VANILLA EXTRACT put some in old cat cans etc or something more formal and the room will smell like vanilla-bad if you get hungry on suggestion

buy some high oxygen product like Oxy-Up which should might help kill some odors-the oxygen will suffocate them-there is something called an Ozone Room which is used for removing odors from badly contaminated articles-ie smoke etc-a friend tried it on cow urine and it didn't work-

cut up some lemons and put them in big pot of water and boil-after hour citric fragance should refresh room-I would assume one could use oranges or other citric fruit
Recipes for Potpourris
so far cheapest place I have found on web to buy oils,herbs,spices and nuts :-)

fill an old spraybottle with vinegar and water and spritz away-the odor of vinegar goes away quickly-leave some vinegar out when you are cooking fish or cabbage-( a friend always sprinkles vinegar on french fries to help cut down the grease

fill the bathtub with very hot water and put vinegar in it and then hang clothes with smoke odors etc above it and the vinegar will help reduce the odor

boil cinnamon sticks and cloves in water on stove and that should permeate around-again dangerous if you are the hungry type-or cinnamon and cloves-ps cloves help relieve toothaches-have also read putting tobasco or hot saucesauce on tooth relieves the pain

burn a candle to absorb odors-but high enough away from little curious ones and drapes etc

buy household plants which absorb odors-but which add to cleaning up as leaves drop and kitties do play

dampen some cotton balls with fragranced oils but again away from little curious ones

sprinkle baking soda, tea bags or coffee grounds in your shoes to reduce foot odor

baking soda in the bottom of garbage pails helps reduce odors

baking soda in the bottom of litter box won't harm your cat and will absorb some of urine odor

soak feet in tea solution-supposedly soothing besides odor reduction-be careful of staining-have read many tips about using tea as antiquing substitute and helping to dye hair along with henna besides altering fabric colors

for urine odors on furniture, mattresses etc dampen and sprinkle borax on the spots-the borax should neutralize the odor and then clean it again with mild detergent-for new urine accidents, use either club soda or vinegar and pour it on spot
for wall to wall carpeting with backing, buy a hypodermic needle and fill it vinegar and inject the carpet to get to the backing and do it repeatedly.
sprinkle baking soda or borax (you can add some essential oils ie lavender etc to add a fragance(I put a few drops in oil and then rub it on rugs and possibly antiseptic effect-(I sometimes use tea tree oil or eucalyptus-which are also insect repellents) on the carpets and then vacuum-what what it is worth a friend convinced not to use commercial rug deodorants-I think his pet wound up getting sick..whether the pet got the dust in his eyes or what actually happened I can't remember. I just know I stopped.

sprinkle baking soda on the bed mattress to help reduce odors

sprinkle baking soda on your furniture-you create a mess and have to spend time vacuuming it up but it seems to work

actually you can sprinkle baking soda on your pets but careful not to get it near their nose or eyes-it helps deodorize besides when brushing it out absorbs some of oils

While you are at it you might as well do that when you are about to sprinkle the carpet so you will have less to cleanup and what goes on the floor will contribute to your sprinkling the floor

It might be convenient to buy a sugar sprinkler so you can just fill it with baking soda -maybe you better label it so if you are cleaning challenged you won't have to worry about using too much baking soda when you are dumping it from container-we cleaning challenged tend to be very impatient and have a lot of things on our mind other than cleaning

for odors in refrigerator:half a lemon;open box of baking soda;used teabags

half a lemon in garbage pail

flavored tea bags in water in pot pourri warmers

diluted vinegar on pet urine .be careful of that rug..reduces urine odor(you can use club soda also)

baking soda in bottom of ashtrays helps reduce tobacco odor

underarm deodorant substitute-use alcohol to remove bacteria and then apply baking soda or cornstarch

light match in bathroom or where new deposit in litter box..

mildew odor from books-put books in bag with baking soda or clean cat litter and leave for a few weeks

for skunk odor this is interesting linkshunk odorSUGGESTS HYDROGEN PERIOXIDE,LIQUID SOAP AND BAKING SODA -another reference to hydrogen peroxide-skunk odor killer

A lovely person just sent me this tip for skunk odor-" If your pet is sprayed by a skunk, simply bring it into the kitchen. Take down your smoke detector, because you're going to make smoke. Take an old tin can (wash it clean). Put it on the stove with a couple of teaspoons of sugar in it (not too much - you don't want the sugar to boil over the can). Heat it until the sugar burns and leave it to burn until the smoke fills the room. The smoke should take away the skunk smell. (also useful for clothes that have been sprayed)."

odors from fires very difficult-might have to wash clothes five times-possibly vinegar to the rinse and add baking soda-might have to degrease your walls with something stronger than vinegar or lemon and then add some sealer to further lock in the odor before you repaint

