Oct. 27, 2009 - Another Laundry Soap Recipe

Posted in Cleaning and Laundry Homemade Recipes

While searching the internet one day, I came across another laundry soap recipe. (Please note: I have not tried this one.)

Homemade Laundry Detergent

1 bar Ivory soap, grated (you can use Fels Naptha but it is more expensive)
1 cup baking soda
1 cup borax

Mix everything in a plastic container with a lid. Use a heaping tablespoon for a normal load, and 2 heaping tablespoons for a heavily soiled load (like work clothes).

She suggests doubling or tripling this recipe when you make it so you have a bunch on hand. She uses an ice cream bucket with a handle to store the detergent in. It is big enough to keep the tablespoon measuring spoon in the bucket, and it is easy to get down off the shelf in the laundry room using the handle!

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/school4jesus

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Oct. 23, 2009 - Tea tree oil

Posted in Cleaning and Laundry Homemade Recipes

~~~~ Contest!! ~~~~

Head on over to: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Juliestew/738424/ for details. The prize will be tea tree oil. Read below to find out more about this great product.

Tea Tree Oil. This all-purpose essential oil can replace most of your medicines—and most of your household cleaning supplies. Beeyoutiful’s is 100% pure, pharmaceutical grade tea tree oil. It provides generous amounts of terpinen, the active ingredient responsible for the oil’s astounding anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal abilities not usually found in lesser brands.

Use tea tree oil instead of first aid spray and anti-bacterial ointments for cuts, scrapes, infections, irritated hair follicles, blisters, boils, and even acne. It’s safe for use on broken skin and can be applied without diluting. A drop or two is all it takes. You can also combine tea tree oil with Vitamin E oil or aloe vera gel to soothe minor burns and sunburn. And regular application will dissolve both plantar and seed warts safely. (Please don’t use toxic, over-the-counter wart removal medications!)

Skin conditions like eczema, seborrhea, and psoriasis are soothed when tea tree oil is mixed with aloe gel or added to a warm, sea salt bath. Minimize infection, reduce scarring, and speed healing from chicken pox and shingles by adding tea tree oil and a cup of dry oatmeal to a warm bath.

Tea tree oil massaged into the scalp relieves both dry and oily hair problems, plus dandruff. You’ll have no more worries about toxic head lice potions since tea tree oil eradicates lice, too!

Skip the expensive ******l yeast infection medicine you usually don’t realize you need until late at night. Just soak a tampon in olive oil or another safe lubricant, add a few drops of tea tree oil, and insert. Repeat for a few days. Sitz baths tinged with tea tree oil can also relieve the related itching and pain. Other fungal infections like jock itch, athlete’s foot, ringworm, and nail fungus respond to regular tea tree oil application as well.

Because tea tree oil acts as an expectorant and is beneficial to the respiratory tract, use it instead of cough syrups and cold medicines. Mix with olive oil and spread on your patient’s chest and throat. Make a steam inhalation treatment by adding a few drops of tea tree oil to a bowl of boiling water, or diffuse the oil in a vaporizer or aroma lamp to open ailing air passages and disinfect the sickroom. Soothe an earache and clear up the infection by mixing a drop of TTO with a bit of warm olive oil. Insert this mixture into the ear and plug with a bit of cotton. Add a hot water bottle or heating pad, and relief will be quick.

Cold sores, mouth ulcers, and toothaches can all be helped by regular application of tea tree oil. Just don’t swallow the saliva right after application. Disinfect your toothbrush every week with a drop or two, then rinse well. If your family keeps passing around strep throat or a cold, this is very important!

Nature lovers love tea tree oil because it makes a great flea, tick, and mosquito repellant and will disinfect and reduce swelling if you’re bitten or stung. Mixed with baking soda, it makes an inexpensive home remedy for poison ivy, poison oak, and sumac itching.

And this is my FAVORITE CLEANING PRODUCT

Replace your toxic household cleaners with a spray bottle of 12 oz. warm water, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of borax, plus a few drops of tea tree oil for a safe, refreshing disinfectant cleaner. Add a drop to your dishwasher’s soap dispenser and to your garbage disposal to freshen them up. Add to your laundry to disinfect while you clean.

Info pulled from: http://www.beeyoutiful.com/tea-tree-essential-oil.html

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Jun. 16, 2009 - Carpet Cleaner and an Insulated Bag

Posted in Cleaning and Laundry Homemade Recipes

Carpet Cleaner:

2 c. baking soda, 1/2 c. cornstarch, 1 T. cloves. Sprinkle on carpet and leave overnight. Vacuum in the morning.

With summer here, I thought I'd share a cheap tip for making an insulated bag for keeping your drink cold.

Insulated bag:

If you need a quick, inexpensive "insulated" bag, use a brown paper bag and add an inch of folded newspaper to the inside for the insulation.

