Here we are, on the final day of my spring cleaning challenge! I hope you have enjoyed all the diy’s of this week! Today we are moving on to our car. Because if you are like me, your car needs a spring cleaning too!
Combine ingredients in a glass spray bottle and spray on dash board and vinyl interior of car.
Leather Interior polish
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup Fractionated Coconut oil
5 drops Wild Orange essential oil
Combine ingredients in bowl and rub leather interior (can also be used on dashboard and vinyl)
Floor Mat cleaner
1/4 cup baking soda
5 drops Wild Orange essential oil
Mix baking soda and essential oil well, sprinkle on floor mats and let sit for 1 hour, vacuum.
I truly hope you enjoy all the diy recipes I have shared over this week. If you entered the giveaway by entering your email address, I will be drawing the name tomorrow! If I draw your name, you will here from me soon with your doTERRA Intro Kit!
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Laundry day! How many people actually get excited about laundry? Not me! Here’s a little secret, I used to love all those lovely scented dryer sheets, and the sweet smelling laundry soap, I loved it! I wanted my clothes to smell fresh and sweet for weeks at a time. Here is what I learned. Those really sweet smelling laundry soaps, and dryer sheets are full of toxins!!! I was crushed when I learned it! So now I have to find creative, non toxic solutions for my laundry problems, let’s face it…laundry stinks…literally! Here are a few solutions:
Pour Epsom Salt into a glass or stainless steel bowl.Add essential oils and stir to combine.
Use 1/2 cup for medium to large loads, and 1/4 cup for small, place in wash cycle at any temperature.
Stain Remover
1/2 cup white vinegar
20 drops Lemon essential oil
Combine ingredients in a glass spray bottle, shake well and spray on tough stains.
Lavender Dryer Sponges
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
5-10 drops Lavender essential oil
5-10 sponges
Combine baking soda and hot water in glass container and stir, add vinegar and mix, then add lavender essential oil and stir until all ingredients are combined. fill container with sponges trimming sponges to make them fit. Place lid on container (an old cool whip bowl would work well)
To use, shake container, remove 1 sponge, wring out excess liquid and place in dryer with wet clothes. After dryer cycle, place sponge back in container to be reused.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Make your laundry experience more pleasant by adding some pretty pictures, or a plant to your laundry room, this will help lift your spirits, when doing a tedious chore.
Welcome to Day 4 of the Spring Cleaning Challenge. I hope you have been enjoying the diy’s so far. Today we are going to focus on the bathroom. I personally like to create a spa atmosphere in my bathroom. It is my little oasis. The place where I go to relax, in a nice warm bath, and unwind. So, having a clean organized space is important to me. Last year I spent some time decluttering my bathroom, so that it could become my “little oasis”.
Start with decluttering
Last year when I began this decluttering phase, I was kind of stunned with just how much stuff, I had in my bathroom cabinet. For some reason, I had expired medicine, multiple packages of everything! Hint…don’t put that stuff under your sink! You will forget it is there! If it is expired, throw it away. If you haven’t seen it in a year, throw it away. This may sound harsh, but, you will be glad that you did! Get rid of anything that is not vitally important! Once you have a decluttered space, you can begin some deeper cleaning.
Soap Scum Scrub
1/2 cup baking soda
3 TBSP water
10 drops Lemon essential oil
10 drops Lime essential oil
Add ingredients to a spray bottle and shake well. Spray surfaces and wipe dry. Store in a cool place for one to two months.
Add ingredients to a spray bottle and shake well. Spray directly on mold and mildew. Do not rinse. Repeat daily or weekly as needed.
Tub and Tile Spray
1 cup hot water
1 TBSP Castile soap
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
10 drops Melaleuca (Tea Tree) essential oil
10 drops Eucalyptus essential oil
Stir Castile soap into hot water.
Add vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and essential oils, pour into spray bottle. Spray on tub and tile, allow to sit for 5-10 minutes and wipe clean. After initial cleaning, spray tub and tile fter each shower to maintain.
Stir baking soda and citric acid together until combined. Slowly stir in Castile soap and Purify, mix until mixture resembles wet sand. Pack pod mixture into mold and let dry at least four hours. Once dry remove from mold and store in an airtight container. To use drop into toilet, wait for it to stop bubling and scrub away!
