Homemade Cleaners: Save Money and Be Safer

I began searching for good every day ways to clean my new stainless steel appliances...and got a litte off track and carried away! LOL  That would be me.

This is going to nearly amount to an advertisement for white vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda, but they are some of the best cleaners we have ever produced.  Think about it -- 200 years ago no one had oxy-clean, Spray-n-Wash or Dawn.  They had washed their clothing and some how came out with whites looking WHITE...  not to say that their work clothes didn't get dingy -- buy their Sunday best was probably as clean as ours if not cleaner.

I have cobbled together a list (all borrowed -- NONE invented by me) of cleaners for just about every need you could imagine.  Whether you switch to one of these methods permanently or you just do it in a pinch when you have run out of your normal product -- they do work.  They key is they are cheaper, safer and reduce waste and toxins in your household.

Some of these are "REALLY?  No duh!" but there are folks out there who reach for a cleaner or gizmo before they rely on their own common sense!  So let's condition ourselves not to reach for gizmos and products and see if we can make one signifigant change in how we think about some of these products!

I would LOVE feedback on the ones you try!

Air Fresheners

Most commercial air fresheners do not freshen the air at all. Instead, they mask one odor with another, coat your nasal passages with an undetectable oil film, or diminish your sense of smell with a nerve-deadening agent. For a safer alternative, you may wish to try one of the following.

Ventilation. Open windows or doors in the house for at least a short period every day. This will also help to reduce toxic fumes that may be building up indoors.

Vinegar. Distribute partially filled saucers of vinegar around the room or boil 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in 1 cup of water to eliminate unpleasant cooking odors.

Cinnamon and Cloves. Boil these spices for a fragrant smell. For ease of cleaning, make a cheesecloth bag to contain these spices, and boil the cheesecloth bag. An excellent alternative when entertaining is to steep spiced tea or cider.

Potpourri. Buy or make your own potpourri from your favorite herbs and spices. Place the potpourri in a small basket or jar or in small sachet bags.

Kitchen And Food Odors

Vanilla*. Place pure vanilla on a cotton ball in a small saucer. Place the saucer in the car or refrigerator to remove odors. It is reported to remove even skunk odors. Keep the cottonball out of reach of children; vanilla has a high alcohol content.

Baking Soda. Place a partially filled saucer of baking soda on the refrigerator shelf. Replace every two months and when you do, pour the contents of the used box down the drain to remove odors and keep the drain clean.Baking soda can also be used to deodorize bottles by filling them with undiluted baking soda and allowing the bottles to soak overnight. Then wash as usual.

Borax*. Empty the garbage frequently and clean the can as needed. To inhibit growth of odor-producing molds and bacteria, sprinkle 1/2 cup Borax in the bottom of the garbage can.

Vinegar or Celery Stalk. To avoid or remove onion odors from your hands, rub white vinegar on your hands before and after slicing. Rubbing hands with the end of a celery stalk will also remove the odor.

All-Purpose Cleaner

Vinegar and Salt. Mix together for a good surface cleaner.

Baking Soda. Dissolve 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water for a general cleaner. Or use baking soda on a damp sponge. Baking soda will clean and deodorize all kitchen and bathroom surfaces.

Carpet And Rug Cleaner (See also Spot removers)

IF YOU PLAN TO SHAMPOO YOUR CARPET, FIRST TRY A PRE-CLEANING TREATMENT. Sweep the carpet, which will make the nap stand up and loosen the embedded din. Next vacuum. With this work alone, the rug should show a noticeable improvement, so much in fact that you may decide to delay the shampooing.

To neutralize odors: Borax* and cornmeal. Sprinkle the carpet with a mixture of 1 cup Borax and 2 cups cornmeal. Let this mixture stand for an hour before vacuuming.

Another alternative is Baking Soda. Making certain that the carpet is dry, sprinkle baking soda liberally over the entire carpet. Wait at least 15 minutes, or overnight if the odor is particularly bad, before vacuuming.

Decal Remover

Vinegar. To remove no-slip decals from the bathtub, saturate a cloth or sponge and squeeze hot vinegar over decals. Vinegar also removes stick-on hooks from painted walls. Saturate a cloth or sponge with vinegar and squeeze the liquid behind the hook so that the vinegar comes in contact with the adhesive. In addition, vinegar can be used to remove price tags and other decals from glass, wood, and china. Paint the label or decal with several coats of white vinegar. Give the vinegar time to soak in and after several minutes the decal can be rubbed off.

Disinfectant

Soap. Regular cleaning with plain soap and hot water will kill some bacteria. Keep things dry. Mold, mildew, and bacteria cannot live without moisture.

Borax has long been recognized for its disinfectant and deodorizing properties. Mix 1/2 cup Borax into 1 gallon hot water and clean with this solution.

Isopropyl Alcohol*. This is an excellent disinfectant. Sponge and allow to dry. (It must dry to do its job.) Use in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves.

Drain Cleaners and Drain Openers

Prevention. To avoid clogging drains, use a drain strainer to trap food particles and hair; collect grease in cans rather than pouring it down the drain; pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain weekly to melt fat that may be building up in the drain; or weekly put some vinegar and baking soda down your drain to break down fat and keep your drain smelling fresh.

Plunger. A time-honored drain opener is the plunger. This inexpensive tool will usually break up the clog and allow it to float away. It may take more than a few plunges to unclog the drain. DO NOT USE THIS METHOD AFTER ANY COMMERCIAL DRAIN OPENER HAS BEEN USED OR IS STILL PRESENT IN THE STANDING WATER.

Baking Soda and Vinegar. Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain. Add 1/2 cup white vinegar and cover the drain if possible. Let set for a few minutes, then pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain to flush it. The combination of baking soda and vinegar can break down fatty acids into soap and glycerine, allowing the clog to wash down the drain. DO NOT USE THIS METHOD AFTER ANY COMMERCIAL DRAIN OPENER HAS BEEN USED OR IS STILL PRESENT IN THE STANDING WATER.

Salt and Baking Soda. Pour 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain. Follow with 6 cups boiling water. Let sit overnight and then flush with water. The hot water should help dissolve the clog and the baking soda and salt serve as an abrasive to break through the clog.

Mechanical Snake (and Garden Hose). A flexible metal snake can be purchased or rented. It is threaded down the clogged drain and manually pushes the clog away. If used in conjunction with a running garden hose, it can even clear a blockage in the main drain to the street. First crank the snake and feed it into the pipe. Next withdraw the snake and flush the pipe by inserting a garden hose with the water turned on full. With some luck, it may save you the expense of a plumber.

Floor Cleaners and Floor Polishes

Vinegar. A few drops in the cleaning water will help remove grease particles. Dull, greasy film on no-wax linoleum can be washed away with 1/2 cup white vinegar mixed into 1/2 gallon water. Your floor will look sparkling clean.

