Try It Out Tuesday: Carpet Cleaner

A few weeks ago, one of our dogs had an emergency bathroom accident all over our bedroom floor (really late at night). I had a regular old carpet cleaner in the cleaning supply area... and I used it. We were in a pinch and I didn't want the mess to soak into the carpet if I left it until morning when I could research cleaners. That night I had a sore throat and my allergies were terrible the next day. I blame it 100% on the cleaner. This sent me into a frenzy to discover a good carpet cleaner... that would take out messes without giving me an allergy attack. This super simple concoction is my new go-to carpet cleaner.

You need:
1/4 cup dish soap
1 cup lukewarm water

Combine the two in a spray bottle. Spray, rub and blot to remove excess moisture. This can be used to clean large areas of carpet or spot treat small areas.

Try It Out Tuesday: Wood Floor Polish

We have wood (well fake wood) floors... and finding a "green" polish for them is difficult. I haven't found one I love... and I really don't like spending lots of money to decide if I like them. So when I came upon this I decided it was worth a try and I like it pretty well.

You need:
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Combine the two in a spray bottle. Spray lightly over floor and buff to a shine with a cloth (or your floor mop). Then go over again lightly with a dry cloth.

Enjoy!!

Try It Out Tuesday: Mold Killer

Do you ever find yourself face to face with this...
Eeek... Mold!
And in my experience, the mold grows in one of two places... the bathroom or the kitchen. I really don't like the idea of using a chemical or bleach based cleaner... especially where food would be stored... but I also don't like the idea of mold touching my food. So I need a cleaner that kills the mold but also isn't going to be toxic!


Enter tea tree oil!
Mix 1 tablespoon with 1 cup water and spray onto the mold.
Leave to set for at least 2 hours.
If it is in the shower or bath (where water will rinse over) leave until your next shower/bath and gently rinse off. If it is elsewhere, wipe off. You can rinse after wiping off... but there isn't a strong need.

*Tea tree oil has a very strong aroma, but it is safe to breathe.
**Tea tree oil can be used as a topical treatment for acne, athletes foot, warts, toenail fungus and more... but should not be used as a topical treatment if you are pregnant or nursing.

Try It Out Tuesday: Oven Cleaner

Looking for the BooBoo and Norm GIVEAWAY? Check it out HERE until March 11.

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Let me start with a little confession and a story...

Confession: I hate cleaning my oven, therefore I hardly ever do it.

Story: I started a fire in my oven. This was a few years ago, after we had been living in this house for 3 years and I had never cleaned the oven. I didn't even know I needed to clean the oven... or how to do it for that matter. I was baking Monkey Bread (sticky-gooey-messy-yummy cinnamon bread)... and I had placed it in a springform pan (thinking it would make for easier clean-up after the fact). So the gooey-yummy juices dripped down in the bottom of the oven. I am sure there was already a big mess of dripings down in the bottom of the oven. So the sticky-gooey drippings kept on dripping... and they were smoking a bit... but I just kept baking because I thought it would stop. Then it started smoking A LOT. I opened the oven to see all kinds of flames jumping out at me! I promptly shut the oven and went to the garage to get the fire extinguisher. I opened the oven again, hoping to see the fire had put itself out... it had not. I realized I would indeed need to use the extinguisher, so I tried to break the pin... couldn't get it to break... the fire was still going... and I was super scared by this point because I was going to be the girl whose house burned down because I couldn't get the pin out of the fire extinguisher... I called 911 and kept working on the pin. After the nice emergency dispatcher calmed me down and sent a team out to our house she talked me through using the fire extinguisher and I actually got the pin out. I sprayed the white foam all in the oven and put out the fire. The firemen came, helped clear out the smoke (with a HUGE fan) and laughed at my plight.

Since then... my oven has not been the same. I have cleaned it a couple times, but it really hasn't been clean. There has always been the icky scar from where the fire was... until the other day!
We went to use the oven and it started smoking... a tell-tale sign that it needs to be cleaned again. So I decided I was going to look into a "green" cleaner instead of the scary oven cleaner that just about requires a haz-mat suit. What I found was quite simple... and it REALLY worked... I no longer have a nasty stain from the fire and my oven is really clean! It is a cleaning wonder!

