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.