictions were lifted with only minor restrictions still in place. Yet how many of us still watch our water usage ?  Do we still see water as a precious resource ? Water charges are on the increase each year and I must admit,  I don't like opening my water bill.  My family can't afford a rain water tank at this point so we need to find other ways to reduce the amount of water we use.

Here are some ways that my family saves water -

*  Saving the shower warm up water in a wide mouthed bucket.  If the weather is warm we use this water on the plants outside.  If the weather is cool or wet,  we pour the water into the washing machine.

*  Saving the washing machine rinse water and pouring it back into the machine for the next load.  I do this all year round and for every load.  The final rinse water for the last load of the day is poured onto the garden around the house.  It can't be used on the vegetable garden as it contains bacteria but it's safe for other plants and the grass.

*  Putting a large ice cream container or bucket in one of the kitchen sinks to catch the water from hand washing,  drink bottles and rinsing vegetables.  This saved water is then used to rinse dishes before being put in the dishwasher.  I also use the water for rinsing out the other sink.  If there is any leftover water after these tasks are done,  I pour it into a watering can outside to be used in the garden.  If it's really clean water I water vegetable seedlings with it.

*  Using a wind up timer for shorter showers.  I've tried digital timers but eventually they rust or the battery dies.  Replacement batteries cost more than the water you'd be saving.  I've picked up wind up timers at the Reject Shop and other discount stores.

*  Have a large jug or bottle of water in the fridge.  In Summer tap water is warm so having a jug in the fridge will eliminate the need to run the water waiting for it to come out cool..

*  Watering vegetable and garden plants with a watering can.  Using a watering can is great for getting the water where it's needed -at the base of the plant.  If your garden is large then maybe this option is not for you.

*  Having a water saving shower head.  This might sound basic but many homes still haven't changed over.  Even if you have a water saving shower head,  only turn on the taps until a reasonable stream of water comes through.  Not every shower needs to be a power shower.

*  If you have plants in pots,  put them in the shade on hot days.  You won't have to use as much water to keep them alive.

*  Water your garden early in the morning or after tea during Summer.  This gives the plants a chance to absorb the water before it evaporates.

*  Put a bucket under a out pipe on your hot water system.  Water drips out constantly so why not save it for a plant.

*  Use the shower to shower,  not brush your teeth or shave your face ( for the men ).  Even with a water saving shower head,  brushing your teeth uses about nine litres.  Shaving and brushing your teeth at the sink uses less than one litre.

*  Have the tap turned off when brushing your teeth.  Maybe use a cup of water to rinse your mouth.

*  Using the dishwasher when it's really full.


Please feel free to update us with your progress throughout the month.  We'd all love to hear how others are saving water..

What water saving goals do you have for the month of February ?

How do you save water around the home ?

My watering can.

Our new bathroom taps

An ice cream container in the kitchen sink .

Fancy Face Washers

Fancy face washers make lovely presents for females of any age.  My Grandma gave me face washers and hand towels with crocheted edges for birthday presents when I was little.  They were beautiful and I loved them.  It was twenty years before I was able to unpack them for use in my own home.  Every time I used them I thought of my Grandma.

I can't crochet ( yet ) so here's my version of a fancy face washer.  All you need is-

*  Scraps of material about 10 cm wide x the length of the face washer or hand towel.

*  New face washers or hand towels.

*  Sewing machine or neeedle and thread

*  Iron

Cut the material strip to the desired width and length allowing an extra centimetre for a seam around all the edges.

Fold and iron the one centimetre allowance back onto the wrong side of the material.

Sew the material onto the right side of the face washer.  Quite often face washers have a strip of detail woven across.  I cover this with the material.

Trim all cottons and there you have it,  a lovely present that cost $1 - $2.  My girls have requested one in their Christmas stocking.