homemade citrus cleaner

As promised here is a homemade citrus cleaner similar to the all-purpose vinegar cleaner that I shared yesterday. The only thing is that this one requires your family to eat citrus fruits and a little patience! :)


But first I want to offer a quick disclaimer/encouragement...
In case anyone is feeling the urge to start making all their own toiletries, cleaning products, etc, and might be feeling overwhelmed, let me encourage you to take your time! I may be posting all these quickly, but remember that this change for me has taken months! As I ran across new ideas, I incorporated them into our lives. So go slow with transitioning to homemade stuff- don't over whelm yourself by making too many changes too quickly!

Okay on to the Citrus Cleaner...

I love Citrus! It's one of my favorite smells. So when I saw how easy this was, I just had to try it!
This may not be new to some of you since I did see it floating around the Internet recently.

What you'll need:

~ A quart size Mason jar (or two!)
~ Citrus Peels
~Distilled White Vinegar
~A spray bottle
~Water

1. Eat Oranges :)  (or any other citrus fruits- mine consists of Oranges and Clementines)

2. Save the left over peels in a Mason jar

3. When the jar is filled with peels, pour in the vinegar to fill up the rest of the jar.

4. Now set it on the counter for about 2 weeks (It really makes a lovely temporary decoration). The longer it sets the more potent it will be. Also it might be a good idea to label your jars so you know when they're ready!

5. At the ending of the 2 or so weeks, use a fine mesh strainer to separate the orange peels from the liquid.

6. Pour the liquid into the Spray bottle and add the same amount of water
(Ex: my first batch yielded 10 oz of liquid, so I added 10 oz of water.)

7. Give it a shake and you have a Citrus cleaner that you can use on anything- counters, floor, tubs, sinks, etc!

This process of saving something that I used to throw away has made me rethink what we throw out, and wonder what other ways I can recycle our "food waste." I'm learning there are still ways we can benefit from foods we throw away and I'm looking forward to learning more about how.

Finally I want to comment on how satisfying it is to make something from scratch that is very useful to your family! Once you start, it's an addicting feeling! Just make one thing on the list from yesterday and see how it feels! :)  But really, we all know the satisfaction of creating something from our own two hands with success, so I know this isn't a shock to you! There's nothing like looking in your cabinets, on your shelves, in your freezer and seeing products made by your own hands, with your own effort! If anything make me feel like super mom (on those rare days), it's doing this! I feel like I'm truly providing my family a simpler life and a safer home! You aren't creating something for just the sake of it, but you're creating a product that will save you money, that will be more natural and safe for your home, and that you'll actually use!!! I also love that I've freed up a chunk of our grocery budget by freeing myself from having to buy cleaning products at the store! When something runs out, I go to my pantry and whip up another batch!

Okay, how have you discovered the satisfaction of made-from-scratch living? 
Have you tried something new recently?

make cleaning products for pennies

There is something about homemade living that I think everyone should know:

You can make your own cleaning products (and toiletries) for just pennies, and actually enjoy them!

AND you don't have to live with and use the chemicals from the store that make you want to wear a gas mask every time you use them! 

When I first pregnant, I became more and more aware of the chemicals in my house- they were everywhere, in my kitchen, in my bathroom, in my laundry room, and behind most cabinet doors close to the floor! It was alarming to realize this and the huge responsibility it would be to baby-proof a house and spend years keeping all kinds of harmful things around our house out of little hands.

I knew it would be impossible to say goodbye to the little years without some incident involving my child eating something he shouldn't, no matter how careful I was. So what could I do?

I could remove it all from my home. But how? I still needed to clean my house?

Then I began a mission of finding a natural cleaning product. Then I discovered Norwex and have been happily using their reusable antibacterial microfiber cloths for about 2 years now, along with many other products! I love the products and although I don't sell them myself, I've sold many friends and family on them and now have a couple consultants in the family :) If you have any questions about it, let me know, as I won't take the time and space in this post.

After slowly removing chemicals from my home and using a few simple Norwex products that are truly multi-purpose, I started learning that I could easily and cheaply make my own cleaning products with only a few ingredients that I already have around the house.


