Last week we chatted about your shopping list to start swapping out 1 product at a time, room by room in your house. If ya missed it click HERE
Why do we want to do this, you ask? Good question!
Unfortunately, todays household products contain many chemicals that are well researched to be bad for us! Known cancer causing agents and hormone disrupters are found quite commonly in the majority of products on the market. Trade secret laws give companies the option of not fully disclosing all ingredients. Did you know that literally hundreds of chemicals can be added to a product and listed on the label with ONE word....FRAGRANCE...
Lucky for us, using a few household pantry items most of us have on hand anyways, and natures life essence of plants aka essential oils, we can make our own cleaning products that work just as well. I would even argue better, and usually (after a bulk buy of basic ingredients) cheaper in the long run. We can also reuse the recipe containers over and over again, which is better for the environment.
Let's start with the basics...the number one caustic, dangerous, yucky chemical I used to use, was BLEACH....lucky for us, there's a fast and easy recipe, that's much less caustic and much safer, with all the germ fighting capabilities.
A close second is our hand soap, especially in todays times where we seem to be washing our hands all the time. This hand soap recipe is great for dry or sensitive skin, and I like to add essential oils known to support skin.
The main ingredients you're going to need today are...
For the bleach alternative:
Hydrogen Peroxide
Lemon Essential Oil (any essential oil you have and like will do-tho!)
For the hand soap
Castile soap
Olive Oil (optional- but I like to add for extra moisturizing)
Lavender Essential Oil (any essential oil you have and like will do-tho!)
Lets take a closer look at those ingredients...
Hydrogen Peroxide: It is widely acknowledged as a safer substitute for bleach and kills bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The oxidation from the extra oxygen molecule kills germs and bleaches color from porous surfaces (like fabrics).
The extra oxygen does break down over time so keep the recipes you make in dark colored spray bottles to avoid exposing to light. It used to be touted as a great wound cleanser but research has shown that it actually can keep wounds from healing so it is best used for cleaning.
Castile Soap: an eco friendly plant based soap traditionally made from olives and named after the Castile region of Spain where it originated from. Today, it can be made from coconut, castor, or hemp oils as well. Since it's naturally hydrating and mild, it works well for sensitive and dry skin, and is safe for kids and pets.
I like Dr. Bronner's as it's readily available in most health food stores and cost effective. I also buy the unscented so that I can choose the aroma and properties of the essential oil that I want.
Lemon essential oil: Extracted from the peel of lemons and known for its cleansing properties. It's widely used in home cleaning solutions. Its fresh, uplifting aroma is also an effective odor neutralizer. It also works well to remove sticky residues.
Lavender essential oil: Whats not to love- with a soothing aroma and soothing to the skin, Lavender provides many skin care benefits. It contains cleansing and antioxidant properties.
Bleach Alternative
16 oz. dark colored spray bottle
1 cup Hydrogen Peroxide
1 cup distilled water (tap can be used as well)
20 drops Lemon essential oil
Hand Soap
8 oz foaming pump dispenser (or a spray bottle can be used)
2 TBS Liquid Castile Soap
1 TBS Olive Oil (you can use any liquid carrier oil you have on hand hand such as grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, or fractionated coconut oil)
Distilled water (tap can be used as well)
20 drops essential oil ( My fave are Lavender essential oil-good for the skin, or Thieves™ essential oil blend from Young Living™)
Give the recipes a try...you'll find it a nice surprise that it actually smells good to clean your home and your hands will be squeaky clean and moisturized!
For recipes, tips, tricks, and essential oil hacks delivered straight to your inbox, click HERE for 'The Weekly Oiler'.
Did you know that if you have a few basic ingredients in your home, you can easily start swapping out your store bought cleaners with healthier alternatives..oftentimes for much cheaper and without all the toxic yuck?
Simply put these on your grocery list:
- Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Liquid Castile Soap
- Vodka
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Citric Acid (optional- I have a few great recipes that include citric acid and it is readily available & inexpensive on Amazon)
You might even have these ingredients already!
Using these ingredients you can safely and easily clean every surface in your home...including you-lol...
Over the next month, I'l be sharing some of my top home cleaning recipes mixing these ingredients with premium essential oils. You can really use any essential oil you like the aroma of, but here is a list of my must haves:
- Lemon
- Orange
- Pine
- Peppermint
- Lavender
- Thieves™ essential oil blend from Young Living™
- Purification™ essential oil blend from Young Living™
So add these must haves to your cleaning cabinet and get ready to start swapping out 1 product at a time...and don't worry, if you're not a DIY'r, I'll have my fave equivalent you can buy ready to go!