Once you have your bathroom decluttered and scrubbed, create an oasis for yourself by adding a couple of moisture loving plants, and some toxin free soy candles. Set up your diffuser with a lovely calming diffuser blend.
My spring cleaning challenge begins on April 1st! Have you signed up for my giveaway yet? I am giving away a doTERRA Intro Kit to one lucky winner! You can’t win if you don’t sign up!
Today I am going to share a few ideas to get yourself ready for the challenge. Sometimes I have a hard time getting started on big projects, and for me spring cleaning is always a big project! My first tip, is this. Don’t look at the big goal.
That’s right, sometimes when we see all that needs to be done, we can get discouraged, even to the point of not starting. Don’t do that! Set small goals. Take it one step, one room, one corner at a time. I will help you do this by giving you diy cleaning recipes for one room at a time. I do not want you to feel overwhelmed. Overwhelm is a sabotager!
Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi on Pexels.com
Open your windows! Let the fresh air in and breath deeply! Do it now if you can, it will give you some energy to get going.
Photo by Di Lewis on Pexels.com
If you have kids, diy’s are a great way to get them involved. Have them help you put your new toxin-free cleaners together. Maybe they will even help you use them! 😉
Here are some great diffuser blends to help get you in the right frame of mind. (You can also use cotton balls if you don’t own a diffuser) Or you can find one here: click here for diffusers
Clean House
3 drops lemongrass
2 drops lime
I love these two oils together, they just smell clean.
Energize Me
3 drops Wild Orange
2 drops Peppermint
Very invigorating!
Detox Blend
3 drops Melaleuca (Tea Tree)
3 drops Lemon
Both of these oils are air cleansers!
Would you like to recieve new diy’s, craft ideas, diffuser recipes and information each month? Sign up for my free newsletter!
Lemons are one of my favorite fruits. They are amazing in so many ways. Today I am going to share a few of my favorite uses for lemons.
Medicinally
Lemons are antiseptic, they will prevent infection. They help to cleanse the system of impurities. The lemon is a stimulant to the liver and is a solvent for uric acid. So lemons are very helpful in treating gout.
For a sore throat, dilute lemon juice half and half with water add a teaspoon of honey, and gargle frequently.
Placing a slice of lemon on a corn overnight will bring relief.
1 teaspoon of lemon juice in a glass of water to relieve heartburn.
Fever reducer: 1 lemon, unpeeled sliced up and added to 3 cups of water, simmer in a non aluminum pot. Reduce to 1 cup, strain, drink.
Uses for Cleaning
Lemon is antiseptic, so it is wonderful to add to vinegar for cleaning.
Add 1/2 cup vinegar and juice of half a lemon to a 24 oz spray bottle. Fill the rest of the way with water. This is wonderful for cleaning countertops.
Use half a lemon to scrub the bath tub, it is wonderful for cutting through soap scum.
Place 1/2 cup vinegar and juice from 1/2 a lemon in a bowl of water in the microwave, turn on microwave for 2-4 minutes. After mixture cools enough to touch, use lemon, vinegar, water solution to clean microwave. This cleans and freshens.
Use to remove rust, ink, or fruit stains from clothing, rub stain with lemon and salt then place in the sun.
To bleach linen or muslin, moisten with lemon and place in the sun.
I absolutely love lemonade, especially fresh, home-made lemonade.
Lemonade
Juice 2 lemons, pour juice in 2 quart pitcher. Add 3/4 cup sugar, fill pitcher with water and stir. Serve over ice!
Raspberry Lemonade
Juice 2 lemons, pour juice in 2 quart pitcher. Add 3/4 cup sugar, 1 cup of fresh raspberries, add water and stir. Serve over ice!
Lemon Squares
3/4 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 TBS flour
1/3 cup lemon juice
Combine margarine, flour, and powdered sugar and press in 9×13 pan. Bake 15 minutes. Mix eggs, sugar, flour and lemon juice. Pour over hot crust and bake 20 minutes. Delicious!
Have a recipe that calls for buttermilk? You can substitute 1 cup milk with 1
TBS of lemon juice, let sit a few minutes then pour into recipe.
Beauty Treatments
Lemon Hair Lightner
Juice of 1/2 lemon added to water and spray on hair for natural lightning.