The recipes I found were all fairly similar and they incorporated the following ingredients:
-borax
-vinegar
-water
-dish soap
-baking soda

They all had different amounts... so here is what I did! I used my all-natural cleaner I told you about HERE. I sprayed it very liberally all through the oven. I then sprinkled baking soda all through the oven. I did this very generously as well. I used close to half a box of baking soda. I then sprayed the cleaner over the top of the baking soda. I left this overnight. In the morning, I sprayed the oven with water and then wiped the paste-like cleaner out. I didn't even really have to scrub or use much elbow grease. I did use a scraper to get the fire stain out... but the baking soda really cut through the grease and grime. I am so pleased with this method because it was super easy, smelled much nicer than store-bought cleaner.

Happy Oven Cleaning

Try It Out Tuesday: Laundry Day

In all my research on how to "green" my cleaning products... and in order to help combat my little Bug's super sensitive skin... I came across some DIY laundry soaps! I didn't even know that was possible! I was super curious at how it would work... and I was impressed at how simple it is. I tried it and I have fallen in love with my new laundry detergent! I also found some ways to finish out that load of laundry without using dryer sheets (which leave a residue on clothes).

There are recipes available for making both liquid and powder detergent, but the steps for making liquid detergent were much more involved. So I went with powder...

What you need:

-1 cup Borax Powder (remember, you just got a box last week for cleaner?)
-1 cup Super Washing Soda
-1 cup grated soap (about 1 bar)

*Borax and Super Washing Soda were both near the laundry detergent in my grocery store and each cost about $3. The soap cost $.10 for a 3 pack using some serious couponing... but I imagine I will be spending $3 on future 3 packs. Also, I used Dial Hypo-Allergenic soap, but you can use any soap you like. In my research both Dove and Ivory had high recommendations.

Tools:
-Measuring Cup
-Cheese Grater (fine)

1. Grate the soap.

2. Combine the soap, Borax and Super Washing Soda in an airtight container and shake up.
3. Use 3-4 Tablespoons per load of laundry. Enjoy clean clothes and inexpensive, safe laundry soap!

**I made a triple batch so I would have enough to last for a good while. I am LOVING this soap. I especially love the mild scent. If you love a stronger smell, choose a stronger soap!


I also have learned a few things about dryer sheets and I am choosing not to use them anymore... plus I hate spending money on them. I have taken to tossing 3 tennis balls into the dryer with my laundry. This keeps the static at bay (not gone from fleece) and it decreases drying time by fluffing the laundry. This has also cut down on wrinkles... which means less ironing! Yay!

Finally, I like my laundry to have a mild scent, so the laundry soap is just about right for me... but sometimes I toss a little cotton baggy of lavender into the dryer to add a gentle fragrance. You can also put a couple drops of lavender (or whatever scent you like) oil onto a hankie and toss that in the dryer with your load.

Enjoy your new greener laundry!

Try It Out Tuesday: Spray Cleaner

I am working on trying to live a more "green" life. Not so much because I am a tree hugger (I am just a little bit) but because I am trying to be more cautious of what I bring into the house and what products I use on my body or especially on my baby's body. So as I run out of certain products, I am trying to find better/safer/greener products to replace them with... all the while, trying to save money (there are lots of great green products out there, but they tend to be more costly).

One of the things I have been concerned about is all the cleaning products in our house! We have different products for everything (toilets, windows, sinks, counters, showers, linoleum floors, wood floors, dusting, etc.). Most of these products have chemicals I cannot pronounce and they all require "adequate" ventilation and have warnings about keeping them away from children. So I did some research and decided that I can really cut down on the number of cleaning products I use... and I can make some cleaners of my own!

All Natural Glass Cleaner

First, I have been using this for a few years now and it is better than the glass cleaners you can get in the store. You mix 1 part water with 1 part vinegar and you have an amazing glass cleaner! It works really well to use newspaper as your wiper (instead of a paper towel). Your hands get the print all over them when you use newspaper... but it really leaves a nice clean window without streaks!

All Purpose Cleaner (works on tile, showers, sinks)
3 c. water
3 T borax powder
2 T vinegar
1-2 T dish soap (I use an all natural dish soap)
a few drops of your favorite essential oil (I used lavender because it was what I had)

Combine in spray bottle and swirl to mix. Spray over surface, let sit for a minute, scrub tough spots, and wipe away. You can follow with a wet sponge if you like, but it is not necessary.I tried this just a few days ago and I LOVE it! You have to use a little elbow grease to get the tough spots, but I feel better about how natural it is!

Stay tuned for more easy to make, all natural cleaning products (and a use for the rest of the borax now that you have a whole box)!