Magic cleaner

Magic Cleaner..
2 oz. Dawn,
4 oz. bottled Lemon Juice,
8 oz. White Vinegar,...
10 oz. Water.

The secret is to spray on surface, let sit overnight (or longer) and then wipe with clean, wet cloths to remove residue.
*In the oven, do NOT use heat, just spray, let sit, wipe clean.
*For showers, just spray, rinse and if you like the shine, wipe with dry towels.
*The secret on whatever you chose to clean is to let it sit, then rinse off the residue. Amazing stuff!

Homemade armor all

Our pickup bed cover was getting so dry and icky looking from the elements here.  I wanted to spruce it up but armor all is so expensive, full of chemicals and stinks so bad that I thought there had to be an alternative.  I looked on Pinterest and sure enough I found a recipe for home made armor all.  I just mixed up 2 parts olive oil to 1 part lemon juice and spread it on with an old rag.  It went on easily and looks great.  I did pour it on once in a little area and it was messy so I just put it on a rag and spread it around that way.  We will see how it holds up.  I imagine it will be just as good as the store bought stuff but much less expensive and no chemicals.  If it ends up looking good I will do it to the inside of the pickup.

Daily shower spray

1/2C Hydrogen Peroxide

1/2C Rubbing Alcohol

1/2 tsp Dish Detergent

2 tsp vinegar

1 1/2C Water

Mix in a spray bottle and spray shower daily.
Recipe can be doubled

Tub and shower cleaner

12 oz. white vinegar
12 oz. liquid, blue dawn detergent

Heat vinegar in microwave or in a pan until hot, pour into squirt bottle.
add the Dawn soap. Put the lid on gently shake to incorporate. Heating the vinegar causes the ingredients to mix better.

You have a powerful cleaning product that will melt soap scum for tub and shower buildup. clean sinks, appliance just about anything. spray mixture on allow it to sit as long as overnight if needed. then scrub and rinse.. Be careful because a little bit goes a long way. You need a 24 oz squirt/spray bottle.

Also you can remove lite soap scum by sprinkling a few drops of water on a used fabric sheet and using the fabric softener sheet to scrub with.

Dish Soap

This is a recipe I found for dish soap~

1 (7-oz) bar ZOTE or Octagon soap (or 1-2-3 brand soap) {Or cut a 14-oz bar in half}
5 qts. water
1 c. baking soda
1/4 c. washing soda
1/4 c. lemon juice

Grate bar soap and place into a heavy stockpot. Pour in water & stir. Heat over medium heat, stirring often until soap is melted. Remove pot from heat and add in baking soda, washing soda & lemon juice. Stir to mix well. Allow mixture to cool then pour into a seal-able container or reuse your store bought soap bottle.

(As the mixture cools in the pot it may begin to gel up and separate itself from the water. This is ok. Simply mix with whisk before filling containers and it will be fine.) This batch makes enough to fill a gallon milk container and (2) 16-oz soap bottles. So you certainly get your money's worth from it.


To use: Use as you would any store bought detergent. It cleans well, but you will notice that you don't get a lot of suds from it as you do with commercial brands. So don't let the lack of suds and bubbles fool you.

*Note about the 1-2-3 brand soap. I saw this soap next to the ZOTE at the store and thought why not give it a try. It was a few cents cheaper than ZOTE but is only 12+ ounces unlike ZOTE that is 14 ounces. But either way, I thought it would be worth a try.
Pam's notes:
I used half a bar of regular soap and it turned out great. she is right it does not really suds up, but after washing my glasses it really does clean well. the recipe made three juice bottles full and i pour the extra bit in my current soap bottle that had a couple tablespoons of soap left in it.
Pam
source: http://trooppetrie.blogspot.com/2009/11/home-made-dish-soap.html

Make your own dishwasher soap

I dont have a dishwasher but I have friends who do who may want to try this recipe since dishwasher soap is so expensive.
Dishwasher Detergent ingredients:
1 box Borax (4lbs 12 oz or 76 oz ) (2.15 kg) found in the detergent isle
1 box Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (55 oz or 3 lbs 7 oz) found in the detergent isle
24 packages of unsweetened lemonade drink mix, like kool-aid. (**Note: lemonade will stain soap dispenser yellow, another option would be to use citric acid instead of lemonade. You can usually find citric acid in the canning isle )
3 cups Epsom Salt

