EO Series: What is an essential oil?

EOs come from plants!

If you read anything at all about living "naturally" whether it's cleaning, medicinal, etc., you've probably heard about essential oils (a.k.a. EOs). They are wonderful and amazing, but just because they're "pure" and "natural" doesn't mean they're 100% safe. Not everything in nature is safe, right? Think thorny bushes, cactus, and a multitude of poisonous plants! Even though these cute little bottles with beautiful labels and aromas appear safe, they're very concentrated forms of plants. I could probably have an ongoing series on this topic alone, and perhaps it will turn into that, so DON'T go out and buy some EOs today unless you've already done some extensive research about it. If you want to go do more research now, check out Learning about EOs.

My Picky Eater: Speech Delay and Early Intervention Assessment

Around 18 months old, my husband became concerned with our son's speech development. I thought he was doing okay though. But, a little over a month ago when we decided to take action with his eating habits, we read about the average speech development for a 2 year-old and I had to admit he seemed behind. Thankfully, the Your Kid's Table blog I had been reading about picky eating had a link to a mom/speech therapist blog called Playing with Words 365. I sent my husband there to do some research about how we could do more to help our son's speech development. Here are some things we learned:

My Picky Eater: A Reflection After One Month of Experimenting

My picky eater enjoying chips and salsa for his birthday

My picky eater primarily enjoys three types of foods: crunchy, mushy, and dips. This means that veggies, fruit, and meat weren't usually eaten by him, so he ate snack-type foods and baby food. But he's two, so we decided he needed to pushed into real table foods instead of gently introduced to them. It's been about a month since we started this adventure in transforming our picky eater, and we had about two weeks that went a little downhill because he was sick and my mom was visiting, so things weren't exactly normal. However, we actually have made great progress, but I'm beginning to feel stumped about what to try next.

My Picky Eater: Days 1 and 2 Videos

Not much progress was made today. I had eggs over hard, or fried, this morning, and he noticed some pieces were particularly crunchy, wanted to try it, and ate it. He ate two pieces that were more crunchy and wanted nothing to do with the rest of the eggs on his tray. Lunch and dinner went the same as yesterday: He ate one thing and played with the rest until he was over it. Joseph and I figure that he'll be quite ravenous and finally "get it" within the next couple days, so he'll start eating more of what's on his plate.

I want to chronicle as much of his progress as possible in eating, so I'm going to try to take videos and/or pictures daily. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook to see photo uploads there. Below is a video from today's short-lived sensory play, followed by the video of him yesterday during snack.

My Picky Eater

The end of day 1 lunch--demolished and largely uneaten

I'm a natural mama trying to make healthy food choices for me and my family by eating more raw foods, lots of vegetables, cutting gluten, cutting sugar and limiting dairy for me and the hubby. However, what's a natural mama to do with a picky eater?! This has been my dilemma since day one with this boy. We had a hard time getting going with breastfeeding, transitioning to baby food, and now, he barely eats any table food. He's TWO now, so this had to stop. Many kids his age are eating most of the stuff their parents and siblings are eating, but not my son! Until now...

Around the House Cleaner Series: Wrap Up!

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For a few weeks now I've been posting cleaning solutions you can use throughout your home. For your convenience, or in case you missed one, they're all listed here for you!!

• DIY Non-Toxic All-Purpose Cleaner
• DIY Non-Toxic Glass Cleaner
• DIY Non-Toxic Wood Cleaner
• Non-Toxic Disinfectant (Bleach not necessary)
• Vacuuming (the vacuum I chose and why)
• Stain Removal for Carpets and Furniture
• Leather Cleaner and Conditioner

Around the House Cleaner Series: Leather Cleaning and Conditioning

Leather furniture and accessories are more expensive, so is it worth it?! My daily-user purse is bright yellow leather, so you can imagine the dirt it shows!! It got to a point where it really needed to be cleaned, but I wasn't sure how to do so without ruining the leather, but I found an easy, non-toxic solution!

Around the House Cleaner Series: Stain Removal for Carpets and Furniture

If you live in your house, you will drop something unsightly onto your carpet or furniture, but you don't need to bust out an expensive and toxic stain remover to clean it up. Good ol' baking soda and vinegar will take care of most stains!

