You should reduce plastic from your life and use glass or stainless steel reusable water bottles but how sustainable are they? This post will explain in detail which type of reusable water bottle is the best in sustainability.

This post is sponsored by Klean Kanteen. My opinions are based on the research and facts from sources mentioned in the infographic.

These are my kitchen cabinets. Can you tell I'm obsessed with stainless steel (SS) and glass? Except for Glasslock lids, caps for travel coffee mugs and BPA-free Klean Kanteen water bottle caps, I have very little plastic in my kitchen. Stainless steel and glass have been the 'go-to' materials when I decided to reduce plastic in our lives. Because the life cycle for the two are, well, infinity, unless you lose them or break them, which sadly, we've have done both, they are far more sustainable than plastic.

But 'how' sustainable are glass and stainless steel, really. I wanted to find out since we are all going towards replacing plastic as if SS and glass are going to solve all plastic induced problems. But you know as well as I do that too much demand on one commodity, like steel, can impact the environment by depleting our natural resources as well as creating pollution and a large carbon footprint due to mining, manufacturing and transporting the final products to consumers.

So I did what I usually do when I want to get the 'low down' on something. Research. A lot. And I wanted to share what I found as an infographic - (because it's visual and cool and I know you'll share with all your friends and pin on Pinterest) - with facts from pages of documents and numerous sites that I could get my 'hands' on. It does not contain ALL the facts but I thought these figures were informative enough to convince me - YOU - why I'm sticking with my stainless steel bottles <-- click to find out what brand is my favorite) utensils, mixing bowls, pots and pans.

This is a long one - sustainability is a complicated issue - so grab something to drink and let's dig in.

(Note to self: Get an organizer for the utensils drawer.)

In addition to the infographic below, check out these additional sustainable facts that didn't make it on the chart. After all, sustainability has many faces.

Comparing Reusable Water Bottles on Sustainability: Stainless Steel, Glass, and Plastic {Infographic}

Stainless Steel Sustainability Facts

• Energy intensive - I wouldn't lie to you. From mining to transporting it to our hands for usage, it can be energy intensive. But when you factor in the weight being lighter than glass, the transportation cost is a lot less compared to glass. And the energy cost goes way way down when SS uses more recycled content. Currently though, there aren't enough post-consumer steel to recycle into making new SS so recycled content is less than what it could be. And why is that? That's because we are using them longer so there aren't enough to be recycled. Good problem to have? It's a double edged sword.
• Long lasting life cycle without breakage or corrosion. The main ore for stainless steel (SS) is iron, which is a durable element. (The crystal structure of iron makes Austenitic stainless steel non-magnetic while Ferritic and Martensitic stainless steel magnetic)  And to make it harder and corrosion resistant, Chromium  is added, which makes it into an alloy, if my chemistry class serves me right. In addition, a small amount of Nickel is added to stabilize the iron structure which makes it stable at extreme temperature. Note: Food grade #304 or 18/8 stainless steel means, there is 18% chromium and 8% nickel. This is a high quality SS that most high quality utensils or stainless steel reusable water bottles, like Klean Kanteen, are made of. And high quality SS means, there is no nickel leaching, which means safer for the consumers. High quality SS bottles should not taste metallic either, unlike aluminum bottles.
• Chromium's passivation property heals itself. A process called passivation makes chromium unique in that when the surface is scratched, it rebuilds itself in the presence of oxygen, which makes stainless steel corrosion resistant, enabling long lasting life cycle, even after it's scratched. Unlike aluminum bottles that need to be lined, SS does not need to be lined because of chromium's unique protective layer that prevents any chemicals from leaching.
• Stainless steel bottle is safer for any areas for usage. Unlike glass, SS bottles can be used by pool side, schools, camps, school trips, gyms, beaches, and any other areas that do not allow fragile glass bottles for safety reasons. SS has no limitation for usage and will not hurt anyone since it does not leach chemicals (as in plastic) or break (as in glass), and possibly cause bodily harm.
• Stainless steel is 100% recyclable: When recycled, each component can be separated and reused. In fact, stainless steel should never end up as a waste. It can be reused time and time again so the sustainability factor beats any other material for it's life cycle being longer than any other material.
• Repeated reuse - Even though energy consumption and carbon print is large, if you use your reusable stainless steel bottle at least 500 times, you would have surpassed the plastic water bottle, in terms of sustainability, making it the best choice for the planet.