Here is a basic list of staple ingredients needed to make homemade cleaning producs:

• Borax
• Baking Soda
• Super Washing Soda
• White Vinegar
• Castile Soap
• Essential oils are not necessary but they can be fun to experiment with
  
  
  
  The basics are vinegar and baking soda- we probably all have that in our pantry right now! So you can start there! The rest of these items are fairly inexpensive and can be found pretty easily in the laundry aisle of your local grocery store, a well appointed health food store, or online through Mountain Rose Herbs.

Here are a few recipes for cleaning products you can make with a few simple ingredients:

Abrasive Scrub
(Uses: Toilet bowl scrub, mattress freshener, carpet freshener,

~Fill an empty plastic container (like a parmesan container) halfway with baking soda.
~Add 15-20 drops of tea tree oil (anti-bacterial)
        (Also add any other essential oil you like for scent- I love Peppermint or Orange)
~Shake until mixed totally

For toilet bowls, use like Comet- sprinkle in toilet bowl, and use toilet brush to scrub
For mattresses and carpets, sprinkle around, let set, then vacuum up!




All Purpose Cleaner
(Uses: counters, floors, sinks, tubs, etc!)

~Fill a spray bottle 1:1 with water and white distilled vinegar.
~Use as is or add some essential oils


Dish Soap- I plan to make this recipe soon!

Laundry Soap- uses Castile bar soap. I plan to use this recipe as soon as I go through the last batch I recently made. I don't care for the strong smell of the Fels Naphtha.

Foaming Anti Bacterial Hand Soap


So here are a few recipes that can get you started, and pretty much do most of your cleaning for you.
I've found that if there's still something in my house I want to replace, I just google a homemade natural version and there are usually lots of versions out there, so take advantage of the internet! There are lots of other women on blogs who have a wealth of information and experience and they are just like us, wanting to make their homes safer and cleaner!

I now exclusively use Norwex or homemade cleaners, and chemical cleaners are almost non-existent in our house! It feels good to have one less thing to worry about in a house of toddlers! We have enough trouble to keep them out of!

Tomorrow I'll be sharing another DIY Cleaning Recipe with you!:)


Share or Link any other cleaning recipes you have in the comments below so that we can all

Homemade Foaming Antibacterial Handsoap

I've been wanting to make my own handsoap for some months now, but have yet to get around to it!
This past weekend, a friend sent this recipe my way, so it gave me a reason to finally try it! ;)

It was MUCH easier than other recipes I'd seen and had a mere three ingredients!
(I've decided my favorite homemade products have minimal ingredients because then there's more of a chance that I have everything needed!) :)

Remember when I shared all the things I loved about Castile Soap when I talked about going Shampoo free? Well, here's a recap! 
--I use Castile Soap on the kids exclusively now. The hubby and I also use this as a body wash, and can be used as a shampoo (especially on guys, since they have shorter hair!) And you only need to use a tiny amount!

--I love that it doesn't leave behind a residue or build-up on our skin (this has always bothered me about soap!) Castile Soap is made with pure and simple ingredients- castile soap and organic oils and essential oils!
 
--I also love that it's a Fair Trade Product, meaning that it wasn't made through the use of slave labor! 

--And I love that it lasts a LONG time and is more cost-effective than other soaps. (we've been using our 32oz bottle for over a month and I've made two bottles of hand soap, and only 1/4 of the bottle has been used up.)

-- It can also be used in household cleaners, dish soap, laundry soap, and more!


So while Titus was taking a bath, I whipped up a couple bottles of this handsoap! Seriously one of the quickest, easiest mixes! Both of my bathrooms had foaming soap dispensers that were almost empty! (Yay!!) Apparently you can find empty ones online if you don't have any laying around. I just emptied and washed mine out, mixed the ingredients together, and gave it a quick shake!  Simple as that!

Now I want to find a similar recipe for liquid dish soap because I know that Castile Soap can be used for dish soap (I think I could probably just use this recipe though!)

This recipe and photo was found from The Simple Moms
(They give some more info and tips on this post if you're interested.)

With a 3 year old and a 1 year old during cold/flu season, we are constantly washing our hands around here! In doing some reading I've learned that 60% of what we put on our skin gets absorbed and I want to make sure that only healthy products are going on our skin! Soap is probably what we use most on our skin on a daily basis! I love that I now know exactly what our skin is absorbing with this homemade hand soap. It leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean and smelling great! I also notice that my hands don't feel quite as dry as they do when I'm using commercial soaps all day, and I think these bottles will last a loooong time (don't foaming soaps seem to last longer?) making this soap even more cost-effective than it already is! 