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Around the House Cleaner Series: Vacuuming

Many people have switched to non-carpet flooring because they don't want stained carpet or they like the way wood looks. However, we still have carpet and it's definitely the least expensive flooring option by far. Getting your carpet cleaned professionally can be costly and not very effective in the long run. If you don't have a good vacuum, you won't be able to get allergens out of it either. Therefore, I recommend a Dyson vacuum and treating your carpet yourself.

Around the House Cleaner Series: Non-Toxic Disinfectant

Has someone in your house had a cold lately? Have you had a summer party with lots of people? Sounds like you need a powerful disinfectant for those spots everyone touches, like doorknobs and handles. And all you need is two ingredients you already have (probably)...

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My First Experience with Maca

Recently the co-author of this blog, Candace, wrote about maca and how she uses it. It sounded like such an excellent product that I wanted to try some myself!! Last week we were on vacation in Penn Valley, CA visiting some good friends, shopping at an excellent co-op where I ran across the bag shown below for $15. I don't even know if that's a great price, but I got it anyway because I really wanted to try it. Plus there's about 91 servings in a bag, so it will last awhile, thus I figured the $15 would be worth it to try.

Feel Good Friday: AmazonSmile

Hello everyone, and Happy Friday! I know I usually talk about health and beauty things you can do for yourself that make you feel good, but today I want to share with you something you can do for others that can make a huge difference. The bonus? You’ll still feel extra good about doing it! Today’s Feel Good Friday features AmazonSmile, an awesome program that lets you give back to a charity of your choosing virtually every time you make a purchase on Amazon.

Around the House Cleaners Series: DIY Non-Toxic Wood Cleaner

Hopefully, if you've been reading this blog, you won't be surprised by the "junk" in your cleaners, including your wood cleaner and polisher. And, you should also know by now that you'll save yourself a bunch of money by putting a few inexpensive ingredients in a bottle yourself. But, just in case you're new here, you should know that Pledge (link to EWG database for brand) or other popular brands, aren't your friends.

Laundry Room Series: Wrap-Up

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I've finished cleaning another room without toxic chemicals, how about you?! In case you missed a post, and for your convenience, here are all my laundry room cleaning posts (plus some more!) in once place:

• Natural Detergent Options
• Natural Stain Remover
• Cut the Dryer Sheets and Your Dry Time!
• Cleaning a Top-Loading Washing Machine
• Cleaning a Front-Loading Washing Machine (from Clean & Scentsible)
• Detailing Your Dryer (aka: Prevent dryer fire!)

Feel Good Friday: Meet Maca

Have you ever heard of maca? I stumbled upon this mighty root the way I stumble on most things these days: social media. A friend had mentioned to another friend (yay, voyeurism!) that they took maca before a workout to help them push harder in the gym. As I was recently getting back into the gym at the time, my ears (eyes?) perked at the mention of this mysterious substance. As I am wont to do, I began scouring the Internet for anything and everything I could find about this “maca” the guy spoke so highly of. What I found turned out to be (for me at least) life-changing.

Laundry Room Series: Detailing Your Dryer

I know your "spring cleaning" chores are over since we're heading into sunny summer days packed with fun and vacations, but if you're going to be drying a bunch of towels from your long pool days in your dryer, then listen up!
 
Dryer fires accounted for 16,800 home fires in the U.S. in 2010, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Also, they say "the leading cause of clothes dryer and washer fires is failure to clean them." Detailing your dryer can also increase your dryer's efficiency. Duh?! If we clean out all the built up lint and gunk, our dryers will work better! I took the challenge myself last night with the used dryer we've had for about 10 months.

Laundry Room Series: Cleaning a Top-Loading Washing Machine

Your washing machine probably works hard for you, and rarely, or let's admit, never, gets a scrub of its own. It woks tirelessly, scrubbing, rinsing, scrubbing, rinsing, for you, and gets nothing in return. Oh, that sounds so sad! Seriously, though, your washer probably has some build up in places you can and can't see and could use a good cleaning a couple times a year. I just got a used top-loading washer that was all fixed up by my appliance guy, so I figured it was a good time to try this out. Here are instructions for cleaning a front-loading washer.

Laundry Room Series: Cut the dryer sheets and your dry time!!

Over a year ago I purchased and began using three different types of wool dryer balls.  What are wool dryer balls?  They're large balls of wool used with every load you throw in the dryer.  They replace dryer sheets and help reduce dry time!!  The latter is my favorite part, and they do work.  I can dry two sets of queen size sheets in one cycle if I disperse the balls throughout the sheets when I put them in the dryer.  It's recommended that you use about a dozen wool dryer balls at a time.  Also, if you're allergic to wool, you can still use these because the wool isn't being directly applied to your skin.  First are the Woolzies Dryer Balls.