For Linoleum: Mild Detergent. Damp mop using a mild detergent and water for day to day cleaning. Keep water away from seams and edges to prevent loosening of the tiles. To preserve the linoleum floor you may wish to add a capful of baby oil to the mop water.

For Wood Floors: Vegetable Oil and Vinegar. Mix a 1 to 1 ratio of oil and vinegar into a solution and apply a thin coat. Rub in well.

For Painted Wooden Floors: Washing Soda*. Mix 1 teaspoon washing soda into 1 gallon hot water and wash the floor with a mop, sponge, or soft bristled brush. This solution can also be used to remove mildew.

For Rubber Tiles: Mild Detergent. Avoid oils, solvents, and strong alkalis as they will harm the surface. Wash with clear water, a mild detergent, and a clean mop.

For Brick and Stone Floors: Vinegar. Mix 1 cup white vinegar into 1 gallon water. Scrub the floor with a brush and the vinegar solution. Rinse with clean water.

For Ceramic Tile: Vinegar. Mix 1/4 cup white vinegar (more if very dirty) into 1 gallon water. This solution removes most dirt without scrubbing and doesn't leave a film. Washing ceramic tiles with soap does not work very well in hard water areas as it leaves an insoluble film.

Club Soda. Polishing your floor with Club Soda will make it sparkle.

Oil Soap (Like Murphy's). Use according to package directions.

Wax Remover

For Vinyl and Asbestos Tiles: Club Soda. Remove wax buildup by pouring a small amount of club soda on a section. Scrub this in well. Let it soak in a few minutes and wipe clean.

For Linoleum Flooring: Isopropyl Alcohol*. To remove old wax by mopping, mix a solution of 3 pans water to 1 pan rubbing alcohol. Scrub this in well and rinse thoroughly. Be sure the area is well-ventilated and wear gloves.

* Special Problems - Floors

To remove black heel marks: Baking Soda. Rub the heel mark with a paste of baking soda and water. Don't use too much water or the baking soda will lose its abrasive quality.

To remove tar: Scrape up excess tar with the side of a dull knife. Rub again with your fingernail, a Popsicle stick, or anything that won't scratch the floor. Finally, wipe up the tar with a dry cloth.

To remove crayon marks: Toothpaste. Crayon marks on the floor may be removed by rubbing them with a damp cloth containing toothpaste. Toothpaste will not work well on wallpaper or porous surfaces.

To remove grease from wood floors: Ice Cube or Cold Water. If you spill grease on a wood floor, immediately place an ice cube or very cold water on the spot. The grease will harden and can then be scraped off with a knife. Then iron a piece of cloth over the grease spot.

Furniture Polish

The idea behind furniture polish for wood products is to absorb oil into the wood. Many oils commonly found in our kitchens work very well.

Vegetable Oil or Olive Oil and Lemon Juice (I have to keep my dogs out for a while or they will lick everything I just polished!). Mix 2 parts oil and 1 part lemon juice. Apply and polish with a soft cloth. This leaves furniture looking and smelling good.

For Unfinished Wood: Mineral Oil*. Mineral oil is flammable. Apply sparingly with a soft cloth. For lemon oil polish, dissolve 1 teaspoon lemon oil into 1 pint mineral oil. CAUTION: Mineral spirits should never be substituted for mineral oil as it can be dangerous when inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

For Mahogany: Vinegar. Mix equal pans white vinegar and warm water. Wipe onto wood and then polish with a chamois cloth.

* Special Problems (furniture)

For Grease Spots: Salt. Immediately pour salt on the grease spot to absorb grease and prevent staining.

For Scratches: Lemon Juice and Vegetable Oil. Mix equal pans of lemon juice and salad oil. Rub into scratches with a soft cloth until scratches disappear.

For Water Spots: Toothpaste. To remove water marks, rub gently with toothpaste on a damp cloth.

For Washing Wood: Mild Soap. Dampen cloth with a solution of water and mild soap, such as Ivory or Murphy's Oil Soap. Wring the cloth almost dry and wipe the furniture section by section, drying with a clean dry cloth as you go so that no section stays wet.

For Refinishing Old Furniture: Commercial Oil Soap. Before you set to work on an old piece of furniture with chemical finish removers, try Vegetable Oil Soap. This simple, nontoxic solvent may be all the help an antique needs. Follow label directions.

Hair Products

For Hair Gel: Gelatin. Dissolve 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin in 1 cup warm water. Keep refrigerated and use as you would a purchased gel.

For Hair Spray: Citrus. Chop 1 lemon (or orange for dry hair). Place in a pot and cover with 2 cups of hot water. Boil until only half remains. Cool and strain. Add more water if needed. Refrigerate in a spray bottle.

 Laundry Products

White Vinegar. Eliminate soap residue by adding 1 cup of white vinegar to the washer's final rinse. Vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics but strong enough to dissolve alkalies in soaps and detergents. Vinegar also breaks down uric acid, so adding 1 cup vinegar to the rinse water is especially good for babies' clothes. To get wool and cotton blankets soft and fluffy as new, add 2 cups white vinegar to a full tub of rinse water. DO NOT USE VINEGAR IF YOU ADD CHLORINE BLEACH TO YOUR RINSE WATER. IT WILL PRODUCE HARMFUL VAPORS.

Baking Soda. 1/4 to 1/2 cup baking soda per wash load makes clothes feel soft and smell fresh.

Dry Bleach*. Dry bleaches containing sodium perborate are of low toxicity (unless in strong solution, then they can be irritating to the skin). Use according to package directions.

Baking Soda. You can cut the amount of chlorine bleach used in your wash by half when you add 1/2 cup baking soda to top loading machines or 1/4 cup to front loaders.

Vinegar. To remove smoky odor from clothes, fill your bathtub with hot water. Add 1 cup white vinegar. Hang garments above the steaming bath water.

Cornstarch. For homemade laundry starch, dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 1 pint cold water. Place in a spray bottle. Shake before using. Clearly label the contents of the spray bottle.

Lime And Mineral Deposit Remover

Vinegar and Paper Towels. Hard lime deposits around faucets can be softened for easy removal by covering the deposits with vinegar-soaked paper towels. Leave the paper towels on for about one hour before cleaning. Leaves chrome clean and shiny.

For Plastic and Metal Shower heads: Vinegar. To remove deposits which may be clogging your metal shower head, combine 1/2 cup white vinegar and one quart water. Then completely submerge the shower head and boil 15 minutes. If you have a plastic shower head, combine 1 pint white vinegar and 1 pint hot water. Then completely submerge the shower head and soak for about one hour.  If for any reason you cannot get the shower head off -- fill a baggie with solution, put the filled bag up with the shower head IN it and then rubber band, tape or twist tie it in place to let the head soak in it.

