Cleaning without chemicals : )

Taken from: http://www.howdoesshe.com/3-all-natural-cleaning-recipes-you-will-love 

Until recently, I kept whatever company owns Windex in business. The father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding had nothing on me. I used it to clean almost everything. So a couple years ago when my friend told me she cleaned her windows, mirrors, floors, counters, etc. with water and vinegar I thought she was CRAZY! Until I tried it, that is. Ever since then I have studied and learned more and more about how harmful some commercial cleaners are. Through experimenting with different natural cleaners, I have come to LOVE these 3 recipes and I know you will as well! They have no chemicals, no artificial anything, you can feel totally good about having your kids use them, in fact it just may improve their attitudes in the process from the ingredient’s aromatherapy benefits!

These recipes were given to me from my friend Jennifer, who just happens to be a registered Aromatherapist and has a Master’s Diploma in Aromatherapy from the American College of Healthcare Sciences (the only one in Idaho, I might add). She knows her stuff! I love asking questions and learning from her – she is amazing. I will share more about Jennifer at the end of the post, but let’s get on with the recipes!

This first one is BY FAR my kid’s favorite! When I first introduced this to my kids, they were fighting over who got to clean the toilet! Who wouldn’t with a name like this.

Toilet Bomb

1/2 cup baking soda

1/2 cup white vinegar

5 – 10 drops Melaleuca (Tea Tree) essential oil

Combine all ingredients in at least a quart-size container. Add vinegar to the baking soda to create the explosion your kids are going to love! To make this a no-brainer for the kids, Jennifer uses a canning jar with a sticker at the fill line for the vinegar. She writes the rest of the ingredients on a blank mailing label covered with packing tape. She leaves a ½ cup measure in a big bag (Costco version) of baking soda near the jug of white vinegar and the Melaleuca essential oil in the laundry room. You can also just dump the ingredients right into the toilet and skip the jar, but the reaction isn’t quite as fun. 

Basic Sink Cleaning

Baking soda

Lemon essential oil

Sprinkle baking soda, about 1 tablespoon, in a wet sink.  Add 1-2 drops of the 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 oil.

(To clean my tub, I use baking soda and this next recipe together. Works great!)

Mirror Bright

Move over Windex!

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

8 drops citrus oil (Lemon, Wild Orange, Lime, Grapefruit)

Combine all ingredients in a plastic spray bottle and shake well before use.

Spray solution onto mirror and wipe with a dry cloth or towel.

I love cleaning with this, just so I can smell it. mmm. The hardest part is deciding which oil to choose – they all smell SO GOOD!! I went with wild orange this time.

This mixture not only cleans the mirror (and faucets) to a shine, but it will help to prevent fogging while the shower is running.

After you clean your bathroom, you won’t have to evacuate for a couple hours while the chemical smells die down, in fact you might want to camp out for a while just to enjoy the fragrance. Seriously. OR you could make up a batch of this last recipe to enjoy anywhere in your house.

 BONUS RECIPE:

Air Freshener

8 ounces water

5-7 drops of essential oils**

Great for use in bathrooms, kitchens, etc. Avoid wood surfaces.

**Pre-made essential oil blends you can use from doTERRA areCitrus Bliss*, Serenity, or On Guard*.

*On Guard & Citrus Bliss can be used to disinfect door knobs, switch plates, sick rooms, etc. due to their antibacterial nature, especially On Guard.