Au Naturel

So I try to be as environmentally conscious as I can.  Granted, I could do a better job at it but I do make an effort people.  Anywho, one of the main things I try and stay away from is products with lots of chemicals.  My big one in this category is cleaning products.  Those bad boys have tons of chemicals and it is really unnecessary.

I feel like a lot of people need to see "bleach" or "anti-bacterial" or "disinfectant" on the front of a bottle to make them think that the product will work.  I was definitely guilty of this myself.  However, in an effort to be healthier and also go a little easier on my wallet whenever possible, I started looking for more natural household cleaners that you could mix up yourself.

And what I found was ah-maazzinnggg!  I'm sure a lot of you guys out there already knew about the magical powers vinegar possesses.  However, my only use for vinegar until recently was to make my Italian dressing in my little cruet.

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ps. I buy the generic brand, its cheaper, no offense Heinz

But that time has passed vinegar, you are now a staple in my house and I don't know how I could have made it these past few years in my orientation to Susie Home-maker-dom and not know the dark horse you were.

You see my friends, you mix equal parts vinegar and water, and maybe a squirt of lemon juice for scent, and you have yourself the cheapest household all-purpose cleaner ever.  And it works like a charm.  It is a natural disinfectant so you don't have to worry about it not being enough to kill all those germs.

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Spritz this sucker in the sink and watch stain and hard water crusties flee.  Try it on metal and it shines up so nice you can practically see your blackheads in your reflection. (Kitty will back me up, she was definitely "wowwed" by the little vinegar solution that could).

Mix equal parts vinegar and rubbing alcohol and you have your very own Windex for cheap.

Splash some into your washing machine instead of fabric softener and freshen up your clothes. (especially towels)

Mix equal parts vinegar and hydrogen peroxide and you have the best stain remover I have ever used hands down.  A while ago kitty daddy tracked something black across our carpet that stained something fierce.  It was almost like motor oil or something, I couldn't get it out for the life of me.  I put this little solution on a rag and dabbed/scrubbed.  Voila, the stain is gone!

Last but not least, I have a shedding problem that anyone who knows me can attest to.  My hair falls out at an unnatural rate.  I have to use wire mesh drains in the tub to try and catch as much hair as possible.  However, some still slips by so the drain is constantly clogged leaving my tub a filthy mess full of hair and soap scum.  I used to spend the money and pour Drain-o down it every couple of weeks but that stuff is not cheap and its all chemicals.  I would be worried that while I let it sit doing it's thing B would get too curious and accidentally ingest some or something.  So I took matters into my own hands.  First, I used some wire I had lying around and hooked one end to make my own drain snake. ( you can do this with a wire hanger too, I just didn't have any).  I pulled as much hair out of the drain as I could with this. (Yes, it was as gross as it sounds, and it was my own hair. Idk how plumbers do it, I would throw up like 5 times a day).  Next, I boiled some water and slowly poured that down the drain to melt any soap or oils that were blocking the way.  Then, I used about a 1/4 C of baking soda and I packed that down into the drain.  Then I chased it with about a 1/2 C of vinegar.  Let it hang out for like 15 then rinse.  I let it bubble up out of the drain but other people say to block it with a rag or something so all that action stays in the drain.  People also use the boiling water after the vinegar/baking soda, but when I did it my way it worked great so I would suggest maybe trying whatever way you want and adjusting from there.

But man oh man is my drain clean.  Its been a couple weeks and still no clog, gotta love it!  This is also a good trick if you suffer from stinky drains.

I hope this helps you guys start exploring different ways to use household products to cut down on all those chemicals and to cut your wallet some slack!

Enjoy,
M

P.S. Kitty Daddy is sound asleep next to me.  He's been working really hard at work and is just burnt out, bless his lil heart.  He was snoring at one point, and I had voice memos ready to go on my iPhone to capture it all and share it with the world.  But then his subconscious must have caught on to me cause he stopped.  Another night friends, another night.