METAL CLEANERS AND METAL POLISHES

Aluminum

Cream of Tartar. To remove stains and discoloration from aluminum cookware, fill cookware with hot water and add 2 tablespoons cream of tartar to each quart of water. Bring solution to a boil and simmer ten minutes. Wash as usual and dry.

Vinegar. To clean an aluminum coffeepot and remove lime deposits, boil equal pans of water and white vinegar. Boiling time depends upon how heavy deposits are.

Brass

Olive Oil. Brass will look brighter and require less polishing if rubbed with a cloth moistened with olive oil after each polishing. Olive oil retards tarnish.

Salt, Vinegar, and Flour. Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup white vinegar. Add enough flour to make a paste.

Lemon and Salt or Baking Soda. Make a paste of lemon juice and salt and rub with a soft cloth, rinse with water, and dry. Or use a slice of lemon sprinkled with baking soda. Rub brass with the lemon slice, rinse with water, and dry.

Vinegar and Salt. Pour vinegar over the surface. Sprinkle salt over the acid and rub in the mixture. Rinse with warm water and polish dry.

Lemon Juice and Cream of Tartar. Make a paste of lemon juice and cream of tartar. Apply, leave on for 5 minutes and then wash in warm water. Dry with a soft cloth.

Bronze

Salt, Vinegar, and Flour. Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup white vinegar. Add enough flour to make a paste.Apply paste to bronze and let sit for 15 minutes to 1 hour. Rinse with clean, warm water, and polish dry.

Chrome

Vinegar. To clean chrome, wipe with a soft cloth dipped in undiluted white or cider vinegar.

Baby Oil. Apply baby oil with a soft cloth and polish to remove stains from chrome trim on faucets, kitchen appliances, vehicles, etc.

Copper

Vinegar and Salt. If copper is tarnished, boil article in a pot of water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup white vinegar for several hours. Wash with soap in hot water. Rinse and dry.

Salt, Vinegar, and Flour. Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup white vinegar. Add enough flour to make a paste. Apply the paste to copper and let sit for 15 minutes to 1 hour. Rinse with clean warm water, and polish dry.

Lemon and Salt or Baking Soda. Make a paste of lemon juice and salt, and rub with a soft cloth, rinse with water, and dry. Or use a slice of lemon sprinkled with baking soda. Rub copper with the lemon slice and rinse with water and dry.

Vinegar and Salt. Pour vinegar over the surface Sprinkle salt over the acid and rub in the mixture. Rinse with warm water and polish dry.

Lemon Juice and Cream of Tartar. Make a paste of lemon juice and cream of tartar. Apply, leave on for 5 minutes, and then wash in warm water. Dry with a soft cloth.

Gold

Soapy Water. Wash in lukewarm soapy water and dry with a cotton cloth. Polish with a chamois cloth.

Toothpaste. Clean with toothpaste and a soft toothbrush.

Pewter

Salt, Vinegar, and Flour. Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup white vinegar. Add enough flour to make a paste. Apply paste to pewter and let sit for 15 minutes to 1 hour. Rinse with clean warm water, and polish dry.

Silver

Polishing silver while wearing rubber gloves promotes tarnish. Instead, choose plastic or cotton gloves.

Baking Soda. Apply a paste of baking soda and water.Rub, rinse, and polish dry with a soft cloth. To remove tarnish from silverware, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth and rub it on the silverware until tarnish is gone. Rinse and dry well.

Aluminum Foil, Baking Soda, and Salt. Place a sheet of aluminum foil in the bottom of a pan, add 2-3 inches of water, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Add silver pieces, boil 2-3 minutes, making sure the water covers the silver pieces. Remove silver, rinse, dry, and buff with a soft cloth. This method cleans the design and crevices of silver pieces.

Toothpaste. To clean off tarnish, coat the silver with toothpaste, then run it under warm water, work it into a foam, and rinse it off. For stubborn stains or intricate grooves, use an old soft-bristled toothbrush.

Stainless Steel

Olive Oil. Rub stainless steel sinks with olive oil to remove streaks.

Vinegar. To clean and polish stainless steel, simply moisten a cloth with undiluted white or cider vinegar and wipe clean. Can also be used to remove heat stains on stainless steel cutlery.

Club Soda. Remove streaks or heat stains from stainless steel by rubbing with club soda.

Oven Cleaner

Prevention. Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the floor of the oven, underneath but not touching the heating element. Although this may slightly affect the browning of the food, the foil can be easily disposed of when soiled. Clean up the spill as soon as it occurs.

Salt. While the oven is still warm, sprinkle salt on the spill. If the spill is completely dry, wet the spill lightly before sprinkling on salt. When the oven cools down, scrape away the spill and wash the area clean.

Vinegar. Retard grease buildup in your oven by dampening your cleaning rag in vinegar and water before wiping out your oven.

Baking Soda and Very Fine Steel Wool. Sprinkle water followed by a layer of baking soda. Rub gently with a very fine steel wool pad for tough spots. Wipe off scum with dry paper towels or a sponge. Rinse well and wipe dry.

Arm & Hammer Oven Cleaner. Consumers Union chemists declared this product nontoxic. Use according to label directions.

Paint Brush Renewer

Vinegar. Soften hard paintbrushes in hot vinegar for a few minutes. Then wash paintbrush in soap and warm water and set out to dry.

PEST CONTROL

Helpful predators around the home include frogs, spiders, ladybugs, praying mantis, and dragonflies. Keeping these beneficial creatures around can help you reduce pest populations.

Ants

Vinegar. Wash counter tops, cabinets, and floor with equal pans vinegar and water to deter ant infestations.

Flour and Borax*. Mix 1 cup flour and 2 cups borax in a quart jar. Punch holes in the jar lid. Sprinkle the contents around the house foundation. Keep borax out of the reach of children and pets.

Bone meal or powdered charcoal or lemon. Set up barriers where ants are entering. They will generally not cross lines of bone meal or powdered charcoal. If you can find a hole where ants are entering the house, squeeze the juice of a lemon in the hole or crack. Then slice up the lemon and put the peeling all around the entrance.

Pennyroyal*, Spearmint, Southernwood, and Tansy. Growing these plants around the border of your home will deter ants and the aphids they carry.

Fleas

Vacuum. Vacuum, remove the vacuum bag, seal it, and dispose of it immediately outside your home.

Vinegar. A ratio of 1 teaspoon vinegar to 1 quart water (per 40 pounds of pet weight) in their drinking water helps to keep your pets free of fleas and ticks.

Fennel, Rosemary, Red Cedar Shavings*, Sassafras*, Eucalyptus*, or Pennyroyal*. Spread leaves or shavings of these plants under and around the pet's bed.

Flies

Prevention: Keep kitchen garbage tightly closed. Sprinkle dry soap or borax into garbage cans after they've been washed and allowed to dry; it acts as a repellent.

