April 27, 2012

Dish Soap

Ingredients:

For hand washing- 1tbls Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

For dishwasher- 3 tbls Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda


Directions:
For hand washing dishes simply sprinkle it into your hot water as you're filling the sink. For the dishwasher, put it in the detergent compartment as you would regular dish detergent.

Why this is so great- 1.) It's environmentally friendly. There's no harsh chemicals draining into the ground.
                                2.) It has super grease cutting power. Your dishes and silverware will come out sparkling                      
                                     every time!
                                3.) It is highly cost effective! Each box is sold for about $4/box in you grocery stores
                                     laundry isle. Each box is 3lbs. So only using 1-3 tbls per load of dishes, it's going to go
                                     a long way!
                                4.) It's a highly versatile product! You can use it for sooo much more than just your
                                     dishes! You can use it in homemade laundry soap, to clean drains, and carpets!

NO HOUSEHOLD SHOULD BE WITHOUT THIS PRODUCT!

March 22, 2012

Baby Wipes

Ingredients:

A roll of paper towel (I like VIVA cause they're soft and cloth like)
1 tsp liquid Castile soap (if you can find the baby mild stuff, that would be best)
2 tbls. grapeseed oil
2 cups warm distilled water
48 oz round container with lid (I found mine at Family Dollar)

Directions:

In the bottom of the clean container, add your soap, grapeseed oil, and water. Stir it around a little to mix it up. With a bread knife, cut the roll of paper towel in half, making two shorter rolls. Set one half aside for use later, and place the other half in the container. Snap the lid on tight and turn it upside down on the counter. Let it set like that until the liquid mixture has soaked all the way through. When it has, flip it back over, remove lid and pull out the cardboard piece in the center of the paper towel. Pull wipes up from the center.

I love making homemade baby wipes! They're cheap and easy to make, and hold up well to messes. They're also great for carrying in the car for a quick clean up. You don't need much soap at all, as the Castile soap is concentrated, and the grapeseed oil will leave the babies skin super soft and healthy. You can add or subtract water to get the moistness you desire. But I don't recommend using any more than 3 cups of water, it'll cause the wipes to be too soggy and can cause it to mold.

March 13, 2012

Vacuum able Carpet Refresher

Ingredients:

1 c. Baking soda
10-20 drops Essential Oil

Directions:

Combine baking soda and essential oil in a bowl and stir well to make sure the oil is distributed evenly. Sprinkle on carpet then use a broom to "grind" it into the carpet. Wait for about a half hour then vacuum.

Tips:

The essential oil isn't a pure oil, so there is no need to worry that it'll stain your carpet. I personally like to use Lavender, but just about any essential oil will work. Try Patchouli for a little spice, or orange for a fresh citrus scent. The scent will only last through a couple of vacuumings, so if you want to keep it up either mix it up every few days or try adding a few more drops of oil to your mix. And remember the bigger the room, the more scent you'll need. :)

February 7, 2012

Homemade Oven Cleaner

Ingredients:

Baking Soda
(Yep that's it!)

Directions:
After using the oven, let it cool. Then sprinkle a thick layer of baking soda on all the grease spots. Then with a spray bottle of clean water, mist the baking soda until it forms a paste. Close the oven doors and let it set for a few hours. Check on it from time to time, and spray a little water on it if the paste has become dry. Scrub a little here and there to get up the grime. Then after a few hours wipe it all away with a clean, wet, dish cloth or sponge.
For better and faster results, spray it with distilled white vinegar instead of water.

Be sure to leave the oven open to dry after you're finished.

Baking Soda is super absorbent. Plus it's a little coarse which makes it perfect for tough messes. And you don't have to stop at the oven with this recipe either. Use it all over your kitchen, and your bathroom too!

January 24, 2012

Carpet Stain Remover

Ingredients:

1/2 c. Distilled White Vinegar
1/4 c. Lemon Juice
1/4 c. Peroxide
3 Tbls. Baking Soda
1 c. Water

Directions:

In a clean spray bottle, add the baking soda and vinegar. Be sure to hold it over the sink in case it bubbles over the top. Then add the remaining ingredients. Put the lid on and give it a quick shake to combine everything.

The vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice act as natural deodorizers. The lemon juice, along with the peroxide, has bleaching properties. This IS safe to use on carpets of any color. It's especially great for cleaning up pet messes due to the deodorizing ingredients. Simply spray on the spot you wish to remove, let it set for about 30 seconds, then scrub clean with a washcloth. I managed to come up with this recipe when I needed a serious stain remover and had none in the house. The light bulb went off and it occurred to me that I may be able to add some peroxide to my regular homemade cleaning solution, because women sometimes use peroxide to bleach their hair. So by carefully adding just enough to get rid of the stain, but not ruin the carpet, this handy, natural, and easy stain remover was born!

January 11, 2012

Shampoo

Ingredients:
1 tsp. Liquid Castile Soap
1/4 c. Vegetable Glycerin
1 c. Distilled Water
1 Vitamin E capsule

Directions:
Break open the vitamin E capsule and squeeze it into a clean, empty shampoo bottle. Add the remaining ingredients using a funnel. Put the cap on tight, hold it on with your fingers and shake the bottle to combine the ingredients.

This shampoo is good for all hair types. It doesn't take much castile soap because the soap is concentrated. The vegetable glycerin provides the softness and shine that a conditioner does without leaving a build up on your hair that causes it to be heavy. Plus it adds an extra cleansing property. This shampoo is low suds, so don't be alarmed that it doesn't lather up the way commercial shampoos do. It also isn't as thick as commercial shampoos. But this is ok because it doesn't have all the additives. I also recommend leaving it in your hair for about 2 minutes before rinsing. This allow the vitamin E and glycerin to penetrate, leaving your hair healthy and soft.

Hello Hello

I apologize for not keeping up on this last week! I was in Las Vegas the whole week on business and didn't have access to the internet. That and I just didn't have the time. Because not only am I a stay at home mom, but I'm also a Consultant with Organo Gold Int. So as you can imagine I am a very busy person! Please feel free to check out my other website sometime! www.amandaraye.organogold.com