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Thursday, April 23, 2015

DIY Powdered Laundry Detergent!

 

 

DIY POWDERED DETERGENT

It's compatible with high efficiency and traditional washing machines. With just 3 ingredients, it'll deep clean, preserve colored fabrics, and it's gentle on your wallet!


I feel like I am always doing laundry. With a toddler, nothing is safe. Dirt, oatmeal, blueberries, apple juice... you name it, it lands on her clothes and sometimes my couch. I'm pretty messy myself. Instead of using paper towels, I like to minimize my carbon footprint and use dish towels (or 'ma-peen' in my house). Anyway, all this laundry means a lot of laundry detergent.

The laundry touches our skin everyday. The blanket on the couch, your child's pillow, panties.. I think it's important that we know what we are using to clean these everyday. I am a big fan of a company called Melaluca (I'll write more about that later) and I've been using their detergent. It's the high end of pricing but I trust their products and every ingredient is safe. All of their products are so safe that their not required to put child-proof covers on them!

I've been focusing on our budget very thoroughly lately. I've found ways to cut costs without cutting quality. I knew after some research that I could totally create laundry detergent myself- I already have the soap! :)

I use the recipe below and store it in an air-tight container. You can always cut the batch in half if you don't need as much. Perfect for both traditional and HE machines!

 

 

 

DIY LAUNDRY DETERGENT:



-1 bar (4.5oz) of handmade soap
-1 cup of Borax
-1 cup of washing soda
-Essential oils (optional)


Using a grater, shred the soap until its very fine. If the soap seems soft, spread it in a thin layer and allow it to dry out over night. Combine the soap, Borax, and washing soda and mix thoroughly. Heads up- the powders smell very strong! Add your own special blend or a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Mix thoroughly and store it in an air tight container. Use 1-2 tablespoons for regular washes or 2-3 tablespoons for heavier soils. 
 If you don't feel like going through the hassle of making it yourself, we've done it for you! Our lavender, lemon, and rosemary detergent can be found HERE!

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

DIY Diaper Rash Cream! No chemicals & 100%Vegan!

How to make your own diaper cream that doubles as a multipurpose ointment!

 
 

Searching for an all natural alternative to traditional diaper rash cream?

So was I. This was actually one of my first DIY skin product. Purely out of boredom I did an internet search of the ingredients of the Balmex  jar sitting next to me. I was not pleased at all. I never put into perspective what chemicals I was exposing to myself until my daughter was born. I've become more aware and educated about the products and foods I buy. I set out to find something I could mix up myself using eco-friendly, food grade safe, and all natural ingredients. After a couple of tests, I found a cream that works really well for my daughter.
 
 
 
What you're going to need:
  • 1/2 cup of Coconut Oil
  • 1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
  • 1 Tsp Bentonite Clay
  • 1 Tsp Honey (raw if possible)
  • 3 Tsp Castor Oil
  • 1/4 Tsp Tea Tree EO (optional)
  • 1/4 Tsp Rosemary EO (optional)
 
 
 
1. Melt your coconut oil on the stovetop using low heat and stirring frequently. Once that's melted, remove from heat and stir in the olive and castor oils.
2. Allow mixture to cool for 15 minutes on the counter. You don't want this mixture about 100 degrees Fahrenheit otherwise the honey will burn and loose all it's bacteria fighting power!
3. Stir in honey and mix until it's dissolved.
4. Add in Tea Tree and/or Rosemary EOs along with the Bentonite Clay. Stir until there are no clumps of clay in the mixture.
4. Place the bowl into the refrigerator and allow it to solidify. I usually wait 2-3 hours, sometimes longer. Just because the top is solid does not mean the inside is, too!
5. Once mixture is solid, use an electric beater until it's thoroughly mixed and small peaks appear at the top when you pull away the mixer.
6. Spoon it into a large sterilized jar with a cover. Makes about 9 ounces! Go you!
 
 
 
 

Good stuff to know:

- The Tea Tree EO (which means essential oil, by the way!) and Rosemary EO are totally optional. They provide added benefits of killing bacteria. Rosemary EO should only be used when making a multipurpose ointment on children 10 years of age or older but Tea Tree Oil can be used on infants 6 months +.
-Coconut oil should ideally be virgin and cold processed but it's not necessary. Coconut oil can kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It's also an SPF6 sunscreen!
- Honey is a natural antibacterial, it's packed full of antioxidants, and it helps soothe sore bottoms.
- Castor oil and olive oil are great skin moisturizers! Castor oil helps to improve skin texture, too.
-As a multipurpose ointment, this can be massaged on flakey, itchy, red skin to help minimize pain and jump start the healing process. It can be used a facial mask to help clear acne and deep clean your pores. Bentonite helps soothe skin while drawing out impurities while honey acts as an astringent. For athlete's foot, rub generously on your feet and cover with socks. The Tea Tree EO will help kill those nasty germs, reduce odor, and coconut oil will soften your feet.
 
 

Where can I find these ingredients?

I usually buy my items in bulk allowing me to get more for my money. I realize not all of you need 10 pounds of Bentonite Clay... so here are the links for the best prices and quality.
 
 
If you want to have an all natural and chemical free diaper cream but don't want to do the work? I hear ya... Good news, you can buy it on our website!