Coping with Cat Hair

I hate spray cans but spraying with Staticguard on the surface and letting it stay for a minute and then brushing it off works

get clingfree or bounce or antistatic clothes and rub your the hair off the clothes(or else buy clothes that match your kitty cat's or buy a cat or dog whose hair matches your favorite color)-You can also buy a Swiffer or Grab-it or Masslinn products-they supposedly are electrostatic and will attract the hair-I have repeatedly read that fabric softeners like clingfree etc can be toxic..obviously aerosol cans aren't environmentally friendly- for those with more time, possibly try when rinsing clothes, use a 1/4 cup of vinegar or epson salt s and see if they help remove static cling from clothes and thus make them less susceptible to being recipients of pet hair and fur..they are recommended in many places for being a fabric softener

Allerpet-FAQ re allergic reaction why -their product

masking tape or other tapes with adhesives work will but you run into a fortune if you have long haired kitties-(of course if you put your clothes away that would help but for some of us creative and intellectual busy people..that is asking the impossible)

put on rubber gloves and wet them and then rub against the hair

try vacuuming your clothes but boy is that a pain

use a wet sponge mop over your carpet to clump pet hair-remember to make certain it doesn't have something on it you forgot about..you can add some glycerin to the wet sponge to help the process

wet a sponge(again you can add small amount of glycerin and rub that over cat hair on clothes

yOU MIGHT WANT TO BUY HEPA FILTER AIR PURIFIER IF YOU OR A FAMILY MEMBER SUFFERS FROM ALLERGIES

get dogs who are non shedders(usually they are hypoallergic too-ie schnauzers,bijons,poddles, or the hairless mexican dog..(ps if you get a nonshedder,you would be amazed at how easy it is to buy your own clipper and groom them haphazardly yourself-the blades are designed so if is almost impossible to clip the skin-if you buy a clipper,make certain you always feel it as to when it gets hot and might burn the dog-also it seems easy for the cleaning challenged to constantly disinfectant the clipper-since love appears to outway "better things to do with ones time

General Cleaning

Sprinkle baking soda on whatever surface you want to clean-floor-counter etc-better to get one of those flour sprinklers to get a finer shower and then spill vinegar on the soda..voila,you hear a sizzle and then start cleaning up the mess. If you want to make it more powerful add a little borax (caveat..as I am always in a rush or have other things on my mind, I usually use too much baking soda and have to clean up the residue-even when I clean I mess up:

diluted vinegar in water can also rinse away film from human's hair too Centralcarpet provides tips

vinegar and newspaper(newspaper may not work as well these days since the ink has been often changed to vegetable based rather than petro based) clean mirrors and glass

clean mirrors and glass:denatured alcohol/club soda/vinegar and newspaper

salt and boiling water helps keeps drains flowing

salt and boiling water-doesn't help to get the water to boil faster-just helps to raise the temperature of the water

salt in case you don't have baking soda helps put out grease fire-also of course covering fire with a lid of a pan also helps

vinegar in water while poaching or making hard boiled eggs..keep shell intact

eggs and
vinegar in water while poaching or making hard boiled eggs..keep shell intact

salt-boiling in salt water helps eggs to peel easier-pouching eggs in salt water helps to keep white intact-testing eggs-two teaspoons of salt in cup of water-if it floats-don't use it

aluminum spots-2 tablespoons cream of tartar + 1 quart hot water

coffee stained cup-moist salt

fiberglass stain - baking soda paste

crystal finery - rubbing alcohol or vinegar and water with baking soda if you need something abrasive-poor it on terry cloth towel and then rub the object-supposedly it is a bad idea to use ammonia or anything more abrasive than baking soda-if you leave flowers in a crystal vase too long,though you might need vinegar or ammonia..or supposedly you can drop a denture cleaner in-

clean fruit from pesticide or wax with baking soda

I read a tip that if you put some water in a glass candle stick holder and then put a candle in,it will prevent some of the mess of cleaning up..as long as you don't let the candle burn all the way done

gooey stuff-put ice cube on it or if you can put in freezer and then scrape off when hard and continue from there

candle wax-put brown paper bag over wax and iron with warm iron-wax goes onto bag-if candle wax goes inside an object try heating object in double boiler..or if weather on your side, put object in sun and let wax melt naturally

more on wax-if you spill it on carpet..put ice cube to harden it and then scrape off as much as possible..next take a warn iron and put brown paper bag on spots and iron..brown paper bag will absorb the remaining wax..to extend life of candle..freeze it over night..or else dip it in salt solution for a few hours or in mild detergent for a few hours..

WD40-a very light oil-besides using it to help unstick locks(olive oil or any vegetable oil also works)

chewing gum on floor or clothes..warm vinegar helps remove it-can put ice cube on chewing gum and let it harden and scrape off as much as you can

you can spray it on crayon marks,lipstick marks or other grease or wax stains,and then wipe it off

crayons-try an eraser-use toothpaste to get it off walls

for the wall-heat the crayon wax with hair dryer and then try toothpaste or baking soda
use a baking soda paste or baking powder

if the crayons are melted-you first might want to put ice cube on it and then scrape off as much as possible before you tackle the rest-if on fabric or carpet-as with wax-you can use warm iron and put brown paper bag on spot to absorb the wax from the crayon-of course you will have to deal with color stain afterwards:-(

inkspot-1 tbs cream of tartar 1tbs lemon juice plus cold water-try alcohol-supposedly ingredient in hairspray when people say use hairspray to take out ink stains

mildew remover- vinegar and borax (equal amounts) first borax in warm water and then add vinegar

mildew preventer for shower curtain-soak the curtain in salt water after cleaning it..should retard growth of mildew

all purpose cleaner equal amounts of vinegar and borax

vinegar cuts greasy film but can put pits in marble
vinegar supposedly safe for color fast clothes-except cotton and linen

vinegar in electric iron unclogs the clogs

for fun vinegar in old milk bottle..add baking soda -and then tilt bottle away and as you are adding baking soda ,put on cork and watch the cork take off