Orange. Scratch the skin of an orange and leave it out; the citrus acts as a repellent.

Cloves. Hang clusters of cloves to repel flies.

Mint or Basil. Mint planted around the home repels flies. A pot of basil set on the windowsill or table helps to repel fleas. Keep basil well-watered from the bottom so that it produces a stronger scent. Dried ground leaves left in small bowls or hung in muslin bags are also effective.

Sugar and Corn Syrup. Make your own fly paper by boiling sugar, corn syrup, and water together. Place mixture onto brown paper and hang or set out.

Garden

There are many strategies for controlling garden pests without unduly upsetting the local ecology of your garden.These strategies include cultural controls (nutrition, resistant varieties, inter-planting, timed planting, crop rotation, mulch, trap crops, and cultivation), mechanical controls (handpicking, physical barriers, traps), biological controls (predatory and parasitic insects, microbes), and sprays and dusts. Because information is too varied to make suggestions in this limited space, we refer you to your library, colleges, and Extension Office for details on integrated and natural pest control. Extension offices can be found under local government in the phone book.

Mice

Mashed potato powder or buds. Place instant mashed potato powder or buds in strategic places with a dish of water close by. After eating the powder or buds mice will need water. This causes fatal bloating.

Mouse Traps. Use according to label directions.

Moles

Castor Oil* and Liquid Detergent. Whip together 1 tablespoon Castor oil and 2 tablespoons liquid detergent in a blender until the mixture is like shaving cream. Add 6 tablespoons water and whip again. Keep this mixture out of the reach of your children and pets. Take a garden sprinkling can and fill with warm water. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil mixture and stir. Sprinkle immediately over the areas of greatest mole infestation. For best results, apply after a rain or thorough watering. If moles are drawn to your lawn because of the grubs feeding in the soil, you may be able to rid yourself of both pests by spreading milky spore disease to kill the grubs.

Mosquitoes

Prevention. Encourage natural predators such as dragonflies or praying mantises. Eliminate pools of stagnant water. Avoid wearing perfume, bright colors, flowery prints, and bright jewelry as these items attract mosquitoes.

Citronella. Burn citronella candles to repel insects.

Tansy or Basil. Plant tansy or basil around the patio and house to repel mosquitoes.

Moths

If you can see moths, these aren't the ones to worry about. Moths that cause damage to clothes are too small to notice. It is the larvae of these moths that eat fabric. Prevention. Store items in a clean condition; moth larvae especially like areas soiled with food stains.

Rosemary, Mint, Thyme, Cloves, and Ginseng (optional). Chicago area weavers and spinners use 1/2 pound rosemary, 1/2 pound mint, 1/4 pound thyme, 1/4 pound ginseng (optional), and 2 tablespoons cloves. Mix and put in cheesecloth bags and place in closets or drawers.

Dried Lavender or Rosemary and Mint. Make sachets of dried lavender or equal portions of rosemary and mint. Place in closets, drawers, or closed containers to moth proof garments.

Rosemary, Sage, Mint, Dried Lemon Peel, and Cinnamon. Mix handfuls of first three ingredients. Add a little lemon peel and a pinch of cinnamon. Place in muslin bags.

Molasses, Vinegar, and Yellow Container. To trap moths, mix 1 pan molasses with 2 pans vinegar and place in a yellow container to attract moths. Clean regularly.

Clothes Dryer. Kill moth eggs by running garment through a warm dryer.

Roaches

Prevention. Close off all gaps around pipes and electric lines where they enter the house by using cement or screening. Caulk small cracks along baseboards, walls, cupboards, and around pipes, sinks, and bathtub fixtures. Seal food tightly. Rinse food off dishes that are left overnight. Do not leave pet food out overnight.

Hedge Apples (Osage Orange). Cut hedge apples in half and place several in the basement, around in cabinets, or under the house to repel roaches.

Flour, Cocoa Powder, and Borax*. Mix together 2 tablespoons flour, 4 tablespoons borax, and 1 tablespoon cocoa. Set the mixture out in dishes. CAUTION: Borax is toxic if eaten. Keep out of reach of children and pets.

Borax* and Flour. Mix 1/2 cup borax and 1/4 cup flour and fill a glass jar. Punch small holes in jar lid. Sprinkle powder along baseboards and door sills. Caution: Borax is toxic if eaten. This recipe may not be for you if there are young children or pets in the house.

Oatmeal, Flour, and Plaster of Paris. Mix equal pans and set in dishes. Keep out of reach of children and pets.

Baking Soda and Powdered Sugar. Mix equal pans and spread around infested area.

Porcelain Cleaner

Cream of Tartar. To clean porcelain surfaces, rub with cream of tartar sprinkled on a damp cloth. Works well on light stains.

 Rust Remover

Peeled Potatoes and Baking Soda or Salt. To remove rust from tinware, rub with a peeled potato dipped in a mild abrasive such as baking soda or salt.

Aluminum Foil. Briskly scrub rust spots on car bumpers with a piece of crumpled aluminum foil, shiny side up. Also works well on the chrome shafts of golf clubs.

Scouring Powder

The amount of chlorine in scouring powder is not significant enough to cause harm, but if you want to totally avoid chlorine or are sensitive to it follow these recipes.

Non-Chlorine Scouring Powder. Several commercially available products.

Baking Soda or Dry Table Salt. Both of these substances are mild abrasives and can be used as an alternative to chlorine scouring powders. Simply put either baking soda or salt on a sponge or the surface you wish to clean and then scour and nose.

Shoe Polish

Cold Pressed Nut Oil, Olive Oil, Walnut Oil, or Beeswax. Apply oil to leather product and buff with a chamois cloth to a shine.

Lemon Juice. Lemon juice is good polish for black or tan leather shoes. Follow by buffing with a soft cloth.

Vinegar. Remove water stains on leather by rubbing with a cloth dipped in a vinegar and water solution.

Petroleum Jelly. A dab of petroleum jelly rubbed into patent leather gives a glistening shine and prevents cracking in the winter.

Vinegar. To shine patent leather, moisten a soft cloth with white vinegar and wipe clean all patent leather articles. The color of the leather may be slightly changed.

Art-Gum Eraser and Sandpaper or Emery Board. Dirt marks on suede can be rubbed out with an art-gum eraser. Then buff lightly with sandpaper or an emery board.

Spot Removers

To remove grease from concrete flooring: Dry Cement.  Sprinkle dry cement over grease. Allow it to absorb the grease, then sweep up.

Carpet

General tips on stain removal: Clean up spills as fast as you can. Blot or scrape up as much of the spill as possible, blotting from the outside toward the center. Test the stain remover on an area under the sofa and wait 15 minutes to see if it damages the carpet color. After you clean the carpet, blot it dry and weigh down a small cushion of paper towels with a heavy object to soak up

all the moisture. Don't panic!