These are the largest and best priced of the three types I got.  They're handmade from New Zealand wool, helping providing a sustainable living.  They seem to lose their density over time, which also makes them less effective over time.

A Natural, Manly Gift

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Father's Day is coming up, so I decided to share an excellent gift idea that promotes natural living, is cost-effective, and much appreciated by the men I know who use it! An old-fashioned shaving kit!! Isn't it "old-fashioned" for a reason? Such as, it's not effective, harder to use, irritating to the skin, etc.? Nope!! Quite the contrary!!

Why my husband likes his old-fashioned shave

My husband keeps a short beard, but has to shave the non-beard areas a couple times a week, and his old-fashioned shave gives him the closest shave he's ever had. His skin feels quite smooth afterward, and it's not irritating at all. In fact, the soap is very moisturizing. He fought razor burn when using other razors to shave his neck, but he never has that problem now.

Additionally, as noted on the Art of Manliness, an old-fashioned shave makes you "feel like a bad ass. It’s nice taking part in a ritual that great men like your grandfather, John F. Kennedy, and Teddy Roosevelt took part in."
 
There are several reasons that I, as a wife, also like the old-fashioned shave.

Laundry Room Series: Natural Stain Remover

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As I shared in my previous post on detergent, what I cleaned my clothes with was a huge concern for me after beginning to switch to natural alternatives. Detergent was one of the first to change. Last year, I discovered a wonderful natural stain remover, too, that I've put to use often with my active little man. So far, it has removed:

• Grass stains
• Blood stains
• Puke stains

What IS this amazing stain remover? One of the most simple answers on the planet...

Laundry Room Series: Natural Detergent Options

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Soon after discovering the high toxicity levels in the products around my home, laundry detergent was high on my list to replace fast. The clothes that are against my skin all day, all the time have soaked up the toxins in the soap they're washed in and are transferred to my body. And what's absorbed through my skin goes into my blood stream, thereby affecting my entire body. When broken down as such, it sounds a little scary, right? It did to me anyway, so I looked for a solution. Many natural bloggers offer DIY solutions involving things like boiling huge amounts of liquids, grating soap bars, and other labor and time intensive activities. That was an immediate turn off! I have found simple, natural laundry detergent solutions!!

Kitchen Cleaner Series: Wrap Up

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I have put up a lot of posts on cleaning your kitchen naturally without chemicals, so I wanted to take a moment to link them all together for you here so they're easier to find.

• DIY Non-Toxic All-Purpose Cleaner: Use for cleaning your stove top or non-granite counter tops
• DIY Natural Disinfectant for Scrubbing in Bathrooms and Kitchens: Use for scrubbing your sink and tile grout
• DIY Natural Kitchen Counter Cleaners
• Natural Hand and Dishwashing Soap

Kitchen Cleaner Series: No Ants, No Harsh Chemicals

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The weather is ripening for ant infestation, isn't it? About a month ago, right in the middle of a few hot days, we noticed some ants on our kitchen counter. It took me a couple days to figure out where they were coming from since there was no distinct trail. There's a gap between the floor and the wall behind our stove, which was letting in ants and spiders (lovely!). We still haven't put molding back there; since I was able to get the ants to go away, we haven't thought about it, so it's on the to-do list. I have heard of MANY ways to get rid of ants and other bugs naturally, which I definitely wanted to do in the kitchen. I'm not concerned about roach bait motels in the garage, but in the house, I'm trying to use natural pesticides.

Feel Good Friday: Soak Yourself into Health

I have some critical information to share with you today, folks. Don’t be alarmed, but did you know

roughly 60% of Americans have a magnesium deficiency? Yes, that means that number probably includes YOU. I know what you’re thinking…you eat right, you take your multivitamins, there is no way you are deficient in anything. Well, I hate to break it to you, but you probably are lacking in the magnesium area, and if you’re on the east coast or part of cubicle nation like me, probably also Vitamin D, but that’s for another post. How did you become so deficient in magnesium, despite doing all the right things? Well, I’ll tell ya:

Kitchen Cleaner Series: Easy, Non-Toxic Oven Cleaner

photo credit: idreamofclean.net

Ever notice some extra scent coming from your oven when baking something? If that’s the case, it’s time to clean it! My last oven definitely needed a cleaning before we moved last summer and, unfortunately, didn’t get the proper cleaning! Opps! One time I was going to run the self-cleaning cycle it had, but it was going to take hours!! I wasn’t going to be around and wanted to use the oven, so I cancelled the self-cleaning and never got around to it.

