1. Soapnuts or soap berries [locally known as Reetha]
GREAT for washing colored clothes.... not so good for whites. They get the dirt out of the whites but not stains, though I'm making quite a concentrated mix, boiling 20 berries for an hour till water reduces by half. This is a minor problem, so I'm back to using peela sabun as well on the whites.
Makes good shampoo also.
2. Baking soda
SUPERB! Best dishwashing aid. Helps us recycle our kitchen water or greywater is its now known. You can brush your teeth with it too! Gets the tea stains out of your favorite mugs as easy as pie.. can't stop raving about it.
Great for cleaning taps too, as well as silver jewelry.
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Some other green alternatives I've been using for years:
3. Miswak or Siwak
Good for the gums, will help them heal the onslaught of brushing, but after ten years of using mostly miswak I'd recommend you brush once a day also, as miswak's not so good for the backs and tops of your teeth [if that makes sense]
4. Alum
Quite simply the best deoderant in all ways: health, cost & environment & efficacy. Often sold as "Chinese Deodorant Stone" or some such name in organic stores.
5. Surma
Get Hashmi's special, the only make up you'll ever need, boy or girl, man or woman. Excellent for curing & preventing eye infections. As a cyclist, commuting on the dusty smoky streets of Karachi, I wouldn't go without it. God Bless Hashmi's!
WARNING: don't get their Kohl though, it's been found to contain lead.
6. Rosewater
Get the twice or thrice distilled version. Multiple uses, as perfume, mixed with water it's an invigorating refreshing facewash. Eyedrops take away red-eye and eye-strain.
7. Vinegar
Again many uses... as conditioner it'll strengthen your hair & fight dandruff [as will lemon juice] just add tablespoon to mug of water and use as rinse. Also wipe floors and tabletops, clean tiles etc.
& 7 is a good place to pause. More later, inshallah
3 comments:
Useful stuff, I'll try the Alum if I can find it. Nice to have u back :)
good to be back bhai:) Can't leave the net to the neo-pagans.
Will post some pics inshallah
It's one of your best posts to date, may be second to Pakistan ka matlab kya?!
Thanks! Kindly keep on writing such stuff.
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