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TKO tips by email
TKO tip #1Fruit & vegetable wash.
Use the Light mix as a fruit and vegetable wash, to remove pesticides, etc. (Light mix: 1 oz. in 1 gallon of water i.e. 1 tsp. in 3 cups of water).

TKO tip #2Keeping deer away from your roses.
Use the STRONG solution. Add 4 - 6 tablespoons of TKO concentrate TO the 24 oz. spray bottle of water (not the reverse) or in a gallon sprayer (use 4 - 6 oz per gallon of water).

Spray every other day in a perimeter around the yard or area you DON'T want the animals.

Repeat this every other day and also after a rain because this product is 100% biodegradable and is broken down quickly & organically. The animals will become trained to stay away from the area after visiting the area every other day during that three-week period.

You may have to repeat this cycle IF a new animal comes into your area. Spray this strong mix TKO a distance away from where you want the animals (20 feet - 20 yards away) and you can also apply this around the plants or garden itself as well as the area perimeter.

TKO Tip #3Pet stains & odor.
Fresh stains
Mix 2 oz. (= 1/4 cup = 2 T.) Orange TKO into 1 gallon of water. Apply to stain. Allow 2 - 5 minutes to emulsify, then remove with a damp cloth.

Old stains
Spray with Orange TKO concentrate, followed by a spray of water (to help with the emulsification). Allow 3 - 5 minutes to emulsify stain and odor. Remove with a damp cloth. It may be necessary to repeat the process, but TKO will remove the stain and/or odor.

TKO Tip #4Clean the oven.
This application is often overlooked, but is straight out of the "TKO Bible" - the TKO manual you got with your purchase of TKO.

Use STRONG mix. Warm oven, turn off and spray with Strong TKO mix. Allow time to emulsify. If necessary, agitate with nylon scouring pad and baking soda. Racks: soak oven racks in tub with 1-2 Tbsp. of TKO added to the water.

TKO tip #5Skunk odor.
Eliminate skunk odor: Spray area with 2 - 6 oz. Orange TKO per gallon of water, depending on the severity of the situation. If you know the area that was directly sprayed, spray strong mix of 10 - 20 oz. per gallon of water. If possible, rinse with water after allowing to sit for 3 - 5 minutes to emulsify. Eliminates the odor - doesn't just cover it up!

TKO tip #6Orange TKO "set-up".
This month's tip serves as "refresher course" for longtime TKO users and a "primer" for newcomers about introducing TKO into your life.

First - remember, TKO has over 100 applications, so please experiment!

Second - Don't start off with just one sprayer of the general mix, set yourself up with three 24 oz. sprayers of TKO of three different dilutions. I like these three:

1) Mist (1/2 tsp. in the 3 cups of water)
2) General (1 Tbsp. in 3 cups of water)
3) Strong (2-4Tbsp. in 3 cups of water)

Third - throw away the 20 gazillion other spray bottles you have around the house full of various toxic cleaners. You've already gotten your money's worth!

Fourth - unless I'm cleaning houseplants or glass, chrome or stainless steel (in which case, I use mist or light mix for streak-free, wipe-on, wipe-off cleaning), for general cleaning, I grab the general mix, SHAKE & spray. If cleaning doesn't happen fast enough, I proceed to the strong mix. If I want something stronger still, I'll add more pure TKO directly into my strong TKO mix. And for the tough stuff, like labels on bottles, permanent marker, I spray pure TKO directly on.

Fifth - enjoy that citrus scent and feel good that you didn't have to throw around a bunch of toxins to get the bathroom (kitchen, pet corner, etc.) clean!

TKO tip #7Weed ControlVinegar Herbicide Formula from The Dirt Doctor (Howard Garrett):
1 gallon of 10% vinegar
1 oz. Orange TKO
1 tsp. liquid soap or other surfactant
Add molasses at 1 Tbsp. per gallon to the vinegar formula
Do not add water

Spray directly on weeds. 

Notes: Some people use 20% vinegar. The difference between vinegars (5%-10%-20%) is the ratio of acid to fluid. Just as if you took any other acid and diluted it past a certain ratio, it wouldn't have the same effect, 5% vinegar just doesn't have enough acid to do the work. You have to have a strong enough concentrate for it to be acidic enough to work. Pickling vinegar is 10% because it has to be strong enough to break down the cells in the food you want to "cook". You can't use 5% vinegar and get a good result. 20% vinegar is stronger by ratio. Remember, this formula kills by burning off the greenery and eliminating photosynthesis so if the weeds have enough root system to regenerate they will, but a second application is usually enough to deplete their reserves and kill the plant. If you do it on a hot, sunny day it will accelerate the process to just a couple of hours.