Lemi Shine rinse aid (this recipe does not work very well without it) You can find Lemi Shine in the dishwasher detergent isle at just about any store. You can also use vinegar as a rinse aid. If your dishes are coming out with spots on them that means you do need a rinse aid.

source: http://beingcreativetokeepmysanity.blogspot.com/2011/01/dishwasher-detergent.html

Homemade Anitbacterial Cleaner

In a lab test, 14 oils were evaluated against Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. For most essential oils examined, H. influenzae was most susceptible, followed by S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes, and then S. aureus. Penicillin-susceptible and -resistant S. pneumoniae were comparable in susceptibility. Escherichia coli, which was used as a control, showed least susceptibility. (source: http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/content/47/5/565.full)

Anti-bacterial:


Cinnamon
Lemongrass
Perilla
Wild Thyme
Red Thyme
Geraniol Thyme
Peppermint
Tea Tree
Spike Lavender
True Lavender
Rosemary
Eucalyptus
Citron
Anti-fungal:
Lavender
Tea hierarchy
Myrrh
Anti-microbial:
Lemongrass
Oregano
Thyme
Vetiver

Homemade AntiBac Cleaner

You will need:
a clean spray bottle
essential oils of choice (I use at least 2, usually lavender and eucalyptus or lemongrass)
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide 3%
10-20 drops essential oils
water to fill your bottle

source: http://homesteadinintheburbs.blogspot.com/2012/01/homemade-anitbacterial-cleaner.html

Homemade Oxyclean

1 cup water

1/2 cup peroxide

1/2 cup baking soda

THATS IT!! I store it in that little jar. Put it right on the stains and let it sit for however long, then what ever is left is usually put in the washer with the load of laundry. Easy peasy :)

This recipe is from Missy Logan

Lemon fresh dish soap

1 cup of borax

• 1 cup of baking soda

• ¼ cup of table salt

• 2 packets (half an ounce) of unsweetened lemon drink mix (i.e. Kool-Aid)