There are many new people to DIY toiletries who've been asking about where to get all these ingredients/supplies from. If you already make these kinds of products, would you share below where you get your supplies/ingredients from so that we all can benefit? Thanks!

made from scratch: discovering the pleasures of a handmade life {book review}

As many of you know, 2 months ago we moved our family from Michigan to Ohio. It's been an adjustment for all of us and we certainly do miss dear friends and family. But the move has not been without it's positives! Besides loving our new church family, and having some new friends, we are also looking forward to the Spring! You see, we now live in a big farmhouse built around 1873, that sits on about 5 acres of church property. There is lots of room for the kids to run around, we have a little bit of woods, a fire pit, and what we're most excited about- a garden! Read my husband's blog about our past and present garden advetures here.

Anyways, as we sit inside all winter, we've been reading up on gardening and getting excited for all the possibilities! We plan to have a bigger garden, and have been trying to think of more ways to be self-sustaining with the land that's around us! Tim also blogged about some great books on homesteading/gardening too.

One idea that we've been toying with is getting some chickens, for eggs and possibly meat as well. Now we love the idea, but we want to make sure that we know all it entails first so we can be truly committed. I've been pretty excited about the prospect, but also hesitant. You see, I am NOT an animal person. I never really have been. So although the idea of having livestock sounds exciting and practical, I'm having to face this reality about myself.

I told my brother and sister in law about our thoughts because they've raised chickens and built a coop before. They've sent us some great resources. My sweet SIL told me about this book that she read that really inspired her to get the chickens, and she promptly loaned it to me via Kindle.
Made From Scratch: discovering the pleasures of a Handmade Life by Jenna Woginrich.

Made From Scratch is an entertaining, informative and inspiring book about how to live more simply, frugally and self-reliant. Jenna, a web designer at a big company, shares the ups and down in her own personal journey raising chickens, setting up a bee hive, planting a garden, making her own clothes, and learning to play the fiddle all while living in a rental home! She shares her stories in a humorous and witty way, but you come away wanting to order some chicks, a beekeeping kit and a hand-crank radio! She makes the handmade life sound very satisfying and desirably simple!

I already do a lot of what she shared, like sew clothes for our family, grow a garden, make more food from scratch, and I'm developing a love for old things. But it made me want to do those things more, and it opened my eyes to so many new things I'd like to try.

I came away from the book, not only sold on the idea of raising some chicks this spring, but I also want to:
Plant a bigger garden
Make more of our clothes
Bake bread more regularly
Keep Bees
Churn Butter
Decorate my house with old things
Buy a hand crank radio and kitchen appliances
Raise Angora Rabbits to spin their hair into yarn!

Now I just need to find the time to do all that... Whew!

Made from Scratch is certainly not a thorough how-to book when it comes to all these different topics. But it gives you enough information to have a basic understanding of what each will entail, and she also provides lots of resources in the back of the book if you have any more interest in any of the topics. It's the push in the right direction you need to develop an interest in trying something new, and feeling like you can do it!

If you read this book, I guarantee you will laugh out loud (or at least, chuckle under your breath), you will have moments of sadness, you'll open your mouth in shock, and you'll be inspired to try something she talks about!

When you read it, share in comments below what you liked about the book and if you decided to try anything she shared!

why i don't use shampoo

Yes, it's true! I don't use shampoo and conditioner...

I hope you'll be intrigued enough, rather than grossed out, to read on!

I've been going shampoo free since the beginning of November, after trying to for a month last summer! I have to say before I go any further here that my hair IS clean, and looks and feels more healthy than before!

I had never heard about how to clean your hair without commercial shampoos and conditioners until I read the book Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider. I thought, Whoa that's weird! and felt no desire to try it. But as I read her reasons and what exactly is in our shampoos, plus how much healthier it is to make your own, I was curious... It couldn't hurt to give it a try, right?

I saw it as exciting adventure to do something totally out of the ordinary. It felt totally counter-cultural, in a rebellious kind of way! Hee hee! :) It became my little secret, because I certainly wasn't going to tell anyone and risk grossing them out, at least before I was sold on it, which I didn't even know would happen. So I kept my secret mission to myself, but of course I had to tell my mom! And she was sworn to secrecy- especially from my cosmetologist family members!