So, while stainless steel bottles might require a lot of energy, from mining to manufacturing, and all the way up to the point of usage, its long life cycle, 100% recyclability, and safeness of the material makes SS far more sustainable than glass or plastic. And to offset the carbon print even more, I choose to  buy a brand that goes above and beyond to make a difference in the mission of keeping the environmental damage to a minimum. 

And that's Klean Kanteen. This certified B Corp made first BPA free metal reusable bottle and I trust their integrity and transparency. Klean Kanteen makes their mission to make their products ethically, and sustainably with high quality resources. Their well-thought-out designs that are easy to use and to clean and maintain are healthy and safe. If I'm going to buy a product that is going to be inevitably energy intensive, I'm going to make sure the product lasts a very long time and so far, these bottles haven't disappointed me yet! And they are guaranteed for LIFE. How can you get more sustainable than that? ... unless you lose them at the gym. Unfortunately, they can't help you with being absent minded.

Glass Sustainability Facts

• Glass bottling produces similar carbon emission as a PET plastic bottle  - manufacturing low weight PET bottle is equivalent to manufacturing a glass bottle, which is heavier, causing carbon emission that's similar to a PET plastic bottle.
• Glass is breakable. Need I say more? For its heavy carbon print, the life cycle is not as long, especially if you break it. And it can be dangerous for kids if they break the glass.
• Not all glasses are recyclable at the curbside. Check Earth 911 on how to recycle broken glass, non-container glasses, and mirrors. 
• Recycling rate is surprisingly low, even for those recyclable glasses, not everyone recycle glasses (Gasp!) so there aren't enough glasses available for manufacturing into new products. 
• Glass containers are not allowed in some places. Some areas forbid glasses, like pools, schools, sporting events, gym, etc...which makes it hard to use everywhere.

Plastic Sustainability Facts

• Most plastics are derived from petroleum - a non-renewal source.
• Short life cycle - plastic has a very short usable life cycle, especially the single use water bottles, since they are not reusable. And once they are discarded and not recycled, they end up in landfills where they sit over 700 years before they start to decompose.
• Dangerous chemicals leach - Plastic production and manufacturing are extremely polluting and energy-intensive processes. And plastic bottles have been known to leach harmful chemicals into the water. (see infographic)
• Recycling process is complex - Recycling rate for plastic is very low. In addition, not all plastics are recyclable or recycled, even if they are collected to be recycled. Much of it still ends up in landfills or oceans, killing marine life.

So, which material do YOU think is more sustainable? If you are still unsure, here is the infographic for you to check out to determine your answer.

Note: If you would like to use and share this infographic, you can copy and paste the code below the infographic. Be sure to link back to the post for a complete info on sustainability of these reusable bottles. 

Copy and Paste the Code below to share this infographic on your site

<p><strong>Please include attribution to drkarenslee.com with this graphic.</strong></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p><a href='https://www.drkarenslee.com/2013/07/comparing-reusable-bottles-stainless-steel-glass-plastic/'><img src='https://www.drkarenslee.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/reusable-bottle-facts-ecokaren.png?utm_source=ecokarenpost' alt='Sustainability Facts on Stainless Steel glass and plastic' width='540px' border='0' /></a></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p>

July 4th is this Thursday and I'm in the mood for a nice relaxing picnic since it's been a crazy few weeks in ecokaren's world in June. It'd be nice to just relax and do n.o.t.h.i.n.g. for a day, enjoying nature. And celebrate America's 237th birthday!

