For years we have been told how bad salt is for our bodies and in our diet, causing high blood pressure, heart attack and kidney stones. What we have not been told is how we can harness the power of salt in our lives aside from our diet. We have also been told about the wonderful relaxing power of salt in a bath with Epsom salt, but did you know you can use salt for so much more than a bath? Here are some fabulous non-toxic ways to incorporate more salt into your daily life. Continue reading “52 Weeks to Toxin Free – The Power of Salt”
52 Weeks to Toxin Free – DIY Dandruff Shampoo
Our oldest son has always had the most sensitive skin. As a baby he had horrible eczema that caused a great deal of discomfort. We tried every cream on the market until I found a natural, chemical free option. That was one of our first steps to removing harsh toxins in our home that were causing more harm than good. So we were not surprised when G started to experience a dry itchy scalp. We saw how his condition was starting to worsen and so I began researching a DIY dandruff shampoo that would not be loaded with chemicals or would further agitate his sensitive skin. Continue reading “52 Weeks to Toxin Free – DIY Dandruff Shampoo”
At Home Parvo Puppy Care
My twins just turned nine this year and for their birthday The Chad and I thought we would surprise them with a puppy. We wanted to expand our family and our rescue dog needed a buddy too. Searching ads and listings and animal shelter postings, we found the perfect addition. A brindle pug puppy, a snorty, flat faced, bundle of joy. Having bulldogs in the past, we knew what to expect from a smoosh faced breed and were excited for our little addition. What we were not excited for nor planned, was the news that she had parvo. The previous owners never told us, we had to find out at her first vet visit when the vet thought she would die. During our vet visit, the doctor asked me what I was doing, I was doing holistic parvo puppy care the best I could at home and with my limited resources. I explained my methods and actions were what I would do with my kids if they had a severe gastrointestinal virus; plenty of fluids, essential oils and bland foods. Continue reading “At Home Parvo Puppy Care”
52 Weeks to Toxin Free – Cleansing Power of Lemon
Today’s day in age we are so finicky about our foods and products. We are okay with artificial lemon flavor in our food but want the power of natural lemon in our cleaning products. How does this logic make any sense? Well we have the answer and these cleaning options are sure to clean up your home and environment. Here are some great recipes to unlock the cleansing power of lemon in your home without breaking the bank too. Continue reading “52 Weeks to Toxin Free – Cleansing Power of Lemon”
52 Weeks to Toxin Free DIY Air Freshener & Linen Spray
Apparently “poo-pouri” is all the rage. I see so many ads on Facebook and hear about ridding your bathroom of poo smells with this newfangled air freshener. Well I am here to tell you that shit happens. There it is! Everyone poops, even celebrities. I digress in sarcasm and little laughs to myself. Anyhow, with this “poo-pouri” business I am just in awe. In our house, we have the saying “Light a match Flannagan!” and quite literally we have boxes of matches in the bathroom. However, sometimes the methane gets the better of our environment and we are required to bring in the big guns of air freshener, but I am not one to use the chemical laden, compressed, flowery, mumbo jumbo considered air freshener. Quite frankly I would rather choke on the smell of sulfuric ass gas than chemically laced lilac and lavender. Continue reading “52 Weeks to Toxin Free DIY Air Freshener & Linen Spray”
52 Weeks to Toxin Free DIY Laundry Brightener
When you have kids, laundry becomes a chore of insanity. We complete and hope for different results each time, that the dirty clothes would stop piling up! Alas, only in a fairy tale or when the kids grow up and move out do the never ending piles of children’s clothing end. In the meantime, how do we keep brighter, fresher clothes without all the chemicals, toxins and perfumes. For me, I love fresh laundry and bright colored clothing; what I do not love are dingy clothes that still have hard to remove stains, like whites for instance. Even colored clothing can have hard to remove stains, so here is a great DIY laundry brightener that is cheaper than oxy clean and safer for your colored clothing than bleach. Continue reading “52 Weeks to Toxin Free DIY Laundry Brightener”
52 Weeks to Toxin Free Homemade Stainless Steel Cleaner
When I remodeled my kitchen some ten plus years ago I did not think about the struggles and troubles of owning stainless steel appliances. Granted I only had my oldest son at the time and I figured we would be a one child family, not even considering the possibility of when we had our twins. Now we have 20 hands and 50 fingers all over my gleaming appliances…well once gleaming. I really do not mind the smudges and fingerprints most days, they are a beautiful reminder of the blessings God has granted me with these awesome people in my life. Other days when my inner dragon lady takes hold and we have company headed over, I curse and rue the day I ever bought stainless steel appliances no matter how gorgeous they may look in my kitchen. Those times I want my appliances to shine like new I sought after the best stainless steel cleaner, of which I came up short, a lot! I have tried every commercial cleaner known to man and even tried vinegar and those stainless steel rat bastards got the better of me. Until I opted for a toxin free option for a stainless steel cleaner and with items right from my pantry. Continue reading “52 Weeks to Toxin Free Homemade Stainless Steel Cleaner”
52 Weeks to Toxin Free Homemade Wood Furniture Cleaner
Funny thing when I was perusing Facebook the other day, I follow a page called Grow Food Not Lawns and one of the memes they posted was that we want natural ingredients in our cleaners but our foods we are okay with artificial or chemical ingredients. The meme said something to the effect of a wood furniture cleaner made with real lemons, but our foods are flavored with artificial lemon. We have become of backwards society in that we look more to convenience and ease than what is really good for us. Yes, the argument is that the items are cheap and inexpensive, but what about the overall cost to our health? Is the immediate savings really worth the long term price? With all the being said here we are for another week in our 52 Weeks to Toxin Free, where I am pleased to share the easiest and most lovely homemade wood furniture cleaner. Continue reading “52 Weeks to Toxin Free Homemade Wood Furniture Cleaner”
52 Weeks to Toxin Free Glass Surface Cleaner
Growing up I remember my mother using vinegar for everything in our home. Bug bite? Apple cider vinegar. Ants and weeds in the yard? White vinegar. Vinegar seemed to be a staple in our home. Recalling when my mom put my childhood home on the market for us to move, my grandmother (her mother) came over to help power clean the house and paint. The smell seemed very pungent for me as a child, but looking back I realize this was more about the paint and not the chemicals they were using to clean the house. You see, these two ladies went to town scrubbing the entire house in vinegar. Not ammonia. Not bleach. So I am going to break down an awesome toxin free glass surface cleaner for you to use in your home that is cheaper, safer, healthier and smells better than any other glass and surface cleaner in your home. Continue reading “52 Weeks to Toxin Free Glass Surface Cleaner”
52 Weeks to Toxin Free DIY All Purpose Cleaner & Spray
Keeping a clean house is literally a full time job, hence why services exist to clean our homes. Cleaning is a dirty job. Yes, such an oxymoron. All the elbow grease and oomph you put into keeping a clean home. From the laundry to the dishes, vacuuming to the dusting, scrubbing and mopping. I do my best in our house to keep each room clean as we go about each day, while this is idealistic with three kids, we give it the old college try. As I mentioned in my DIY Softscrub and Ajax post, my kitchen is the most beloved room in my house. Nirvana, a sense of zen and peace wash over me while in my kitchen, so I go to great lengths to keep it clean. Bathrooms, however, are at the top of my least favorite room in the house, yet the second most important to keep clean. So I needed a DIY all purpose cleaner and spray that could cut through grease and shit…pardon the pun. Continue reading “52 Weeks to Toxin Free DIY All Purpose Cleaner & Spray”