TKO tip #8Automotive - Add to windshield washer reservoir.
Add 1 tablespoon TKO to windshield washer reservoir. Helps to cut through the squashed bugs on the windshield.

TKO Tip #9Cleaning the bicycle chain.For bicycles, try using a strong dilution Orange TKO (4 - 8 Tbsp. in 24 oz. of water) to clean the bicycle chain. Removes all the grease & dust without damaging the metal.

TKO tip #10Read your TKO manual!
We can email you another one, as a PDF, upon request.

TKO tip #11Skin freshener.
Spray Orange TKO mist (1/2 tsp. in 24 oz. of water) dilution on the face in the morning and evening to freshen and energize the skin.

TKO tip #12 Laundry
Add 1-2 Tablespoons of straight TKO to wash cycle to cut through grime, whiten whites and remove odors.

TKO Tip #13 Cleaning CDs & DVDs
Use the mist dilution (1/2 tsp. in 24 oz. of water) and a soft cotton or microfiber cloth to clean CDs & DVDs.

TKO tip #14 TKO & plastic
Pure TKO may damage or cloud some plastics, like acrylic (Plexiglass). In general, polyethylene and polypropylene should be avoided.

PET (polyethylene terephthalate - e.g. soda bottles are made from this) plastic is not clouded by straight TKO. This is the plastic that is labelled #1 in the recycling code.

If you want to share your TKO with friends, use a glass bottle or jar, or stainless steel.

TKO tip #15TKO & carpets
Carpet Stains: Spray on General (1 Tbsp. in 24 oz. of water) mix, allow 1 - 2 minutes to emulsify and then remove with a damp cloth in a twisting motion so as not to spread the stain. For difficult stains, you may use a Strong mix or spray some Concentrate on the stain with your General mix. 

Carpet cleaning machines: Use the General dilution (2 oz. in 1 gallon of water).

Removing formaldehyde from the carpet: use the Strong dilution (about 11 oz. in 1 gallon of water)

TKO tip #16Making smaller quantities of Orange TKO+water mixes
Ever wanted to make less than the 24 oz. (3 cups) of a TKO-water mix suggested in the TKO "manual"? Of course you may, just divide appropriately, e.g. to make 12 oz. of Light mix, add 1/2 teaspoon of Orange TKO to the 12 oz. of water. Below is a handy table we've worked out, for fast (non-arithmetic) mixing.

                                                           Smaller quantities of TKO-water mixes
                                    Mix          Amount of Orange TKO          Amount of water
                                    Light                ¼ teaspoon                             6 oz.
                                    General            1 teaspoon                               8 oz.
                                    Strong              1 Tablespoon                           6 oz.

TKO tip #17Cleaning the turkey pan
Use the STRONG mix (4+ Tbsp. in 24 oz. of water) to clean that turkey pan & any other grease-laden pot or pan you have in the kitchen. As soon as the pan is cool to the touch, spray pan thoroughly with the Strong mix of Orange TKO and let sit for at least 5 minutes. You may still have to scrub but it will be much easier.

TKO tip #18Removing labels
Saturate the label with the Orange TKO concentrate and let sit until the adhesive is dissolved, which can happen in a few minutes or not until the next day.

TKO tip #19Removing permanent marker
Use the Orange TKO concentrate, straight out of the bottle. Repeated applications may be needed, especially on fabric, but TKO will remove it. Jorge removed black permanent marker from a silk scarf, without damaging the silk. It took him three applications, but it all came out.

TKO tip #20Orange TKO kills fungus, like powdery mildew.
To kill powdery mildew on plants, use the Light mix (1 tsp. in 24 oz. of water) and spray directly on the plant. Spray early in the season.

TKO tip #21Orange TKO & carpenter bees
It's spring! To protect untreated wood from carpenter bees, spray full strength TKO on untreated wood. Make sure to spray directly into any carpenter bee burrows. Let dry.

A Strong solution (4 - 8 Tbsp. in 24 oz. of water) will kill carpenter bees on contact (as will full strength TKO).

TKO tip #22Orange TKO and poison oak & ivy relief
It's summer!
Time for hiking and inadvertently getting into poison oak and ivy! As soon as possible after contact with poison oak/ivy, spray affected skin with the Strong mix (1 Tablespoon in 6 oz. of water or 4 Tablespoons in 24 oz. of water). TKO will dissolve the poison oak/ivy oil. It may also help reduce the inflammation if your skin has already reacted.

