Non-Toxic Homemade Household Cleaners

Today, I was a guest at Fox23’s “Great Day Green Country” on Fox 23 News morning show. I was asked to highlight the Non-Toxic Homemade Household Cleaners that I use around my home.
Here’s the video from this morning. Please, be gentle. I know I look like an idiot-I didn’t know which camera to look at.

I was quite nervous, but, you’ll be able to tell that. And apparently, I am a DIY Diva. What?!

The ingredients in these cleansers are so safe that you cannot only clean with them, but go ahead and eat them! I don’t know of many store-bought products that can say the same thing.

With just four simple ingredients (Vinegar, Baking Soda, Olive Oil, Tea Tree Oil), you can safely and effectively clean your entire house-without rubber gloves and a gas mask. And then, make a snack for later with the same ingredients.

I wanted to give you the recipes that I highlighted this morning on television. (I also have a few links at the bottom of this post with more Homemade Household Cleansers and Beauty Recipes.)

All Purpose Cleaner:
1 Part Vinegar
1 Part Water
Place the ingredients in a spray bottle and get busy.

This is the perfect combination for cleaning. Here are just a few things that can be cleaned with Vinegar and Water (but the list is really endless):
Cabinets
Tile
Sinks
Tubs
Toilets
Walls
Stainless Steel
Mirrors
Chrome
Counters

Now-you may ask, “Why Vinegar?”.
I’ll tell you why: Vinegar is a natural organic bi-product of fruits, vegetables and grains-meaning it’s both edible and biodegradable. It’s safe for the environment, for family members, and especially for those with asthma. There is no fear of your kiddos being poisoned. It is also a very effective and amazingly versatile household cleaner that is inexpensive to use.
It doesn’t contain harmful toxic chemicals, so if you pour it all down the drain-its impact on municipal sewer and water treatment systems is just like any food product.
Throw away those rubber gloves! It’s gentle on hands, so there is no need to wear rubber gloves. It cleans mirrors, chrome, stainless steel and more streak free, so there is no need to rinse after cleaning. Vinegar has been prized for generations for its usefulness as a stain remover, mildew eliminator, soap scum dissolver, chrome polisher, lime descaler, fabric softener, room deodorizer and as an unclogging agent.
So, I say back to you, “Why NOT Vinegar?”.

Anti-bacterial Cleaner:
1 Cup Vinegar
1 Cup Water
1/8 tsp Tea Tree Oil
Put ingredients in a spray bottle and use when needed.

This smells fantastic, you should know. Secondly, it gets rid of those nasty germs on just about everything but mirrors and t.v. screens. Because of the tea tree oil, it will leave streaks on glass, chrome or stainless steel.

Tea Tree Oil can cure almost anything that you might have. It is a natural antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-infection oil. It can be used in a variety of applications to cure and heal a host of ailments and conditions.It’s been called the “medicine cabinet” in a bottle. For example, Tea Tree Oil can help with:
Acne
Athletes foot
Bad breath
Body oil
Boils
Blisters
Colds
Dandruff
Dry skin
Germs
Fleas-even on pets!
Head lice
Insect bites and more

Furniture Polish/Cleaner
3 Parts of Olive Oil
1 Part Vinegar
Put the liquid ingredients into a jar, seal tightly and shake until mixed. Apply to a microfiber cloth and get busy on the wood in your house. Remix before every use. This polish restores life to sun-baked, old, vintage or neglected wood.

If you have any leftover, make a salad and pour over the top as a dressing. Olive Oil has amazing benefits both for the inside and the outside of your precious little body.

If you use extra virgin organic olive oil, you will benefit from higher levels of antioxidants, especially vitamin E and phenols, the same compounds found in grapes, because the olive oil is less processed. You can also use Olive Oil:
Replace Butter when cooking
Use it as a Body Oil
Control Frizzy Hair with a little bit on your palm and run it through your hair
Moisturize Dry Cuticles & Nails
Control a Nagging Cough or Scratchy Throat by swallowing a teaspoon full
Shine Stainless Pots & Pans by rubbing on after cleaning
Use as a Lip Balm
Or as a Bath Oil.

I love Olive Oil. It’s marvelous.

Toilet Bowl and Drain Cleaner
These two little ingredients can be used in two different ways.
For the Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
Spray the bowl with Vinegar and then sprinkle the bowl with Baking Soda. Use the toilet brush and scrub away. Look at your fancy, clean toilet.

For the Drain Cleaner:
Pour about a 1/2 Cup of baking soda down the clogged drain. Pour boiling water on top of the baking soda. Follow this with 1/2 Cup of Vinegar, then stand back and watch the bubbly magic happen. For really stubborn clogs, add 1/4 Cup of Salt in between the baking soda and the vinegar.

Baking Soda is able to get things clean and sparkly, but without scratching and scouring. It is soluble in water, which means it is easily rinsed away after it has done the job of cleaning. It also cleans:

Refrigerators
Ovens
Microwaves
Sinks
Baths
Toilets
And even your teeth!

