Nancy Birtwhistle

[SadJaneGrey]

Anyone else bought all her books and using her eco cleaning methods?
The one I’m using the most is the spot treat and soaking.
My DM always spot treated and soaked etc. I thought was old fashioned and just threw in machine. My DM had a twin tub, long after everyone else got rid.(my DF could fix so she wasn’t allowed an automatic).

Not Nancy, but I realised long ago that all I need to keep my house clean and fresh is Fairy liquid, bicarb, vinegar and lemons. Hot water, good cloths also of course. I can bypass the multi coloured trigger spray aisle in the supermarket.

I'm looking to reduce chemical use too. Would you mind explaining how you use these please?

I've done quite a few Nancy cleaning methods, and the use of citric acid (her mix is called Pure Magic) is fantastic, as is her dryish cleaning and carpet cleaner

I got a lot of tips from my MIL who is a dedicated frugaleer, but there are recipes and general info all over the Internet. I like madeleineolivia she is good.

https://www.madeleineolivia.co.uk/blog/20-diy-natural-cleaning-recipes-hacks-tips

Forgot to mention essential oils. You can use to scent your cleaning sprays, my favourite is tea tree, it is anti bacterial and nice and fresh. Just make sure you know how much to use, they can be potent.

I make my own washing powder thanks to Nancy. My local supermarket stopped selling 'gentle' washing powder (I don't live in the UK and supermarkets don't deliver). It was a bit of a faff ordering the ingredients but have overcome that now and. It's so much better smelling that as the only fragrance I use is a few drops of lavender oil

I’m trying to become more eco friendly and have recently got a couple of Nancy’s books. However I had a major disaster with a red wine stain on a pair of white trousers. I spot treated with green bleach and then decided to soak them in a solution of green bleach but they ended up covered in red spots and were unsalvagable. It’s put me off a bit tbh.

I make all my own natural cleaning products very cheaply
i I buy fairy liquid power max and cif cream cleanser
bicarbonate of soda, white vinegar, citric acid, glycerine, rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. Mix into paste or dilute with water depending on tasks.
Cleans everything from teeth to toilets
for homemade tooth whitener mix bicarb into a paste with hydrogen peroxide and brush.
use Citric acid paste every few days

I'm a huge Nancy convert. I make my own dishwasher powder using her recipe. Conker laundry liquid. The basic surface spray cleaner. Bicarb was a godsend when we left our rented flat; got all the black marks off. Sadly no garden now, so I can no longer lob the oven grill out overnight! The pure magic/citric acid loo cleaner works a treat.

The only 'miss' is the non-acidic kitchen spray; left a film of Bicarb.

We live in France, so all the ingredients are supermarket staples; household vinegar sold in 5l cans.

Ive honestly never heard of her. Must go and have a look…

I haven’t read any of her books but I adore her on Instagram 🥰 She has great tips on there too.

I've finally got round to getting all the ingredients and making a batch of Pure Magic. I liked how effective it was, wonderful on limescale buildup on toilet. But I didn't like how it smelt, I think perhaps I added too much tea tree oil, I think I put 16 drops in, the recipe says 10-20 drops.

I love her!

I need to work out how to get the cleaner converted: she loves white Cif