New Recipe for All-Purpose Cleaner

Put orange peels in a jar, fill with vinegar, and let sit for 2 weeks and presto, you have natural all-purpose cleaning solution. Transfer to a spray bottle and enjoy a clean fragrant home.

6 Easy DIY Green Cleaning Recipes That Will Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
By Sharon Delia

We can help you easily and simply transform your home into a non-toxic and healthy haven with these six DIY recipes to improve your indoor air quality.

David Lang, MD, head of Allergy/Immunology at the Cleveland Clinic says children, people with asthma, and the elderly may be especially sensitive to indoor pollutants, but other effects on health may appear years later, after repeated exposure.

Indoor allergens and irritants have become much more important in recent decades because we're spending more time indoors, Lang says. And because modern homes are airtight, these irritants can't easily escape. "We're all exposed to a greater degree than we were three or four decades ago," he says.

Green cleaning can give you a deep feeling of satisfaction in knowing that your family's health is protected and that your home is a place for your bodies to rest and recuperate rather than advance harm, and as an added bonus, ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterpart.

Here are some top reasons for choosing green, non-toxic cleaning methods over traditional cleaners.

1. Non-toxic cleaners are perfectly safe around children.

2. Non-toxic cleaners keep the air you breathe clean.

3. Non-toxic cleaners are much, much cheaper.

4. Non-toxic cleaners don't harm the environment.

Clean is important, but so is your health and the health of your family. Try these all-natural green cleaning recipes to improve your indoor air quality while avoiding harsh chemicals.

DIY Cleaner Basic Ingredients

If you're starting a DIY green cleaner's kit, the following are the top ingredients you'll want to have around. Some combination of these ingredients will be in almost all of the recipes you find below!

• Baking Soda

• White Vinegar

• Borax

• Essential oils, like tea tree oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, or lemongrass oil

• Castile soap (like Dr. Bronner's)

• Fresh herbs, citrus, or citrus peels

• Olive or vegetable oil

• Water

(1) Microwaves are an efficient, but they can be really unpleasant to clean. We've got a green method that works well, and all you need is water and a little bit of baking soda.

1. Put one or two cups of water in a large, heat-proof glass or ceramic bowl, and add one tablespoon of white vinegar.

2. Microwave until about half the water has evaporated.

3. Wait about 10 minutes and don't open the door. This lets the water cool off a bit and the steam penetrates any baked-on crud in the oven. Remove the bowl carefully; the water will still be hot enough to burn, so wear hot mitts.

4. Scrub the walls of the microwave with a sponge sprinkled with a bit of baking soda; baked on stains should come off with relative ease.

5. Wipe down the microwave with a cloth dampened in clean water and the oven will be sparkling clean and free of odors.

(2) Kitchen Cleaning Spray

• water
• white vinegar
• essential oil (citrus or tea tree oil)
• spray bottle
• funnel
• permanent marker

A little water, vinegar, and essential oils are all you need to make an effective, non-toxic kitchen cleaning spray.

1. Gather your ingredients.

2. Pour 2 cups of water into your spray bottle

3. Add 1 c of white vinegar

4. Choose which essential oil you'd like to use to scent your spray. The ones we listed, along with lavender and peppermint, have antibacterial qualities to aid in cleaning.

5. Add a total of 20 drops of essential oil(s). Shake well.

(3) Cleaning Sinks

Sprinkle baking soda, about 1 tablespoon, in a wet sink. Add 1-2 drops of essential lemon oil. Scrub the sink with a damp (not wet) sponge or cloth. 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 essential oil.

(4) Carpet and Rugs

Club Soda:Lift off any solids, and then liberally pour on club soda. Blot with an old rag. The soda's carbonation brings the spill to the surface, and the salts in the soda prevent staining.

Spot Cleaner: Make your own by mixing: 1/4 cup liquid soap (Dr. Bronner is a good one) in a blender, with 1/3 cup water. Mix until foamy, spray on, and then rinse with vinegar.