Lemon Sugar Scrub
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup sugar
1 cup olive oil
Honey Lemon Face Mask
1 Lemon
2 Tbsp honey
Squeeze ½ a lemon into a bowl, add two tablespoons of honey. Mix well until it becomes liquid in consistency, apply all over your face, staying away from eyes. Leave mask on face for 15-20 minutes and rinse off. Leaves face feeling and looking lighter and hydrated.
Today I am going to share some beautiful essential oil blends that can be used to uplift you emotions, and help bring that feeling of spring into your home.
Essential Oil Use
There are three different ways you can use essential oils.
Topically: Essential oils can be diluted and applied topically to the body. A great place to do this is on the feet. This is because one, the feet have large pores, and the essential oils can enter the body quite quickly throughthe feet. Two, if you do not particularly care for the scent, but wish to gain the benefits from the essential oils, the feet are a long way from the nose.
Internally: This is a very controversial subject. Many believe that essential oils should not be ingested. I do ingest essential oils, quite regularly. A drop of Lemon or Wild Orange in my water is very nice. A few words of caution, only use internally if the essential oils are 100% pure therapeutic grade, never ingest essential oils from your local department store, there is a very high chance those have been adulterated. There should be a supplemental facts area on the bottle, just like you find with food items. Also, never put essential oils in plastic, especially citrus oils as they are acidic and will corrode the palstic, after all, we are trying to get rid of toxins. Always palce oils in either glass or stainless steel. Place the drop in the glass first, then add water, this helps to disperse the oil throughout the water.
Aromatically: Essential oils can be inhaled, from the bottle, cupped in the hands or by placing in a diffuser to disperse the scent into the air. This is my favorite way to use essential oils. I diffuse oils every single day. I love having a fresh smelling home. I used to be a huge scented candle person, or I would use the plug in air fresheners, until I found out how toxic the chemicals are in those. So now, I diffuse these wonderful essential oils.
There are several different diffusers to choose from, my two favorite come directly from doTERRA.
Petal Diffuser
The Petal diffuser is the most affordable diffuser and is a great option. This convenient diffuser has a high mist output with multiple settings and covers up to 330 square feet. It will run up to 4 hours. This diffuser is perfect for a bedroom.
Lumo Diffuser
Influenced by nature, the Lumo diffuser features a maple wood base and several light settings inspired by natural elements. Offering customizable output, Lumo can run 2 to 5 hours continuously and 10 hours intermittently. I have this one in my kitchen.
You can also find many good and affordable options on Amazon.
Diffuser Blends
I am going to share some blends that not only smell wonderful, but, that can uplift your mood, and protect against seasonal threats.
Spring defense
3 drops Lemon
3 drops Peppermint
3 drops Lavender
This blend will help protect against seasonal threats.
Citrus-mint
3 drops Grapefruit
2 drops Tangerine
1 drop Spearmint
I love the citrus mint scent, it is exhilerating and uplifting.
Wide Open Spaces
2 drops doTERRA Breathe
1 drop Lime
By adding doTERRA’s Breathe Respiratory Blend, this blend is very supportive of the respiratory system.
Spring Blossoms
2 drops Geranium
2 drops Bergamot
2 drops Wild Orange
Geranium and Bergamot are very calming and Wild Orange is uplifting, this is a sweet blend.
Fresh Air
2 drops Frankinsence
2 drops Peppermint
2 drops Lime
This blend consists of three essential oils that help support the respiratory system and will promote feelings of open airways.
Creating new diffuser blends is one of my favorite things to do with my essential oils. It is all trial and error, the great thing is, if you don’t like the blend, you can jusy scratch it off. I recommend that you keep a journal of your blends, that way you can write down what you like or do not like, so you can either go back and use it again or scratch it off the list.
Caution:
Keep essential oils and diffusers out of the reach of children. Never place your face over a diffuser while it is running with essential oils in it.
There is still time to enter my Spring Cleaning Challenge Giveaway! Enter to win a doTERRA Intro Kit!
The opinions and views expressed are my own and do not represent the opinions entities whatsoever with which I have been, am now or will be affiliated. Because the material contained on this website is based on my own opinion, it should not be considered professional medical advice. If you are sick, please go to a Dr.
