Day 83: Dishwasher Detergent

7:27 PM The Hydes 0 Comments

If you've read my post about dish soap you know that I know that dish soap and dish Washer soap are two completely different things. But, that still left me with the dilemma of what to put in the dishwasher. If you think about it, your washing your dishes with chemicals that leave a residue and then you eat off them. Ya, I don't think so! Here is a recipe that will clean those dishes, nix the residue and the water spots and you don't have to worry about the bubble fiasco....but I do recommend it if you're looking for some good clean fun!

Dishwasher Detergent
1 c borax
1 c baking soda
10 drops lemon
10 drops grapefruit
2 c white vinegar

In a container mix the borax, baking soda, and essential oils. In a pour bottle put the vinegar. In the pre-wash section of your machine put the powder mix and in the other place with the lid put the vinegar. The vinegar gets rid of the residue and water spots and rinses away all the junk. You may also want to run the dish washer once in a while with just the vinegar to make sure it's clean. I just heard a report that 94% of dishwashers that were examined in a study had mold. Vinegar will help a lot with that. Or hand washing can help with that too. I remember one week as a kid when our dishwasher broke. That was one of the most bonding experiences of my young life for my family. The family that works together... works!

Day 82: All Purpose Cleaner

7:25 PM The Hydes 0 Comments

When I was growing up my parents had COMPLETELY different ideas about "clean." We called them a "mom clean" and a "dad clean." Mom clean meant tidy things up, put the quilt in the oven, make it look clean for company and let the party begin. My Father on the other hand used a white glove. Whatever we were cleaning had to shine like the top of his shinny head. Now that I'm the "adult" I find that I'm a good mix of the two. We keep things tidy and when called for we deep clean like you wouldn't believe. I don't stress about mess but I don't put up with it either. With all this cleaning I hate to use any chemicals that linger in the house. No matter how much you rinse and wash it away it always leaves a residue. Here is a great recipe for an all purpose cleaner that cuts the stress and the mess and you'll even pass the dad clean without breaking a sweat!

All Purpose Cleaner
1 tb borax
1/4 c white vinegar
2 c distilled water
10 drops lemon
10 drops tea tree
10 drops lavender

Mix all these and put in a convenient spray bottle.

Day 81 : Carpet Cleaner

7:23 PM The Hydes 0 Comments

Matthew and I are really excited to be home and be with our family! We have missed them a lot! We have especially missed all of our nieces and nephews! Matthew is such a kid himself that all the children naturally gravitate to him. In Samoa the kids in the village would come around regularly asking if Matthew could come and play. It's no different now that we're home. The kids all love Matthew!

I have recently learned a recipe - don't worry, it's not rocket science - put matthew together with a bunch of little kids and some ruff housing and you have a perfect mess :) But when you see those adorable faces (Matthew included) how can you deny them the fun. So, instead of making Matthew act his age I'm making carpet cleaner.


Carpet Cleaner
1 tb dish soap
1/4 c vinegar
2 c distilled water
3 drops each of lemon, lavender, and tea tree essential oils
1 cup soda water

Mix everything but the soda water together in a bottle. Then add the soda water and put the lid on tight. To use on carpets just shake and apply.

Day 80: Bathroom cleaner

7:13 PM The Hydes 0 Comments

I'm going to take a minute and brag about my AMAZING hubby! Before we got married we discussed household chores. I mentioned how I loath cleaning bathrooms (what woman doesn't?) and he joyfully chimed in that he didn't mind them and then proclaimed that in our home whenever the bathroom needed to be cleaned he would be the one to do it! Did I get a catch or what?

And he wasn't just blowing smoke! We have been married 5 years and every week... or so he has faithfully cleaned the bathrooms. I love this man!

Matthew is also the one that LOVES homemade-organic-non toxicie stuff so this recipe is for him. He's even more willing to clean when I tell him it's a homemade cleaner. No wonder he had a halo when I met him.

Homemade Bathroom Cleaner
1 tb borax
2 c hot distilled water
4 tb white vinegar
10 drops each of lavender
eucalyptus
tea tree
lemon

Both Lavender and Lemon essential oils have disinfectant properties. They kill all sorts of yuckyness and they are super concentrated...like that old commercial "just a spoonful cleans a sink full!"