To Deodorize: Sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on the carpet or rug, using about 1 cup per medium-sized room, vacuum after 30 minutes.

(5) Furniture Polish (General Dusting)

Because household dust can be full of harmful substances like flame retardants, allergens, pesticides, and plastics chemicals, it's important to keep your home as clean as possible. However, many dust cleaners contain air contaminants and hormone-disrupting chemicals. Keep it safe by mixing up your own and using it to dust furniture and other surfaces where dust collects in your home.

Combine in a 16 oz. spray bottle:

2 T. light olive oil

20 drops or more of lemon essential oil

� c. white vinegar

Enough distilled water to fill rest of bottle. Shake. Spray a bit onto dust rag.

(6) Clogged Drains

A stopped up sink or tub is a real hassle, but pouring toxic chemicals like Drano on them isn't so wise. Not only will that pollute our waterways, but the products can cause chemical burns and are highly dangerous if ingested.

You Will Need:

2 cups baking soda

4 cups boiling water

1 cup vinegar

Directions for Homemade Drain Cleaner

Remove all water from the sink or tub and pour about 1 cup of baking soda down the drain. Make sure that baking soda makes it down the drain.

Next, pour about 2 Cups of boiling water down the drain. The baking soda mixed with boiling water dissolves the sludge and gunk in the pipe, even if you don't see it happening. Wait a few minutes.

Now, pour anothercup baking soda down the drain then add 1 cup of white vinegar and plug the drain immediately. If you're unclogging a double sink, plug both drains. You'll hear sizzling coming up from the drain and see bubbles foaming up.

When the bubbles have died down, add the remaining boiling water down the drain.

Repeat this process if necessary.

We hope these recipes will be a big help to you.

Here's an interesting quote we found:

"... as things stand we're all being used as guinea pigs in the great test of new product safety."

-Mark Bittman, The Cosmetics Wars, The New York Times, Feb. 6, 2013

Sharon Delia is a writer and researcher in the field of environmental health. She has co-authored a website with Richard Cocchia on the subject of environmentally safe home cleaning. To learn more about creating a healthy home for your family visit: http://www.natural-healthy-home-cleaning-tips.com and http://www.natural-healthy-beauty-recipes-and-secrets.com

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Did the holidays leave your eyes feeling tired and puffy?

HAPPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE!

 

Did the holidays leave your eyes feeling tired and puffy? Well, you’re not alone, and we can help with our DIY homemade recipes.

 

Making eye creams for the delicate skin around the eye area at home is easy with minimal effort involved and all for a very low cost. So check out our great homemade recipes to help reduce the appearance of dark circles and puffy eyes.

 

Here is a great way to help reduce the appearance of tired puffy eyes:

1 slice of cucumber for each eye for twenty minutes.

We know this sounds simple, but it really does help.

 

With this recipe for homemade eye cream, you get to avoid all the nasty chemicals and the exorbitant price tags.

 

What you'll need:

 

• 3 tsp jojoba oil
• 3 tsp apricot-kernel oil
• 1 tsp beeswax
• 5 tsp rose water
• 1/4 tsp borax
• 5 drops carrot-seed essential oil

 

What to do:

 

• Put the jojoba oil, apricot-kernel oil and beeswax into a small saucepan and heat the mixture over very low heat just until the beeswax has melted.
• Remove from heat blend up all the ingredients with a whisk.
• In another small saucepan, warm the rose water over very low heat and add the borax; stir until the borax is dissolved, and remove from heat.
• Place the saucepan with the oils and wax into an ice bath. With a small whisk, rapidly stir wax and oils while drizzling in the rose water and borax mixture. The cream should set quickly.
• When the eye-wrinkle cream is cool, mix in the carrot-seed essential oil.
• Put the finished eye cream into a clean 2-oz. cream or cosmetic jar.

 

Your eye cream will keep for about a month at a cool room temperature, or 2 months if you refrigerate.