What's the big deal with shampoo?

Is it really that evil?? Uhhh NO! :) It's definitely NOT the most important health change out there. But because it does contain chemicals and isn't really the healthiest option, it's worth looking at the other side- because there ARE other options besides just walking down the store aisle. Here's the reason I decided to stop buying shampoo and make my own:

Did you know that people didn't always use shampoo? People have only been using shampoo for the last 100 years. Before that, they just used a good ole bar of soap! That was before we started adding all kinds of stuff to our water, like minerals and such. Once we did that, the soap wasn't as effective in alkaline water and essentially left a residue (or as we call it "soap scum") in our hair, making the scales on your head stand up, and making your hair weaker, rougher and a big tangled mess! So shampoo entered the scene! The only real benefit was that it could work in both hard and soft water BUT unlike soap, shampoo is a detergent, which is harsh, and strips the hair of all it's natural oils! That led to the introduction of conditioner to replenish some of those oils. Now we have to shower more often because our hair produces oil faster to compensate for the oils that we strip out day after day, and conditioner oils don't stay in our hair long enough! Our scalp and hair need those natural oils, and the longer that we strip those out, the weaker our hair becomes, causing damage and breakage over time!

Do you know what's in your Shampoo? 

Shampoo contains chemicals, that you don't want in your hair OR on your body! One ingredient that I'd like to point out that shampoo contains is Mineral Oil, which is a byproduct (what's left over) of the distillation of gasoline from crude oil. It's added to create an artificial shine as a thick layer of oil all over our hair.

Mineral oil cannot absorb into your skin like other oils do, so it sits on top and forms a barrier preventing oils and toxins from being released as a normal part of your skin's lifecycle. This is one of the reasons you'll find that the more shampoo you use, the more often you need to use it. In the long run, coating your hair with mineral oil makes it weaker, and more prone to damage.- babyslime

So the more you use, the more you need. It's a cycle of stripping out natural oils, replacing with thick mineral oil that sits on your skin and hair. By not using shampoos and creating your own safe replacements, you are essentially returning your hair to its most natural, healthy state!
For an in-depth look at the harmful chemicals in shampoo, visit this blog.

Another reason to consider is cost when it comes to going Shampoo-free

Now, I know that Shampoo isn't THAT expensive! It's not like cutting shampoo out of my budget is going to create a huge amount of extra money for me! But how about this: because our hair is coated in unnatural oils and chemicals, it takes more unnatural products to keep it looking or feeling the way I want! Thus the creation of sprays, and gels, and waxes and detanglers and mousses, etc...

I also seemed to have a problem with a dry, itchy scalp, so I had to purchase special products and shampoos to try to help with that. And I was buying special shampoos for the kids- did you know the "tear-free" versions actually have a chemical that will numb their eyes if it gets in there? Wow! No thank you! Now what I make/buy can be used by the whole family, so it's safe for us all, plus it's cost-effective to not have to purchase different soaps for every member of the family. To purchase the ingredients needed, it costs about $5 which would last for a very long time! Maybe like a year or more? When it comes to buying commercial shampoo, it costs about $5 for one bottle, which might last around a month for one person? Definitely cost effective when you look at it like that!

No, I don't believe Shampoo is inherently evil, but I do think it's unnecessary! And so it feels good to cut out the cost! I've been aspiring to living a more frugal, simple and natural lifestyle and I believe making my own shampoo helps me live this way! Not only am I saving money by making it from a few simple ingredients that I already have in my pantry, but my family can all use the same product safely!

In addition to making my own hair clarifier ("shampoo") and rinse (Yes, I'm getting there- recipe is coming up next!), I've purchased some Dr. Bronner's Castile soap for our family to use (We like the Peppermint scented kind)! It can be used for your hair or body. I use it for the kids now, and Tim is using it too! And it also can be used for many household cleaners, dish soap, laundry soap, and more!

--I love that it doesn't leave behind a residue or build-up on our skin (this has always bothered me about soap!) Castile Soap is made with pure and simple ingredients- castile soap and essential oils!
--I also love that it's a Fair Trade Product, meaning that it wasn't made through the use of slave labor! --And I love that it lasts a LONG time and is more cost-effective than other soaps.

