Make Your Own Cleaning Products

by MarkGallagher

I watched the documentary Chemerical a few months ago and wanted to start making my own cleaning products at home for a while.  I do not like the smell of most conventional cleaning products and bleach makes me want to gag, even with the windows open.  I'm using what I have now, but I bought glass mixing bottles from Ross and just grabbing ingredients as I go.

As soon as a bottle was empty I went to work creating my own mosquito repellent, because the screens on my bedroom widow doesn't quite fit and I'm being eaten alive.

I bought some lemon eucalyptus oil from Whole Foods and grabbed some Rubbling Alcohol from CVS, I also grabbed some vinegar to make a natural all purpose cleaner later.

The recipe I followed was based off the instructions from About.com:

One 16 oz. Bottle of Rubbing alchohol
One Small Bottle of Lemon Eucalyptus Oil (One bottle is almost not enough for the ratio, so 1/2 of another bottle of essential oil will cover the appropiate ratio)

The rubbing alcohol cost a little more than a dollar and one bottle of oil was about $6 and still cheaper than a 16oz bottle of the premade natual repellent.

by Stephanie (strph) from Oklahoma City, USA

How well does the concoction work?
I haven't been bittin again sense as long as I spray it nightly around the windows and front door.

How does it smell?
Like Off, but not too offensive once it dries, I think if I added more essential oil it would smell fine.

I also made my own personal all purpose cleaner:
32 oz. bottle (glass for me, but you can use your own old spray bottles too!)
1/4 cup of salt
about 16 oz  water
about 16 oz vinegar
If you don't like the smell, add favorite essential oil (about 100 drops, more or less)

With the essential oil it doesn't make for a great glass cleaner, but you can just do 1 part water and 1 part vinegar to make a good glass cleaner.

A great car windshield recipie:
3 tablespoons of cornstarch (to clean off bugs)
1 cup vinegar
3 cups natural glass cleaner (I used Method Glass Cleaner)

Another recipie I've used was for deodarant:
1 part corn starch
1 part coconut oil
1 part baking soda
Essential Oil 4 drops per oz

You mix all the ingridents in a pot or pan, put in mold or old deodarant stick container and keep in fridge in hot weather.  If the deodarant irritates your skin add less baking soda or change the essential oil.  I recomend a small batch of unsented to just try it out and change it later for your needs.

These are just a few I've used so far, do you have any cheap natural recipes for cleaning your home?

Cleansing Your House

My boyfriend and I moved into our cottage just after February and I didn't reform a cleansing right away, mostly because I was a little lazy, and because I was busy.  After I was scared a few nights ago by a voice I decided it was time to get the negativity out and salt around the property.

I really don't want to hear that voice again because I need some sleep without fear of hearing voices all around me.  I probably won't know if it is anything more serious for a few more days, but I don't think so because I took action quickly.

It is sad how I want but do not want to see entities like I did as a child, but I guess I watch too many horror movies to have full confidence in myself.  I should try to just contact my spirit guides to help me rediscover my sight.

I keep thinking of the movie Insidious and how astro-projection is mentioned.  With how creepy some of the astro-planes were, I can't imagine a child wanting to visit, so how did he get lost in the first place?


Despite the sheer stupidity of the movie, some of the special effects were great and I like how they depicted some of the more violent ghosts.

This scene scared the crap out of me

Fear of the unknown can be hindering, but blowing caution to the wind can be just as dangerous.  So I'm super cautious when I use an ouija board because I do not want anything in my home that may harm me.  I'm not saying that this protection is enough either, entities can break through.  I remember a Pagan Centered Podcast episode on contacting entities and the dangers, but I don't remember the episode number.


The basic story was an entity left a scar on one of the hosts even after she went though her regular protections.  That truly terrifies me.


Another podcast I listen to is Infinite and Beyond, it's great and one episode #17 he invites a paranormal investigator onto his show and they speak about his experiences and how the work is done.


Cleansing a house is simple: burn sage with the windows shut, tell the negative residue to leave, (sweep the house, pushing the negative residue out), you can burn a white candle, say a prayer, but after the sage is burned open the windows to let the leftover residues escape.  I like to seal the house after this with salt all around it.  I put some extra in the doorway.

This is just what I do, there are many cleansing variations that can be done for different religious types, sage and salt are actually very common cleansers for protecting a home.  A great book to look into for identifying spiritual entities, protecting your home and yourself is Defense Against the Dark by Emily Carlin.  It's not too complicated and is neutral enough to be used in any faith.


I'm just happy that my house is clean from negativity, now if I can only get my neighbors to stop arguing at 3 am.


How do you cleanse your house?  

Tarot: Hearing Voices

Last night around midnight I heard a distinct 'boo' in my dreams and woke up.  I could feel the breath on my face and my boyfriend woke up too.


After waking up from lack of sleep I decided to ask my Heart of Faerie Oracle deck if there was something in my room.

The first card I drew was:

The Faerie of Youth


How I interpreted this card was yes there was something in my room because I used to see things in my youth.  I remember about 2 years ago I heard another voice at my parents house and it scared the goddess out of me.  I don't know what it said, but it didn't sound nice.


This 'boo' sounded playful but malicious at the same time, like it didn't want me to sleep that night.


The second card I drew was:

 The Prince of Shadows


This card told me it was a negative entity and potentially dangerous.  I didn't feel any danger at the moment, but it's better to error on the side of caution.


The last card I drew was:

The Blessing


Since my boyfriend and I moved in to this small cottage I haven't preformed a cleansing or spread any salt around the property to keep the negative entities out.  This voice may be a warning for things to come if I don't take care of the cleansing soon.


This reminds me of the time I tried to help my sister with something hanging around our parents house. After salting, preparing stones like granite and such, she finally used her tarot cards to communicate with it.


I like tarot cards personally because they can be very detailed about your situation in particular.  The pendulum doesn't work too well for me, even though they are great for quick answers.  Which form of divination works best for you?

Shadow People

-Response to a Post on Paganspace.net

I used to see one down my hallway at night, they have never appeared in my room, to me anyway, but my sister said she saw a shadow in my room once. I think I feel them mostly, my hairs stand up. One time I think they tried to talk to me, but I was so scared, so I just curled under my covers and went to bed.

I've never felt anything bad, but since I do not understand them, I fear them. But as a child I used to think they were just my dad. I don't know why they are here and I'm wondering if they were a sign that I would follow a Pagan path.

My mother also sees them. She doesn't fear them, but just says, "Oh it's you." and goes back to bed. Now I'm wondering if they are the cause for my fear of seeing trees through a window. Sometimes I see them randomly on the road or from the corner of my eye. I wish they didn't look so dark and scary.

My sister also feels one, outside my house, she says it's feminine and it just watches her. She says I have a male one who watches me. But I wonder why? She also said they got pissed when I salted and smudged our rooms and house. So I'm wondering if they are a good thing.