Saturday, March 9, 2013

Tip of the Day #249: Homemade Fabric Softener

FABRIC SOFTENER- 6 cups HOT water 3 cups white vinegar 2 cups Hair Conditioner (I used Suave, but you can use any that you like the smell of!)

Whisk the hot water and conditioner together. Make sure that the conditioner is completely mixed with the water and there are no clumps.Then mix your vinegar in--this is actually the softener, the conditioner is just for scent :) Use the same amount as normal fabric softener when doing a load!

Friday, March 8, 2013

Recipes for Homemade Dishwasher & Dish Soaps





DISHWASHER DETERGENT- 1 cup Borax 1 cup Baking Soda 1/4 cup Table Salt 2 packets Lemon Kool-Aid Mix all the ingredients in a tightly sealed container and use 1-2 tablespoons per load of dishes.


LIQUID DISH SOAP -1 ½ cup of hot water -½ cup liquid castile soap (like Dr. Bonner's) -1 tablespoon of white vinegar -1 tablespoon of Arm&Hammer’s Super Washing Soda (used to thicken the soap) -1/8 teaspoon of tea tree oil (optional) MIX ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER, THEN ADD THE HOT WATER--WHISK TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ALL WELL-BLENDED. THEN ALLOW TO COOL BEFORE USE.

Tip of the Day #248: Weed Killer Recipe

WEED KILLER- One gallon of apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup table salt, 1 tsp dish soap. Mix and pour into spray bottle. If you dont need as much, just half the recipe. Spray directly on weeds.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

DIY BUBBLEBATH!

Nothing makes me more excited than DIY projects--especially quick and INEXPENSIVE ones since all the ingredients you already have in your home!

Try this one out!

Homemade Bubble Bath:

1/2 cup shampoo
3/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, mix the shampoo and water until well combined.  Add salt and stir until it thickens slightly.  Use a funnel to pour it into a bottle.And that’s it!

This bubble bath costs pennies to make and makes a wonderful gift or stocking stuffer.  Add a personalized label to make the gift even more special

Tip of the Day #247:Protect your Cell Phone

When at the beach this summer, protect your phone from sand and water damage by placing in a Ziploc bag. You can still use it through the plastic! I personally have ruined phones in the past by sand getting in and under the screen.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Tip of the Day #246: Controlling Beach Sand with Baby Powder

Summer trips to the beach often result in a car, home and body covered in sand that seems to linger until winter--but this can be resolved with such a simple trick!
Place a small amount of baby powder in the palm of your hand and rub into onto your skin. The baby powder will quickly absorb moisture and the sand will fall away. Make sure to pour some on your beach towels and blankets then shake off!
Also, apply a sprinkle of baby powder to your shoes or sandals to remove sand.

If you need to, flip your head upside down and apply a bit of baby powder into the palm of your hand. Rub a little bit into your scalp and gently brush the sand from your hair. Baby powder is great for dry, oily hair and will ensure that all of the sand is removed quickly and easily.

Lastly, sand in the car can be a real nuisance! Sprinkle a light layer of baby powder on seats and carpets before vacuuming clean. Do not rub the baby powder into your car seats or flooring, as it may leave white powdery marks.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

*WARNINGS* WHEN CREATING HOMEMADE CLEANERS

I am constantly baffled by how many frugal websites recommend a homemade cleaning agent with both bleach and vinegar in the recipe.NO.Never mix bleach and vinegar, bleach and ammonia, bleach and toilet bowl cleaners, or even different brands of toilet bowl cleaners (some are bleach based while others are acid based).

I often recommend cleaning your washing machine with 1 cup of vinegar, but DO NOT do so if you have recently used bleach or vise versa. Run a few loads before using one or the other again.

ALWAYS read your labels: Bleach can also be listed as sodium hypochlorite or hypochlorite.

When bleach and ammonia are mixed, depending on the ratios, Chlorine gas is created or Nitrogen Trichloride or Hydrazine.  Chlorine gas is deadly, Nitrogen Trichloride is very volatile (meaning it’s just dying to react) and the Hydrazine reaction creates a large amount of heat. Don’t even pour bleach into an unflushed toilet bowl.When bleach and vinegar are mixed it creates an acid base reaction with chlorine gas as a byproduct.Toilet bowl cleaners are often acidic and will also react with bleach.