Apparently, at the bare minimum, you only need the borax and baking soda.You can also use lemon juice or lemon essential oil, instead of the dry drink mix. However, we like the idea of keeping everything dry for storage. You can mix it in your dishwater to get it wet when you use it.

~~~~~~~Another recipe for dish soap~~~~~~

1 cup liquid Castile soap
3 tablespoons water
a few drops essential oil (if using unscented Castile soap)
Combine in a vessel of your choice (I use an old vinegar bottle with a metal spout), mix well, and use.

Homemade fabric softner

1 cup baking soda 6 cups distilled white vinegar 8 cups water 10 -15 drops orangeessential oils (optional) or 10 -15 dropslemonessential oils (optional) or 10 -15 drops essential oils , of choice (optional) Directions:
1
You will need a one gallon container.
2
First add the baking soda to the plastic container.
... 3
Next add 1 cup of water to start with.
4
Slowly add the vinegar to the bottle as the vinegar and baking soda will start to fizz.
5
Then add the rest of the water swirling around & cover venting the top a few times.
6
Last add the essential oil.
7
Add 1 cup in your final rinse cycle for each load but give the bottle a good shake to stir up the essential oil if using.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-fabric-softener-179890#ixzz1hvOf6SnI

Homemade Bleach Alternative

Homemade Bleach Alternative
When we clean our bathroom, kitchen, or laundry we certainly have expectations that must be met. We expect that mold, grime, odor, and stains all be removed, right? We especially want our clothes to smell nice and fresh. Unfortunately, we are beginning to learn that commercial product producers are using harsh, toxic chemicals in order to meet our expectations.

For those of us concerned with providing for the overall health of our families, this poses a serious problem!

One of those products is in fact a traditional household cleaner…bleach. This may not be a surprise to you as the harmful side effects of bleach have been known to consumers for many decades. However it remains as one of the leading poisons found in most homes.

Harmful effects of using bleach include, but are not limited to:

· Irritation to the eyes
· Respiratory system irritation
· Throat irritation
· Severe allergic reaction with skin contact

There is a more natural, safe alternative. The homemade bleach alternative.



Homemade Bleach Alternative

- 1 ½ cup hydrogen peroxide
- ½ cup white vinegar
- Pure water to fill gallon jug
- 10 drops lemon or lemongrass essential oils (optional)

Pour hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, and essential oils in gallon jug. Add water to fill. Cap and store.

Notes:

-This is a color-safe bleach alternative.

-Add a cup of homemade bleach alternative to the wash for brighter, softer clothing.

-May be used in bath, tub, and toilet cleaning.

-No need to dilute.

-For tough-on stains soak clothing in a bucket with this solution. You may also spray on stains prior to washing.

Leave us a comment letting us know your thoughts on bleach? Have you ever used a bleach alternative? What were your results?

http://frugallysustainable.blogspot.com/2011/10/homemade-bleach-alternative.html

Make Your Own Household Cleaners Using Essential Oils

If you've ever thought about making your own natural household cleaning products using essential oils but weren't sure how to do it, then keep reading. You're in for a pleasant surprise!

All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
Add 6 drops of lavender essential oil and 6 drops of rosemary essential oil to one pint of water in a spray bottle.

Furniture Polish
Add 10 drops of lemon or orange essential oil to 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and add then add 2 to 3 drops of jojoba or olive oil. Mix thoroughly and apply to furniture with a soft cloth.

Bathroom Cleaner
To clean tile or linoleum floors add 50 drops of tea tree oil to a gallon of water in a bucket. To get rid of mold and mildew on counters and other surfaces, add a few drops to a wet sponge and wipe down surfaces. Rinse and repeat as often as needed.

Disinfectant Spray
Add 10 drops of grapefruit essential oil and 10 drops of lemon essential oil to a pint of water in a spray bottle.

Glass Cleaner
Mix 10 drops of lemon, lavender, or rosemary essential oil with one cup of white vinegar and mix with a small amount of water.

Laundry
When washing sheets and pillowcases or anything else that dust mites thrive in, add 25 to 30 drops of eucalyptus oil to the water for each load.

To add a fragrance to clothes while in the dryer, simply add 5 drops of your favorite essential oil to a damp washcloth and toss into the dryer with clothes you are drying.

Since I dont use a dryer I am going to try putting a few drop of orange oil in the rinse water.

source: http://www.marigoldlane.com/greenliving/cleaningrecipes.html

I thought it was interesting that they said to use eucalyptus when washing sheets or anything dust mites live on. I will be doing that next time I wash sheets.

Make your own fabric softner

Homemade Fabric Softner

•1
Making your own fabric softener is easy and much more economical that purchasing fancy fabric softener from the store. It's also much better for your family and the environment, since it is made from natural ingredients.

•2
You will need to mix your ingredients in a large container, that will hold at least one gallon of fluid. You can do this in a large bucket or pot, and once the fabric softener is mixed, you can transfer it to the container you want to store it.

•3
Start by adding 1 cup of baking soda to your large bucket or container. Then add 1 cup of water to the baking soda. You do not have to stir to dissolve the baking soda, as the next step will do that for you.

•4
