One of my greatest desires in the challenge is to replace all chemical cleaners with organic or homemade products. After doing quite a bit of research via the internet I have come up with so great solutions...some I have tried and not cared for and others have been a huge success...I will be sharing various remedies with you throughout the year that have worked for me. I would love any suggestions from those of you who have discovered tried and true methods.
One of the first things I changed was my use of fabric softener. I had discovered that many of the store bought softeners were loaded with chemicals. I used to use the dryer sheets but found that they have chemicals in them that essentially adhere to our clothing and we can absorb those chemicals into our skin. I may be experimenting with several different methods, before finding the one that works best for my family. Cost will most definitely be a factor in this endeavor. I want to show that becoming green need not break the bank like some are led to believe.
I first took an old laundry detergent bottle and cleaned it out thoroughly. This goes along with my philosophy of 'if it can be reused then it is not trash'. As you can see I am more about resourcefulness that presentation, evidence the Tide bottle:-)
Ingredients:
3 cups of hot water
2 cups of vinegar
1 1/2 cups of hair conditioner (your choice)
With a large glass or plastic bowl, mix together hot water and conditioner. Although my conditioner is not organic, I still used a natural conditioner with very few chemicals. Lavender is a fantastic scent on clothing!
Next, slowly mix in vinegar and blend well...I used an egg beater. Pour mixture into your bottle and leave the lid off for a while until it cools down. If you happen to have a larger bottle to store your softener in you can certainly double the ingredients. Just give your bottle a few shakes before each use.
I must tell you I am a devout user of and believer in the power of Dr. Bronner's products. If you have not tried them, you should! I use Dr. Bronner's for just about anything from shampoo to glass cleaner to laundry. I have replaced my laundry detergent completely with Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds. It is an all-purpose mild biodegradable concentrate. I put approximately 2 to 3 hearty tablespoons into my top-loader washer and put about 1/4 cup of the softener into the fabric softener dispenser and Waaa Laaaa!
I spent $16.99 on a 32 oz. bottle of Sal Suds...that is more pricey than most would pay because everything costs more in Hawaii...but this bottle of concentrate will last me months and months and has more uses than you can imagine...I will be sharing different uses for Dr. Bronner's products through out the challenge. By the way, you can find Dr. Bronner's products at most health food stores. I get mine at Whole Foods Market.
On a side note, whenever I am washing whites I put about a 1/4 cup of vinegar into my rinse cycle. It will do just as good a job as bleach but is much better for the environment. Do not put the vinegar in before the rinse cycle because the vinegar will cancel out the effectiveness of the Sal Suds. Good Luck Greenies!
Love and Light,
Nirvani
One of the first things I changed was my use of fabric softener. I had discovered that many of the store bought softeners were loaded with chemicals. I used to use the dryer sheets but found that they have chemicals in them that essentially adhere to our clothing and we can absorb those chemicals into our skin. I may be experimenting with several different methods, before finding the one that works best for my family. Cost will most definitely be a factor in this endeavor. I want to show that becoming green need not break the bank like some are led to believe.
I first took an old laundry detergent bottle and cleaned it out thoroughly. This goes along with my philosophy of 'if it can be reused then it is not trash'. As you can see I am more about resourcefulness that presentation, evidence the Tide bottle:-)
Ingredients:
3 cups of hot water
2 cups of vinegar
1 1/2 cups of hair conditioner (your choice)
With a large glass or plastic bowl, mix together hot water and conditioner. Although my conditioner is not organic, I still used a natural conditioner with very few chemicals. Lavender is a fantastic scent on clothing!
Next, slowly mix in vinegar and blend well...I used an egg beater. Pour mixture into your bottle and leave the lid off for a while until it cools down. If you happen to have a larger bottle to store your softener in you can certainly double the ingredients. Just give your bottle a few shakes before each use.
I must tell you I am a devout user of and believer in the power of Dr. Bronner's products. If you have not tried them, you should! I use Dr. Bronner's for just about anything from shampoo to glass cleaner to laundry. I have replaced my laundry detergent completely with Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds. It is an all-purpose mild biodegradable concentrate. I put approximately 2 to 3 hearty tablespoons into my top-loader washer and put about 1/4 cup of the softener into the fabric softener dispenser and Waaa Laaaa!
I spent $16.99 on a 32 oz. bottle of Sal Suds...that is more pricey than most would pay because everything costs more in Hawaii...but this bottle of concentrate will last me months and months and has more uses than you can imagine...I will be sharing different uses for Dr. Bronner's products through out the challenge. By the way, you can find Dr. Bronner's products at most health food stores. I get mine at Whole Foods Market.
On a side note, whenever I am washing whites I put about a 1/4 cup of vinegar into my rinse cycle. It will do just as good a job as bleach but is much better for the environment. Do not put the vinegar in before the rinse cycle because the vinegar will cancel out the effectiveness of the Sal Suds. Good Luck Greenies!
Love and Light,
Nirvani
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