CLEAN TILE GROUT

I saw a post about this grout cleaner and finally tried it. It WORKS! Here are 2 shots of my kitchen floor:

After cleaning:

Not cleaned yet:

Then I tried it on this table -- I had forgotten that the grout was actually white to start with:

Here is what it looked like couple years ago (after about 8 years use):

FORMULA

7 cups water
1/2 cup baking soda
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 c vinegar (I used white)

Shake it up in a spray bottle. Spray on grout, wait a couple minutes and scrub. This is so easy. No hard scrubbing -- just brush lightly with a scrub brush. I found that it does leave a residue so tile should be wiped with a wet cloth after cleaning grout.

I always want things to do multiple duty so I tried it on the black spots on the rubbery caulk in the shower but it didn't do the trick. Just lightened it a bit. Maybe repeated use would eventually fade it. I also tried it on a small section of vinyl floor. Again had the residue issue but it might have possibilities for older vinyl that has dirt embedded in the texture. For grout it's amazing.

NATURAL INSECT REPELLENT

I just guessed on how to put this together after researching the most common recommendations for natural mosquito / insect repellents. I tried it when we were going into a situation that has been known to be miserable with mosquitos - on a river bank where the critters come out at a certain moment around dusk and typically they regard deep woods off as a appetizer. I didn't have a lot of confidence that this would work, but it worked great, and I never had to bring out the serious chemicals that I had packed as back up in case of failure.

This is what I tried, and it worked -- so I stuck with the same formula for refills. It is possible that other proportions or combinations would work. In fact, I probably didn't make it up exactly the same every time. Basically this is it:

In a 16-oz spray bottle put:

15 drops cedarwood oil

15 drops bergamot oil (bergaptene free)

5 drops rosemary oil

5 drops tea tree oil
5 drops peppermint oil

fill the rest with water

Spray on all exposed skin as well as on clothing. For the face, spray on hands and rub on face avoiding eyes. The only caution is some peoples' skin may be sensitive to one or more of these oils. None who used it on our trip had any adverse reaction (or any mosquito bites!) Also, if you have it on your face and then sweat so the stuff gets in your eyes it might sting. But probably no more than chemical repellent would.

FREE PAPER SHREDDER ALTERNATIVE

Completely destroy confidential papers without a shredder.

I got this tip from the head of an accounting firm: Submerge paper in water, then wad it into a ball and throw in the trash. There's no way any readable information can be recovered. You don't have to let is soak; it is wet enough after a few seconds. For a thick stack of papers, I soak the whole stack till saturated, then roll in a tight log. I had a shredder that broke and I have never been tempted to replace it. This works great. It's actually quicker than a home paper shredder if you have a lot to process, and no shredded to jam or to need to be emptied regularly.

REMOVE BLOOD SPOTS

This works well -- even on dried blood.  Caution: It could lighten the color on some fabrics.

1 cup hydrogen peroxide
1 teaspoon dish washing liquid

Whisk dish soap into the peroxide in a bowl. Moisten a cloth or sponge with the solution and rub on the stain till it disappears. Or put in a spout-top bottle and squirt directly on the stain.  If the stain has set the solution might need to work for a minute before the spot can be rubbed out.

MSM AND GLUCOSAMINE FOR JOINT PAIN

This isn't a homemade concoction, but it is a natural treatment for joint pain that I have found to be very effective. It was recently confirmed to me just how effective it is. I first discovered these supplements in the mid 90s when I was experiencing pretty serious pain in my neck and right shoulder. I read about MSM and Glucosamine and decided to try the combination. I had positive results so quickly that I wondered if it could be psychosomatic!  But as I continued to take it my neck pain completely disappeared and my shoulder pain disappeared for all normal daily movement. The only remaining sign of any problem was some pain if I stretched my arm around to reach my back on the opposite side. 