General stains:

Borax*. Use according to label directions. Borax can be toxic if ingested.

Blood stains:

Cold water or Club Soda. Sponge stain immediately with cold water or club soda and dry with a towel. Repeat as necessary.

Ink stains:

Cream of Tartar and Lemon Juice. Place cream of tartar on the ink stain and squeeze a few drops of ice on top. Rub into the stain for a minute, brush off the powder with a clean brush and sponge immediately with warm water, being careful not to saturate the carpet backing. Repeat if necessary.

Isopropyl Alcohol* Be sure to wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated area. Blot rubbing alcohol onto stain.

Non-oily stains:

Vinegar and Liquid Soap. Mix together 1 teaspoon of white vinegar, 1 teaspoon liquid detergent, and 1 pint lukewarm water. Apply this mixture to the non-oily stain with a soft brush or towel. Rub gently. Rinse with a towel dampened in clean water. Blot dry. Repeat this process until the stain is removed. Dry the carpet quickly using a fan or blow dryer. There is a chance that vinegar may bleach some dark, sensitive colors, so try it on an inconspicuous area first.

Soot stains:

Salt. Sprinkle the area generously with salt. Allow the salt to settle for at least 15 minutes before vacuuming.

Stains and odors:

Vinegar and Liquid Soap. Vinegar will kill the odor of urine and prevent staining if you can get to the spot right away. First absorb as much moisture as you can with dry paper towels. Next rinse the area with warm water and apply vinegar and soap solution into the stain using a clean cloth or paper towel and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse with a towel dampened in clean water and blot dry.There is a chance that vinegar may bleach some dark, sensitive colors, so try it on an inconspicuous area first.

CLOTHES

De-yellow silk or wool:

Vinegar. Mix 1 tablespoon white vinegar in 1 pint of water. Sponge with this solution and rinse. Wash as usual.

Chocolate:

Club Soda. Soak stain with club soda before washing.

Cola:

White Vinegar. Apply undiluted vinegar directly to the stain within 24 hours. Wash as usual.

Perspiration stain:

White Vinegar or Lemon Juice. Sponge stains with a weak solution of white vinegar or lemon juice.

Grease on suede:

Vinegar. Sponge spot with a cloth dipped in vinegar. Dry and restore nap by brushing with a suede brush.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

IF YOU DO USE BLEACH TO CLEAN YOUR TOILET BOWL, NEVER MIX BLEACH WITH VINEGAR, TOILET BOWL CLEANER, OR AMMONIA. The combination of bleach with any of these substances produces a toxic gas which can be hazardous.

Baking Soda and Vinegar. Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, then drizzle with vinegar and scour with a toilet brush. This combination both cleans and deodorizes.

Borax* and Lemon Juice. For removing a stubborn stain, like toilet bowl ring, mix enough borax and lemon juice into a paste which can cover the entire ring. Flush toilet to wet the sides, then rub on paste. Let sit for 2 hours and scrub thoroughly. For less stubborn toilet bowl rings, sprinkle baking soda around the rim and scrub with a toilet brush.

Tub And Tile Cleaner

Baking Soda. Sprinkle baking soda like you would scouring powder. Rub with a damp sponge. Rinse thoroughly.

Vinegar and Baking Soda. To remove film buildup on bathtubs, apply vinegar full-strength to a sponge and wipe with vinegar first. Next, use baking soda as you would scouring powder. Rub with a damp sponge and rinse thoroughly with clean water.

Vinegar. Vinegar removes most dirt without scrubbing and doesn't leave a film. Use 1/4 cup (or more) vinegar to 1 gallon water.

Baking Soda. To clean grout, put 3 cups baking soda into a medium-sized bowl and add 1 cup warm water. Mix into a smooth paste and scrub into grout with a sponge or toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly and dispose of leftover paste when finished.

Window And Glass Cleaner

A few tips on window washing: (1) never wash windows while the sun is shining on them because they dry too quickly and leave streaks; (2) when polishing windows use up and down strokes on one side of the window and side to side strokes on the other to tell which side requires extra polishing; and (3) to polish windows or mirrors to a sparkling shine, try a natural linen towel or other soft cloth, a clean, damp chamois cloth, a squeegee, or crumpled newspaper. One word of warning about newspaper:while newspaper does leave glass lint-free with a dirt-resistant film, persons with sensitivities to fumes from newsprint may wish to avoid the use of newspaper as a cleaning tool.

Vinegar. Wash windows or glass with a mixture of equal pans of white vinegar and warm water. Dry with a soft cloth. Leaves windows and glass streakless. To remove those stubborn hard water sprinkler spots and streaks, use undiluted vinegar.

Borax* or Washing Soda*. Two tablespoons of borax or washing soda mixed into 3 cups water makes a good window cleaner. Apply to surface and wipe dry.

Lemon Juice. Mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice in 1 quart water. Apply to surface and wipe dry.

Baking Soda. To clean cut glass, sprinkle baking soda on a damp rag and clean glass. Rinse with clean water and polish with a soft cloth.

Scratches, Stains, And Discoloration In Windows And Glass

Toothpaste. Rub a little toothpaste into the scratch. Polish with a soft cloth.

Dry Mustard* and Vinegar. Mix 1 pan dry mustard and 1 pan white vinegar into a paste. Apply paste to the scratch. Polish with a soft cloth. AVOID EYE CONTACT; DRY MUSTARD CAN BE DAMAGING TO THE CORNEA.

Windshield Wiper Fluid

Vinegar. When you have to leave your car outside overnight in the winter, mix 3 pans vinegar to 1 pan water and coat the windows with this solution. This vinegar and water combination will keep windshields ice and frost-free.

References: MUCH of this this information comes from the Guide to Hazardous Products Around the Home, part of the Household Hazardous Waste Project in Missouri.

Is the Glass Half Full: Are Colorado Dems Doing Themselves In?

As I listen to talk radio, grab tid-bits of local news on TV and read the local and even the national news, Colorado it is the spot light.  Our state is getting a lot of attention right now.  The topic? Guns. I don't like the battle or the direction is it going but I took a moment to think about what it might mean in the long run. What might the unintended consequences look like?

Colorado for the first time in its history has a democratic House, Senate and they have the Governor's office.  It has never been this blue. The cities love it; the majority of the land mass, which is rugged, rural and independent, hates it.  Of course in the mountain towns, the affluent hamlets where the motel maid must commute an hour and a half because she cannot afford to live in the town where she works, the very rich come to play.  With the advent of high speed internet some of these mountain towns are places that working people can now call home with no need to commute. There was a time when Boulder was referred to as the California of the Rockies -- it was that different. 