So, to prepare for my "nothing" day, I made this great water proof picnic blanket with an old OLD blanket (this is at least 20 years old!) and with some old, torn, dilapidated well-used, reusable grocery bags. Some of them have torn seams and broken handles. Yes, I collected these too, in addition to dog food bags...remember my last tutorial for making dog food/water bowl out of dog food bags? One of my commenters asked where do I keep my 'collections'? LOL....I hide them in a closet - away from my hubby because he'll recycle them (hence, his title "accidental recycler") and leave me nothing to upcycle. Remember my coupon wallet that I upcycled from one of these reusable bags? If I didn't make it out of the old grocery bag I saved, he would have recycled it!

Anyway, here is a simple way of making this fabulous waterproof picnic blanket --- because no matter how dry the grass is, my butt always gets wet and I hate getting my butt wet after sitting on a picnic blanket! I bet you do too.

Oh, I almost forgot. You have to check out this awesome Banana Leaf Bowl (see picture at the end of the post) tutorial by my friend Myra from Herban Luxe (she makes great vegan mascara!) on Eco Etsy's blog. I was chatting with her on Facebook, trying to answer a readers's question on whether disposable dishes are better than using the dishwasher. And Myra and I were half joking, saying, that banana leaf or corn husk would make great dishes! You don't have to wash them and they are completely compostable! But all kidding aside, she said she used to eat food out of banana leaves in her homeland, Puerto Rico! And why not? Bananas are indigenous there and are cheap, environmentally safe, and they make great bowls! So check out her tutorial on how to make these fun Banana Leaf Compostable bowls and where to buy banana leaves. You can make them for your next picnic! And this waterproof blanket!

Waterproof Picnic Blanket

You'll Need: 

• Old Reusable Grocery Bags
• Old blanket or a bed sheet (another way to reuse old bed sheets. Remember my ways to reuse old bed fitted sheets here and  here?)
• Sewing machine

Instructions:

1. Make sure to wash or wipe the insides of the grocery bags before handling them, just in case, you didn't wash them for awhile. It's always a great idea to wash them when using them to avoid contamination.
2. Measure the blanket you want to use and approximate how many bags you'll need to cut to line the underside of the blanket. It doesn't have to be exactly perfect as you will see later. But you want them to line up most of the blanket. I got lucky with this blanket since it had a binding all around. But you don't really need it.
3. Gather all the bags and cut out the seams and handles. 
4. Overlap the edges of the cut up bags by ¼" and using the zigzag setting, sew all the edges together, with the same sides facing the same direction. Sewing the plastic pieces is a bit tricky since plastic is not flexible. So sewing in tight spaces might be a bit challenging. Clear the back of the sewing machine, roll the right side of the plastic and tuck it under. Make sure to move the whole piece back with your left hand as you sew. 
5. When you are done joining all the plastic pieces together, you'll end up with a large piece like this. Open it up and smooth over the piece so you can sew it to the backside of the blanket.
6. Lay the RIGHT side of the plastic sheet on the WRONG side of the blanket.
7. Sew the two plastic piece and the blanket together. If you can, put the sewing machine down on the floor or on a large table. After struggling a bit when I sewed the plastic sheet, I put the sewing machine down on the floor and it made my life so much easier. I needed help getting off the floor but that's just a small price to pay.
8. If the plastic piece does not go all the way to the edge, don't worry about it. Mine didn't and I'm perfectly happy with it. I wouldn't waste another bag, just to make it fit perfectly. After all, it's about upcycling the old and useless bags. It wouldn't make sense to destroy a fine bag just to make the plastic side to fit the blanket perfectly. I just won't sit that close to the edge!

And now I'm ready for a picnic!

And remember to check out the awesome compostable banana leaf dish tutorial from Myra! Now that's taking the environmental-ness to a whole 'nother level!

Happy Birthday America!

