Chinese Household Tips

[YangDizi]

Do any friends have Chinese household tips for not using chemicals for housework? I have friends, for example, who use [POP=jiǎozitāng (the soup in which jiaozi are cooked)]饺子汤／餃子湯[/POP] to clean their dishes. The flour in the water is very effective in absorbing oily residues on the crockery.

I also have other friends who add [POP=shíyòngsūdá (bicarbonate of soda)]食用苏打／食用蘇打[/POP]to their washing machine during the rinse cycle: it softens the water and replaces fabric conditioner

I'd be interested to know if anyone has any other tips to avoid chemicals when cleaning or any other household tips they've learnt from Chinese friends.

[muyongshi]

There is a lot of companies like amway (including amway) that specialize in "safe" non-chemical cleaners that operate in China. Might as well just look into them... (ps I'm not an amway fan but I do like their dish soap...don't really like the company scheme though...)

[YangDizi]

Thanks, Muyongshi. It is useful to know about environmentally friendly products.

Having said that, I'm not sure I'd like to buy Amway (安利) products because of their previous direct selling model used in China (subsequently modified to conform to PRC regulations).

I'm thinking more along the lines of recycling within the home. In addition to the examples I gave to open this thread, I can give others. For example, dried peel from mandarins can be used as a mosquito repellent or banana skins can be used to polish leather shoes.

I'm hoping that other users of the Forum can give me more such tips so I'm not so reliant on 84度消毒液.

[Luobot]

You can brush your teeth with baking soda in a little water (after boiling and cooling it). You're not getting the fluoride (for better or worse) along with the other chemicals in toothpaste.

For mosquitoes, I've tried burning candles made with lemongrass and citronella. It seems to work as long as the candles are burning. Friendlier than DEET, though not as effective for serious situations.

[cdn_in_bj]

You can use white vinegar as a disinfectant for wiping kitchen counters, etc.

[heifeng]

If I have learned anything from my roommates it appears to be just don't bother cleaning anything for months until someone just cracks and takes a putty knife to all kitchen surfaces and scrapes off the layers of accumulated oil and other random nastiness. No chemicals used or water wasted at all!

[YangDizi]

嘿嘿 Heifeng!

Perhaps that is the most environmentally friendly method after all!

[cdn_in_bj]

If I have learned anything from my roommates it appears to be just don't bother cleaning anything for months until someone just cracks and takes a puddy knife to all kitchen surfaces and scrapes off the layers of accumulated oil and other random nastiness.

Dang heifeng, that's pretty nasty. Who does the dishes in your house?

[heifeng]

Honestly, I dunno what the deal is with my roommates, they seem 'normal' but I am guessing just are allergic to cleaning up in the 'shared' areas of the apartment. From what I've witnessed on the rare occasion that I have actually entered the kitchen, it appears as though they just leave food in pots and dishes in the kitchen until they need to cook or use them again. I've never actually seen anyone cleaning anything in there, including washing dishes....Maybe it was like that before they moved in too and so they don't want to deal with it, I dunno. But, all in all the puddy knife (I think i paid 2yuan）works wonders.

[imron]

I think i paid 2yuan

You don't go in there, but you bought them the cleaning knife?

[roddy]

Putty knife, people, putty knife. Puddy isn't a word, unless followed by 'cat'.

Surprised nobody has mentioned the boiling of vinegar to stop the spread of coughs, colds, and SARS. The entire nation stank of vinegar for a large part of 2003.

[LaoZhang]

Speaking of vinegar...

if your pot/electric water boiler has crusty white build-up in it, boil water with some vinegar in it to get rid of it.

[heifeng]

Putty knife, people, putty knife. Puddy isn't a word, unless followed by 'cat'.

haha, ok fine, it is a putty knife....

You don't go in there, but you bought them the cleaning knife?

Yes, i needed to procrastinate one day so i scraped up the kitchen! Also, being that I could actually see the stuff stuck on top of the hood range, it was harder to ignore it...but I paid the 2yuan so the knife is MINE:wink:.

Surprised nobody has mentioned the boiling of vinegar to stop the spread of coughs, colds, and SARS. The entire nation stank of vinegar for a large part of 2003.

this is interesting though.

[roddy]

I should add that, as far as I'm aware, there's no evidence that boiling vinegar does any good. That said, it does force you to walk around holding your nose, which presumably stops you snotting out too many germs.

[skylee]

What heifeng described is what happens in my apartment. And there is nobody with a knife. No cleaning ... no cleaning ... hehe.

[fireball9261]

You can use white vinegar to clean the hot water bottles to get rid of the hard water stains. Just put the vinegar in the hot water bottles to soak it for over night before rinsing. My mom also used water after washing the rice to wash dishes. She said that water is also very good for washing hair.

Old tea could be poured into the pot of plants. My mom's plants like it a lot.

You could also use the bottom of the china plates or bowls to sharpen your knives (to use on your roommates ). It must be real china, and not earthenwares.

I found ants don't like cloves and hot chili peppers.

[simonlaing]

I think vinegar does do something for colds.

I was on a one week tour of Shanxi (the one next to beijing, not the xian one) and one of their main products is vinegar and most of the banquets has a few vinegar dishes. They said people drink so much vinegar with their food they don't get colds.

After walking through the vinegar factory, (at times covering my mouth) My sinuses did feel clearer. So I definitely think it has an effect.

Prevent colds, drink lots of vinegar.

have fun,

Simon:)