Hey everyone! Just wanted to pop in today to remind you all that I have a Spring Cleaning Challenge coming up! It Begins on April 1st. Every day for 7 days, I will share some non toxic cleaning recipes to help you move closer to a toxin free environment!
On top of that, when you sign up, you will be entered to win a doTERRA Intro Kit!
Last week I shared some of the items that you should be picking up to join the challenge. Today, I am going to share a few more products that will be helpful.
distilled water
paper towels (you will want durable ones!)
natural dish detergent (I like Meyers)
You can purchase as few or as many items as you like, the more of the items you get, the more you can participate!
Here is the link to sign up! Please share with your friends, the more the merrier!
I am exhausted, just plain worn out. My 10 month old is going through a sleepless time. They tell me it is normal, when a baby starts really exploring his world, he tends to wake up more at night. While it is great to know that this is perfectly normal, it does not help me get the rest I need, or the afternoon pick me up I need to keep going.
I need a solution
I had no idea, when I started on this journey with essential oils, 2 years ago, just how much of an impact they would have on my life. I did not know that I would soon be raising a baby again (a crazy thought after 50!) but, here I am, doing just that. I have to tell you, I do not have the energy today, that I had even in my 30’s. So I needed to find some solutions to these every day sleep, rest and energy issues. I started researching out my essential oils, and have come up with some really nice diffuser blends, to help both baby and Mom. Today, I am going to share my favorites, along with info about each oil I am using.
Some important things to remember
In todays society, we tend to think we need more. More of everything. Here’s the thing, when it comes to essential oils, less is more. You do not need to use a lot of these oils to get the maximum benefit. When diffusing around baby, I use no more that 1-3 drops of oil. It’s all you need. Remember, essential oils are highly concentrated volitile compounds. A little goes a long way.
This is a beautiful relaxing blend. Juniper Berry has very calming properties and will help keep your baby in a restful state. Lavender relieves tension and promotes a restful night’s sleep. Roman chamomile is soothing and calming. Diffuse this so both Baby and Mama can get a peaceful night of rest.
Breath Baby
1 drop Lavender
1 drop Cardamom
1 drop lime
Along with promoting a restful sleep, Lavender also promotes clear open breathing. Cardamom also promotes clear breathing and calmness. Lime purifies the air, which also helps with clear breathing. If your baby is experiencing congestion, this gentle diffuser blend may be just what you need.
Don’t Bug Me!
1 drop Lemongrass
1 drop Melaleuca (Tea Tree)
1 drop Cedarwood
Lemongrass has a very pleasant smell to humans, but, is very good at repelling insects. Melaleuca purifies the air and Cedarwood also repels insects, and is calming. Let’s face it, it is alsmost time for those little, fluying biting beasts again!
Happy Baby
1 drop Tangerine
1 drop Roman Chamomile
Tangerine energizes and uplifts the mood, and Roamn Chamomile is soothing and calming, which makes this the perfect blend to sootha cranky baby.
Bergamot has a beautiful floral/citrus scent that is both calming and uplifting for the mood. Hawiian Sandalwood is uplifting and supportive of decreasing emotional upset. Siberian Fir is supportive of calming emotions. This is a wonderful blend for when your emotions are all over the place!
Uplifting Afternoon
3 drops Wild Orange
2 drops Peppermint
Wild Orange is very energizing and uplifting for the mood, and Peppermint has an exhilerating uplifting aroma. This is my go to, for the afternoon slump. (I also with put a drop of each of these oils in my hands, rub them together and “Tent” over my nose and breath in).
I hope that you find these diffuser blends as helpful as I have. If you would like to learn more about essential oils, please follow me on Facebook at:
Today I am going to share some struggles I have had with cleaning products, and share the ones that may indeed be a problem for you and your family.
Breathing Issues
I grew up in a small mill town, my parents smoked cigarettes, as did most of thier friends. At a very young age I ws diagnosed with asthma. `This diagnosis was especially difficult at that time because they did not really understand the dangers of cigarette smoke. (yes, I am that old) 😉
This was a real problem because I was allegic to many different things including, dust and cats even exrcise was difficult for me.
