Did you say Toilet Bomb!?!? Cleaning the green way!

I grew up in a home where my parents cleaned with bleach and Windex.  When every I smell bleach I think of home~  For many years I  did not feel my house was clean unless I could smell bleach 3 houses away.  If it was not  something I could use bleach on, out came the trusty bottle of Windex~ I probably sent the family that owns Windex to college.The dad in My Big Fat Greek Wedding was  a amateur  when compare to me.   I used it to clean almost everything.So recently, I decided that as part of my dream of living as  "green" a life as I could, I would start looking at how "greenies" cleaned.  So  I went to our locl health food store, a place that has the best organic salad bar,and   I examined their community board,which I knew  posted various classes about  how to live a healthier, greener life.  Sure enough there was a class called Vinegar or Windex you decide!  The  description stated the class would discuss and make cleaning supplies that worked just  as well -if not better than the familiar and  caustic chemical cleaners we are familiar with.   I  signed up and with note book in hand attended the class.

The first thing the teacher said was that  she cleaned her windows, mirrors, floors, counters, etc. with water and vinegar I thought she was CRAZY! Until I tried it, that is. I loved the everything shined, and contrary to what you would believe, my house did not smell like pickles! I took notes during the class and I also did some online research about  So I have been searching On-line  how harmful some commercial cleaners are. Through experimenting with different natural cleaners, I have come to LOVE these 3 recipes and I know you will as well! They have no chemicals, no artificial anything, you can feel totally good about having your kids use them, in fact it just may improve their attitudes in the process from the ingredient’s aromatherapy benefits!

This first one is probably my favorite.  When I use it I achieve two things at once. I have a spotless toilet and the  child in me got to cause an explosion! Who wouldn’t with a name like this.

Toilet Bomb

1/2 cup baking soda

1/2 cup white vinegar

5 – 10 drops Melaleuca (Tea Tree) essential oil

Combine all ingredients in at least a quart-size container. Add vinegar to the baking soda to create the explosion your kids are going to love! To make this a no-brainer for the kids,  use a canning jar with a sticker at the fill line for the vinegar.  Write the rest of the ingredients on a blank mailing label covered with packing tape. Leave a ½ cup measure in a big bag (Costco version) of baking soda near the jug of white vinegar and the Melaleuca essential oil in the laundry room. You can also just dump the ingredients right into the toilet and skip the jar, but the reaction isn’t quite as fun.

Basic Sink Cleaning

Baking soda

Lemon essential oil

Sprinkle baking soda, about 1 tablespoon, in a wet sink.  Add 1-2 drops of the lemon oil. Scrub the sink with a damp, not wet, sponge or cloth.(Preferably one that was knitted from 100% cotton or bamboo ) Rinse thoroughly.

This is easy for the kids to do and you don’t have to worry about them getting it on their hands or breathing it. They love the smell of citrus and it’s antibacterial!  You can also clean adhesive off nearly anything with Lemon oil.

(To clean my tub, I use baking soda and this next recipe together. Works great!)

Mirror Bright

Move over Windex!

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

8 drops citrus oil (Lemon, Wild Orange, Lime, Grapefruit)

Combine all ingredients in a plastic spray bottle and shake well before use.

Spray solution onto mirror and wipe with a dry cloth or towel.

I love cleaning with this, just so I can smell it. mmm. The hardest part is deciding which oil to choose – they all smell SO GOOD!! I went with wild orange this time.

This mixture not only cleans the mirror (and faucets) to a shine, but it will help to prevent fogging while the shower is running.

After you clean your bathroom, you won’t have to evacuate for a couple hours while the chemical smells die down, in fact you might want to camp out for a while just to enjoy the fragrance. Seriously. OR you could make up a batch of this last recipe to enjoy anywhere in your house.

 BONUS RECIPE:

Air Freshener

8 ounces water

5-7 drops of essential oils**

Great for use in bathrooms, kitchens, etc. Avoid wood surfaces.

**Pre-made essential oil blends you can use from doTERRA areCitrus Bliss*, Serenity, or On Guard*.

*On Guard & Citrus Bliss can be used to disinfect door knobs, switch plates, sick rooms, etc. due to their antibacterial nature, especially On Guard.

The use of pure therapeutic grade essential oils is growing rapidly as people learn of their benefits and ability to heal and strengthen in a natural way with no side effects, for most people, when used properly.
Because of their popularity, essential oils can be found in many stores and are proliferating on internet sites. Many people ask, “How do I find good oils?” It’s a good question, because the two most important qualities of an essential oil are it’s purity and potency. It needs to be absolutely pure–no fillers, no extenders, no other essential oils, no pesticides, no impurities. Second, it needs to be potent. Potency is dependent on many factors from what type of plant is grown, where it’s grown, when it’s harvested, when & how the oil is extracted, and how it’s stored thereafter. If an essential oil does not meet either of these standards in any way then it may not be as effective as a pure & potent oil would be, it may not have the action expected, and it could cause harm. If you’re going to pay any money for an essential oil then be willing to pay for quality. Otherwise you are wasting your money, because a cheap oil is just that, cheap–of little value.

After using many brands of essential oils and being trained in organoleptic testing (knowing how to recognize a good oil according to look, touch, smell, and taste- in some cases) it was still daunting to find the best quality oils until I was introduced to doTERRA essential oils which are certified to be pure and therapeutic grade through an independent lab earning them the CPTG seal, Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade. In my opinion, they are the most perfect essential oils available on the market AND the best value! Are there other good-quality oils? Yes there  are, you should test  as many as you can  and choose what works for you.

Do you have any "green" cleaning ideas and recipes?

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