The Californication has oozed into the Denver metro area and bled into the multitude of urban areas that form the apron around the Capital.  In the 2010 Census, the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield Metropolitan Statistical area held 50.7% of the entire state's population, up over 14% from the 2000 census.  This statistical area has a land mass of a mere 8,102 square miles in a state of 104,100 square miles. Almost 51% of the state’s population lives on less than 8% of its land. The remainder of the population is focused on the Front Range and scattered about the western slope, the mountains and the eastern plains; they have similar needs, desires and aspirations. City-folk tend to be more like-minded than those in the rural areas.  A rancher on the eastern plains might focus on water issues when the mountain man in the Sangre de Cristos might be more concerned with beetle-killed forest and the fire danger. In cities it is far easier to build powerful coalitions than it is to unify the scattered people of the plains or the out-lying edges of the mountain counties.

The concentrations of social liberalism from the city now dominate the climate of the once burly, fiercely independent western state. First settled by miners and fortune seekers who had grit if not brains, Colorado's storied past is filled with a cast of characters plucked from a Twain novel then married with some Zane Grey and Louis L'amour: prostitutes, politicians, gun fighters, cannibals and cowboys. Now populated by more modern transplants and college students, the shift from red to blue was inevitable.  With the temperate climate, the stunning scenery and activities of all sorts only a stone's throw away who wouldn't want to live here?  The metro areas are also doing fairly well in this horrific economy. Heck you can even get a degree for brewing beer and it would be considered a marketable skill!  And you and Mary Jane can cavort legally.  Civil Unions are being fast tracked too.  There is talk of Denver becoming the Amsterdam of the West.  Blue, blue so very blue.

But back to guns.  In the wake of the recent, and some not so recent, tragedies in Newtown, Aurora and even going back to Columbine, guns and gun control have taken control of all state politics here in Colorado; the rest of the nation is watching.  It is a heated debate.  However there is little real debate going on. What seems to be happening is the elected leaders are forging ahead with what they, as individuals, seem to think is the best idea and listening to what other elected officials and even the Vice President is telling them they should do.  The fact that they were elected to represent people whether they are red, blue, purple or some other shade of the rainbow has been lost.  The public testimony has be stacked in their favor with deliberation and elected leaders from far away have been openly calling Colorado representatives and "suggesting" what they should do.  The Colorado Senate was not elected by these out-of-state people who are calling…they were elected by us, for us.

Nearly every elected Colorado County Sheriff made the trek to the Capitol to testify before the Senate hearing committees and few were heard. All came to testify that the "gun control" laws being debated would do little, if anything to curb gun violence.  The new legislation would only add yet another law that was impossible to enforce. They wanted to tell the omnipotent Democratic leaders that they were missing the point. There is now talk of the Colorado State Legislature trying to strong-arm our County Sheriff's by reminding them that the State Legislature has the power to affect their salaries and their department budgets…it will be interesting to see how this story develops but that is a rabbit I would rather not chase right now.

What makes me think that the glass is half full is this.  The Colorado legislature has become so myopic about gun control and has become drunk on their power that they don't realize they may be their own undoing.  The people -- regardless of political affiliation are not feeling heard nor are they happy about gun control being the #1 topic at the state level there are several things that rank higher to most Colorado residents including, the economy, public education and taxes. While the State Senate and now the House debate and rant about how bad guns are the people of the state are feeling disregarded.

A new poll measuring public opinion of gun control measures being considered in Colorado finds the issue could be politically dangerous for Democrats. Most Coloradoans don’t think “sweeping gun control measures will make them any safer,” according to the pollster.

While pro gun and anti-gun sentiment falls, as expected, along party and ideological lines, there are some political dangers that Democratic leaders should be paying attention to,” writes pollster Rob Autry, of Public Opinion Strategies, in a memo detailing the poll’s findings.

Autry went on to write, “Democratic legislators also have to be mindful that even members of their own partisan coalition are conflicted about this proposed legislation.  While only 8% of Democrats oppose all of the gun control measures we tested, 70% of Democratic voters oppose one or some combination of the proposals (either the comprehensive package, the background checks, the liability claim, or the high-capacity magazine ban).”

 “These poll numbers prove that Governor Hickenlooper and the Democrats are listening to Bloomberg and Biden instead of Coloradans,” commented state Senator Greg Brophy, responding to the poll, in an email to Weekly Standard blogger, Daniel Halper.

From Halper's blog:

                "The fact of the matter is, Autry writes, most Coloradans don’t think the legislation will make them “safer.” “Importantly, Colorado voters do not believe these sweeping gun control measures will make them any safer.  Two out three Coloradans (65%) say these new gun control laws won’t reduce crime or make the state any safer, while just a third say they will (32%).”"

                And there “very well could be political repercussions for supporting this legislation, as well.  Nearly half (48%) of voters say they would be less likely to vote for their State Senator in the  next election if he or she supports these gun control bills (40% more likely).  There is strong intensity behind this as well – thirty-seven percent (37%) of voters overall say they would be much less likely to vote for him or her.”

 The biggest shift in this future voting sentiment comes from independent voters -- the "chosen ones", the highly prized voting bloc of both parties. The Independents oppose the key gun control measures tested in this survey.  A solid 69% of them oppose passing the comprehensive legislation (33% oppose outright, 36% think it goes too far) a whopping 84% oppose holding manufacturers and sellers liable, and 55% oppose the high-capacity magazine ban when presented with both sides.

I oppose the gun legislation that is careening its way into becoming state law.  None of them affect me too much but the erosion of constitutional rights and the sense that my government is trying to disarm me one regulation at a time rubs me wrong.  I will now have to pay for my background check the next time I purchase a firearm.  I have issue with parameters and restrictions being attached to my exercising my constitutional rights – it is not my fault or yours that lawmakers have attached costly barriers to my constitutional right.  We have heard the argument against voter ID and that it is tantamount to a poll-tax.  So what makes this different?  The dems want zero barriers to voting, the republicans want to reduce voter fraud.  The dems want to charge for background checks the republicans believe it is a constitutional violation of rights. It is always interesting how willing pots are to call the kettle black.

In summary -- I am a "glass half full" sort of person; I try to look for the good in everything.  I exercised my right to vote and avoid exactly what is happening now. I tried to elect leaders who would better represent me and what I thought was good for Colorado and the Nation.  My people lost.  So now I see the leaders elected by others doing things that the very people who voted FOR them do not even like.  So I will focus on how this current situation might be of benefit when considering the "big picture".  It would seem that some of the state democrats have not only woven their own hemp rope, they have fashioned their own nooses and are quite possibly sizing it for their own political necks.  I for one am not going to counsel them on the ramifications of their actions -- let them hang themselves. After all it might just be good in the long run!