Kitchen Cleaner Series: Buying Produce and Washing It

A produce box from last summer

Whether you get your produce from a store or delivered to your door from the farm (like me!), it needs a wash!! At some point, it was growing, out of the ground, next to bugs and dirt, and goodness knows what else!!

Produce from the Store
If you don't have the privilege of shopping at a Farmer's Market or getting your produce in a CSA box of some sort, then, I'm sorry. Truly fresh produce is amazing, period. But, you have to live with what you have, right? Anyways, if you buy your produce at the store, I highly suggest organics. According to the EWG, two-thirds of produce samples recently tested by the government had pesticide residue in them!! AHHHHH!! Their full report explains that children are more susceptible to the toxins in pesticides, which have been linked to "pediatric cancers, decreased cognitive function, and behavioral problems." Adults can suffer from similar problems, especially with prolonged exposure.  What can you do?

Feel Good Friday: DIY Coffee Scrub

Happy Friday! The weekend could not get here soon enough. Is it just me, or do the weekdays seem a little longer when the sun is out and begging us to come play? I am thoroughly looking forward to spending my Saturday and Sunday outdoors, either riding my bike or just hanging out in the park. This is, by far, my favorite time of the year.

Before indulging in this weather, I always spend some quality time exfoliating. Sloughing off dead skin cells before going outside leaves a smooth, even canvas to soak up the vitamin D that the sun so graciously provides us, not to mention it makes the skin glow! I actually exfoliate with a body scrub at least weekly year-round, but when summer rears its beautiful head, I bump that up to 2-3 times a week. While there are TONS of scrubs and exfoliating products on the market, I generally don’t bother with those and prefer to make my own with natural, good-for-me ingredients that pamper my skin. Today, I’m sharing one of my many scrub recipes that I use regularly. This scrub uses a blend of coffee and coconut sugar to exfoliate the skin, and coconut and olive oils to moisturize and soften. Read on for the recipe!

Kitchen Cleaner Series: Mopping

First, I will say, I don't have wood floors and never have, so I don't know about cleaning those yet, but I'll look into it if you want me to!! I have always had tile or linoleum in the kitchen and bathroom areas though and have used numerous things to clean them with poor to decent results, including: Swiffer dry and wet sheets, water and a few squirts of soap, a store-bought floor-cleaning concentrate added to water. If you've been reading this blog, you know that store-bought cleaners are no longer my go-to cleaners because they have loads of toxic chemicals, they're expensive, and they don't get the job done well. Anyone else resonate with these feelings? Here's what I use for mopping now:

Kitchen Cleaner Series: The Dishwasher

What's lurking on your dishes that you can't even see?! Does your food ever taste soapy? like chlorine? Is white residue plaguing your dishes? A few years ago, I answered "yes" to all of those questions, so I went looking for a solution because your dishes can actually just be clean without residue, seen or seen, left on them. A repair man recommended powdered detergent for our dishwasher, so that's what I looked for and ended up with Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Powder (link to EWG report) and plain citric acid to deal with the white residue, which is caused by hard water. When I purchased this dishwasher powder, it was the best thing available that I knew of, but I will get or make washing soda when I run out of this because it has some ingredients in it that may cause cancer.

What's growing in your garden?

I have a huge area in my front yard that gets full sun most or all day. Plus, it gets hot here, so we wanted drought-tolerant plants. And, I'm an amateur gardener, so I wanted plants that were easy to care for; all I do is pull weeds and clip or pull off dead leaves and flowers. Within the last few months I've planted several new plants that are looking beautiful now!! Here are my current favorites:

Verbascum chaixii

Feel Good Friday: My Favorite Deep Conditioner

photo credit: Atalanta Black Star

Happy Friday! I don’t know about you, but we here on the East Coast are just finally getting a taste of warm weather. After such a brutal winter, the sunshine is a most welcome change. These first few days have done wonders for my spirits and help to banish my winter blues. My mind isn’t the only thing eager to shake off the doldrums of winter; my hair is practically begging for some moisture after the harsh, dry winter months. So, this weekend, I will treat myself to my favorite deep conditioner, which helps to restore moisture, shine and elasticity to my hair. And, of course, I’m sharing it with you! This deep treatment is chock full of natural ingredients that are awesome for your hair and can be found right in your own kitchen.

