September 30, 2009

It IS easy being green...what does Kermit the Frog know?



After a discussion on Facebook yesterday about homemade cleaning products, I thought I'd post some of the "recipes" I use for various things around the house. I already posted here about my recipes for homemade diaper cream and baby wipe solution. Here are some other baby recipes:





Baby Oil

1/4 C almond oil
10-15 drops essential oils (EO)

Baby wipe solution (I haven't used this since I really love my other recipe)
2 C water
1 TBSP baby shampoo
1 TBSP baby oil
I have not used this recipe but wanted to share it for those that may not want
to shop for ingredients, since these ingredients are very easy to find.

And here are some recipes for you, the tired mommy!

Pomegrante Sugar Scrub
1/2 C pomgrante seeds
1/2 C white sugar
2 tsp oil
1-2 drops EO (optional)
Combine sugar and seeds and crush with spoon. Add oil and mix. Add EO if you want.
Scrub gently on body

Avocado Hair Mask
Half of an avocado, mashed
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C almond oil
Combine until a paste consistency. Put on hair, especially ends, and let it sit for 30 minutes

Honey Bath
1/2 C honey
1/2 C liquid soap
1 TBSP vanilla extract
Mix together and pour into bath. You can store this in a bottle, just shake it before using

And here are some household basics and cleaning recipes:

Hand soap
1 bar soap (6oz)
1 TBSP honey
1 tsp glycerin
Grate the bar of soap and put in blender. Add 1 C boiling water and whip. Add 1/2 C of
room temperature water and stir in blender. Add honey and glycerin. Stir. Let it sit
and cool for 15 minutes or so. You should have about 2 cups of soap. Add water until
it is between 5-6 cups. Put the soap into containers and let it cool before putting the
lids on. It does thicken after awhile and you will have to occassionally shake the bottle.
I made this with a basic antibacterial soap and I think that I would use an unscented
bar next time and add essential oils. The recipe says you can use herb-infused water
too, just strain it before using it.

Window cleaner (I LOVE this recipe and it cleans much better then Windex)
1/4 C vinegar
2 C water

All purpose cleaner (I cut this recipe in half and put in a spray bottle)
1/2 C Borax
1 Gallon of water

Toilet (another GREAT recipe!)
Sprinkle baking soda in toilet bowl
Add vinegar
Scrub to your heart's desire!!

Easy tip for cleaning counters
Cut a lemon in half
Dip the cut side in baking soda
Scrub the counters! The lemon makes it easy to hold/scrub and the mixture of lemon and
baking soda really does the trick. I usually rinse the counter off with a wet cloth after.

Carpet cleaner
I keep a small container full of baking soda and then add in drops of EO. I like rosemary.
Sprinkle on the carpet and let it sit for awhile, longer if you have pets or pukey babies :)
Vacuum! The great thing about this is the clean scent stays in your vacuum and you will
smell it again the next few times you vacuum. I also use this same baking soda/EO mixture
in my diaper pail, just sprinkle it in the bottom and it goes in the wash when I dump the
diapers in the washing machine.


I have collected these recipes from the internet and magazine so I have no idea where each of these came from. If you know of the site or magazine that these came from, let me know and I will give them credit for it. Just had to say that so I don't make anyone mad if I stole their recipe! Feel free to share your recipe in the comments or email me!

2 comments:

  1. Ooo I love your recipes! I am so into homemade cleaners and Joe just doesn't understand. The carpet cleaner is my favorite (and I do that in our diaper pail and genie too!). I haven't done it in a long time but my apartment still smells really good after I vacuum.

    Baking soda will also scrub just about anything off pots and pans. I had a pan that Joe used and burned stuff onto and left it on the stove overnight and I still got it 100% clean! Love that stuff.

    I eyeball all my mixtures so I can't really give you amounts but I can tell you ingredients!

    Air Freshener:
    Water
    Baking Soda
    A few drops of EO
    Shake them in a bottle and spray!

    Leather cleaner/polish:
    Olive oil
    White vinegar
    I think it's 1 part each. Shake, spray and wipe!

    Wood polisher:
    Olive oil
    Vinegar
    Lemon juice
    Probably 3/4 olive oil, 1/4 vinegar, and a few squirts of lemon juice. Shake, spray and wipe!

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  2. I am definitely trying out the air freshener recipe! I don't have any leather to clean and our "wood" furniture is probably not real wood!! Thanks for sharing!

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