If you screwed up on bleaching synthetic light item and ruined anyways try soaking them for a few hours hours in a mix of 2 warmish quarts water, 1/3 cup of salt and 3/4 cup white vinegar . You can try bluing afterwards-yellowed silk or woolens-spot clean with 1 tablespoon of vinegar to one pint of water..sponge it and then wash as usual-

coffee table rings from wet cup or glass..try a hidden area first thought..Get rid of rings left by a wet glass on your table or other furniture with a 2 TBS of white vinegar plus one pint of mineral oil ..apply with soft cloth so you don't add scratches and then dry it up

tps of vinegar in pie crust water adds to flakiness..if you don't like flakiness except in people..forget it

balsamic vinegar sprinkled on strawberries makes them sweeter..try it on one and see for yourself

small amount of vinegar on meat and chicken helps tenderize it..remember a small amount

little vinegar and salt helps removes stains etc in old iron toe breaking skillets

clean pesticides off food by rinsing with vinegar or tiny amount of housegrade hydrogen peroxide

clean that cauliflower..little vinegar when cooking cauliflower makes it look whiter(make sure by the way nobody in your family is allergic to vinegar ..will do the research on that later..you never know,duz you

decal remover..soak in vinegar (always white unless otherwise mentioned-or if on nonfabric surface-use mineral oil -

paint brush remover..soak in hot vinegar ..don't know if you should do it with sable brushes though..

water softener..add some vinegar

when rehemming clothes,one can sprinkle some vinegar on the crease and iron over it and it will help take out the crease

cleaning nonwashable wallpaper- artist gum eraser absorbs dirt and is mildly abrasive-if grease stain,either warm iron and put brown paper bag on stain to absorb the grease/rub cornstarch or baking soda on grease spot which might absorb grease-good luck..also mild detergent might help..you can also try rubbing dry bread as substitute without the crust-

artist gum eraser also good for removing dirt from suede followed by smoothing lightly with emery board/sandpaper..you can also try the artist gum eraser on leather furniture,bags or shoes,clothes..it might help..pseudo dry cleaning without the toxicity and expense..

also read that proportin of 70 percent rubbing alcohol and 30 percent water and spray on shoe and then put something in shoe to stretch it..again no thanks..afraid alcohol might discolor a bit..there are commercial products..ie one by dyo..another that contains papaya enzymes..works with no staining..there is always a shoe stretcher

rinsing clothes in vinegar helps remove static cling in final rinse

stain remover..hopefully color fast fabric..ie coffee, tea ,grass,fruit..full strength vinegar

oil stain -rub white chalk over stain and wash

vinegar can be used as a corn remover..soak bread with vinegar and leave on overnight..bet your cats won't play with your feet while vinegar smell is there

thuja,an herbal tincture,is said to remove warts-homeopathic thuja is often suggested to be given to dogs after vaccinations- PLEASE IF YOU HAVE DOGS OR CATS GO TO THE vaccinationspage- many vets are beginning to join the band wagon and saying that they are witnessing an alarming number of diseases,especially autoimmune diseases in our animals and are beginning to suspect overvaccination-also more parents are wondering if vaccinations are hurting their children as they witness a higher incidence of asthma,allergies,etc

plantar warts, soak a black tea bag in hot water, place tea bag on the wart for fifteen minutes a couple of times a day.

sore throat..gargle with vinegar and water..can't hurt(during time of Plague..robbers used a concoction of vinegar etc as a defense against the plague when they robbed the poor victims..apparently it worked..Four thieves Recipe or something like that..

some people use water and add vinegar and wash their face..

vinegar in humifidier..check with manufacturer..might reduce the scarey bacteria you heard about..