 

 Eye Cream for Dark Circles:

 

Mix 1/2 tsp of turmeric with 1 tsp of lemon. Both ingredients are excellent to brighten the skin. Apply the paste under your eyes and keep it on for 15 minutes. Then wash it away but be careful when you pat it dry, it may stain your towel due to turmeric.

Eye Cream for Wrinkles:

Simply dab on some almond oil or some oil from Vitamin E tablets. DO NOT rub it under your eyes. This helps to rejuvenate the skin and get rid of ageing wrinkles. Just apply before you go to sleep and wash it off in the morning.

This recipe is a little bit more complicated to make, but we believe it is worth the extra time.

Pamper yourself with a homemade wrinkle eye cream that works just as well as pricey spa creations without all of the toxic ingredients. To use, apply this cream in light, circular motions under and around your eyes each day.

2 Tbsp. elderflower water
¼ cup avocado oil
2 Tbsp. almond oil
4 tsp. wheat germ oil
2 Tbsp. lanolin
2 Tbsp. glycerin
2 drops geranium essential oil
1 vitamin E capsule (400 IU)

Warm the elderflower water in a saucepan over low heat. In a double boiler, or you can use a pan with water on the bottom and a Pyrex measuring cup, warm the avocado, almond and wheat germ oils. Stir in the lanolin until melted. Remove from heat. Gradually beat in the warmed elderflower water. Stir in glycerin and geranium essential oil. Pierce the vitamin E capsule and squeeze contents into mixture. Stir. Pour into a 6 oz. wide mouth jar with a tight fitting lid. Store in a cool dark place.

 

 

The claims made about specific products on or through this Blog have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. The information provided on this Blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise, or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.

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Green Babies, Sage Moms

My niece just had a beautiful baby girl, which started me thinking about all new moms. This blog is for you!

Baby toys:

There has been a lot of discussion lately about the chemicals phthalates and bisphenol-A. Alarmingly and unfortunately, they can be found in many items your baby may be using and actively mouthing every day: teething rings, soft plastic toys, and baby bottles for example.

As with the ingredients in cosmetics, the U.S. does not require manufacturers to disclose ingredients in most nonfood consumer products, so until the do, we will have to be the watchdogs for our children's safety.

RED FLAGS:

soft squishy toys
anything that has a new-plasticky smell
vinyl washable baby books
most soft teethers, especially the water or gel-filled kind that can be put in the freezer.

Fortunately, there are lots of new companies (and some old ones too) making safer options available.
This is from the book Green Babies, Sage Moms by Lynda Fassa.

For hundreds of years, parents have trusted teethers and toys made from wood. Now scientists have documented that wood has natural antibacterial properties.

GREEN FLAGS:

www.rosiehippo.com

www.plantoys.com

www.monkeybeantoys.com

Congratulations to all new moms, and to all moms everywhere. I hope this has been helpful to you.

Natural Healthy Beauty Recipes

CITRUS COOLER LOTION

4 T. glycerin

40 drops oil of orange
4 T. lemon juice
Combine ingredients in a clean glass bottle. Shake well and refrigerate.

Cocoa Butter Hand Cream

4 tbs. beeswax
4 tbs. cocoa butter
4 tbs. almond oil
Melt together beeswax and cocoa butter. Add almond oil. Mix completely
until smooth. (May use blender). Pour into a pretty pot or jar. Let
harden and it is ready to use or to be given as a gift.

Cuticle Cream

3 tbs. paraffin
1/2 cup mineral oil
1 tbs. coconut oil
1 tbs. glycerin
Slowly heat paraffin with the oils in a double boiler. Stir until blended.
Add in the glycerin and remove from heat. Let cool before using.

Fall Harvest Massage Oil

Fall Harvest Massage Oil
12 tsp. grapeseed oil
6 drops bergamot oil
2 drops cardamom oil
2 drops jasmine oil
1 drop orange blossom oil
This is a citrus-scented massage oil. Blend ingredients well. Pour into a
small bottle and seal well. Warm up oil before doing any massage.