It is not so suitable for cleaning glass, howevever, since it is mildy abrasive.

Now that you armed with your arsenal of cleaning products, it’s time to get busy and get rid of the dirty in your house. I hope you enjoyed these recipes. I love knowing that I clean my house without sacrificing quality!

Here are links to my other Homemade Household Cleansers and Beauty Products:
Easy Laundry Soap
DIY Brass Cleaner
Organic Vegetable/Produce Cleaner
Organic Face Cleanser
Organic Face Moisturizer
Organic Eye Makeup Remover
Simple, Organic Lip Balm

And here are a few Homemade Food Items to easily replace store-bought items:
Simple, Tasty Granola
Easy Crockpot Yogurt
Simple, Homemade Butter
Cooking and Freezing Beans, avoiding BPA
Homemade Hummus
Garden Fresh Salsa

It may seem overwhelming at first, to rid your home of toxins. If you want to learn a little bit more about toxins in your home, how they affect you and the environment, I have an educational team website called the “No Toxin Zone“.

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending time with such a weirdo. Make sure you become a Facebook Fan or a Linky Follower to keep up to date with what this weirdo comes up with next. Have a great day!

Simple, Organic Lip Balm

My month long challenge of slowly ridding our house of nasty chemicals began more than a month ago. I got on this kick and can’t stop!

I’ve posted a Recipe for Facial Moisturizer, DIY Organic Dishwasher Detergent, Cheap, Organic Face Wash, DIY Household Green Cleaner and last week was my DIY Organic Eye Makeup Remover.

I am concocting my own household replacements with little more than what I have on hand or what I can find at the organic market.

But the replacements must meet or exceed three important expectations for this frugal gal:
1. It must be easy to replace-no beakers or science lab experiments. Thank you.
2. It must be just as good or better than the current product I’m using and,
3. It must cost the same or less than the current product I’m using.

photo source unknown

If the product I create passes the final test-me using it for over two plus weeks to make sure it does its job-then I’ll be sharing it with you. I will break down the cost for you, provide you the recipe and give you my honest opinion of the final product.

Today, I’ll be sharing a tested and loved recipe for  Simple, Organic Lip Balm. (ps-I shared this over at Curbly in January)

My hubby and I go through inordinate amount of lip balm. And at $3 a tube, it was beginning to add up. I wanted to find a way that I could circumvent the cost, the unnecessary added chemicals and the need for store-bought lip balm.
For approximately $.25 a tube, I had my very own lip balm without the chemicals.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your very own Simple, Organic Lip Balm:

2 TBS Beeswax Pearls
2 TBS Pure White Refined Shea Butter (you can use unrefined shea butter, it just has a bit of an odor)
4 TBS Sweet Almond Oil
1/4 tsp “Essential” Peppermint Oil (or use Lavender, Cherry, Lime, Eucalyptus, oil)

Double Boiler (or a heat safe bowl set over a pot of simmering water)
Plastic Measuring Cup with a spout
Paper Towels/Rags
(15-20) .15 oz new or recycled tubes or containers (I bought mine from bulkapothecary.com for $0.14 each)

Prepare the lip balm containers by placing in a bowl or pan, without the lids. Help tubes stay upright by wedging paper towels around them.

If using a Double Boiler, fill the bottom pan with water and bring to a slow boil. Place the second pan on top, and melt the beeswax.

If using a heat safe bowl, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water.

Stir continuously with a wire whisk while the next ingredients are added.

Add the 2 TBS of Shea Butter.

Add the 4 TBS of Sweet Almond Oil.

Once liquified, remove the top pan from the heat while continuing to stir.

Whisk in a 1/4 tsp of essential oil. (I used peppermint in my lip balm).

Working quickly, transfer the hot liquid to a room temperature plastic measuring cup with a spout.

Pour the hot liquid into the lip balm containers.

Let cool for 15-20 minutes. Place the lid on the cooled container and enjoy.

I recommend wiping out all pans, measuring cups and spoons with a rag or with paper towels before attempting to wash them. Trust me, I learned the hard way….

Each tube cost me approximately $.25 or less-I had a bit leftover which I use on my cuticles-it’s great for that tough little skin. Hope you enjoy!

Linking up to this and other parties:
The Thrifty Home

DIY Organic Eye Makeup Remover

I’ve been having a blast this past month finding replacements for every day things I buy and use at home. My month long challenge of slowly ridding our house of nasty chemicals began several weeks ago.

My first item to replace was my face lotion. I created a Recipe for Facial Moisturizer. I moved on to replacing my dishwasher detergent-DIY Organic Dishwasher Detergent, face wash–Cheap, Organic Face Wash  and finally last week I shared several DIY Household Green Cleaner recipes.

I am concocting my own household replacements with little more than what I have on hand or what I can find at the organic market.