Mildew on clothes-use lemon juice-although it might bleach fabric-let it dry and then wash again

use a bit of baking soda and water in thermos container to get rid of odor

put a ball of steel wool or piece of screen or fine net in the drain of bathtub when cleaning your pets since it will catch the hairs-use judgment because obviously you don't want the whole works to go down the drain and create another problem

add to tablespoons of vinegar to pt of mineral oil to clean water rings off table tops and then obviously wipe off with soft cloth so you don't get other things greasy by accident

stubborn stain use lemon juice and borax and then scrub it with an abrasive pad.

scouring powder- salt and soap

disinfectant-1/2 borax half hot water

adding baking soda to your scouring pad dish may prevent it rusting

vinegar can help remove rust on nuts and bolts and other mineral deposits such as calcium deposits-

ps if you are hammering or removing nails,hold a rubber spatula near the nail(ps you can also put masking tape over the area you are hammering or where the claw part of hammer touches the wall to protect the wall)

water mark-toothpaste

dishwasher cleaner- borax and washing soda

heavily soiled washing loads-add 1/2 cup borax

spray starch-two tsps cornstarch in one pt cold water-put in old spray bottle

fabric softener-add 1/4 cup baking soda in final rinse

paint brush softener-hot vinegar

perspiration stain - baking soda or soak in salt water

fresh coffee stains - use cold salt water

blood stains - soak incold salt water-then wash-then if fabric can take it boil it

porcelain stain - baking soda

porcelain stain - cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide paste

porcelain stain - salt and rub sliced lemon on the stains

porcelain stain - when really bad wet paper towel with bleach and then leave it for while on the inside of sink-

oven spills -sprinkle a lot of salt and then scrub

banana peel-shoe polish

wine stain - salt

scorch mark remover-grated onion

grease fire- baking soda

burns-cold water, tea bags

sunburn- vinegar-I received a suggestion about soaking a towel with vinegar and putting it on the sunburn-it draws out the heat and possibly helps limit the peeling

wallpaper remover- vinegar

vegetable stains on hands etc-rub sliced raw potatoes on the stains

tooth polisher- baking soda with some lemon juice

remove odors from cutting board- vinegar and baking soda

deodorize shoes and of course sneakers-put baking soda in them-ps remember you will have to vacuum if you come home and start walking barefoot..

spot clean wallpaper- baking soda with enough water for paste

color ring- baking soda paste

mildew stains on clothes- baking soda paste

scratches on laminated counters-use baking soda paste -again the more baking soda and vinegar you use..the more you are also absorbing odors in the house

wicker cleanersalt use a stiff bruff dipped in warm saltwater and then let dry in the sun-helps prevent yellowing

bleach substitute= borax 1/4 cup of borax to 2 cups water

bleach substitute= Sodium Perborate/sodium hexametaphosphate - a chlorine-free, natural bleaching mineral-helps remove rust or iron stains from clothes-there are commerical products such as super iron out..but don't know the ingredients

mold and mildew cleaner and preventer borax

mildew remover vinegar and salt

floor or furniture polish - Use 1 part lemon to 2 parts olive oil and apply sparingly Or mix three parts olive oil and one part vinegar or one part lemon juice with two parts olive oil or ready made Mayonnaise

scuff marks-grated onion

spot remover-club soda lemon juice or salt

club soda as mirror cleaner

hairspray if you must-way to kill flies or bees..makes them not able to fly

tea bags-for staining furniture and for staining off white fabrics to get a new look

baking soda and lemon -help get teeth whiter

denatured alcohol-cleans spots and mirrors

potato in soup which has too much salt -absorbs salt

bay leaves in drawers-helps keep away insects

lemon plus baking soda -mild abrasive stain remover

mineral oil on sticky labels etc helps remove the label

baking soda for fires-keep near stove-creates carbon dioxide which helps extinquish fire

eucalyptus oil -removes tar stains ..put some oil on cloth and then let it soak into fabric..then proceed with usual cleaning

have read that mayonnaise also removes tar stains ..put some oil on cloth and then let it soak into fabric..then proceed with usual cleaning

bleach substitute-Sodium hexametaphosphate-also found that a commercial product uses it as a coating for dog biscuits to clean doggy's teeth-

leather-linseed oil and vinegar

patent leather-polish with vinegar

patent leather-rub with unbeaten whites of egg,let dry and then polish

toothpaste-put on glass scratches and polish-helps diminish the scratches-

toothpaste--lifts crayon marks off the floor

newspaper or brown shopping bags-lettuce leaves etc-help absorb grease while cooking soup

urine odor-put baking soda in bottom of litter box to absorb odor-have also read that putting borax sprinkled on bottom of box also helps but I wouldn't as in my household whatever can go wrong goes wrong..
baking soda in the bottom of litter box won't harm your cat and will absorb some of urine odor

for urine odors on furniture,mattresses etc dampen and sprinkle borax on the spots-the borax should neutralize the odor and then clean it again with mild detergent-

vinegar helps remove urine odor from rugs- baking soda , cormeal, cornstarch ,or club soda sprinkled on rugs and furniture also help remove urine odor-have also read to use ammonia first and then vinegar -but I prefer to no longer use ammonia because of the fumes-I have used Natural Miracle and that didn't do the trick-I have read about bacteria(microbes)eating up petroleum etc,so just discovered a company Justritethat appears to have microbes eat the urine-I have also sent rugs to the cleaners and the urine smell didn't disappear-but on the other hand, a small oriental rug which appeared to be a favorite of one of my kitty cat's when she was very old and wanting to leave her scent behind here was about to be thrown out-instead I left it outside for a couple of months-a wool rug-wouldn't you know it,the rain finally removed all traces of urine smell-have also read that putting aluminum foil over the spot where your kitty cat likes to leave her/his scent works as a preventative,since cats don't like to walk on the foil-

club soda on wet urine - -use can also use borax to neutralize and disinfect the urine(or spilt milk for that matter)by dampening the area and rubbing the borax in-let it dry and then brush it off
buy some high oxygen product like Oxy-Up which should might help kill some odors-the oxygen will suffocate them-there is something called an Ozone Room which is used for removing odors from badly contaminated articles-ie smoke etc-a friend tried it on cow urine and it didn't work-

vinegar acts to neutralize bases that contain alkaline soaps-thus gets soap film out in final laundry rinse-also breaks down urine odor when used cleaning baby's diapers etc