How does TKO dissolve the poison oak/ivy oil? TKO is almost pure d'limonene, which is an emulsifier (breaks things down) and a degreaser.

TKO tip #23Orange TKO removes soap scum & scale
To remove soap scum and recent scale, use the General solution. For older and/or thicker scale, use Strong solution or straight TKO and let it soak in. May need more than one application and scrubbing with a brush.

By the way, if you're interested in reducing or eliminating the scale altogether, consider installing a Calmat or Vulcan in your home. These whole-house German systems use ultrasound to prevent new scale from forming and eliminate existing scale. For more information, check out our website: http://calmatscalecontrol.com

TKO tip #24 - Update - Orange TKO & scale on your glass shower door
Clean your glass shower door with a 1:1 mix of Orange TKO and regular, 5% vinegar to remove the water spots, e.g. mix 2 oz. of Orange TKO with 2 oz. of 5% vinegar.

TKO tip #25Energizing Foot Soak
Soak your feet in a dilution of 1 oz. per gallon of water to feel more energized.

TKO tip #26Clean the turkey pan AND the oven
To clean the turkey pan
Use the STRONG mix (4+ Tbsp. in 24 oz. of water) to clean that turkey pan & any other grease-laden pot or pan you have in the kitchen. As soon as the pan is cool to the touch, spray pan thoroughly with the Strong mix of Orange TKO and let sit for at least 5 minutes. You may still have to scrub but it will be much easier. 

To clean the oven
Use STRONG mix. Warm oven, turn off and spray with Strong TKO mix. Allow time to emulsify. If necessary, agitate with nylon scouring pad and baking soda. Racks: soak oven racks in tub with 1-2 Tbsp. of TKO added to the water.

TKO tip #27Orange TKO cleans chrome & stainless steel
Instead of special chrome/stainless steel cleaners, for no-streak, wipe-on, wipe-off cleaning, use the LIGHT mixture (1 tsp. mixed in 3 cups of water). Spray directly on chrome/stainless steel and wipe off with a soft cloth. Stronger mixes can also be used, if necessary, but may need to be rinsed off.

TKO tip #28Update - Cleaning ovens with TKO
Ovens: Warm oven to a maximum of 75°F, turn off and spray with Strong mix of Orange TKO. Allow time to emulsify. If necessary, agitate with scouring pad and baking soda. Soak oven racks in tub with 1 - 2 Tbsp. of TKO.

TKO tip #29Orange TKO & carpenter bees & other insects
Remember that Orange TKO can kill insects on contact. For example, yellow jackets, and, repeating a tip from last year, carpenter bees:

To protect untreated wood from carpenter bees, spray full strength TKO on untreated wood. Make sure to spray directly into any carpenter bee burrows. Let dry.

A Strong solution (4 - 8 Tbsp. in 24 oz. of water) will kill carpenter bees & other insects, like yellow jackets, on contact (as will full strength TKO). Consult your TKO in the Garden hand-out for more information.

TKO tip #30Orange TKO as insect repellant
Happy Summer to all! And with summer come the summer bugs. You may already know, (especially if you read your TKO instruction sheets & these tips) that though it's non-toxic, Orange TKO can be used to kill insects.

You can also use non-toxic Orange TKO as an insect repellant. Most bugs (ticks, wasps, flies, mosquitoes, etc.) don't like the smell. Spray a Light (1 tsp. in 3 cups of water) or General mix (1 Tbsp. in 3 cups of water) directly on your skin & clothing. Spray onto palms to apply to face. Repeat as needed.

For pets, use a Light mix, spray directly on coat. For smaller pets, spray Light mix on your palms & apply to pet's coat.

Check out our new website, where you can see all the products we carry: questgreensolutions.com It does not yet have a shopping cart, please call our office to order.

And, to our Sonoma County customers, yes, it's Fair time and no, we are not at the Sonoma County Fair this year. Maybe next year!

TKO tip #31Orange TKO & anti-carcinogenic properties
Throughout this series of Organic Orange TKO Tips, we have presented not-well-known uses of TKO and reminded you of great uses that you may have forgotten about.

This time we will refresh your memory about the health-promoting properties of TKO, in particular regarding cancer.