It's about 120 degrees outside today. It's hot enough to fry an egg - ok, not really since you can't fry an egg below 157 ºF. But it's hot enough that my dog, Rosey, couldn't walk more than 10 minutes before wanting some water. I always carry a reusable water bottle but I don't carry a water bowl for her. I don't want to carry one more thing when I walk and I always find myself, clumsily, trying to hold water in my cupped hand for her to drink. Have you tried to hold water on your cupped hand? Yea. That doesn't work as well as you think. I spill more water than she can drink.

So from a pile of saved plastic dog food bags, I picked out a bag to upcycle to make this collapsible water bowl for Rosey. I collect her dog food bags just in case I can make something out of them, despite my hubby's screaming that they are going to attract cockroaches. He can't prove that but he screams at me for saving them anyway. Then, he saw this bowl and ate his words. I love it when my actions are justified.

And see? Rosey "ruvs" her new water bowl! She pawed it! Slurrrrrrrp!

Here is how you can make a collapsible/portable 'origami' versatile bowl - dog water bowl, in this case. It's very convenient since you don't have to carry a bowl for going on walks. Just fold this up, put it in your pocket, and open it up when you need it. If you are going on a long trip or a hike, you can use it as a food bowl too. Don't forget to carry some dog treats just in case she/he does something good while walking, like saving you from a wild animal. Or a mugger. Wait. That's same thing. Never mind.

I used paper for the tutorial since slippery plastic bag didn't 'stay put' for me to take good pictures. You can practice using paper before making a 'real' one. It'll be less frustrating with paper than a slippery plastic.

Collapsible Bowl

You'll Need:

• A square piece of plastic sheet, like a dog food bag
• Pencil
• Scotch tape to hold the flaps down when making or to secure any loose flaps afterwards. (optional)

Instructions:
If you are using a dog food bag, wash the inside with soap and warm water and rinse well so there are no food scraps stuck to the plastic. Dry thoroughly. Then, cut the seams and cut out a square piece, in any size.

General Origami Tip: The patterned side should be on the OUTSIDE if you want the pattern to show up on the outside. Sounds obvious, eh? If you are working with plastic, go over the creases with a bone - no, not a steak bone but a bone that you use for making creases for book binding. But you can use a letter opener or back side of a knife.

Then, follow the following directions, fast! (How is that for an alliteration!)

1. Cut dog food bag into a square. Gather two opposite corners and fold in half, diagonally.
2. Open the square and fold the square in half, horizontally.
3. Fold the paper into a triangle with the pattern inside.
4. Push the two bottom corners of the triangle inward towards the middle to make a square.

5. Fold down one of the top corners in half.
6. Flip over and repeat on the back.
7. Take the folded flap and fold ⅓ way up to the top
8. Take the rest of the flap and fold it up to the edge, aligning it up on top.

9. Open up the unfolded sides. Take the left corner and fold into the middle.
10. Fold the right corner in towards the middle also.
11. Fold the top corner down half way. See how the corners meet in the middle? Repeat on the back.
12. Fold the top edge down so that the edge lines up with the corners on the sides. Repeat on the back. (see close up on #13)

13. Mark the sides where the flap underneath is located on both sides, as shown.
14. This is the trickest part. Fold the top flap underneath the bottom flap, along the marked line.
15. Tuck in the other side and smooth out.
16. Repeat on the back and it should look like this when finished. And now you are ready to carry it in your pocket!

17. And now, when you need to open it up, just flatten out the pointed triangular corner bottom and pat it down flat.
18. You see how it's shaping up to be a square box?
19. Voilá! You made a box and now you are ready to give your thirsty pooch some cold water!
20. You can start a collection!

Here is a close up.

By the way, you can use this box for a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g. and not just as a dog's water bowl. Just in case you can't think of any other ways to use it, here are some suggestions on what to put in them.