Coping with pots and pans and metals

really bad pots and pans or ovens-use ammonia-or inclose hopeless pan or pot in big plastic bag-pour in ammonia and then seal bag and leave overnight

non coated pans-boiling 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 1 cup of water for ten minute

enamel coated discoloration- paste of equal amounts of salt and vinegar, clean area & let sit for 15 minute
/sprinkle it with 2 to one ratio of lemon to salt and let stand for about one hour

Burnt Pots & Pans-paste of water and baking soda rubbed on and let sit for an hour..but boiling with vinegar and baking soda is a lot speedier

copper pans-tomato paste rubbed on really helps/slice a lemon in half, pour some salt on it rub it

I threw out my aluminum pans for potential health risks but supposedly boiling some apple peels in it for a few minutes helps rid discoloration

- aluminum- 1 quarts water and 4 tablespoons cream of tartar, vinegar, or acidic food(ie tomato,lemon etc) and boil for 10 minutes. Rinse & scour lightly with a steel-wool soap pad. Rinse again.

alumimum foil, salt and baking soda and very hot water-lifts of a lot of tarnish from silverplate-the alumimum foil is essential for creating the magic-not as magically as I would wish for..have read boiling the silverware with those ingredients also works..

brass cleaner-catsup-I wasn't very successful though

one can dip brass into a solution of 1 part ammonia to 8 parts water for an immerse..totally immerse the object

vinegar or newspaper cleans chrome

stainless steel streak cleaning-rub with olive oil or club soda

stainless (ha) steel stains-clean with vinegar and baking soda(if need be for mild abrasive and chemical reaction)

rust on stainless steel appears to be caused when the alloy chromium which is maybe 10% of the material-rest being iron-diminishes-have read to be careful when cooking not to leave acid containing food such as vinegar,ketchup,vinegar,lemon(all those things that can be used as nontoxic mild cleansers plus salt(another cleaner),mustard,milk,salad oils,etc are left too long..you can use mild Scotchbrite pad or very fine steel wool to rub the "bleached out part" or white spots out or difficult stains-also you are always supposed to go with the grain..which makes a lot of sense

alumimum spot remover-2 tbs of cream of tartar plus one quart hot water

silver tarnish-rub tarnish first with salt

silver tarnish-try cleaning with toothpaste
Professional opinion-don't
"Do clean fine jewelry often to maintain its sparkle and beauty. Do not use toothpaste as its abrasives can damage softer gems and metals. All fine jewelry can be safely cleaned by soaking for 10 minutes in warm soapy water (using a non-detergent soap). Use a soft brush on harder gems to loosen any dirt around the prongs. To reduce greasy build-up on diamond jewelry, dip it in plain alcohol or vodka before soaking."SOURCE Jewelryinternational

brass cleaner-equal parts white vinegar with equal parts flour and salt to make paste-leave on for hour and then buff with soft cloth

brass cleaner-make a paste of cream of tartar with lemon juice - then buff with soft cloth-initially you can also first clean with mineral oil-takes away a lot of dirt

copper cleaner-white vinegar and salt

brass and copper cleaner..equal parts vinegar and lemon with enough salt and flour to create paste(careful of salt as it is an abrasive-later putting a slight mineral oil trace on object makes it shine more

brass cleaner-Worcestershire sauce

brass half lemon dipped in salt and rub unlacquered brass..rinse and buff

pewter-polish with cabbage leaves

Brass and copper sour milk or nonflavored yogurt-let it dry and then wipe off.

aluminum pot stains-boil apple peels in pot

Be certain to determine first whether wood is finished or unfinished-most of these tips refer to finished wood-sealed woodsome of these tips can be found in other sections of this page

if possibly put outside and let fresh air and sunshine help vaporize the odor

put kitty litter,open bag of charcoal,ground coffee or baking soda in trunk,armoire or drawers and close for a couple of weeks

for too strong an odor,you might have to sand down the inside and then use a paint sealer

Coping with pests-insects,ticks,mosquitoes-it is quite easy to buy the essential oils and herbs off the net and create your own concoctions or flea collars or sprays-(the usual caveat re herbs is warning for many if your pet is pregnant etc

mice-get a cat-mice seem to sense the presence of a cat-at least in apartments and tend to avoid the premises.

