All Natural Stuff

Hey! I meant to do this last night, but got caught up in other things and didn't get into bed until midnight as it was...

So, here is all the info I have gathered on cleaning naturally. First of all, let me say that none of this is my information. I am more than happy to give credit where credit is due. My best friend found these websites for me and then the rest of the info came from one of my FAVORITE blogs in the whole world...www.mycharmingkids.net

The blog above is linked to my blog through the little "Praying for Stellan" link. His mother Jennifer, is amazing. I think we could be friends and, WOW! what a great writer! I love her style. All of you (10 people or so!) that read my blog should totally check hers out. I started reading it for baby Stellan and now read it every single day. She not only cleans with natural products, but she cooks with mostly natural and super healthy stuff, and is a professional photographer!! My kind of woman!! :)

So, I am just going to list all of the info that I have found, and hope you read up more for yourself. I still haven't tried all of these things, but am excited to in the near future!! What I have done had worked wonders and I will probably never consider going back to store-bought cleaners. :)

http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/vinegar-as-a-disinfectant.html
http://www.ecocycle.org/hazwaste/recipes.cfm
http://housekeeping.about.com/cs/environment/a/alternateclean.htm
http://www.vinegartips.com/cleaning/

From MckMama’s (Jennifer) blog…she has been cleaning with these products for years and this was from a post on May 9, 2009.

Okay, so toss out your chlorine bleach, Windex and Comet. Say goodbye to Formula 409, antibacterial gel and Chlorox wipes. Bid adieu to terrible fumes and cancer-causing agents. And say hello to natural ways to clean your house and body that work as well as store bought products...and won't break the bank!

Here are some of my own favorite cleaning ideas. Enjoy!

Vinegar: Just plain old white vinegar cleans seriously just about everything. I could not clean without it. It cuts grease, removes stains and gets the streaks and fingerprints off of my stainless steel refrigerator door. Vinegar's infamous strong smell dissipates as the vinegar dries. I also pour white vinegar in with my loads of cloth diapers, as it neutralizes the urine.

Lemon juice: The acid in lemon juice neutralizes hard water deposits, dissolves buildup and dirt on wood and removes tarnish on silver. Lemon juice also removes perspiration and other stains from clothing and is a bleach alternative.

Baking soda: Another cleaning supply I could not live without. It's totally all-purpose and non-toxic. Sure it deodorizes refrigerators, but it also cleans, removes stains and softens fabrics. It even rids clothes of perspiration odors! Try adding a 1/2 cup to your next load of laundry. Baking soda works as a non-abrasive scouring cleaner on countertops and ovens, and in bathtubs and sinks. I also sprinkle some onto my carpet before I vacuum.

Borax: A natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap.

Essential oils: I use these for disinfecting and fragrance

Salt: An abrasive. Get scrubbing!

Tea tree oil: This is a natural antiseptic and also functions as a fungicide and keeps mold at bay. I just add 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil to 2 cups of water and keep in a spray bottle to use for household cleaning. Tea tree oil also works wonders when applied to the skin in full strength to cuts, abrasions, eczema patches and insect bites!

Toothpaste: A mild abrasive. And oh so minty fresh.

Walnuts: Yes, you heard me correctly. Use the meat of a walnut to rub on scratches in wood.

And for cleaning Many Dirty Hands, as well as my own face in the shower, why goat milk soap, of course! http://www.goatmilkstuff.com/

MckMama also posts lots of really cool recipes on her blog. I am going to try her hummus, tabouli, and couscous recipes soon! I just have to get some things from the store first...and hope Eric is feeling adventurous!!

Let me know what you all try and if you liked it...