• Office: Paper Clips, thumbtacks, staples, erasers
• Kitchen: use food safe material for making the box for food ... loose garlic cloves (I usually have a few on my kitchen window sill), candies, jelly beans, or other snacks
• Craft Room: buttons, beads, pins, and million tchotchke
• Toy Room: marbles, lost legos, lost jigsaw pieces, the other million tchotchke

You get the idea...

And remember N.E.V.E.R. never, never, never, N.E.V.E.R. leave your pet in the car in the summer, I don't care how quickly you are going to return to the car. Imagine yourself being trapped in a car, in a 120 degree heat!?! It doesn't matter if the window was opened. It can still be very dangerous to an animal.

My daughter's softball season is ending. And if your kids play sports, you know how grateful I will be, with all the extra time I'm about to have, not having to do laundry daily, especially the dirty socks.

These dirty socks, pictured above, came home in a separate bag, after she 'slid' to second base. Thank goodness she slid with her feet first and not her head. I'd have bigger problems then.

Since I no longer use bleach, I had to figure out how 'on earth' I was going to wash these so she can go out there, and do it all over again. Lucky me.

I remember one of you, emailing and asking me how to clean your kids dirty socks and I told you, 'I'm going to post about it, when I have some dirty socks to wash." Well, finally, you'll get your answer. Lucky you.

How to whiten dirty socks without bleach

You'll need:

• ½ gal of luke warm water
• 1 tablespoon of Liquid Laundry Detergent (I keep a small plant based Ecōs detergent for cases like this.)
• 1 tablespoon Washing Soda
• 1 tablespoon Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) (This affiliate link to Amazon will give you a page of all types of HP. I use 3% and the prices vary. But since I use so much of it, I buy them by cases. It's so much cheaper.)
• Juice from one lemon
• A wash basin or bucket

Directions:

• Shake off the dirt from the socks as much as you can. It works best if wash immediately after the socks were soiled.
• Wash the socks in plain water to wash away the dirt as much as you can.
• In a bucket or basin, pour about gallon of luke warm water.
• Add all the ingredients and mix to dissolve the powder ingredients well.
• Immerse the socks in the solution, making sure it's completely submerged.
• Soak the socks overnight. I left these socks for two days (I forgot about them.) Hydrogen peroxide work with time so longer it has to work on the stain, the better.

• This is how it looked after one day. So I left the socks back in the detergent solution one more night. See all that dirt that washed away from the socks? And heyyyy, how did those anklets sneak in??

And after two nights in the soak, voilá! Not 100% out-of-the-package white-y whites but I think it's heck of a lot whiter than before sliding to second base, don't you think?

If I dried them outside, under the sun, they would be much whiter. Something about lemon and sunshine - they are a great duo for whitening laundry.

I am also going to use this method for my dingy white towels. I will have to tweak the formula a bit to be able to use for a large load but you get the idea for the ingredients.

If you don't want to use bleach, hydrogen peroxide is your go-to whitener. Just be careful when you are handling it as it will whiten your dark clothes.

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Homemade dishwashing liquid soap. How I loathe thee...

Oh, but now ... I got you finally figured out!

Remember when I was not very impressed with how castile soap in my homemade dishwashing liquid soap was behaving? It left a cloudy film on my dishes and I was not too happy. You may have experienced it too. In fact, it did the same thing in my dishwasher soap formula so I had to come up with this revised formula. Sometimes, I had to rewash them and how un-eco-friendly (and frustrating) is it to rewash a load of pots and pans that you just finished washing???

And do you know 'why' soap - especially castile soap - can leave a film? I explained in this post that soap reacts with mineral in the water and forms a film whereas detergents reacts less with mineral. And now, thanks to American Cleaning Institute (ACI), (Yes, there is such an institute in Washington D.C. It just might be my next favorite hangout!) you can understand exactly how it happens.

Although soap is a good cleaning agent, its effectiveness is reduced when used in hard water. Hardness in water is caused by the presence of mineral salts - mostly those of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), but sometimes also iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn). The mineral salts react with soap to form an insoluble precipitate known as soap film or scum.