But the replacements must meet or exceed three important expectations for this frugal gal:
1. It must be easy to replace-no beakers or science lab experiments. Thank you.
2. It must be just as good or better than the current product I’m using and,
3. It must cost the same or less than the current product I’m using.

photo source unknown

If the product I create passes the final test-me using it for over two plus weeks to make sure it does its job-then I’ll be sharing it with you. I will break down the cost for you, provide you the recipe and give you my honest opinion of the final product.

Today, I’ll be sharing a tested and loved recipe for Eye Makeup Remover.

This recipe only requires two ingredients. And, it ends up costing $1.13 for 3.5 oz.

I have very delicate skin, and my eyes irritate pretty easily. I was skeptical making my own remover, but was pleased with the simple results.

Here’s all that you’ll need to make your very own Eye Makeup Remover:

(This recipe will make 3.5 oz of remover)
4 TBS Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 TBS Organic Sweet Almond Oil
Container

Use a funnel if needed and measure the 4 TBS of Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Next, add the 3 TBS of Sweet Almond Oil. Cap tightly and shake.

Squeeze out a little onto a pure cotton ball and gently wipe across your eyes to remove makeup.

I always wash my face first with my Cheap, Organic Face Wash before removing my eye makeup. This softens up the eyeliner and mascara, which will remove easier and it helps to avoid tugging at the delicate skin around my eyes.

It only takes a little of the Eye Makeup remover to go a long ways.

This recipe was very simple to make and super cheap. There’s no going back for this gal.

Here’s the financial breakdown of this Eye Makeup Remover Recipe (know that 1 oz = 2 TBS):

Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is $5 for 16 oz (or $.31 per oz). For this recipe, we needed 2 oz (or 4 TBS)=$.61.
The Sweet Almond Oil is $5.75 for 16 oz (or $.35/oz). For this recipe, we needed 1.5 oz (or 3 TBS)=$.52.

To make 3.5 oz of Eye Makeup Remover the total cost was=$1.13

(This recipe is replacing my 2 oz Physician’s Formula eye makeup remover which is $5.50.)

Linking up to this and other parties:
The Thrifty Home

Homemade Household Green Cleaners

Along with my more than month long challenge to rid my house of pricey and nasty cleaners, I wanted to share with you some easy recipes for around the house cleaners.

I’ve shared with you so far my Recipe for Facial Moisturizer , DIY Organic Dishwasher Detergent, Cheap, Organic Face Wash and my Easy Homemade Laundry Soap.

I am concocting my own household replacements with little more than what I have on hand or what I can find at the organic market.

But the replacements must meet or exceed three important expectations for this frugal gal:
1. It must be easy to replace-no beakers or science lab experiments. Thank you.
2. It must be just as good or better than the current product I’m using and,
3. It must cost the same or less than the current product I’m using.

photo source unknown

If the product I create passes the final test-me using it for over two plus weeks to make sure it does its job-then I’ll be sharing it with you. I will break down the cost for you, provide you the recipe and give you my honest opinion of the final product.

For household cleansers, I have a theory: If I can eat it, then I can clean with it.

This theory doesn’t work all that well when I come to vacuums…

If you have hair on your head like I have hair on my head, you need this recipe.

Green Drain Cleaner:
1/2 Cup Baking Soda
1/2 Cup White Vinegar
Boiling Water
Pour Baking Soda down the drain. Add white vinegar and cover the drain, if possible. Let set for 5 minutes. Pour the boiling water down the drain.

We are dusty people. We like to leave the doors open for fresh air, but then regret it when we wipe our fingers along the coffee table, leaving a stripe behind. You win some, you loose some.
This recipe has restored life to most of our vintage finds, too!

Green Furniture Polish and Cleaner:
3 Cups Olive Oil
1 Cup White Vinegar
Mix together in a jar and pour onto a soft cloth. Remix every so often by shaking the jar again.

If you restore old homes, or parts of old homes, this recipe is a must. I have removed years of gross crap off of fixtures, fireplaces and doorknobs.

Green Brass Cleaner:
Lemon Juice
Baking Soda
Make a paste the consistency of toothpaste. Rub onto brass with a soft cloth. Rinse with water and dry.

Lime and gunk will magically disappear. I use this on all of my faucets and chrome baking tins.

Green Chrome and Stainless Steel Cleanser:
1 Cup Vinegar
1/2 Cup Water
Mix in a recycled spray bottle. Spray solution on the chrome/stainless steel and let sit for a minute. Wipe off with damp sponge and dry with a soft cloth.

I know we don’t like to talk about toilets. Or their bowls. Or the funk that grows inside. But, you gotta clean it. Why not do it green style?

Green Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
Baking Soda
Vinegar
Sprinkle baking soda into toilet bowl. Add vinegar. Scrub ‘er down with a toilet brush.

That’s mainly everything I use around these har parts. Let me know if you have recipes for cleansers. I would love to try them out, too!

Linking up to this and other parties:
The Thrifty Home