sticky traps work-if you want to put them out of their misery-once caught-drown in toilet on trap-if you want to free them to release them elsewhere-put the trap in large deep container and pour vegetable oil on them and they will be able to free themselve with some pushes from you with soft ended object

bowl of beer-keeps away slugs in garden

roach repellent-bay leaves and cucumber skins

nemotodes-put on soil to eat flea larva etc
place to buy nematodes and description
Link for nematodes-don't know prices

Charles D. wrote that Tide with bleach has solved his problem with ants and slugs-"There is no dilution in the tide. You use it directly from the box dry and place it in cracks in the concrete and around areas that are infested with bugs."

slug repellent-marigold plants

mice-supposely don't like smell of peppermint-get peppermint oil or peppermint gum and place it where mice might be hiding-READ in other places to put out potato buds-dried potato-when the mice drink water..the buds will expand and do them in

speariment gum-supposedly mealybugs don't like the smell.put some sticks in kitchen cabinets

mothball alternatives-cedar chips or oil/lavender/whole peppercorns/sachet of dried lavender/or dried rosemary/or mint

flies-keep bowls of dried lavender in each room

lemongrass-insect repellent

flies-put honey on long narrow strips of yellow paper and hang them -homemade fly trap-have also read a bowl of molasses at night with a spotlite on the bowl..

ants supposedly dislike mint..so plant some mint near entrances-have read they get discouraged with chili powder etc but with my pets..I don't want to look for trouble-have read that cayenne pepper,a line of vaseline or chalk act as a barrier-have also read rubbing vaseline around pet food bowls help prevents ants from staking a claim

germanium oil-may help repel ticks-LYMES

tobacco (cigarette) in hot water-then use the polluted water in plant's soil to help prevent aphids,etc-remember tobacco is toxic to little ones
Seedman-has list of plants that are natural repellents-

Special Uses for health and "beauty"-not just pets-some of these tips have been found by looking at herbal research. If you want to investigate more,on the herbal reference site I have many links to information. Still searching for latest research in holistic remedies. Please keep in mind,as with everything,you should be aware of side effects and go SLOWLY!.Check with your vet-Re Herbs-have read that most human doseages as for approxiately humans weighing around 140 or 150 pounds-which might give an idea as to how much to give to your pet..also have repeatedly read that if you decide to go herbal way-two weeks off and two weeks on might be more effective do your own research-- -CLICK HERE FOR THE HERBAL REFERENCE SITEAnother page contains current great deals re pet supplies and holistic supplies.--Click here for some great deals-!

if you want to make your own cream deodorant, you can use a base of vegetable glycerin and bees wax

olive oil may help prevent skin cancer-recent Japanese study

sting nettle might help hayfever

remove itch from bugbites- vinegar

peppermint(tea) for diahrrea and helping to settle stomach

boiled rice(ie the starch content-make it mushy-plus chicken,lamb or hamburg also helps diahrrea

just read in Dr. Goldstein's pet health book-50% white potatoes,50% sweet potatoes and a slice of turnip and piece of scallion boiled with chicken or not fatty meat helps stop diahrrea-(again the binding starch?

black walnut might be good for gums and teeth-have read even removing plaque etc

soak a towel with warm water and add vinegar and place on face-might help bad headaches

licorice(not the candy)as alternative to cortisone-have read that licorice has antidepressive effects-don't if you pet has heart involvement

adding astragulus to your diet or pet's diet might help immune system

prickly pear might help toothaches

ginger might help diahrrea besides motion sickness
just read that somebody feeds their dogs ginger snaps on car trips-great idea for your two legged little ones also

cottage cheese helps stools-probiotics -also yogurt and kefir

canned pumpkin(fermentable fiber) for cats with constipation or diahrrea problems

slippery elm bark for constipation and diahrrea problems

black walnut for helping get rid of worms-also supposedly great for teeth care

milk thistle to help with liver disease

applying mustard to burns may help heal the burns

red raspberries might help cancer(a cup a day

cottage cheese may help your pet with stomach problems

cottage cheese with flaxseed oil may help build your pet's immune system

intermittent use of echincea may also help immune system

arnica and arnica gel great for bruising,swelling and pain-

selsun shampoo might help mange

Essiac tea or floressence may help immune system

Ester C(easier on the stomach might boost your pet's immune system

IP-6 may help immune system

diet high in fats and proteins and minimal carbohyrdrates may help doggies with cancer

garlic may be good for immune system

natural cortisone may have less side effects than synthetic cortisone

hypericum may help reduce nerve pain

ledum may help with Lymes disease and tick bites

collidal silver may be natural antibiotic

have seen testimonials to eucalyptus and honey as possible help for cataracts

enough research that honey(especially from certain areas is great for healing burns and bruises

aloe-vera good for healing skin-also for digestion and immune system-unpleasant taste but your dog or kitty might try to lick it off anyways which would be good
euphresia(eyebright) might help your kitties eyes

kava kava or passion flower may decrease anxiety

coffee cruda may help one go to sleep

rescue remedy by Bach may help reduce anxiety in your pet and make it easier to groom him/her

soak tea bags in boiling water and let cool enough to prevent burning-open the bags and place them on burned areas as quickly as possible