Inflation Rates - Truth and Consequences

Okay being the GEEK I am I have to look up the current rate of inflation to calculate the REAL interest rate I will be paying on my new car.  For those of you who don't recall it is really very simple.  Let's pretend for simplicity that the rate you are paying on a loan is 4%.  If the rate of inflation is 2% then you subtract that from the interest rate and that is the rate in REAL terms.  So you are only paying 2%.  The next thing you do to determine if this is a good deal is to figure out what that money could earn you if placed elsewhere.  This calculates the opportunity cost of the loan.  Say you can make 2% in savings and the loan is costing you two percent then the opportunity cost is 4%.  Simple huh?

Let's go back to getting a loan and comparing it to the rate of inflation.  IF you get say a loan rate of 2% and the inflation rate is HIGHER at 3% then you should NOT pay off the loan early because the cost of the loan is lower than the "cost of money".  In effect they are paying YOU to borrow their money.  Of course the rate of inflation changes over time -- but if you watch it you can optimize your borrowing power.

 Well go on -- look up the current rate of inflation that is being reported by the Fed.  It says the rate of inflation is 1.7%.  Wow, that seems low doesn't it?  With all the printing of money that the current administration is doing you should wonder, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? Well it is not. When the Fed prints a bunch of money (i.e stimulus dollars are the prime example) it injects the money into the economy but that money doesn't represent anything of value, it is just paper, so that flood of new money DEvalues the money that was already circulating -- this causing INFLATION.  With money "growing on trees" you have to give more of your now lower valued dollars to buy what fewer dollars used to buy. It always catches up and the market seeks equilibrium or balance.

Now how DOES the Fed determine what the value of money is? The Federal Reserve calculates the rate of inflation for us -- tax payer dollars at work!  They use something called the Consumer Price Index or CPI. In that they take a bundle of goods -- things we all buy all the time and price them in the market.  They compare the current prices of that bundle of goods, or how much it would cost them to buy all the stuff on their shopping list to the prices of the SAME bundle of goods over time -- voila you now know what the inflation rate is.  But WAIT, there's more!

What is IN this bundle (or list) of goods they are pricing?  More appropriately what is NOT in this bundle of goods?  That is the million dollar question.  What are things EVERYONE must buy?  Well food for one -- you would think that food MIGHT be in the "bundle of goods" -- it is not.  If you are the grocery shopper in the family you KNOW that a loaf of bread didn't used to cost nearly $5.  You also know that meat didn't used to cost what it costs. The worst drought to hit U.S. cropland in more than half a century could soon leave us reaching deeper into their pockets to fund a luxury that people in few other countries enjoy: affordable meat. Rice and beans are looking pretty good! Some analysts are projecting that we could see food prices rise by 14 percent or more over the next year. I am the shopper in the family and I know that I am spending nearly DOUBLE what I was only three years ago on the same stuff. What else do we all buy?  Energy?  We all buy fuel for our cars, pay electricity bills and heat our homes usually with natural gas or in the northeast oil. Have you filled up your tank lately? Ouch! Energy of all kinds is also left off the list for the CPI when determining the rate of inflation.  Crazy huh?

One begs the question, why? One can only guess -- but it sure makes our elected leaders look good! Here is how they do it.

First it reflects ONLY buying habits of people in urban, metropolitan areas -- if you live in the "burbs" or in the country you are not represented.  Those of us who live in places OTHER than a city buy the most fuel; we commute to work, the store is farther away. We drive more and we don't have the option of public transportation.  Also, they survey a whopping 7000 families in a nation of over 300 million to determine the Consumer Price Index (CPI).  That is .00002333% of the population.  Hardly a snap shot.  But as far as surveys go it is true that the larger the population the smaller the sample size can be -- that said for an optimal survey of 300 million people the sample size should be at least 11,520 or 40% larger.  So that is a problem too.

Now the Bureau of Labor and Statistics does do a better job calculating the rate of inflation because their bundle is more reflective of what we all actually buy.  However it gets little attention because unlike the Fed, they don't set interest rates.  The Feds have the rate of inflation inaccurately low -- so in real terms it is a good time to take on debt (if you are sure you can pay it back of course and after reading this you might alter your grocery habits).  Based on their calculations money is cheap right now. On the flip side it is always good to understand what the REAL-life inflation rate is -- what IS the cost of LIVING?  It isn't 1.7%.  The term used for the things people REALLY buy is the EPI or "Everyday Purchase Index". This list does include energy and food.  If one looks to this for a real rate then things change dramatically.

If any of us remember science classes we know in order to study something we need a "control" -- if we don't have something that is constant HOW are we expected to document change over time?  How do we compare apples to apples if we don't have an apple? The way that the government calculates inflation has changed more than 20 times since 1978. The government is constantly looking for ways that it can make inflation appear to be even lower. If inflation was measured the same way that it was back in 1990, the inflation rate would be about 5 percent right now. If inflation was measured the same way that it was back in 1980, the inflation rate would be about 9 percent right now. But instead, we are expected to believe that the inflation rate is hovering around 2 percent.

Here is just ONE example of ONE of the TWENTY changes in how the government calculates the rate of inflation.  It is called of all things HEDONICS!!  Now that is funny!

Hedonics was introduced in 1998 and is a means by which the government actually DECREASES the price of items, even if the price you paid was higher or the same. The reasoning is that if the items are of better quality, than the value you receive is greater and should be accounted for with a lower net price. They are saying that you got more "bang for your buck" and somehow because what you bought today is better than what you could have bought ten years ago, even if the item of lower quality isn't even available to buy anymore.

Here is an example: If you bought a base model computer with 20 GB of hard drive space with 1 MB of ram at a cost of $999 in 1998 and the next year that same base model computer had 30 GB of hard drive space with 2 MB or ram for $999 in 1999, the government might use $500 as your price for the computer when calculating CPI because IF the older model of computer were still available it would have only cost $500 since the better-faster model cost the same.  So they are discounting the advances of efficiency.

Two organizations actually release information that reflect reality -- the problem is that you must put down the spoon you are being fed with and dig with a knife and fork to find it.  Even when the news is not good -- it is better to know the truth. Isn't it?

The American Institute of Economic Research (AIER) and Shadow stats are two organizations that do more accurate calculations for everyday living. Both use data with the old calculation methods. The EPI put out by AIER shows that inflation the last three years averaged 5.2%, the CPI was about 2.5% (average). That is DOUBLE the amount of inflation being reported by the Fed. If we look at Shadow stats, it shows inflation has been near 10% total for the previous three years. What Shadow Stats does is compare APPLES to APPLES. They use the methodology in place prior to 1980. In actuality we are in an inflationary period akin to the 1970's under Jimmy Carter.  Brutal to know the truth, huh?

Don't believe the CPI data, believe the prices you pay, and place the blame on where it truly belongs, the Government and the Federal Reserve -- printing money is an immature why to keep the masses happy for a short period of time.  When the pain and suffering hit -- it is too late, they are already in power. So when you vote, vote with facts and don't vote with the fiction being fed to you by the very people who want you to vote for them!  The ONLY way to change anything in this country is through your voice and your vote.  Make it count!