TKO is more than 95% D'limonene (2 pronunciations: "dee-LEE-mo-neen" OR "dee-LY-mo-neen"), a natural substance distilled out of citrus oil, that belongs to a chemical group called "monoterpenes". Monoterpenes, in general, and D'limonene and its metabolites in particular, have been found to be anticarcinogenic chemicals that act through multiple mechanisms in the chemoprevention and chemotherapy of cancer, which means they will help stop the development of cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth.

We have attached an abstract (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/bk-2012-1093.ch031) of one of the most recent studies on monoterpenes that discusses those anticarcinogenic properties. Many of terms will sound pretty alien but you will be able to see how serious the science is about these health benefits of D'limonene.

Organic Orange TKO not only replaces most of the chemicals you need at home and at work, but also helps you to stay healthier.

If you are interested in using Orange TKO to help you with a health condition please consult with your healthcare provider.

TKO tip #32 Orange TKO and ants, etc.
Happy Holidays to all!
Rain and snow are already here and with them come the ants inside the house. You all have the TKO instructions (TKO in the Garden) that tell you how TKO will help you with this annoyance but in case you can not find those instructions, here is a reminder on how to use TKO to deal with ants.

Even the LIGHT SOLUTION of TKO will kill ants on contact but you can, of course, use stronger solutions (like GENERAL) if it is safe to the surface they are on (STRONG TKO can cloud acrylic and Plexiglass and dissolve wood varnish). Since TKO is non-toxic you will be able to spray the ants even if they are on food processing areas.

Remember that TKO is also a bug repellent, so the areas you spray on become undesirable to the ants. The stronger the solution, the more powerful the repelling effect. You may want to use pure TKO, if the surface allows it.  

If some ants show up again, spray them with TKO. You may have to spray several times until the ants totally avoid coming back to the area.

TKO will also work on other bugs like cockroaches, spiders and fleas.


TKO tip #33 Skunk spray removal from your dog (or cat) with TKO
Happy Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day!

Love is in the air in the skunk world.

All of you may remember how great a deodorizer TKO is and that TKO can even get rid of the odor of skunk. Well, now we have a protocol for you for the removal of skunk spray from your dog, developed by a pet grooming specialist at Barks and Bubbles in South San Francisco, CA.

The essential ingredient in this protocol is TKO, which Danny from Barks and Bubbles has found to be the best non-toxic product to get rid of odors from his canine clients.  

Here is the protocol. Enjoy your odor-free dog.

Skunk spray removal from your dog
by: Danny Calavan of Barks and Bubbles (South San Francisco, CA)

1) Mix 1 gallon of Hydrogen Peroxide (2-3% Pharmaceutical Grade)
  1 cup of baking soda (dry measurement)
  3 tsp. Dawn dish soap
  Pour the mix on the dog and rub in thoroughly.
  Let it sit for 15 minutes.

  This step is for dissolving the grease in the skunk spray.

2) Mix 1 gallon of water
  1 cup of dog shampoo (8 fl oz)
  1 cup of Organic Orange TKO (8 fl oz)
  Pour the mix on the dog and rub in thoroughly.
  Let it sit for 15 minutes

  This is an essential step to finally break down the odor molecules of the skunk spray.

Danny has found that Orange TKO is the best for this purpose.

3) Bathe the dog with clean water to rinse everything off.

4) Dry the dog.

NOTE: Throughout the process, protect the eyes and the inside of the ears and mouth (very bitter taste) from the products.

HAPPY END: Your dog will be totally free of skunk spray odor.

TKO tip #34 Weed control with Organic Orange TKO
Here is your belated Spring TKO tip. But first a clarification for our previous TKO Tip # 33 about removing skunk spray odor from your dog: the Hydrogen Peroxide used in the protocol is 3% Pharmaceutical grade. I have attached the protocol with this addition.

That said, LET'S TALK ABOUT WEED CONTROL.

For years, the herbicides of choice has been Roundup and other Roundup-like products that contain glyphosate, a chemical tall kills plants by disrupting their production of essential amminoacids. Despite the initial claims by Monsanto that Roundup was safe, these herbicides are polluting and hazardous to humans and animals.

Organic Orange TKO by itself or in combination with 10% vinegar is an alternative herbicide that kills weeds on contact by destroying cell membranes and, therefore, dehydrating the plant.

The formula we prefer is from Howard Garrett (The Dirt Doctor):

1 gallon of !0% vinegar (from grain alcohol)
2 fluid ounces of TKO
1 tsp. liquid soap or other surfactant
Mix all the ingredients together and spray on weeds

The vinegar and the TKO are the active ingredients and the surfactant acts as an adhesive to keep the mixture longer on the plant. The vinegar that we normally use in our food is 5% vinegar. 20% or stronger vinegar is not recommended because it is corrosive and dangerous to breathe. If we can only get 20% vinegar, it can be diluted to 10% vinegar by adding water to make a 1:1 mix but we have to be cautious while handling the undiluted 20% vinegar.

