Wake the F*&K up!...or, if I'm to be polite about it: Wakey Wakey EGGS AND BAAAAAKEY

I have few passions I can be polite about but, that said, here....I will try.

One of my main causes in life: Reducing toxicity in my home, my life and the lives of others (the later is obviously the least simple). If you haven't read it already, I suggest taking a look at the book titled Eco-Holic. The crap you bring into your air and home when you clean with chemical cleaners is deadly. Now, I don't mean deadly in the figurative (that stuff sucks) fashion....I mean DEADLY like it will KILL YOU. It's really no wonder to me why cancers and other terrible illnesses are on the rise. We need to open our eyes and makes some choices for our health. We need to learn and live and educate!!!

These cleaners are not only causing cancers in those who are alive.....these chemicals can linger in our bodies, our systems and our environment for lifetimes and beyond. They can cause illness and disfigurement in the unborn and what's more, is they can cause illnesses and disfigurement in the unborn's unborn. That's disturbing! How is that possible, you ask? When your mother was conceived and developing in your GRANDMOTHER'S womb....the egg which turned into you already existed! These things are vulnerable...they are precious and they are not to be tinkered with.

Now that I'm on a soap box I may as well state: I'm sick and tired of people saying "my parents used these things (bleach, windex etc) and WE survived" give me a damn break. That's an unacceptable excuse made by lazy cowards (there! I said it). Be brave, read, look into the evidence and believe it. It is not healthy! And my answer to people who say that is, "Yeah, so far". These days you're likely not going to make it far in life without knowing at least 1 person to die of such disease. A scary reality if you ask me and I'm putting an end to that in my household (or at least, giving it my all).

Let's start with my (now old) motto: Some lessons can be best learned from our dear Mother....NATURE!
Nature has it's own ways of cleaning, protecting and (GASP) contrary to popular belief, will actually be able to provide one with EVERYTHING one needs in order to clean ones self and their house.

It's not even that hard to find....IT'S NOT EVEN THAT HARD TO USE.

Today I found myself in a pickle. Where to put the toilet bowl cleaner??? WHERE OH WHERE SHOULD I PUT THIS TOILET BOWL CLEANER. I know what you think: put it under the sink, get over it, it's toilet bowl cleaner, EVERYONE PUTS IT UNDER THE SINK. And that's all fine and dandy however, it has been a LONG while since I've had chemicals under my sink - that's where Caleb plays and, frankly, I don't have any toxic chemicals in my home....so, I don't have a child proof cabinet for such things. Even this toilet bowl cleaner, it's non-toxic, biodegradable etc....but, I wouldn't drink it so, I'd rather he didn't either. (In case you were wondering, I put it in my medicine cabinet next to the Q-tips).
I realized through this experience that I do a heck of a job cleaning with no chemicals (if I do say so myself) and therefore, that's what today's post will be ALL about.

Let's start off by saying, there is nothing a little vinegar, baking soda, olive oil (EVOO), salt and essential oils can't clean. Quite literally, I haven't used anything else for the past 5 or so years (a side from my Health Street natural toilet bowl cleaner....and that's only once in a while).

You see, it all started when I met Wade, my husband. He's the smellin'est smeller of life. He can smell EVERYTHING. The tiniest hint of scent offends him. So, just you imagine how offensive it would've been to date ME the queen of smelly purfume, smelly airfreshener, smelly laundry soap, smelly soap soap, smelly fabric softener YOU NAME IT I DID IT. I longed for the smell of cleanliness in my home and on my clothes because....I could barely smell it. That's the strange part, the more you use these products the less you notice - that's because the chemicals are designed to make you want to use more. Sounds all twilight zone and conspiracy theory eh?!? Well, sadly, it's true. The scent chemicals damage your nerves (the ones used for smell - among others I'm sure) and that's why you can barely smell it. Give this a try: try my home made cleaner recipes of 3 months. Then, if you feel so inclined, switch back (although, I hope you don't) you'll notice, I promise! I can barely STAND going to anyone's house now, who uses scented laundry soap....it offends, it really does.

SO HERE WE GO!!!!

Starting with my handy spray bottle: Used for EVER MESS IN MY HOUSE and with 1 mechanic husband, 2 babies, a large dog and a dirty dirty cat I have never once run out of huge messes to clean. In said spray bottle I mix 20 drops essential oils. These oils vary upon creativity and mood but generally are some combination of: Tea tree, lavender, patchouli, Neroli, Ylang ylang, grapefruit, lemon grass etc. You can start with just tea tree and continue to purchase others as you wish....tea tree oil is extreeeeemely anti bacterial and anti fungal AND anti viral (among other properties) but is safe to use in the home. I sometimes add a drop or two of natural dish soap or eco-friendly shampoo for 'scrubability' and then fill the rest with hot water. Swish it and done. Literally, THAT EASY, lasts months and you are now effectively avoiding harmful (likely, ugg, cancer causing) chemicals and dirtiness all at the same time. (p.s - the cost per bottle is....mmmmm....about $2.00 MAX in comparison to the hefty $10 or so you'd normally pay for cleaner)

Dish Soap: Castile Soap (a couple of squirts), essential oils of your choice, water. Mix in old dish soap bottle.....DONE.

Windows: REALLY, I WOULDN'T LIE vinegar and newspaper.....DONE! This will clean your windows better FAR FAR better than windex and paper towel FAR FAR BETTER.

Floors: Fill sink or bucket with wicked hot water, add a bit of vinegar, 2 drops of eco-friendly soap, 5 drops of essentials oils of your choice (check on line for oils that can be used on wood floors)....mop-away....DONE.

Bathtub and Sinks: baking soda or salt for a little "scrubability" and spray bottle.

Toilets: Ohhhhh ~ toilets are my fave! Grade 3 science experiments!!! Add a little vinegar......swish, add some baking soda ....FUUUUUN!!!! Scrub with brush and done.

Walls: Spray bottle

Laundry: Same as dishes but, add some borax and washing soda to the mix

Stove grim (that greasy junk that gets on the ledge behind the stove and on the area with the knobs): EVOO. No word of a lie, oil takes off oil. It really really does. I had been scrubbing that junk with soap for YEARS until I finally tried oil and it works!!!!!

Really, it's all that easy. It's all so inexpensive.

Why go to all the effort you ask? I say, what effort?....I never run out of cleaner! I never have to make a trip to the store for cleaners - I have all I need in my kitchen, I'm 100% not SHITTING you!

Anyways, I hope for your sake and for the sake of those around you (and those who visit you) you choose to give this a try. Some books that I suggest for such a venture: Eco-holic, the aromatherapy bible.

I'd be so tickled to death if you'd forward this link to anyone you feel might benefit from it and who might enjoy a challenge.

Happy Healthy Cleaning TO ALL!

PEACE!