Kitchen Cleaner Series: Hand and Dishwashing Soap

Hand, dishwashing (by hand), and laundry soap were the first things I switched to natural in my house a few years ago. It was the easiest switch to make and very inexpensive. But first, let's look at the not-so-natural competition. There are tons of Dawn dishwashing by hand products on the EWG database that rate from C-F. The "original" Dawn soap, is shown for you, in part, here:

Kitchen Cleaner Series: DIY Natural Kitchen Counter Cleaners

If you spend any time in the kitchen during the day, then your counters probably should be wiped down before the day's over. We usually cook all three meals each day, so the counters sometimes need an extra cleaning midday. Let's take a look at how some of the typical store-bought granite cleaners rank on EWG. First, here's the list of granite cleaners they've investigated so far:

Feel Good Friday: Stop Seasonal Allergies in Their Tracks!

Happy Friday! Well, for some of us. With the onset of spring, I’ve seen many an allergy victim trudging through life in a zombie-like state lately. Amanda has shared her past history with allergies; I, too, used to battle this demon every spring. However, it’s been years since I’ve had an allergy attack and I’ve (almost) forgotten allergies even exist! I want you to know this joy as well, so without further ado, I present to you my top allergy-busting tips:

(As usual, these are just recommendations based on personal experience, and these claims have not been evaluated by a physician!)

Money-Saving Tip: Target Debit Card

photo credit: The Frugal Find

Did you know that in addition to a credit card, Target also offers a debit card? I'm not sure how new this is, but I researched it, and got one. It's really awesome and an easy way to save money at one of my favorite places to shop for clothes on clearance, new snacks I want to try, home decor, and more! Who doesn't like something at Target?! Here's the deal for the debit card:

DIY 2-Ingredient After-Shower Spray

This post will round out my series of bathroom cleaners. If you missed a post, I'll link to them at the end of this post. All that water and soap residue isn't the greatest to just leave sitting in your shower when you're done. To help combat fungus and residue build-up, you may already use one of the cleaners shown below, as reviewed by the EWG.

First is the method Daily Shower Spray in Ylang Ylang scent. Unfortunately, this product doesn't disclose all of its ingredients on the label and EWG hasn't been able to figure out all of them yet. However, as you can see below, it does rank in all of areas of concern. It's listed at $3.19 online.

Feel Good Friday: Dry Brushing



Photo credit: christinebullock.com

Have you ever heard of dry brushing? I first came across this technique, also known as garshana, as a recommendation from an Ayurvedic practitioner. At the time, I didn’t adopt it into my already crowded daily routine. To be honest, my mind just wasn’t open to natural, holistic practices at the time. A couple years later, however, I ran across it as a possible treatment for cellulite, and this time, I sat up and took notice. I did a little more research, and by all accounts, dry brushing seemed like a panacea for all my body beauty woes.

Glass Cleaner: Is there another option besides Windex?

Dirty mirrors and streaky windows and doors have to be cleaned, and you probably use Windex, right? Who doesn't? It seems like Windex has been around forever. Well, tradition doesn't always make it good. Check out the EWG report on Windex below:

DIY Natural Disinfectant for Scrubbing in Bathrooms and Kitchens

This week I'm sharing my natural bathroom cleaning solutions, which can also be used in other areas of the home. Store-bought bathroom cleaners are some of the worst offenders when it comes to toxic cleaners because they're concentrated and have strong odors. The Environmental Working Group has figured out what's in many toilet and tub cleaners and published the results. Below are some screenshots of their findings. First is a picture of all the toilet cleaners they inspected. As you can see, over 50% received an F rating because they include several toxic chemicals that can lead to cancer, respiratory problems, developmental and reproductive issues, and trigger skin allergies. Even some cleaners that are branded "natural" received an F rating!!!

About Candace

Hi! I'm Candace, a web editor by trade and an aspiring healthy lifestyle guru by passion. I love learning, living and talking all things health, beauty and nutrition, and I'm thrilled for the opportunity to exchange information with you as I continue on my journey to wellness.

Although I've always been interested in all things beauty (what girl hasn't?), my path to health and nutrition has been a rocky one. At 25, you could not convince me that "salad" wasn't a dirty word, and exercise was not even in the picture. In fact, I approached all my meals with one simple question: "How can I make this cheesier?" Unsurprisingly, weight began to pile on, as did my gastrointestinal problems.