Unexplainably a few months ago I started to have pain in my right shoulder again similar to what I had experienced before. When it didn't improve even with the supplement I wondered if I had an injury from lifting or working out. Then about a month ago I was looking at the bottle and realized that for several months I had inadvertently been taking  1/3 of the recommended daily amount! Previously I had a formula that concentrated the daily amount in 1 capsule, and when I reordered I didn't notice that the new one required 3 capsules for that same supplement strength. I immediately increased to the recommended amount and, again, started experiencing improvement in just a few days.  Now I'm almost back to where I was before reducing the amount.  


Sometimes it is thought that health improvements with nutritional supplements can be attributed to the placebo effect.  But I am convinced that this combination is for real since the benefit disappeared when I unknowingly reduced the amount. Of course it did also confirm that this isn't a healing treatment -- you only get the benefit by continuing to regularly take the supplement. Even so, I would rather take this daily than an over the counter pain med or -- worse -- a prescription with 6 pages of health warnings. I don't know what the condition is that causes this pain, and the supplement might not work on every condition, but it's certainly worth a try if you have any kind of joint pain. You will soon know if it works or not.

SUGAR SCRUBS

I first tried making sugar scrubs one Christmas as an economical way to give a fun and useful gift to some friends. I tried lots of different combinations, tested them myself and got feedback from friends. I came up with a favorite basic recipe and then vary the essential oils for fragrance and health benefits -- here are some of my favorite combinations -- have fun experimenting with your own.

SUGAR-HONEY SCRUB

Can mix up in bulk and then divide to add varying essential oils

2 cups granulated sugar (I like a slighty coarse grind)

2 teaspoons liquid glycerin

4 teaspoon honey

Suggested essential oils combinations per 2 cups basic sugar scrub:

- 6 drops sweet orange / 10 drops peppermint
               I call this Florida Christmas

- 16 drops peppermint
               cooling for tired feet, also relieves headache

- 8 drops lavender / 6 drops rosemary
               tones skin
- 6 drops tea tree / 6 drops rosemary / 5 drops sage  
               relieves congestion

- 5 drops ylang-ylang / 5 drops sage / 5 drops peppermint

               really smells good
- 6 drops sage / 8 drops bergamot
               Bergamot should be bergaptene-free
               Bergaptine can cause photo-sensitivity 

Stir well to mix essential oils and store in an airtight container. Stir before each use. This keeps for a long time -- honey acts as a preservative. Easiest to use in the shower or bath. Apply small amounts to moistened skin and scrub gently. Especially take care not to irritate face or get in eyes. It's beneficial to leave scrub on skin for a few minutes then rinse with warm water. Cane sugar produces glycolic acid, a natural alpha hydroxy acid that exfoliates the skin.

Olive or other oil added to the mix makes a nice moisturizing scrub, but the oil leaves a slippery residue in tub or shower that is potentially dangerous if not cleaned up right away. That's why I forgo that luxury. 

CRYSTAL SALT STICK DEODORANT

I can't believe I didn't make this my first post.  I used deodorant from about age 9, and antiperspirant probably since it was invented, and was ever on a quest for the most powerful and effective formula. Yes, in recent years I was troubled by the reports that antiperspirants are unhealthy at best and can cause cancer at worst. But I could see no choice but to take my chances for lack of a socially acceptable alternative. I'm not even sure what prompted me to try the natural mineral salts crystal stick when I noticed it in the health food store, but since it was inexpensive, I bought one with absolutely no expectation of it doing the job for me. I only dared try it when I wasn't planning to go out, and to my complete shock -- it actually worked, very effectively indeed!  I have been using it for several years with more consistent results in odor control than I get even with the strong stuff.

I do need to say that although it very effectively controls odor, it does not stop perspiration.  I'm not sure how that works!  But on occasion when it is important not to sweat -- like wearing a good dress at a summer wedding -- I bring out the Mitchum.  But there is hardly a time when I really have that need. It makes me wonder if the health threat from antiperspirants is not so much that the chemicals are harmful as that it's unhealthy to never sweat.