And here is a picture on the left from the ACI to explain what that means. All types of water has minerals. Some has more than others. So even if you don't use soap, you can see the mineral deposits on your splashboards and counters if you have hard (mineral rich) water. Some people have to use water softeners because of the mineral deposits. Have you ever taken a shower and soap never stays on your body? That's hard water.

But even though detergents are better for hard water, I wouldn't use it to wash dishes since it's not that healthy for us and for the environment.

So I used my own homemade dishwashing soap with washing soda (to soften the water and to thicken) in the past but lately, I was wondering if I should even use washing soda now.

I discovered that washing soda is caustic when I made my own a couple of weeks ago. Remember how I told you NOT to taste it because it's NOT edible? So I wondered if I should eliminate washing soda too just like how I eliminated Borax from the dishwasher "detergent" and  the laundry detergent. Hmmm...

Well, I experimented and came up with a "new and improved" dishwashing liquid soap without borax and washing soda. It turns out washing soda IS used for water softener because it's a form of salt. So why not just use kosher salt? Right? Right. Less ingredients the better is my motto.

Borax Free Castile Soap Dishwashing Liquid Formula

Ingredients:

½ C Castile Soap
½ C Water
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (to thicken and to soften water)

Equipment:

Jar or soap pump
Funnel
Pan
Spoon to stir

Instruction:

Combine the ingredients and gently heat in a pan while mixing. You'll see salt harden as soon as you add it to the pan. Gently stir until it's melted completely. When melted, cool it in the pan for a few hours or over night. If the mixture is cooled and the consistency is to your liking, pour into the squirt bottle or a mason jar you are going to use.  If the soap is too hard, add more water, a teaspoon at a time, and heat again. See how one of my concoctions solidified too much and became a solid block? That happened when I didn't use water. I thought, "Why add water and add salt to thicken? I'll just skip the water." Yea, that didn't work out that well as you can see.

I had to put the bottle in hot water and melt it again. So if this happens to you; don't panic. Just warm the bottle in a bath of hot water and it will melt. Then, add a bit more water and you're good to go!

Here are some observations I made about using Castile soap for washing dishes.

Rinse - When washing the dishes with this soap, rinse quickly afterwards. Do not let a sink full of dishes sit in soapy water using castile soap. Longer it's in contact with castile soap, more it will react with the mineral, forming a cloudy film. That's the reason why sometimes using dishwashing detergent made with castile soap comes out filmy and cloudy. Work quickly to rinse.

Salt - salt is a water softener and it also creates suds. Washing soda is actually used as water softener, it turns out. And the reason I used it for the dishwasher is because I can add vinegar as a rinsing agent and it can help with mineral removal. But for hand washing, I don't like to use the washing soda since I don't have a chance to rinse with vinegar. Actually, that made me think of the next point...

Vinegar rinse - if you find the dishes to be cloudy, mix about ½ C of distilled white vinegar to about gallon of water. Soak the dishes for about 10 minutes and rinse them well. Using hot water can exacerbate the film so use cool water to rinse. If the dishes are still cloudy and you can't get the film off, use dishwashing liquid soap made by companies like Ecos or Ecover (plant derived and aquatic animal friendly) to wash them again. Once the film is stuck on the dishes, you have no choice but to use commercial dish soap to take them off. But with this formula, you shouldn't have problems as bad as using castile soap alone.

P.S. If you want to buy castile liquid soap (affiliate link) to try this recipe without waiting for the giveaway, there are many places you can buy, including your local supermarkets. But Amazon (affiliate link) and Drugstore (Not an affiliate) also carry them and are pretty inexpensive.

Drawing of the soap in water molecules used with permission from American Cleaning Institute

When you have to clean the kitchen or the bathroom, are you using a non-toxic cleaning method? What do you use to clean safely around the kitchen and bathroom?