supposedly the soaked tea bag can help heal canker sores etc

read for tooth extraction biting down on soaked tea bag might help the blood to coagulate-

soaked tea bags help soothe eyes

buy a small vaporizer and put water with tea tree oil drops or eucalpytus oil drops in it..unless you don't like the smell..it will help deter bacteria etc besides lending a scent to the room-

vinegar and used warm tea bags helps reduce burn pains and swelling..if you really have done it to yourself..race into cold shower..I did that when I had second degree burns and think saved myself some scarring

keep an aloe vera plant in your house-great for burns or infections-break off part and rub

for insect bite,try rubbing a raw onion on it

cut cucumber slices also helps make eyes feel better

facial astringent-witch hazel and strong black tea solution-have also read that green tea might be helpful in preventing cancer-also Lipton is promoting that tea is antioxidantM

makeup brushes-save money by buying paint brushes..go to art supply store-often times you will find same brush as you would in cosmetic store

interesting read on vinegar and arthritis-on Gary Null Website

link for tear stains

If only we could train our kitties to teach us the patience in cleaning-well actually my two white Persians don't groom themselves the way my other kitties did-guess they think they are just fine the way they are-are maybe because they have so much fur-they also get tired at the thought

there are a lot of herbal remedies-but they also may carry risk-please if you use some,try to find out the possible side effects and be vigilant as you would for any remedy-I hardly introduce anything at all to my cats and dogs without first consulting my vet or my friend who has breed cats for 35 years and has seen it all :-) PLEASE THIS TIPS ARE JUST POSSIBILITIES THAT YOU SHOULD FURTHER RESEARCH!Australian Tree Oil-anti fungal-used also in pet products

dilute vinegar in water to rinse pet after washing..beware the eyes(a drop of mineral oil will help protect their precious eyes

change diet for tear stains-has worked with my white persians-far less staining now

cod liver oil drops(soothing and source of vitamin a-would suggest buying norwegian cod liver oil-others maybe way too contaminated- in your kitty's eyes might relieve them

try enticing your kitty to eat yogurt/cottage cheese-possibly with sardines to see if that might help constipation(ie help restore good bacteria-it appears to have helped Snowy bigtime

for constipation,add a tiny bit of psyllium husk power into food-research it first and ask your vet-stopped with Snowy as it caused gas

fermenteable fiber in Pumpkin which many cats like may also help-Beet Pulp is another

apple cider vinegar ..few drops in pets' water..might help prevent bacteria,weight gain, and might balance out acids and possibly help prevent stones(my vet said it would take an incredible amount of vinegar to do that! but have read stones are often caused by infections/have also read vet say not caused by infections :-)

emergencies-if you animal eats a cooked bone,glass,needle etc-besides possibly taking your animal to the vet-you might want to give them soft bread or mashed potatoes..best best is not to have string or sewing needles with thread around.. friend's kitty cat swallowed a needle and thread-thank goodness her vet was able to remove it without major surgery

you might want to buy powdered super C-high concentration so you can put it in the water and might not put off finicky drinkers-a woman who has rescued over 60 kitty cats swears by vitamin C-another said that her doggies's tumour went down with vitamin C and started coming back when she stopped..

for the sick-you might want to buy liver and puree in chicken soup-easier for a sick animal to have liquified food..ALWAYS ASK YOUR VET FIRST!(i DO WHENEVER i TRY SOMETHING NEW-)

try black walnut for worms-again research it and ask your vet

pumpkin seeds,papaya seeds,cloves or garlic might also help deworm

wormwood,black walnut(read up on black walnut hulls-can cause allergic reaction related to a fungus,and cloves might help detox body of parasites

try putting colloidal silver in drinking water-check out research and its use as natural antibiotic

keep activated charcoal on hand-research it for poison antidote-ie antifreeze etc

get Rescue Remedy-Bach flowers remedy- great for trauma and stress

do research on Bach Remedies-a lot of testimonials say they work-there are many websites that explain which one to use

put chamomille tea in your pets water dish-supposedly might lessen their stress and relax them-

flaxseed oil and cottage cheese-booster of immune system besides other benefits-Dr Bugwig reported positive results in treating cancer and tumor reduction-..more information for flaxseed..

check out some natural immune boosting research such as tumeric-garlic

using juice from dandelion stems might help heal hotspots on doggies-have read dandelion roots referred to as poor man's lasix-guess because it is diruetic

vinegar ..supposedly cats don't like the smell and will stay away from area you put the vinegar on.. not my snowball though..his curiosity is just too much

citrus oil ..supposedly cats don't like the smell and will stay away from area you put spray it on(ie couches.)

another said for cleaning pets ears one part vinegar ,one part alcohol and on part water..

another said for cleaning pets ears is mineral oil

after bathing the dog, add vinegar to rinse water to help remove soap film and also to get rid of some doggy ordor-I don't though because with my luck I could wind up getting it in their eyes. Another tip re eyes is putting a drop of mineral oil in pet's eyes so in case you get cleaning stuff in the eyes it won't hurt..also putting petroleum jelly around eyes also acts as barrier..again I won't because they I will be stuck figuring out how to get the petroleum jelly off the furniture and doggie or kitty cat..

