| Aligning with Cleaning Products and Using Essential Oils |
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By Erica Allen Going Natural with Cleaning Products
It's nobody's idea of fun to think about the what traditional (read: toxic) cleaning products do to our water supply and environment. it's even less fun to contemplate what those same poisonous chemicals do to our skin. Even my favorite natural market carries a dizzying array of big plastic bottles, and I guess you need one of everything, right? Dishwashing soap, hand soap, dishwasher detergent, laundry soap. I'm thinking to myself: "What did my grandmother do before all these 'necessary' products were available to her? Things looked pretty spic and span at her house! What gives?" No wise goddess want to put too much attention into cleaning. Fact: getting clean is GOOD for our health, right? Fact: we need cleaning products You may be one of those people who is still buying those unnaturally bright bottles filled with chemical smells thinking you are buying the best thing to get to clean. Until recently I, too, was one of those folks, until I realized that those 30 syllable chemicals are known carcinogens, toxic to both our bodies, our water supply, and the environment. Now that's scary! Then there's the almost equally vast assortment of healthier looking products at the natural food market. Most (but certainly not all) are better for you and the environment, but you still end up with an overflowing recycling bin and, is it just me, or does this stuff seem really spendy? What's so special in there that a bottle of soap costs $10 or more? Is it made with rose oil? I seriously doubt it! So what's an eco-minded human to do? The answer is, make your own products. It's simple, economical, and just plain the right thing to do! You can say goodbye to the harsh, fake pine smelling detergents and their boring unscented counterparts and exchange them with delicious and healthful products that you will love to use. And the bonus: now you'll have extra spending money for chocolate. To start, go to your favorite natural foods market and buy: borax* (4lb mule team style), baking soda (aluminum-free, 3 boxes or so), and the biggest container of unscented liquid castile soap you see (you can special order gallons and it will save you a bundle). Now you need containers, pretty ones that you like to look at, and therapeutic grade essential oils, both to clean and to bump up the bliss factor. Ten more minutes and you're home free. *Important: essential oils, borax, and the like should always be stored out of reach of children and pets. They can be toxic if ingested. The RECIPES: Laundry detergent: 1 part baking soda, 1 part borax. Essential oils: equal parts lavender and eucalyptus (roughly 20 drops per 8 oz.). Optional: 1 part liquid castile soap. How to: Slowly stir ingredients together in a large glass or metal container (do not breath powder) with a secure lid. Done! Hand soap: Liquid castile soap: like Dr. Bronner's 'Baby Mild'. Essential oils: 2 parts cedarwood, parts tea tree, 1 part peppermint up to 20 drops per 8 oz. container. Optional: 1/2 part aloe vera gel (for dry skin and compulsive hand- washing). How to: Find a nice pump bottle. Fill with soap and essential oils. Because you aren't using thickening agents, it will be thin and just as effective. Done! Dishwashing soap: Liquid castile soap.Essential oils: tea tree, lemon and peppermint in equal parts, up to 20 drops. How: Combine soap and essential oils. Shake and serve. Dishwasher detergent: 1 part baking soda, 1 part borax. Essential oils in equal parts: lavender and eucalyptus (20 drops or so per cup). Optional: distilled vinegar can replace rinse agent. How to: Mix carefully. Done! Air freshener/disinfectant: Distilled water. Essential oils: 20 drops tea tree, 20 drops cedarwood, 10 drops peppermint for a large pump spray bottle. How to: Fill the spray bottle with water; add oils and shake. Spray and be happy! All of these recipes have a thousand variations. The point is choosing what works best for you, and not what the marketers say you need. The oils help you refine your natural sense of smell and to discern which will bring you maximum health and happiness, even for the more mundane aspects of a goddess's daily routine. See, now you're an alchemist! Article Source : Article King Pro - Free Reprints and Distribution Flower essence practitioners will enjoy making personal flower essences blends for their clients. The author loves the North American Flower essence line. |