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.