In my house, vinegar is the weapon of choice in germ warfare like many households, for obvious reasons. And pair that with its sidekick baking soda, you got a dynamic duo to do all the heavy artillery work for you. But sometimes people will call in "back up" from hydrogen peroxide and salt for more power. And the combined forces make up a good assault team to combat any germ, grime and dirt you got lurking in your home.

And when you weigh the difference between vinegar vs. bleach, it's obvious that vinegar is pretty good at germ fighting, more than chlorine in some instances. But there are also instances when bleach is better.

So what should we keep in mind when using vinegar to clean?

5 Non-Toxic Cleaning Tips with Vinegar

1. 1. Use vinegar as a produce wash. Susan Sumner, PhD, a food-safety scientist at Virginia Tech, has researched the effectiveness of vinegar since the late ’90s. She found in one study, published in the 1997 issue of the journal Food Microbiology that spraying vinegar and then spraying hydrogen peroxide on produce killed a majority of E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and Listeria bacteria. You can also mix it up, using hydrogen peroxide first, just as long as you don't mix the two together (they're less effective that way). Let produce dry before you eat it.

1. Use vinegar as a mold killer. The EPA actually recommends against using chlorine to kill mold, since it may kill the mold on the surface but not its root system deep behind the wall. The most effective way to control mold or mildew growth is to find the source of the problem, such as the crack in your bathtub grout. Vinegar will function in the same way as chlorine; so if you need a surface-mold killer, opt for the natural disinfectant that won't burn your lungs (chlorine is also hard on building materials, and causes them to break down faster). Spray vinegar on surfaces and leave it there to dry.
2. Use separate cutting boards. Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar, and even salt and vinegar, will cut down on some level of foodborne bacteria. For thorough protection, rather than resort to chlorine, simply use separate cutting boards for produce and for meats, and wash both in hot, soapy water when you're finished.
3. Use wood for your meat. Researchers have found that wood cutting boards are less likely to harbor bacteria than plastic, and if you're still worried about lingering germs, microwave it. Microwaving plastic has no effect on germ growth (plastic doesn't get hot enough fast enough for the technique to work), but it will kill germs on wood.
4. Replace your sponges—for good. Sponges can harbor more bacteria than any other kitchen tool. Rather than soak them in bleach, switch to an alternative that you can throw in the wash, such as dishcloths or reusable wipes.

Check out these impressive ways of using vinegar from Reader's Digest. And here is how to kill fruit flies using vinegar.

Source: Rodale.com

As the flu season approaches, I'm thinking ... "d.i.s.i.n.f.e.c.t." anything I can get my hands on. But I'm wondering if my obsessive vinegar use is good enough to fight those nasty germs that can wreak havoc during winter. My kids get sick at least once, like clockwork, no matter how many times they wash their hands and how religiously they take their vitamins.

So I was thinking, should I use bleach in drastic times like this? But I can't even walk down the detergent aisle at the supermarket without gagging. One of the reasons why I make my own laundry detergent. And I use vinegar in my dishwasher too! I once walked out of a restaurant because of lingering chlorine smell. The underlying message wasn't that appetizing anymore. "What was wrong with the restaurant that they needed to douce the place with chlorine?"

I had to do some digging to see if vinegar was enough to combat the upcoming flu season. I even dug up my old Microbiology class notes to see what works best on those invisible critters that cause so much havoc during winter.

Chlorine

Chlorine bleach is an oxidant and an extremely effective germ killer. Chlorine can kill mold on non-porous surface like tiles but not on porous surfaces like wood and grout. That's why even if you use bleach to clean your bathroom, mold reappears after awhile. The water agent in the bleach, actually makes it grow in the crevices of the grout. Some say, bleach just makes mold turn white but does not kill it.

It's recommended (and regulated) as a household cleaner by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as being effective to kill microorganisms, such as the E. coli which responsible for many cases of foodborne illness. And it takes just a small amount to do its job - about 1 part bleach to 4 parts water.