A potential problem -- I find that it can be irritating to my skin, especially right after shaving. But I found a solution that seems to take care of that. The stick must be moistened before applying, so instead of using  plain water, I spray it with a few spritzes of witch hazel.  I find that I rarely experience any skin irritation using this procedure and I think the witch hazel actually gives some additional odor protection.

This is definitely worth a try for the positive benefits:
- A healthy alternative
- No residue to deal with on clothing
- Economy! - I get a $4 stick that lasts several months

HEAVY DUTY CARPET SPOT CLEANER

This is good for pet odor or other tough cleaning challenge as an alternative to enzyme cleaners, which work well but can be expensive because they usually require several treatments. This mix might cause fading or discoloring of carpet so test in hidden area first.

Carpet Cleaning Foam:

1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide

1 teaspoon dish soap

Whip into a foam with whisk, mixer or stick blender

Blot up any moisture residue from carpet before treating.
Apply cleaning mix and brush in with scrub brush
Rinse with clear water and blot up as much moisture as possible.

A pet stain that has set or that has been soiled multiple times might need additional treatments. If a slight odor residue remains, spray well with equal parts white vinegar and water. Blot with old towels and let dry.

Another good freshener for carpet or fabric is a spray of a few drops each of rosemary, sage, peppermint and tea tree essential oils in water. I use about 2 drops each per cup of water.

LAUNDRY DETERGENT

Not only is this the most economical way possible to clean clothes, but I like it better than commercial detergent. All natural ingredients -- it takes me about 15 minutes to "cook up" a batch that lasts several weeks doing laundry for two of us. There are endless variations on homemade laundry products. This is the first one I tried and honestly liked it so well I never tried other combinations. You can add essential oils for more fragrance, but I love the fresh just plain clean scent I get with the basic formula.

This bulk amount is easy to work with and fits easily into my empty commercial detergent pump container. I priced this out and it comes to 1-1/4 CENTS per load!

In a large cooking pot* mix:

1/6 bar of Fels Naptha soap** grated with cheese grater
               (I first mark bar in 6ths with a knife)

3 cups water

Heat and stir till soap dissolves

Add and stir to dissolve:

1/4 cup washing soda** (not baking soda)

1/4 cup borax powder**

Add to pot and continue stirring:

2 cups hot water

Add to mix and stir thoroughly:

1/2 gallon + 3 cups water (or 11 cups)

* The washing soda may discolor aluminum pans but stainless steel works well. The mix actually shines up my stainless steel soup pot.

USE: 1/2 cup per regular laundry load

Let the mixture cool and then put in a container that you can pour or pump from. (You don't have to wait for it to cool before using.) Once cool it will thicken a bit and it will separate, so shake or stir thoroughly before each use.

**Borax powder, washing soda, and Fels Naptha soap, can all be found on the laundry/cleaning aisle of most grocery stores.

Fels soap also works well for pre-treating stains.  Rub on spot before laundering.

CLEAN JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING!

This is really my all purpose cleaner . . .

1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water in a spray bottle --

I have one in almost every room.

Clean windows, mirrors, counters, appliances, cupboards, most carpet spills or spots.

Vinegar spray and/or baking soda (in shaker container with large holes)

does just about any job

Toilet bowl:

put vinegar mix in empty toilet cleaner squeeze bottle and squirt all round under toilet rim

shake baking soda around bowl

let set for a few minutes / scrub and flush

note: Before I started this I could not get rid of the bad toilet smell -- it would return within minutes of thoroughly cleaning. After the procedure above several times, clumps of smelly caked on mineral deposit started coming loose from under the bowl rim. After that came off -- no more odor problem!

I know -- I hate the smell of vinegar too. But it's such a fabulous and cheap cleaner I made myself get used to it. And you only smell it while it's still wet.