Basic H is Over 50 Years Old and Still An Awesome Green Cleaner

We are 10 years out on the 50th Anniversary celebration of Basic H – that means it’s time for the 60th Anniversary and we need a new banner! 

What is Basic H?

Basic H is a safe, high-performing, home cleaning product created by The Shaklee Corporation in 1960. It is made of natural ingredients and an excellent green alternative to use if you want to keep your home more chemical free. The original formula has since been doubled in strength to the new Basic H2 a few years ago, and changed to its present clear color. It cleans very effectively,and is less expensive to use than virtually all retail cleaning products.

Basic H was fondly called the ‘Blue Cleaner’ due to its original color, and is still referred to as such by many people who remember a parent or grandparent who used it. 

3 Things We Love About Basic H

1. It is the safest product we have ever used to clean our home, with no irritating smells (we don’t like cleaning with vinegar or smelly cleaners), harmful chemicals, or dangerous fumes.

2. It saves us a lot of money, as you will see below.

3. It cleans so effectively and easily – we have to build our muscles apart from cleaning!

Forty years ago, in 1970, Shaklee Basic-H was named the official GREEN cleaning product of the very first Earth Day celebration.  What an amazing formula that is gentle enough to bathe in (users say this, not the brand), and yet can clean some pretty nasty dirt.

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My husband showers in Basic H.  We have a dispenser unit that attaches to the shower head.  You flip a switch when you want Basic H to come out with the water and then turn it off to rinse.  The best part is that it keeps the shower so clean.  We rarely have to clean the tub and no grime on the shower curtain.  It is cleaning while you shower!

One very helpful tip that can save you some serious scrubbing power is to spray Basic H onto a surface – let’s say some dried on food that was left on your kitchen countertop. Let it sit for about a minute (it can work in less time and you can safely let it sit longer as well) and then wipe the residue away easily.

It is hard to express how much I love Basic H for the way it penetrates dirt, grease, dried on food and lifts it off the surface to be easily wiped away. It is also fun to demo Basic H and show people how it works its way under the mess for an easy, more powerful clean.

In addition to it being a powerful cleaner and constantly being impressed with ways it will clean yet another tough job, a 16oz bottle can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of other (non-green) cleaning products.  Not only are those other brands unhealthy for us (with the toxins and fumes and chemicals they have), they are unhealthy for the environment.

Let’s take a look at the important things to know about Basic H and then about 30 uses for this amazing green cleaner:

Basic H Review

PHOSPHATE-FREE

NON-POLLUTING

100% Organic

Biodegradable

Non-Toxic

Non-Irritating

SUPER-CONCENTRATED

Natural Ingredients

Is a Surfactant:  penetrates dirt on a surface

No-rinse, no-residue, streak-free formula

Basic H Economical

One 16 oz bottle of Basic H equals 5,824 bottles of 26 oz Windex (save thousands of dollars)

One 16 oz bottle of Basic H is equal to hundreds of bottles of any multi-purpose spray cleaner (save many hundreds of dollars)

Basic H Uses

Basic H is used for thousands of jobs. Here are 30 popular cleaning tasks shared by long-time Basic H users:

General Cleaning: Use ½ teaspoon to quart of warm water. It cleans kitchen doors, woodwork, walls, ceilings, etc.

Appliances and Bathroom Fixtures: Use ¼ teaspoon to pint of water. It leaves refrigerators odor-free and sanitary. Great for bathroom tile!

Windows, Mirrors, All Glass: Use 1 – 2 drops in 16 oz spray bottle. Wipe dry with paper towel.

Dishes: Use ½ teaspoon in the dishpan. Fill dirty pans with water, add ½ teaspoon Basic-H² and let stand to loosen stuck particles.

Automatic Dishwashers: Use Shaklee Dishwasher Concentrate.

Floors: Use 1 tablespoon to a gallon of cold water, wring mop and wipe up dirt. Leaves floor shining. To remove wax use a stronger solution of Basic H2 (1-1/2 tsp. to 16 oz. water.)

Dusting: Squeeze sponge out of solution of ¼ teaspoon to pint of water. With almost dry sponge, wipe off dust, fingerprints, candy spots, etc. Or use spray bottle and clean cloth. Everything disappears from furniture, leaving wax finish beautifully bright and non-magnetic, making it unnecessary to dust as often.

Fruits and Vegetables: Use ¼ teaspoon to pint of water. Wash and rinse. It removes residues of poisonous sprays and grime of handling in transportation. Also removes grit from leafy vegetables.

Woolens, Silks, Nylons, All Fin Fabrics: Use ½ teaspoon to basin of water. For spots, apply a drop or two directly on the spot and press in with thumb. Immerse garment in cold water solution of 1 teaspoon per gallon of water, let stand a few minutes, then rinse by squeezing water through and laying out to dry.

Spot Remover: Apply Basic-H² directly on spotted area. Use a toothbrush or finger to rub Basic-H² into area. Wipe off with damp cloth or rinse in basin of water (Coffee, lipstick, ink, grass, etc).

Frying Vats: Use ½ cup to 3 gallons of water. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. It dissipates stubborn crusts without damage to vats.

Concrete and Mortar Mix: Use ½ oz. to a gallon of water. Makes cement and mortar spread easier and smoother, set harder.

Knives: Use a few drops on cutting stone for sharpening knives. Keep moist and add as needed. Doesn’t clog stone, which is very important in sharpening tools. Stone rinses free of residue.