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Dec. 16, 2008 - Tightwad Tuesday - Anti-Static Spray

Posted in Cleaning and Laundry Homemade Recipes

I have several tidbits of info to share with you today.

Anti-Static Spray

1/4 cup commercial liquid fabric softener
1/4 cup ammonia
2 cups water

Mix ingredients and store in a spray bottle. Spray liberally on the rug, your shoes, chair, desktop, or file cabinet, but do not spray directly onto your computer system.

Now that we are into cold weather, I have figured out some other ways to keep warmer without turning up the heat. One evening, as I was preparing to remove my apron, I noticed that I was immediately cold when I took it off. My apron is one that goes down to my knees and ties at the neck and waist. Though it may look a bit tacky, I have started wearing it during the day, even when I'm not in the kitchen, because it really does help hold in the body heat.

Our fingers often get cold while using the computer, so we keep a pair of fingerless gloves near the computer.

I also wear thermal underwear to keep warm, along with several layers on the top half of me. It is not uncommon to find me with 3 layers on the top half, PLUS my apron! I usually have 3 layers of socks on too. (trouser socks, short white socks like what you'd wear with tennis shoes, plus a pair of fuzzy slipper socks)

We keep lots of blankets in the family room so that we can snuggle under them when we are just sitting around. We have a leather chair that usually gets a blanket thrown over it before someone sits down because the leather can be quite cool too.

We also close the vents in the 2 bedrooms during the day and close the doors unless we are going to be in there for any length of time. I actually keep the vent closed in the master bedroom all night long. It helps to keep the heat in the other part of the house where we are going to be.

In the winter, we will take a break from school work when we are too cold so we can dance on the DDR to warm up. I also try to stay busy so that I'm not just sitting still and constantly getting cold. I will do physical work like wash the walls or the cabinets because that warms me up quickly.

To freshen up the air in your house during those dry, winter months, use an old pan. Add water and a couple of drops of eucalyptus essential oil. Put it on the stove on low heat for a while. The eucalyptus will clean the air.

Dd likes to do things to make her bedroom look more "girlie." Here is a photo of some decorations for her ceiling. The big, round things are something we learned to make at Family Night at the local library. They are made out of construction paper. Very cheap and very easy! (We have made these on several occasions because they look so pretty and colorful.)

Dd has been busily working to de-clutter her room before Christmas. Here is a before shot:

After:

At our gifts in a jar class last week, I served The Happy Housewife's Fudge Recipe. The fudge was devoured in a matter of minutes! It was really good. For those of you who may be hypoglycemic like me, I found that this recipe did not cause my head to immediately start spinning because it was so rich. I think the difference may have been that this recipe calls for powdered sugar, whereas, the other fudge I've eaten uses regular sugar.

~~ Stacy ~~

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Oct. 21, 2008 - Tightwad Tuesday - Fantastic Shopping Trip!

Posted in Cleaning and Laundry Homemade Recipes

I've been wanting to buy some essential oils to help me clean the house more naturally. So, with the money we saved, I was able to go to the local health food store and purchase 3 essential oils. Here is what I made with them:

Air cleaner:

Eucalyptus oil and water -- Combine in a pan with water and heat. It takes the toxins out of the air. (It works even better if you have a diffuser, but that would mean spending more money, along with adding more clutter in the house to store the diffuser.)

Homemade Febreze for your furniture:

Fill a spray bottle with water. Add 15 drops EACH of tea tree oil and lavendar oil. Shake, then spray on your furniture, pillows, etc.

To clean your sinks:

Sprinkle some baking soda in the sink, then add a few drops of either the tea tree oil OR lavendar oil. Scrub, rinse, dry. It leaves the room smelling nice and fresh.

I also cleaned my bathtub with the baking soda and lavendar oil. My hubby walked in and gave me a funny look, then asked, "Why aren't you using Bon Ami?" I explained that when cleaning a tub with that type of cleaner, it is very hard to get it washed off. Since baking soda is GOOD for your skin, it makes a better (and natural), choice. If I don't get it all rinsed, then the next person gets to soak in a baking soda bath and give their skin a refreshing treat!

DD and I went shopping on Friday. We got some fantastic deals, which I want to share with you. Keep going to the end of my post for some great tips!

We started out at Bath & Body Works. I recently contacted their corporate office through the Internet because I have noticed that lately, their employees are like leeches -- they won't leave you alone while you are in the store. I want to enjoy myself in that store and just browse. I don't want to fight off pushy salespeople. Anyway, they sent me a $25 gift card for my valuable feedback. I got 2 bottles of Vanilla Bean lotion, a bottle of vanilla bean essential oil (to make handsoap), and a stuffed animal (a lamb). My total came to $37.50, but I got one bottle of lotion + the lamb for free with promotions. I only spent $19.80 of the $25 on my gift card, so basically, I walked out of there without having spent any of my money.