Fast forward three years, two ulcers and countless filled prescriptions for Prevacid. Now not only was my body in bad shape, so was my mind. I was was chronically unhappy, uncomfortable in my body, and stuck in what I felt was a dead-end job. At a loss for ideas, I did the only thing that seemed possible at that time: I quit. I quit my job, I quit my former life, and I set off on a pilgrimage to find what made me happy. I decided to start my adventure at a yoga retreat — after never having done yoga a day in my life. Goodness knows I needed some exercise, and I figured it would be a good place to open my mind to receive the experiences I was about to encounter. That yoga retreat, simply put, changed my life.

In the midst of meditation, contortion and paradise (did I mention the retreat was in the Bahamas?), I was treated to a lecture by Dr. John Douillard, a specialist in Ayurveda, who spoke about the mind-gut connection, or how your digestion affects your mood. Mind. Blown. It was, as Oprah would say, an aha moment for me, and it sent me down a rabbit hole of changing the way I eat and move, and learning all I can about maintaining a healthy mind and body. Today, I am a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and I look forward to earning my certification as a Holistic Health Coach this July and spreading the message of health and wellness to the masses.

In the meantime, let's talk natural beauty!

Sugar-Free Oatmeal Banana Muffins

At my house, we love muffins!! Recently, I've been hunting for tasty sugar-free muffin recipes, and I found one that I've adapted here from the Spokane Dinner Club. Why sugar free? None of us need the sugar in our muffins, especially my little one. Additionally, several of our friends and family members have been dealing with candida (yeast infection in the mouth/throat) which is spurred by sugar, so I want to cook stuff they can eat, plus cook food that isn't going to encourage this condition in myself or my family. These muffins are delicious, even without sugar! My picky little 20 month-old loves them!!

DIY Non-Toxic All-Purpose Cleaner

There are lots of things you could add to your all-purpose cleaner, so I'm going to give you a few ideas. You can use this cleaner on counter tops, stove tops, and sinks, although you may need something more abrasive at times for cleaning those areas, which I'll share about another time.

Non-Toxic Cleaning Basics: Supplies for DIY Recipes

Earlier I shared why you should consider non-toxic cleaning and that DIY non-toxic cleaners are totally cheap!! Cheaper than natural or toxic ones you can buy at any store or online. The list of supplies isn't long and the recipes aren't difficult. Usually you'll just throw several ingredients in a bottle and shake it up!

Containers

• Large plastic spray bottles: I prefer 26-32 ounce bottles. Most recipes call for a large bottle like that.


• Small glass jars, such as 4-ounce canning jars: I think these are cheapest at a place like Target or Bed, Bath & Beyond instead of online. I got a 12-pack for $10.50 at BB&B. I like the smaller jars best because it's easiest to dip a rag into or get my hand into it, if needed. You may also want a few larger glass jars.


• Dark-colored glass spray bottles: Get at least a couple 4-ounce bottles or bigger. You'll need glass jars and bottles for anything that you add an essential oil to because essential oils break down plastic, which means your good-intending, DIY natural cleaner would be toxic. I think you can store essential oils in stainless steel and plastics that are #7 and up, but those are rare and I'm not positive on that. I'm still doing some essential oil research.

Cleaners

photo credit: Oprah.com

• Distilled white vinegar: Get at least one gallon; or get in bulk from Costco. Use straight, undiluted distilled white vinegar for cleaning stainless steel. Vinegar is the base of many DIY cleaning recipes and is pretty good at killing germs, especially when paired with other natural cleaners.
  

Non-Toxic Cleaning Basics: Why Do It and How to Get Started

Do you ever wonder why it seems we all know someone with cancer? Or maybe you've even had it yourself. Do you ever wonder why you might sneeze or feel funky during or after cleaning (even if you aren't dusting)? Do you ever get a headache after doing a lot of cleaning? Do you feel nauseous from walking down the cleaning aisle in a store? One of the answer's to all of these questions is in our typical cleaning products. Wait, what?! My cleaning products?! I thought it was good to try to keep my house clean!! Yes, absolutely, but it's the chemicals in cleaning products that are harmful, not what you're trying to accomplish.

photo credit: Green Living Guide

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has assessed over 2,000 cleaning products on the market today and continues to add more to their list. Below is a summary of their findings, you can find the full report on their Household Cleaner Findings page.