Do-it-yourself household cleaning products

Turbidine

Hi guys,

I'm trying to be as green as possible and am therefore creating my own household cleaning products based on very simple recipes that use basic products.
These products are easy to find in France but it seems impossible to find them here in Ireland...
Can you help me by giving me tips on how/where I could possibly find the following:

* sodium bicarbonate
* soda ash/natron
* sugar soap (it's brown/black and made of concentrate of vegetable oils)
* neutral liquid soap (does not contain colours, perfumes - is 100% vegetal and usually transparent)
* spirit vinegar

I've looked in eco shops, in pharmacies, etc. Can't find any of it!

Only relevant answers please - stupid comments not welcome.
Thanks :-)

P. Breathnach

Sodium bicarbonate: any supermarket, probably labelled bread soda.
Sugar soap: many hardware shops have it.
Spirit vinegar: I don't know what you mean, but I use malt vinegar (the clear variety).

Turbidine

Thanks !
I might have used an incorrect translation of "vinaigre d'alcool". We also call it white vinegar or cristal vinegar - not sure this helps. It's transparent like water and there is at least 6% of acidity in it .

Macha

I think we call it "white vinegar" or "spirit vinegar". It's just pure vinegar, as far as I know. I think most of the stuff you can buy in the supermarket will be a type of malt vinegar, which isn't what you want.

Oh wait...

http://www.heinzvinegar.com/vinegars/whitevinegar.aspx

Maybe the stuff in the supermarket would do the trick?

Turbidine

Thanks that looks like it !

Any one knows about soda ash ? It's like little rocks of agglomerated soda.

Also - for sugar soap, can anyone advise of a hardware shop in the city centre ? Not too sure where to find them!

CJhaughey

Stick the recipes up here and likely people will try and make them themselves, this will mean that suppliers will be found all over the place.
My local shop sells soda crystals.

Turbidine

Soda crystals is the name then - thanks.
I'll have to translate the recipes first though, it's all in French. May take a while since I have to contact the author first but will do !

Turbidine

Ok, I got the authorisation to translate the booklet (29 pages). In order to do things properly I'll need a native english-speaker to review my translation.

Any volunteers ?

Thoie

I have a fairly good level of English, and also speak some French if that helps? PM me the original and translation and I'll take a look at it for you.

P. Breathnach

I would have offered help, but Thoie beat me to it. If Thoie wants to share the work I am willing to participate (same credentials: good English, some ability in French).

Turbidine

Great !
There is quite some work to do so there'll be some for you too!
Will send you a PM! Thanks!!