"polishing cat's fur-egads read that after you clean your kitty you can use a chamois cloth

cornstarch also mentioned as way to stop bleeding when you clicked the nails too close-also stinging nettle

peppermint oil on paws of dogs might calm him down

use cornstarch , baking soda ,or cornmeal as a temporary dry cleaner for your pet and then brush it off- baking soda will act as deodorizer-don't use on long cottony haired cats though-had to use a chopstick to demat Snowy-to find where his mat began and his skin ended-(had to buy a 40 surgical blade to get rid of the mats-very very very slowly-had to make certain the skin was stretched so the blade wouldn't nick him-

for very thickly matted cats-poke an object between the skin and fur-so at least you have a guideline where one begins and the other ends-

yeast infections-dab some tea tree oil on cotton soaked in mineral oil-seemed to work on my schnauzers' ears-you might also try vinegar..

scratches or skin irritation-try calendula or hypercal-the calendula with hydrogen peroxide first seemed to clear up my kitty cats skin-irritated when fur matts peeled

Have read that after bathing your cat,you can put the poor little one into a sink filled with water and a cake of bluing soap to make him/her whiter than white- i WON'T USE THIS TIP-even though bluing is used in some pet shampoos-also read that in South Africa,they use bluing soap as antifungal-also have to ask my vet about Australian Tea Oil as antifungal-SO FAR HAVE READ ONE CAVEAT REGARDS TO PETS

Haven't tried this one yet,supposedly if you wash your white kitty cat with club soda, that also will take the yellow away and make the white whiter..also sounds quite safe for the challenged ..

cornstarch for matted fur-rub into the fur and then start brushing or combing it out. too busy freaking out over my poor doggy-

also putting food dish on raised platform-which is also safer to prevent certain health problems

just read that somebody uses listerine to treat the acne-

for the finicky eater,try putting some boiling water in their wet cat food, they might prefer a mushy and slightly warm meal

paste of white fuller's earth and boracic powder supposedly cleans tear stains

diluted chamomile tea for tear stains eyes..supposedly doesn't sting-a cat lady told me that you anything you can use on your eyes you can use on your kitties-
Dr. Goldstein in The Nature of Animal Healing suggests Cod Liver Oil for eye irritations..

cleaning Persian's stains boric powder and fuller's earth and enough hydrogen peroxide to create a paste and then leave it on for a bit then clean it off..again..even if I put mineral oil in my kitties's eyes as a barrier, I am too much of a worry wart to do it..this way I am one of the only ones who knows my kitties are pure white-(ps I read somewhere that the tear stains are from oxidization-my vet said that some kitties are born with viruses and produce more of tears than others..

cleaning Persian's stains and eyes-buy eye washer ie Bausch and Lomb which is a mixture of boric acid

cleaning Persian's stains equal amounts of milk of magnesia, cornstarch and hydrogen peroxide to form a paste -I won't use that tip..I am too cleaning challenged and only want ultra safe alternatives for tear stains..I was also advised to use a little Joy -I will just stick with Bausch and Lomb

For long haired kitty cats, when clipping them yourselves, you may try a little alcohol to wet down their fur..again check with your vet

indepth link for tear stains

citronella, eucalyptus, vanilla, pennyroyal, geranium and cedarwood and rue SUPPOSEDLY natural flea repellents

supposedly sprinkling carpet with salt or borax helps kill flea eggs-but be sure to vacuum afterwards

fleas-brewers yeast with garlic in doggy's food-I have heard that repeatedly but didn't work for me-I just take a shower hose and put them in tub and spray away-for flea bite allergy-I have given them small amount of antihistomine..but ask your vet-I have also used vinegar and have read that vinegar also helps keep fleas away-one breeder offered tip of putting vinegar in dog's food ..and that should do the trick of keeping away fleas..have heard numerous times that apple cider vinegar helps keep one healthy and helps keep one thinner..

CITRIC OIL/tea tree oil/neem oil in bath helps repel fleas

sprinkle salt on carpet and leave it for a few hours and that should kill fleas-one can also put salt in vacuum cleaner which will also kill the fleas once they are in the bag-again call manufacturer of vacuum to see if all right

supposedly you can just drown fleas by keeping your pet in the bathtub and sudsing him up for 20 minutes-
there is a product Green Hope Farm Flea Free by Green Hope Farms-flower remedy-nontoxic-supposedly it really works-the cheapest price I have found is at
Green Hope Farm Flea Free

Long haired kitties-tie a plastic bag losely on tail when you have to cleanup after they mess up-this way at least the tail won't get drenched

dog biscuit study to determine if they clean teeth
The most significant conclusion of this study is that conventional dog biscuits are of NO EFFECT as a teeth cleaning aid for dogs.

information on clipping-also cat tips-use of blades etc

discount animalhousepetsSodium hexametaphosphate is commonly used as part of household detergents! Australian Tea Oil-antifungal