Now, slowly pour in 6 cups of distilled white vinegar. This will cause a chemical reaction with the baking soda, and the mixture will start to fizz. (This is why you need to mix it in a large container.) Let the mixture fizz for a few minutes to help dissolve the baking soda.

•5
Now add 6 more cups of water to the mixture. This will stop the fizzing process. Stir to properly mix all ingredients together.

•6
If you want to add essential oil, you will now add your choice of oil. 10-15 drops of pure essential oil is generally sufficient enough to give the fabric softener a pleasant scent.

•7
Pour your fabric softener into your choice of container. If you have left over fabric softener or laundry soap bottles, those will work excellent for storage of your new fabric softener. Just make sure they are properly cleansed before you add your new mix.

•8
When you are ready to do laundry, add 1 cup of your fabric softener to the final rinse of your laundry, just as you would a store bought fabric softener.



Read more: How to Make Homemade Fabric Softener eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2331685_homemade-fabric-softener.html#ixzz19v8l1Idy

Back to the grind

This was a windy and busy weekend. We had turned our 5th wheel around so that the morning sun would shine on the water lines and help so that they wouldn't freeze and also make dumping the tanks easier. Everything went fine except that we had some trouble getting the 5er level. We ended up buying 4 jacks and reinstalling the hitch into the pick up, I think we took it out a bit prematurely, and after working on it two different days I think its level enough to be able to live in it.

Then we found a leak coming from the bathroom into the living area. It only leaked when Jeff took a shower so I accused him of being reckless with the shower head. He promised he hadn't been and upon investigation he discovered a small crack in the bottom of the tub. Oh dear. He right away put a sealer on it and then looked on the net for a replacement tub or a better fix. We have not been using the shower since we found the crack. We are blessed that there is a shower house just a few feet from where we are parked. Anyway, Jeff found a product that is suppose to be great so I will try to find it at a lumber yard today.

Last night when it was time to retire, Jeff stepped on the steps leading to our bedroom and kaboom, the step broke. We knew we were going to have to make new steps so we actually had already purchased the treads to make the new steps. Jeff used a couple of screws to secure the step until this weekend when we can make new ones. The stairs had been weak for quite some time so we had already planned to make new ones with a hinge on them to allow for more storage. I never have figured out why they weren't made that way to begin with. I can put my had vacuum and several other things in that space. There are always maintenance projects no matter where you live if you want to keep your place nice and not let it get run down.

I think a lot of folks don't realize that to keep a home in good shape there are constant maintenance and improvements to make. When we lived in the big house on 16 acres of land it was the same only multiplied many times. We are enjoying the fact that the maintenance on this place is in a much smaller proportion than with the big house. Therefore we have more time to do things and more money to do them with. That has been a huge blessing for us.

Mollie is cleaning out the fridge and Hannah will wash the resulting dishes. I vacuumed the place and in a bit I am going to scrub down the bathroom. I will be using the homemade disinfecting wipes I made, which I love by the way. I even had to add more stuff to the container because I use the wipes, wash them with our other wash, and then toss them back into the container and eventually the liquid was used up. I just took a glass and added some vinegar, tea tree oil, a squirt of dish soap and then about a cup of water, I shook or swirled this and poured it into the container and flipped the cloths over so the bottom ones could be used first.

Candy's multipurpose solution

Candy over at keeping the home posted a video of herself making multi purpose solution. Her recipe is to get a spray bottle, any size, and put 1/2 white vinegar to 1/2 water in the bottle. She then put in about 10 drops of tea tree oil for extra antibacterial properties. She says she uses this solution for everything from windows and mirrors to surfaces.
To visit Candy's blog and/or to watch her video go to: http://myblessedhome.blogspot.com/

I have made a similar solution without the tea tree oil. I think I will put some in my solution.

One thing we do around here is when we need a bucket of soapy water for floor washing we use Pink Monkey liquid soap and add a dash of lemon oil. The lemon scent gives the house a clean fresh smell. I have many essential oils because of y soap making. A few times we have used white magnolia in the soap water, but the smell is overwhelming to me so we usually stick with the lemon oil.

Make your own dish soap.
To make your own dish soap just measure about 6 cups of water into a deep pan. Heat to boiling. Meanwhile grate a bar of soap into a bowl or what I do is grate the odd ends and scraps of soap I have saved in the bathroom in a bowl. When the water is boiling, turn the heat down to med and add the grated soap. Stir until all the soap is melted. Be sure to watch carefully, because this will foam up and get on the stove. Its easy to clean up because its soap but its better not to make a mess. When the soap has melted, turn the heat off and let set until cool. You can pour the mixture into a clean soap jug and it will thicken up over the course of two days. If you want to you can add tea tree oil, lemon oil or some other essential oil for a delightful scent.