Now, all these years later, I find myself struggling to breathe still. So, I need to find ways to cut out things that exasperate the asthma. I remember a few years back, I was working at a small bread store. It was a slow day, so I decided I would clean off the shelves and do a real good job, getting rid of the dust. I knew that I could not dry dust, as that would really get my allergies going and possibly cause an asthma attack. So I grab the cleaning solution, started spraying away. I cleaned all the shelves in the store, and by the end, I was really gasping for breathe. But, I had wet dusted! It had to be the cleaner I sprayed. Another time, I was working for a food prep service. At the end of the shift, we needed to clean the coolers and buckets with bleach….ugh! Again, it felt like my lungs and sinuses were burning out of my body!
Cleaning Supplies and Household Chemicals
Cleaning is essential to protecting our health in our homes, schools and workplaces. However, household and cleaning products—including soaps, polishes and grooming supplies—often include harmful chemicals. Even products advertised as “green” or “natural” may contain ingredients that can cause health problems. Some cleaning supplies can even be flammable or corrosive. Fortunately, you can limit your exposure to those risks. Read all labels and follow instructions when using cleaning products. It could save your life.
How can cleaning supplies, household products affect health?
Many cleaning supplies or household products can irritate the eyes or throat, or cause headaches and other health problems, including cancer. Some products release dangerous chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Other harmful ingredients include ammonia and bleach.
VOCs and other chemicals released when using cleaning supplies contribute to chronic respiratory problems, allergic reactions and headaches. Studies are underway to assess how these chemicals affect people who have asthma and other respiratory illnesses. However, past studies link exposure to chemicals from cleaning supplies
So this explains my extreme reactions to both the spray cleaner and the bleach. Please follow the link above to read the entire article, it is very helpful and interesting.
The thing is, we still need to clean. I obciously need to eliminate dust from my environment. Yes, I can use just water and a cloth for dust, but, what about the greasy dust in the kitchen? Water about furniture polish, floor cleaner, laundry detergent? Many of these cleaners that are on the market are filled with VOCs. Even some of the so called “Green” products have VOCs. So how can I be 100% sure that I am not getting any VOCs? I can make my own, from ingredients I trust!
In the next couple of weeks I will be sharing some Green cleaning recipes and tips, and would like to challenge you to join me on a Toxin free, green cleaning challenge!
What would a challenge be if there wasn’t a chance to win a prize!!! Yes, that’s right, I am going to challenge you to join me, and by doing so, you will be entered to win!
March is here, we know that spring is on it’s way, but, the winter illnesses just seem to be lingering. Today, I will share some easy recipes you can make from home, to help alleiviate some of those long lasting cold symptoms.
Bring on the lemons!!! Lemons are an amazing fruit that contain lots of vitamin C. If you are having any kind of cough or throat discomfort. Heat some water, throw in some lemon and honey, steep for a few minutes and drink.
Peppermint. If you have some dried peppermint, or peppermint tea, this is wonderful for both clearing the sinuses and soothing headaches. Quick fact….1 drop of peppermint essential oil equals 28 cups of peppermint tea! No worries, if you have 100% pure therapeutic grade, 1 drop in a cup of warm water, will clear the sinuses. Dilute with carrier oil and rub a drop on the forehead to soothe both headaches and cool the sinuses. (Use extra caution around eyes, and on children!)
A very nice blend of essential oils for soothing sinuses….5 drops peppermint, 2 drops Onguard, 2 drops oregano, 2 drops melaleuca(tea tree) combine in a cup of steaming water, place towel over head, close eyes(this is important!) and drape towel over cup of steaming water, and breathe in. This is an amazing remedy for congestion.
In the fall, I pick black berries (the small and least juicy ones) I dehydrate them, and crush them. 1 Tablespoon mix in a glass of water, is very good for easing symptoms of the stomach flu…(diarrhea).
Homemade ginger ale, is great for digestive issues. 1 large piece of ginger root (bruised) 1 pint boiling water, 1 Tablespoon honey. You can add a bit od seltzer water for fizz. Boil water, ad bruised ginger root, and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes. Strain out root. Add honey and mix well. Combine seltzer water. (Do not use powdwered ginger) (This recipe is from “Herbal Medicine” The natural way to get well and stay well. Dian Dincin Buchman, PH. D.)
These are some great ways to add some home remedies into your medicine cabinet. As always, check with and follow intsructions of your family physician.
Living Well with Wendy 