Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living

Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living Features

Additional Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living Information

This book represents the culmination of her search for a more sustainable lifestyle. Taking her cue from an earlier time, Berthold-Bond, former editor in chief of Green Alternatives for Health and Environment, offers more than 800 simple and practical alternatives to common household toxins, covering everything from skin care to gardening. And the good news is that adopting her suggestions and formulas isn't hard at all. "Mixing up face creams or wood stain isn't much different than cleaning the windows with vinegar, soap, and water instead of using Brand Name X, or making a cake with flour, eggs and milk instead of buying a mix," see asserts. "With a few simple staples we can clean our houses, wash our hair, rid the dog's bed of fleas, and do many other things as well." If you have your doubts, here is her formula for metal polish:

3 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon flour, and enough white distilled vinegar to make a paste. Scoop the paste onto a clean sponge, and polish the metal clean. Rinse with hot water and buff dry.

Sure, these days it's literally impossible to lead a life that is completely toxin-free. But you can significantly reduce your exposure, and picking up a copy Better Basics for the Home is a great way to get started.

What Customers Say About Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living:

The author often recommends keeping things in glass jars and bottles, but I do just fine keeping the products I mix up in a reusable plastic squirt or spray bottle. It's very practical to be able to mix up, say, more dish washing liquid when you need it, rather than adding it to a list of things to buy at the store. Aside from the health benefits and the joy of living in a clean house, the recipes are very inexpensive and mostly very simple to make.

I use both the housekeeping and personal care recipes. My husband and I both suffer from allergies and asthma and both of our kids have asthma; using natural housekeeping products makes a world of difference for our health and our house is always fresh and clean. I've had this book since it was first published and find myself referring to it for one thing or another at least once a week.

Using these homemade products actually makes housework much more enjoyable since I'm not breathing the toxic fumes while I clean. This book seems to contain everything I need for natural home and personal care; I've been happily and faithfully using it for over 10 years now. I keep about 10 or 12 staple ingredients on hand, including white vinegar, castile soap, glycerin, and essential oils, and mix things up as needed.

I've stopped buying and started making furniture polish, dish washing liquid, bathroom and kitchen cleaners, shampoo, body wash, creams, lotions and potions for the face and body, lip balm, etc.; pretty much anything we need can be whipped up in a flash.

Order now. I have read this book several times and it is a must have for every home. Dont be left out in the dark when the time comes and you need this book.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in using non-toxic ingredients for cleaning, lawn and garden and other aspects of homekeeping. I read this book to find scientific support for homemade cleaning products. I think that your money would be well-spent if you purchased this book. It has an excellent resource section at the end of the book that is better than any other book on the subject. I didn't find this specific information. However, I understand the GRAS(generally regarded as safe) concept and have utilized some of the recipies, especially for cleaning solutions.

Brilliant. Great book. I love the various remedies to cleaning and disinfecting this book offers.

I love it. The cleaner I am talking about uses essential oil of lavender & water to clean toilet seats and more. It is less toxic than what I can purchase from commercial sources and it has a lovely scent. Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living It could include mor recipes for cleaners. I saw a recipe for a great bathroom cleaner on Annie Bond's web site and yet it was not in her book.