Here is How to make/use your own shampoo/conditioner replacement: 

Hair Clarifier

Baking soda has become a staple in my house as it is a main ingredient in many of my homemade cleaners and toiletries! You probably already have this in your house, and can buy it very cheaply!
It works great for hair, and very gently clarifies hair from chemical build-up!
This recipe can be tweaked to fit your specific needs, but here's what I do:

Mix 1 Tablespoon of Baking soda with 8 oz of warm water, and shake to dissolve baking soda! That's it!
(I also add a few drops of an essential oil, since I was having an awful time trying to comb my hair out after washing my hair. The few drops added just enough extra oil that I could comb through my hair much more smoothly! Plus it's adds a nice scent as well- Orange is my favorite!)

This batch will last me 3-4 uses. I store it in a plastic squeeze bottle I had laying around and use a small to pour the baking soda in. You could put it in old shampoo bottles, and even double or triple the recipe.

To use, get your hair thoroughly wet in the shower. Concentrating on your scalp, squeeze some in different places all over your scalp and massage it in. Start at the crown, and work it in all over your scalp. There isn't really any lather. You can include the rest of your hair, but as the baking soda mixture clarifies the scalp it'll naturally clean the rest of the hair. After a minute or so, rinse it out just as you would shampoo!

ACV Rinse

Apple Cider Vinegar is another ingredient to have on hand not just for your hair, but for other household cleaning as well! It is mildly acidic and works well to counteract the baking soda. That's why it's a great replacement for conditioner. It detangles the hair folicles, seals the cuticle, and balances the hair’s pH balance.

Mix 1 Tablespoon of ACV with 8 ounces of water, and give it a quick shake.
I put this in a leftover spritz bottle. This mixture will last a LONG time! I think I'm only on my 2nd bottle of it!

To use, after you rinse out your baking soda clarifier, spray/squirt your ACV mixture the ends of your hair and rinse out after a minute or so.
*No, your hair will not smell like vinegar- don't worry!*


And there you have it! That's all I do!
The only other product I use on my hair is a little bit of hair spray! I no longer need the baskets of hair products, because my hair is so much healthier and holds a style so much better! My hair feels so good and so healthy! There have been different concerns as I've gotten used to cleaning my hair this way, but I've figured it out and tweaked it along the way. Nothing the internet can't help with!

In fact, I used Shampoo/Conditioner last week just because I wanted to feel the big soapy lather, and soft hair! Well, my enthusiasm was short lived when a little while later, my hair started to feel oily and nasty! It just didn't feel right! You see, when you use the baking soda and ACV mixtures, you don't have to wash your hair quite as often because your scalp isn't producing those natural oils as quickly as when you're using shampoo. I wash mine about 3 times a week now.

Shampoo-free 3 months!

Washed 36hrs ago and still looks/feels freshly washed!

 Here are some other tips posted by SimpleMom.net:

• You might have a transition period that lasts from a few weeks to a few months, where your hair reacts with excess oil to the lack of shampoo. This is perfectly normal. It’s used to having its oils stripped, so it might take time for the oil to stop producing so heavily in protest.
(Mary Beth here! My transition period only lasted about a week and was really no big deal!)

• I hear that eventually, you can wean off baking soda and vinegar all together, relying only on water in the shower to remove dirt and oil. I haven’t gotten there yet.

• If you find that your hair is too oily (after the transition period), try using less vinegar, or not using it all together. Some people also use lemon juice instead of vinegar as their acidic clarifier.

• If your hair feels too dry, use less baking soda, or try using honey instead of vinegar.

• I don’t need anything else for my hair. I stopped using pomade, which I previously used religiously to cut the frizzies. My hair is amazingly pliable, and can hold styles without my needing to do much of anything. I’m thrilled with the results!

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Alright so there you have it! Hopefully you stayed with me through this whole journey! I know that was a lot of information! If you have any questions or tidbits to share, please comment below! I can't promise to have all the answers you need, but use the resources below to help answer any questions or concerns as well!


Here are a few other sites to check out on this topic:

babyslime- For lots more in-depth information on commercial shampoo, as well as trouble-shooting when it comes to going shampoo-free/your hair type.

Simple Mom - another personal story of going shampoo-free