You are the gate keeper! Let's control what we can for the health of ourselves and our fur kids!
To get these recipes and more delivered straight to your inbox, click HERE!
This is by far one of the easiest DIY's for air fresheners evah!
All you need is essential oils. Any essential oil you like the aroma of. Altho, I love to use the citrus oils for this. They are the least expensive essential oils and have a 'high' aroma that fills the bathroom and hangs around. Lemongrass is a close second for the same reasons.
Simply add about 5 drops of essential oil to the inside cardboard roll of your toilet paper and refresh as needed. If you need more scent, add more oils....or that brings us to my number 2 easy DIY, which involves clothespins.
You simply add about 5 drops to a wood clothespin and pin in inconspicuous places...like on the back of a decorative towel...on the back of a picture....or hide behind a knickknack. I like to use the same oils mentioned above, or use your favorite! These are also great to pin anywhere in the house you need odor control. They are especially useful for closets as well.
Packs of clothespins are cheap and easily bought on Amazon. You can use cotton balls instead, but I find the clothespins are easier to stash by clipping to something and don't stand out color wise.
Of course, you can always use a diffuser too! It's nice to set up the toilet paper roll and clothespins one time and then forget about them until you start missin' the aroma and refresh. Where with a diffuser, you have to work slightly harder-lol...
Are you receiving 'The Weekly Oiler' yet?! Recipes, tips, tricks, and essential oil hacks for you, your horse, and dog, delivered straight to your inbox every week! Join HERE
Let's head to what I like to call 'The Doghouse' today... (basically my house....full of dogs...lol)
One of my dogs has trouble with allergies. He is under veterinary care and we have a whole regime for him. One of the things that I have found to be really helpful, is wiping him off after he comes in from outside. So, I'd like to share my super simple and easy, DIY dog wipes, that I make for him. These also work great if you are trying to keep a clean house and want the whole household to 'wipe their paws' before coming in...with your help, of course :)
Grab:
- A glass container with lid (you can use plastic, just make sure it's a heavy duty PET plastic, 'cause remember essential oils degrade plastic, so you need a heavy duty plastic that can stand up)
- Cut up an old t-shirt/blanket/towel/etc. into rags the size of the container and enough to fill the container 3/4 way full (once you do this initially, you will keep re-using the rags so it gets easier-lol!)
- 1 cup distilled water
- 1 TBS carrier oil (I like fractionated coconut oil (aka-FCO)
- 10 drops Lavender essential oil
Then:
- Add the rags to the container.
- Add the FCO & Lavender essential oil to the water, give it a stir, pour over rags, and let it sit until rags soak up water.
Ta-da...
Leave them by the door and when your dog comes in from outside....take one out..squeeze any excess liquid out and wipe your dog off.
You can then throw the rags in the laundry, re-using them over and over, and your laundry gets a nice scent boost!
For more recipes like this, click HERE and join 'The Weekly Oiler'. Essential oil recipes, tips, tricks, and hacks for you, your dog, and horse, delivered straight your inbox every week!
Also, if DIY isn't your thang....I got you! Young Living's™ Seedling™ Baby Wipes works wonderfully instead! Check them out HERE
Have you ever got to the barn, went to grab your horse and found the mane tied up in knots?
Ancient legend has it that the fairies have come thru the stable at dusk. They twist the mane up in knots to use for stirrups and then gallop thru the night.
It's a fun legend and we all need a little magic in our lives, right!?
However, I have a mini and a pony that those darn fairies just overuse, and I get tired of combing the mane out all the time!
So , I started using an all natural mane detangler that I like to make, and it makes it so much easier to A) comb the mane out and B) keep the fairies at bay throughout the week.
With only 3 ingredients, it's quick, easy, and cost effective. I generally spray and comb thru the mane twice per week to make it hard on the fairies!
So grab an all natural conditioner ( I like to use Young Living's Copaiba & Vanilla Conditioner), a glass spray bottle-8 oz. works well, and the essential oils ya want to use.
If you'd rather use a plastic spray bottle, just make sure its a high quality PET chemical resistant spray bottle as essential oils degrade plastic.
My fave essential oil combo is equal drops Rosemary, Cedarwood, and Lavender. All good essential oils for the hair and it gives the spray a nice calming aroma. Equal drops Frankincense and Cedarwood work well too and give the hair a nice shine.
If ya wanna catch the video I did on Youtube and see it made in action,
click HERE
Be sure to grab my free guide where we go over what you need to know to use essential oils safely and easily with your horse, including safety and dilution, click HERE
