Oh, How I love DIY All-Purpose Lemon Cleaner!

 DIY All Purpose Cleaner

After a lapse in my routine, and exposure to commercial cleaners for 3 months, I am falling in love with natural cleaners all over again!  Oh, how I missed the sweet fresh smells- the aroma of essential oils- and the nontoxic clean!!!!!!! It just does not compare- really!  

Today was a shining example-  the task of cleaning the stove top and mainly the oven. I hate cleaning an oven- sorry no excuses - just stating a fact- I hate cleaning ovens. Awkward and the worst tough grease ever. People I know scream, "Easy Off!"  I respond with a resounding, "Noooooooo!"
 A former employer of mine would spray it without care- noxious fumes a flying! It was horrible- I won't go that route. Ever.

I made a batch of fresh DIY All Purpose Cleanser, and while the formula was still hot in temp I turned right around and sprayed down my oven! The worst thing that happened in my house is my husband asking-"Did you peel an orange?" (I'd added orange essential oil to this particular mix as well as lemon essential oil.) The result? My oven is shining! and I finished with ease in less than a half hour- that's with complete wipedown inside and out.

The best part- I saved a small fortune making a very effective cleanser, using basic safe ingredients already in the house.  I do not have a headache from fumes, my family isn't running from the house because of the horrible cleaners smell,  no one was exposed unnecessarily to toxic ingredients, and it's clean! So clean I want to bake! I am heading for the store now- Haha!  

All Purpose DIY Lemon Cleaner 

1 tsp washing soda
2 tsp Borax
1/2 tsp liquid soap (Castile soap or dish soap)
2 c hot water
10-20 drops lemon essential oil
pour into recycled spray bottle, cap and shake until dissolved. spray on surface and wipe away!* Works wonders on stoves, and counter tops!

Knowing I was cleaning the oven I added about 5 drops orange essential oil- just because it smelled so good. I was wanting the citrus smell! LOL

I have posted this mix before- I am just resinging the praises due to our personal lapse. You can find my original post at this recipe here: DIY All Purpose Cleaner





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DIY Homemade Dish Soap

DIY Homemade Dish Soap

Dish soap is so cheap, and so easy to grab, and just too easy...why would I replace dish soap?

Many reasons, actually.
It touches your skin- one of your most important organs on your body.
It touches the dishes you cook and eat off of.
It goes down the drain and flows back through the system, eventually retouching the earth we come from and live off of.
All Three very good reasons to consider using a product with far less toxic chemicals in it. Think green.
Green cleaning is so easy, it is even cost effective if your are on a tight budget.  It is also so much better for your family in the long run!

To make Homemade Dish Soap

you need a mixing bowl, a small sauce pan to boil water in, a grater and a whisk.
2 cups water
1 tbsp. borax
1 tbsp. grated Castile soap bar. (I use Kirk's Castile Original, but any Castile bar will work. Dr. Bronner's Citrus is excellent!) 
Essential oils (lemon is my favorite- but you can also use tea tree oil for antibacterial, or any combination you prefer! Lemon and Lavender is wonderful! So is orange and lemon for a bright energetic citrus smell of fresh and clean!)

Boil the 2 cups of water in sauce pan.
In bowl combine both the borax and grated bar soap
pour boiling water over the soap mixture and whisk until the soap dissolves.
Now let it rest. As it cools it will gel up.
Let it completely cool for a couple hours. 4-6 actually depending on your house's temp.
Add essential oils, if you choose to,  at the very last step.
Pour into recycled/ reused dish soap bottle and use as you normally would for dishes.

Note: This is not intended for dishwashers-just in the sink dish-washing.

Cleaning tip: Kitchen Range Hood.

Ever had trouble deep cleaning the kitchen range hood? The old grease just laughs and stays no matter what you use? I found a secret… Oil. …Yup- oil!  Oil cleans up oil. Sounds crazy- but try it, dampen a cloth or the corner of your scrub sponge with a small amount of cooking oil, and coat a small test spot with oil… then walk away. Take a minute- let soak in and do it’s thing.  Just a few minutes, then test the spot, rub in small circles… you do have to rub- but you WILL see it move! The Oil dissolves/combines with the old caked-on greasy mess and then all of it (old and new) wipes away …. 

Amazing. Try the whole top of the hood. Soak it first, rub. Rinse the sponge in hot water in between. Re-dampen with fresh dot of oil.   After you’ve got off the old layer with the oil, Try the DIY  All-Purpose Cleaner to finish the hood off. Polish it to a shine without sticky greasy feel! No oil residue now. Clean hood, and smells lemon fresh!