This formula is not selective, so it must be sprayed ONLY on the plants (weeds) you do not want. The best results are obtained when we get the weeds totally wet with the mixture and spray it during a sunny and warm day, when it is not windy.

For areas of several acres that are covered with weeds, it is better to mow or control-burn the weeds first, leaving the debris on the ground. Then, in about 3-4 weeks or when the weeds have re-grown to a height of about 5 inches, spray with the TKO-vinegar mixture. This will kill all the weeds that have exhausted their root reserves, while the ones that still have reserves will need more future treatment if they grow back up.

10 % Vinegar by the gallon can be purchased in some garden or farm stores and in the Internet. It can also be bought in 55 gallon drums at a much lower price. A source that I have found in the Bay Area for 10% vinegar in drums is: Mike Zocchi and Associates in the East Bay (925-432-3213).

If we can not find 10% vinegar, we can just use TKO . We will use a strong 1:8 solution or stronger (depending on the kind of weeds) with some liquid soap (1 tsp/gallon of strong TKO). The weather when spraying this TKO solution does not have to be sunny but should be dry and all the foliage should get wet with the solution For a small area of weeds the cost of this solution may be similar to the 10% vinegar-TKO mixture.


TKO tip # 35 Organic Orange TKO as fungicide
I just realized that you have not heard from us since May.  Where has the the Summer gone?

In California we are getting closer to the rainy season and in other parts of the country rains are already falling (and even snow) which brings about concerns of mold, mildew and other fungi showing up inside and outside the house.  So, here is a reminder that Organic Orange TKO can be your best ally to kill fungi and remove the stains and odors from fungi.

TKO will take off fungi on any surface: carpets, clothing, footwear, saddles, tile, linoleum, wood, glass, painted walls, wall paper, cement, etc., etc., etc.

Because TKO does not fade colorfast dyes, it can be used on carpets and clothing even at full strength.  Customers has been able to restore carpets with TKO after a flood that had caused the growth of mold and mildew on it and had been considered unsalvable by the cleaning experts.  

TKO is good to leather and when fungi grows on leather TKO will bring it to its original condition.  A STRONG solution of TKO has totally freed saddles from mold covering them.  The same has been done with mold-covered boots.

So, do not worry anymore about fungi ruining your possessions.  TKO will take care of the fungi and leave the greatest fragrance after the job is done.

TKO tip # 35 Organic Orange TKO saves your carpets

Happy Holidays!

This is a time for joy, memories, gatherings and, sometimes, messes on your carpets. With Organic Orange TKO the stress of recovering a carpet after being stained with wine, tea, Christmas tree sap, candle wax, grease, tomato sauce, paint, etc., etc,, etc., will be a thing of a past when you did not have TKO.

  If you can take action right after the stain happened, pick up as much as possible of the staining substance with paper towels or clean rags.  
  Then spray TKO on the affected area and mix it with the staining substance by agitating the mix with a soft-bristle brush, or a paper towel or your fingers if there is no brush. 
  Allow TKO to emulsify the stain for about 2 minutes.  
  Remove the stain with a paper towel or clean rag by moving it in a circular motion on the stained area. Continue this removal procedure with other clean sections of the rag or paper towel until the stain is not visible.  
  If the stain is not totally gone, repeat the treatment

You can start using a TKO General Solution for many kinds of stains and then apply a Strong Solution or pure TKO if necessary. Strong stains from permanent marker, tree sap, wax, grease, etc. will require a Strong Solution or pure TKO from the start. When starting with pure TKO, lightly wet the stain with water first.

For old stains on carpets use the same procedure described above, starting with the spraying of TKO.

For regular cleaning of a carpet with a carpet cleaning machine a General TKO Solution is usually enough. The TKO solution will replace the usual carpet cleaning machine shampoo. A stronger TKO solution can be used for more soiled carpets.

TKO does not dissolve colorfast dyes, so if your carpet has a colorfast dye (most do) you will not change the color of the carpet even if you use pure TKO. When the stain is totally removed, the cleaned area may have a lighter color than the carpet area next to it if then rest of the carpet is not as clean as the area treated with TKO.carpet area next to it if then rest of the carpet is not as clean as the area treated with TKO.