Jewelry Cleaner

My wedding ring rarely comes off my finger.  It comes in contact with everything my hands do.  Lotion, oil, food and dirt have been worked into he nooks and crannies of the setting.  A quick easy way to make your jewelry shine like new is with Baking Soda and Apple Cider Vinegar. 

Ingredients & Supplies:

1 Tablespoon Baking Soda

2 Tablespoons water

¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar

Toothbrush

2 small dishes

Mix 2 tablespoons water with 1 tablespoon baking soda and make paste.  Work the paste into the jewelry and use the toothbrush to scrub away the paste. Scrub with a toothbrush or small brush.  Dip in apple cider vinegar and allow to fizz, repeat as needed.  Rinse in cold water and scrub clean with toothbrush.    

This is a quick, easy and inexpensive way to keep your jewelry looking new. 

*Depending on the finish of your jewelry always conduct a quick internet search to verify if the safety of the finish when using white or apple cider vinegar.

Natural....Scents Dryer Sheets

On dark winter days when the dryer door opens and the scent of flowering spring fields fills your senses you can’t help but smile and feel warm inside.  We have developed a love affair with artificial chemical scents in our health and beauty products.  There is an easy way to achieve these same feelings using essential oils in your dryer without the expense, waste or potential health risk.

There are a few easy ways to add the beautiful aromas of natural essential oils into your dryer.

Supplies:

Essential oil of choice

Cotton fabric swatch

Apply 2-3 drops of essential oil to a cotton fabric swatch and toss in the dryer.

            Essential oils are not actually oily so you can even place the oil directly on your clothes.  If you are using tennis balls or wool balls in your dryer apply the essential oils directly to them as well.

Your laundry will come out smelling fresh and leave you dreaming of flowering spring fields naturally.

Repurposed Fabric Softener

I have successfully tried several different homemade dryer sheets.  If you have decided to jump on the vinegar bandwagon as your fabric softener you might be wondering what to do with the excess fabric softener you have.   With very little effort and a couple reusable products you can make dryer sheets that leave your clothes smelling fresh and reduces waste and pollution.

Ingredients:

Fabric Softener

3-5 Gallon bucket

Sponges

Strainer

Water

Dilute fabric softener with water at a ratio of 1:4 in your 3-5-gallon bucket. You may find that a 1:3 mix works best for you.    Everything here is trial by error and personnel preference.

Add 2-4 sponges to the bucket and let them soak up overnight.  The next day use a strainer to retrieve the sponge from the bucket and toss in the dryer.

You could argue that this is still not 100% green but you have already spent the money on the product so why not use it up and be done with it…..In my mind part of sustainable living is not being waste full.  

Peroxide the new Bleach

I have had the same bottle of bleach in my laundry room for as long as I can remember.  Occasionally, I find myself diluting it down with water for heavy cleaning jobs when soap and water just will not work .   Mostly it sits on the shelf because the smell leaves me with a headache, let alone it is just really nasty stuff.  I have found myself relaying more on steam cleaning or using 3% hydrogen peroxide to tackle most cleaning.  3% Hydrogen peroxide makes a great bleach replacement; it is anti bacterial, anti fungal and anti viral.   All the reason we use it on our skin for scraps and cuts.  It is easy on your washer, your clothes and septic system.  Try to keep in mind what we put down the drain ends back up in our water supply.   In some upcoming posts I will explore the other benefits of hydrogen peroxide with you that I have found myself fond of.

I just recently started using this in my wash since being deployed and my selection of clothing options are limited.  I wear the same six PT shirts, six pairs of white socks and six white sports bras to work out in and trust me when I say they take a beating.  Over the last couple of months here I have noticed a lot of peoples PT shirts including mine being extremely discolored.  We live in the middle of the desert, use non potable water to wash our cloths, perspire uncontrollably and endure temperatures of 100 plus degree Fahrenheit with 60% humidity.  Although the 3% dilution is working great given the conditions, I would prefer to have a 5% dilution. 