Next, we went to JC Penney, where I got dd a new bra for FREE! I had a coupon where if I spent $10, I got $10 taken off my total. If you don't have a JC Penney charge card, you are missing out on these kinds of deals. They do this a couple of times a year. Whenever I buy something there, I make sure that I charge it on my Penney's charge card so that I will get these wonderful promotions.

We also went to Walmart where I got:

2 pair of jeans $32.92

$20 fleece-lined zip up sweatshirt for only $15.00

Shoes $28.00

3 bras $20.64

a canister to store my homemade bisquick $ 5.88

Miley Cyrus CD $13.88

With tax, our total was $124.46. However, I had $100 in gift certificates which dd and I both earned at a local business for helping them with some testing. Our final total was $24.46!

~~Stacy~~

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Aug. 26, 2008 - Tightwad Tuesday - A Shiny Sink

Posted in Cleaning and Laundry Homemade Recipes

After using my normal cleaner in the kitchen sink, I would occasionally wax it with car wax. That was not only time-consuming, it was also very hard on my back, as well as my wrists, due to all of the scrubbing. I found a new way to make my sinks shine!

Here is a BEFORE shot where you can see all of the water spots, etc:

Here is the AFTER shot:

My secret is to clean the sink with my normal cleaners, then dry it. Follow that with applying a little Pledge Orange Oil or some lemon oil. (Apply it to the faucet too.) Rub it in really well and that sink will SHINE! After this, when I finish washing dishes, I use an old towel (not one of the frequently-used kitchen towels), to dry it down again. It will continue to look nice for several days.

~~ Stacy ~~

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Apr. 8, 2008 - Homemade window cleaner

Posted in Cleaning and Laundry Homemade Recipes

Stacy's Homemade Window Cleaner
12 to 16 ounces water
1 cup white or apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol (70%)
1-2 drops blue or green food coloring, if desired
1-2 drops lavender, cinnamon, clove or orange essential oil. Combine the ingredients and put into a labeled spray bottle, optional.

Be sure to use newspaper for this! Spray the newspaper first, then wipe down the window to avoid drips. Wipe vertically on one side of the window and horizontally on the other side so you will know which side a streak is on! To clean the excess off, I have found that it is better to move in a circular pattern.

Since this is made with rubbing alcohol and vinegar, both of which have anti-septic qualities, I also use this to clean my kitchen and bathroom counters, as well as the sinks.

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Mar. 11, 2008 - Tightwad Tuesday - laundry soap

Posted in Cleaning and Laundry Homemade Recipes

Homemade shout
1/2 c. white vinegar
1/4 c baking soda
2 tbs ammonia
3 cups water
stir together and fill a labeled spray bottle. Spray on heavily soiled spots just before washing. (test a hidden spot for colorfastness first)

Fabric Softener
2 cups cold water
1 cup baking soda
1 cup vinegar, either kind will do.

1. Place baking soda in LARGE bowl and pour vinegar over it; while it's bubbling, pour cold water in and mix.
2. Store in sealed container and shake before using to combine all ingredients.
3. Add 1/4 cup of mixture during the last rinse cycle (Does not work well with a Downy ball.) This stuff is WONDERFUL!

Liquid Laundry Soap
3 Pints Water
1/3 bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated
1/2 cup Washing Soda (Arm and Hammer, NOT baking soda though!!)
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
2 Gallon bucket to mix it in
1 Quart hot water
Hot Water
Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints hot water and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 Quart Hot Water to 2 gallon Bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket with hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.

NOTE: This will not make lots of bubbles! You can find the Fels Naptha soap in the laundry aisle. For those in my city, I get the washing soda and Fels Naptha soap at Kroger because I can't find it anywhere else. If you can't find it you can use Ivory or the soap you like. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to make a fragrant laundry soap.
THIS STUFF IS WONDERFUL! I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO STORE-BOUGHT LAUNDRY SOAP!

(Mama Karen, you asked me if this was a gentle soap. I just made facial cleanser and facial lotion last week, both of which had borax in them. I am guessing that if you can use Borax on your face, it must be gentle.)

Powdered Laundry Detergent
1 cup grated Fels Naptha Soap
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup 20 mule team borax

Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light loads, use 1 tablespoon. For heavy loads, use 2 tablespoons. (I have not personally tried this one because I like liquid laundry soap since I wash in cold water.)

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