Using Coffee to Control Slugs
To control slugs, snails and pillbugs, broadcast coffee grounds around plants troubled by the little beasts. To run pests off effectively, use anywhere from 2 – 5 lbs of coffee grounds per 100 square feet. Slugs in most cases come right up to coffee grounds but wouldn't cross over. Not only is the product organic and works great, but it also replaces one of the worst toxic pesticides on the market, Metaldehyde . Diluted coffee is also an excellent organic fertilizer, especially for orchids, African violets and may have some of the same pest control powers. It's probably worth a try.
Coffee contains N-P-K, trace minerals and the food stuff to stimulate the growth of beneficial microbes. The best part is that coffee grounds are basically free. Just ask your local restaurants or coffee shops to put them in a container provided by you. At the least, save and use your own coffee grounds at home. We do every day.
Coffee tends to develop a green or blue-green fungus that looks like mold. Don’t worry - that’s good. The green fungus is really beneficial (Trichoderma species) while the blue-green one is reported to be moderately beneficial. In any case, moldy coffee is great to use directly in the garden, compost pile and on interior plants.
DirtDoctor.com
Coffee contains N-P-K, trace minerals and the food stuff to stimulate the growth of beneficial microbes. The best part is that coffee grounds are basically free. Just ask your local restaurants or coffee shops to put them in a container provided by you. At the least, save and use your own coffee grounds at home. We do every day.
Coffee tends to develop a green or blue-green fungus that looks like mold. Don’t worry - that’s good. The green fungus is really beneficial (Trichoderma species) while the blue-green one is reported to be moderately beneficial. In any case, moldy coffee is great to use directly in the garden, compost pile and on interior plants.
DirtDoctor.com
Top 10 uses of baking soda for cleaning in the home
Baking soda is a commonly available mineral full of many cleaning attributes, baking soda is made from soda ash, and is slightly alkaline (it’s pH is around 8.1; 7 is neutral). It neutralizes acid-based odors in water, and absorbs odors from the air.
1. Drain cleaner: Pour one cup down the drain followed by three cups of boiling water.
2. Chemical smells out of clothes: Soak clothes for two to three hours or overnight, in one cup of baking soda. Agitate the machine occasionally. Repeat if necessary. Wash as usual. (This method is great for removing the new smell out of clothes.)
3. Cat urine: Alternate sprinkling baking soda, which will neutralize acid odors, with white distilled vinegar.
4. Dog odors and urine: Sprinkle with baking soda. Let set for a few hours before sweeping up.
5. Silver polish: Make a paste of baking soda and water, scoop some onto a clean, soft rag, and polish the silver. Rinse and polish dry.
6. Soft scrubber: Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl and add enough liquid soap or detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop onto a sponge and clean the bathtub or tiles. Rinse.
7. Scouring powder: Simply sprinkle baking soda into a sink and scrub.
8. Oven cleaner: Sprinkle baking soda onto the bottom of the oven. Squirt with enough water that the baking soda is damp. Let set overnight, making sure the baking soda is damp before you go to bed. In the morning, simply scoop the baking soda and grime out with a sponge. Rinse.
9. Refrigerator deodorizer: Place an open box in the back of the fridge. It will “absorb” odors, which means that it will draw odors to the baking soda molecules.
10. Cutting board deodorizer: Sprinkle the cutting board with baking soda, scrub, rinse.
By Annie B. Bond, author of Clean & Green
1. Drain cleaner: Pour one cup down the drain followed by three cups of boiling water.
2. Chemical smells out of clothes: Soak clothes for two to three hours or overnight, in one cup of baking soda. Agitate the machine occasionally. Repeat if necessary. Wash as usual. (This method is great for removing the new smell out of clothes.)
3. Cat urine: Alternate sprinkling baking soda, which will neutralize acid odors, with white distilled vinegar.
4. Dog odors and urine: Sprinkle with baking soda. Let set for a few hours before sweeping up.
5. Silver polish: Make a paste of baking soda and water, scoop some onto a clean, soft rag, and polish the silver. Rinse and polish dry.
6. Soft scrubber: Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl and add enough liquid soap or detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop onto a sponge and clean the bathtub or tiles. Rinse.
7. Scouring powder: Simply sprinkle baking soda into a sink and scrub.
8. Oven cleaner: Sprinkle baking soda onto the bottom of the oven. Squirt with enough water that the baking soda is damp. Let set overnight, making sure the baking soda is damp before you go to bed. In the morning, simply scoop the baking soda and grime out with a sponge. Rinse.
9. Refrigerator deodorizer: Place an open box in the back of the fridge. It will “absorb” odors, which means that it will draw odors to the baking soda molecules.
10. Cutting board deodorizer: Sprinkle the cutting board with baking soda, scrub, rinse.
By Annie B. Bond, author of Clean & Green