 

Whose Rights Are More Right?

First I am going to warn you, this is outrageous and I know it.  I am not making a case for or against abortion.   I am going to draw a parallel to illustrate something. Bear with me, I am not trying to change anyone's views on women's rights.  I am trying to make a point that there are many people in the United States that truly believe to their core that abortion IS murder.  Just for a moment try to put on glasses that allow you to see through their eyes -- for a moment. It won't kill you!

Let's examine two really emotional topics and I will draw a parallel just to see if you can try it on, if even briefly to gain perspective.  I am hoping that maybe if you read this and really try, that you might at least get an idea of how "the other side feels".  The outrageous comparison? 

 Guns and abortion…

I know, pretty raw stuff.  Ironically, these two issues are often diametrically opposed to one another in our society -- a person who staunchly believes what a woman does with her own body is her right is more likely to support gun control measures.  A person who believes in the right to own and bear arms is more likely to believe that life begins at conception.  Interesting yet impossible to truly correlate and the two don't really correlate but they can be compared and contrasted to attempt to understand why people feel the way they do.  It also shines an interesting light on our society's hypocrisy. 

From the perspective of "one side" to own and bear arms is a Constitutional right.  It is endowed by our Founding Fathers and clearly stated in the Constitution. This group feels as though they should not be punished for the bad behavior of others and it opposes any added gun control measures; guns don't kill people; people kill people.  It was not them involved in Newtown, Aurora or Idaho.  This group is also more likely to look at abortion as murder, that life begins at conception and if not that, at least at viability. They view abortion as murder. Let that sink in for a moment. This isn't a judgment on their part it IS what IS for them. When they demonstrate and picket a clinic they are doing it to save lives -- it for them is no different than a left-wing group picketing a horrible factory that is guilty of human rights violations and works children 18 hours a day. Therefore, as they see it, there is a complex hypocrisy in the "other side" wanting to "protect their children" from guns but also being willing to "murder" well over a million babies every year. They don't understand why you don't protect the child's right to life before it is born but will enlist the World Health Organization if you hear of a factory in Bangladesh that uses 8 year old girls in a sweat shop. A child is a child is a child…to them.

We are all familiar with Roe V. Wade.  In it "Jane Roe" fought for the right for women to legally terminate pregnancies - she had been raped and did not want to bear the child that was conceived as a result of that rape.  The battle lasted longer than 9 months and she did have the baby but she continued the fight. Until then abortions, when they happened, were illegal and at times done in horrible places with little or no medical training and women attempted at times to do it themselves.  In part the argument to legalize abortion was to support and save women from "back ally" procedures.  They argued regardless of the legalities involved, horrible abortions would continue to happen and women would die or be damaged for life.
The stats (with estimates because several large states including California refuse to report abortion stats to the CDC) are as follows:

Total number of abortions in the U.S. 1973-2011: 54.5 million+

 234 abortions per 1,000 live births (according to the Centers for Disease Control)

Abortions per year: 1.2 million

Abortions per day: 3,288

Abortions per hour: 137

9 abortions every 4 minutes

1 abortion every 26 seconds

Equals the population of Dallas, Texas (2010 Census)

1% of all abortions are "late term" abortions.  Late term is generally defined as over 24 weeks. At this stage the fetus is viable -- meaning it can survive outside its mother's womb.  This equates to 12,000 abortions of viable fetuses.

We are not as familiar with the 1938 ruling of United States vs. Miller or the more recent District of Columbia vs.HhHe Heller. In this case, the plaintiff in Heller challenged the constitutionality of the Washington D.C. handgun ban, a statute that had stood for 32 years. Many considered the statute the most stringent in the nation. In a 5-4 decision, the Court, meticulously detailing the history and tradition of the Second Amendment at the time of the Constitutional Convention, proclaimed that the Second Amendment established an individual right for U.S. citizens to possess firearms and struck down the D.C. handgun ban as violative of that right. The Supreme Court further strengthened the 2nd Amendment with McDonald vs. City of Chicago in 2008.

When gun control measures are suggested often we hear "when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns".  In essence, like abortion, regardless of the legality of it, people who want guns will still get them.

Let's look at gun deaths in the United States.

Guns kill approximately 30,000 people annually in the United States. Just under 11,000 are homicides, roughly 19,000 by suicide and about 750 are accidental shootings.

.00009 people per 1000 people

Gun deaths per year: 30,000

Gun deaths per hour: 3.42

Gun deaths per minute: .057

Gun deaths per second: .00095

Less than the population of Bozeman, Montana

Guns kill 2.5% of the "population" that is being aborted.

(Note: There are roughly the same number of gun-related homicides as there are late term abortions.)

The socially conservative right sees women "murdering" (their words not mine) 1.2 million babies every year.

The socially liberal left sees guns (not the people holding the guns) kill 30,000 people every year.

A pro-life person -- doesn't see a vast difference in the death of an aborted fetus and the shooting death of a five year old.  To them, they were both people and both are tragic.  The pro-choice person sees a huge difference and does not see the fetus as a life when it is still within the walls of a woman's body.  It is her life to either give birth to or abort --  it is not "alive" although it has hands, feet and a heartbeat. There isn't an across the board agreement of when "life" begins.  It is her choice.  Each side will not accept that the Supreme Court of the United States has upheld the rights for each of them. 

If one argues against abortion the pro-choice side automatically goes to Roe v. Wade and says "the Supreme Court already decided". We are done here and it is carved in stone.  But when the 2nd amendment supporter argues for the right to bear arms the anti-gun person (who is more likely to be pro-choice) dismisses the multiple times in the last century that the SAME Supreme Court has upheld the right to posses and bear arms.  They act as if it is undecided.  Roe v. Wade is untouchable but Miller, Heller and all the other 2nd Amendment cases are somehow written in pencil and are subject to continued challenge.  Hypocrisy? Yes. Again, I am NOT arguing for or against abortion here -- the hypocrisy is that when the pro-choice person is challenged they rely on the Supreme Court decision.  When that same person pushes for gun control they dismiss the Supreme Court decisions.  Why is the Supreme Court only right when you agree with the decision? It doesn't work that way.  We can't pick and choose.

As is made clear in this outrageous narrative, this nation is populated with people who have hugely divergent beliefs.  One cannot get more divergent that pro-life/pro-choice and pro-2nd amendment/gun control.  But we all have to live together.  One side feels that "our children are being slaughtered."  The other side feels that "our children are being slaughtered."  Interesting huh? So what is the answer?  Are one group's rights more right?  They each seem to think so.  But the fact is that they are not.  The US Supreme Court has upheld each group's rights and those rights affect the population. Each right should be used wisely.