Just as you would add bleach to your wash use hydrogen peroxide in the same manner.  Considering the conditions I am currently living and the beating my clothes are taking I have found that soaking my clothes for an hour or so before washing helps loosen the dirt and grime.  Simply fill the washer, add powdered laundry soap and a cup of hydrogen peroxide.  After an hour I start the normal cycle. 

Cost Savings:

1 Gallon Bleach: $3.00

*16oz 3% Hydrogen Peroxide: $1.00

*This may not seem like much of a cost savings if you are buying the 3% Brown bottles from the local drug store.  To increase your buying power, purchase the 35% Food Grade and dilute to 3% with distilled water.   http://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/Concentrations-of-hydrogen-peroxide.html

Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical and extra care should be taken when handling it.  Always test on a small piece of fabric before use to prevent color bleaching.  Most importantly keep out of reach of young children. 

Whiter Smile

I have been a Listerine user for as long as I can remember, there is something about the tingling sensation that just says clean!  Like many who desire unnaturally white teeth, I have spent a fortune on teeth whitening tooth pastes, mouth washes, bleach strips and professional dental whitening.  All of which are counter acted by my love affair with coffee and red wine.  Since expanding more on my new found love of Hydrogen Peroxide, it has replaced Listerine on the bathroom counter at a much cheaper price.  This is not a new idea and people have been doing this for years becasue it works. 

Gargle with two caps of 3% for a minute or two.  The important thing is to swish the liquid around in your mouth getting it in all the nooks and crannies.  Brush your teeth as usual and enjoy the extra foaming actions.  You cannot help but notice the extra clean feel.   There is a noticeable peroxide taste, similar to that found in whitening toothpaste and mouthwash.

Douse a little peroxide on your toothbrush once you are done to clean your toothbrush.

Cost Savings:

Listerine 32oz: $7.00

3% Hydrogen Peroxide: $1.00  

*This may not seem like much of a cost savings if you are buying the 3% Brown bottles from the local drug store.  To increase your buying power, purchase the 35% Food Grade and dilute to 3% with distilled water.   http://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/Concentrations-of-hydrogen-peroxide.html

If you decide diluting is for you, be sure to keep your contain that will block out light and stored in a dark location. (Medicine cabinet, drawer, etc.)  Most importantly keep out of reach of young children. 

Shopping List

I came to the realization earlier this week that I should give everyone a shopping list of commonly purchased items for your clean n’ green supply locker.  I think you will be amazed at how simple and inexpensive this style of living can truly be.  I bet most of you have at least five of these already. 

Just in time for your weekly trip to the grocery store here it is.  The list is broken out into two categories, those items purchased frequently and those used frequently.  The items used frequently tend to be more expensive in comparison but they last along time.  I buy so much vinegar that cashiers always ask me what I’m canning!

Frequently Purchased

*White Vinegar

*Apple Cider Vinegar

*Baking Soda

Washing Soda

Borax

Fels Napa (or perfume free soap of your choice)

Hydrogen Peroxide

Cornstarch or Arrowroot

Witch Hazel

Isopropyl Alcohol

Frequently Used

Castile soap

Coconut Oil

Vitamin E Oil

Avocado Oil

Apricot Oil

Essential Oils

Jojoba Oil

Citric Acid or Fruit Fresh

Course Kosher Salt

* The best price for these items has been Costco or another Bulk Warehouse type store.

Boil Away Foul Air

Cooking, pets, husbands and kids can leave our home with less then desirable smells.  Most of us are horrified at the idea of a friend coming over and saying our house smells so we spend a fortune on room sprays, candles and other products that mask the odors and leave toxins in our air.  Stop wasting your money and buy the one product that eliminates odors…..Vinegar! No surprise, vinegar is one of my cleaning super products.   

Method:

Boil equal parts water and vinegar

Super easy and super efficient.  You can boil the mix while you cook, while you eat or any point during the day.  It’s important to note that too much vinegar will leave your house, less then inviting so dilute it.    

We use to live within five miles from a local pig farm and when the wind blew just right on a hot summer day our house smelt like we lived at the pig farm.   A couple couples boiling on the stove and home smelt clean again.