Phonograph Records: Use same solution as for glass. Clean with soft, dry cloth. It leaves no residual magnetism.

Wallpaper: Excellent in removing wallpaper.

Aquariums: Use 1 teaspoon per quart of water. Clean coral, rocks, entire aquarium with Basic-H² solution. Rinse thoroughly.

Diapers: Use ¼ teaspoon of Basic-H² and 1 teaspoon of Basic-G to pail of water. It eliminates odors in the washroom when diapers must stand.

Fish Odors: Use ½ tablespoon per quart of water. Basic-H² cleaning solutions work wonders around boats, docks and other “fishy” places.

Boat Algae: Use ½ tablespoon to gallon of water.

Spray Snow or Poster Paint on Windows: Remove it with ¼ teaspoon to quart of warm water.

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PERSONAL

Protecting Hands: Apply at full strength to hands for lasting protection as an industrial skin guard. It is great as invisible gloves before painting.

Cleaning Hands: Put a few drops in palm. Rub thoroughly over both hands and add a little water. Continue with usual washing action. Add a touch more water as needed and rinse. Removes tobacco stains, onion and garlic odors. Variation – mix ¼ Basic-H² and ½ water in a 4 oz squeeze bottle.

Gum: Use full strength to remove gum from skin or carpeting.

Painting and Dyeing: Apply full strength to hands before painting or dyeing. Paint or dye will wash off easily. Be careful not to get Basic-H² in eyes.

Shoe Cleaner: Use 1 drops on a wet cloth. It will not remove wax. Shine with dry cloth.

AUTOMOTIVE

Washing: Use ½ tablespoon to gallon of water. Wash small area at a time, and hose off. Wiping dry is not necessary. Wipe windshield, windows and chrome with paper towels after rinsing. Bugs and road grime float away.

Engines: Use ½ oz to one gallon water to clean engine. It will not affect paint, gaskets or insulating material. Best results can be achieved when the engine is hot for fastest drying of the ignition system.

Battery Terminals: Use ¼ teaspoon to pint of water. Spray on battery terminals, let soak for 2 minutes and clean with wire brush. Use full strength Basic-h on battery terminals to avoid corrosion or galvanic action.

Automobile Radiator: Use ½ tablespoon to radiator full of water or anti-freeze. This prevents rust.

MISCELLANEOUS

Air Filters: Use ¼ teaspoon to quart of warm water. Air filters are cleaned with excellent results, leaving them free of dirt, oil, or chemical residue.

Rose Bushes: Use ½ teaspoon to gallon of water. Spraying rose bushes will protect them from red spider and other diseases, and also fertilize them.

House Plants: Use a few drops in water. Water plants and they will flourish. Use to wipe down leaves also.

Green Lawns: Use 1 tablespoon to “ortho-type” bottle applicator full of water. This should let 2 gallons of water through applicator to spray on lawn like liquid fertilizer.

Outside Windows: Use ½ teaspoon to “ortho-type” bottle applicator full of water. This should let 2 gallons of water through applicator to spray on windows and screens.

Humidifiers: Use 1 or 2 drops in water to help prevent rust and scum.

Water Soluble Gum Tape: Use 2 to 3 drops in a 16 oz spray bottle, or tape dispenser with water tank.

ACCESSORIES

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Fill toilet tank dispenser with Basic-H². Place in toilet tank. It will automatically release a measured amount of Basic-H² when you flush, to keep toilet bowl clean for months.

Basic-G: Can also be used in toilet tank dispenser full strength or diluted. Basic-G cleans with biodegradable agents while it disinfects and is even veridical when used as directed. Basic-G will deodorize bathroom areas, garbage cans and other areas where bacterial growth can cause unpleasant odors. Basic-G is concentrated for economy.

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Important to know about Basic H2

Basic-H² is the most economical cleaner you can buy. One quart makes 192 gallons of cleaning solution by following directions.

Do Not Use More Than Recommended. A little goes a long way! Save $$!

Basic-H² contains no acids, no alkalis, no kerosene or solvent, and has no offensive or detergent odor.

Basic-H² has s pH factor of 6.5, right in the range of human skin.

Basic-H² makes water many times wetter.

Basic-H² is a fantastically versatile cleaner. The successor is soap!

Basic-H² does not hinder bacterial action of septic tanks or cesspools.

DO NOT put fingers or foreign matter into Basic-H² container. Large amounts of bacteria can cause degrading action and weaken your cleaner.

If a heavy-duty cleaner/degreaser is required, use 1 ½ tsp per 16 oz water.

In extremely stubborn areas of grease or stains, use Shaklee At-Ease scouring cleaner.

Ironing: A few drops in steam iron will keep the jets and interior clean.

Plumbing: Will keep pipes open and clean when used regularly. It emulsifies grease and can eliminate cleaning of grease traps.

Note: Basic-H² saves you money in your home or business and works with the environment! Just think of the landfills not being burdened by using one pint of Basic-H² for window washing solution instead of thousands of individual plastic bottles. Available in 16 oz and 64 oz sizes and a larger 30-drum capacity.

You can find a thousand different uses for this environmentally safe product. I hope you enjoy the clean you will get!

Also sold with Basic H is a set of 3 spray bottles for easy mixing, with instructions on each label.

*Product uses taken from personal experiences of Shaklee users and distributors, and not directly from the corporation.

Read More About Safe, Chemical-Free Cleaning:

Dangers of Toxic Cleaning

Clean and Disinfect Safely