But Chlorine is also very nasty. According to Material Safety Data Sheet, the vapor can cause harm to respiratory tract, lung, and the contact with chlorine can cause skin irritation. But the harm starts even before it ends up in your house as chlorine releases cancer-causing dioxin as well as brain-damaging mercury into the air during production. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, chlorine bleach poisons children every year.

Vinegar

The vinegar you buy in stores contains 5 percent acetic acid, which is strong enough to be antimicrobial. Some studies have found that vinegar, especially, in combination with salt or hydrogen peroxide, can inhibit the growth of some strains of E. coli. It's also an effective mold killer. Its production doesn't take such a toll on the environment, and while it can smell, well, vinegary, it won't damage your airways when inhaled. And the smell dissipates rather quickly.

However, when it comes to food safety, vinegar hasn't been as thoroughly tested as chlorine bleach. Studies that find it kills germs are somewhat vague in terms of how much of the germs are killed. It would be great to have more specifics on its germ-killing capabilities since I'm concerned whether cleaning with vinegar during the flu season is enough to kill germs. But maybe for flu, it's strong enough but for fighting some strains of germs for food borne illnesses, it's questionable. But since I don't handle meat that often, I am not too concerned. And when I do handle meat, it's usually from a local farm where the chance of cross contamination is less.

So which is better?

I'd go with vinegar, for general cleaning, For my health and the health of the planet, vinegar is strong enough to handle most general cleaning tasks. Use full strength vinegar and never dilute it. In fact, if you dilute it, you may be intruding contaminated water. And if vinegar doesn't work, I use hot soapy water with baking soda. Don't mix baking soda (basic) and vinegar (acidic) because you will neutralize the two to make water.

I do have a small bottle of bleach, tucked away, for some reason. Probably a leftover from when I used to be stupid a non-greenie. Yea, that's how old it is. I should probably throw it out. One word of caution about bleach - never use bleach in combination with another cleaner, even vinegar, and especially ammonia as toxic fumes can result. Remember, premade products don't have to disclose their ingredients so you don't know if it contains ammonia. You may unknowingly wipe down a surface that you just cleaned with bleach. (Mixing chlorine and ammonia results in a toxic chlorine gas).

Broken Microwave Oven

My microwave oven broke in the winter of 2010-2011, during one of the many intermittent power outages we had. Some were brown outs and some were multiple days of black outs. So when the microwave stopped working at some point, we thought the power surge killed its circuitry. So we unplugged it and didn't use it. For almost a year.

It is a built in model so we didn't take it out to replace it. We nixed the idea of buying a cheap portable one since, one day, we'd renovate the kitchen and replace the built in one. Why buy another?

Then, last year, our friends visited us over a weekend and their kids wanted to heat up something - can't remember what - and they automatically went for the microwave, like they do in their home. They didn't know that we unplugged it and haven't been using it. When they yelled, it wasn't working, we nonchalantly shrugged our shoulders and said, "We think it's broken." When they looked at me like I had two heads, I answered them, "Yes, we didn't bother to replace it and no, we don't miss it." Baffled but challenged, they plugged it and turned it on.

Now, when I tell you we were laughing so hard that we almost peed in our pants is an understatement because the dang thing whirred and turned it on fine! The kids heated up whatever it was that they had, and left the kitchen, leaving us, the adults uncontrollably laughing, clutching our stomachs. My friends couldn't believe that we didn't bother to turn it on for over a year, thinking, it's broken.

What can I say? We didn't feel the need for it since I learned to cook without making leftovers to reheat! We didn't eat foods that needed fast heating either, I guess.

I still smile when I think about us laughing that night. It was funny. You had to be there.

But this post is not about my broken microwave oven.

Now I have to clean it?

Yup. This is about how, now, I have to clean the stupid thing, since it's working again. When it was broken, I didn't have to clean it! But now that it's working and my kids are using it again, it gets dirty, daily! Sometimes I don't even know it's dirty because I still forget to use it and I don't see the mess.

Now, sometimes I think I'm really clever....like not turning on the microwave oven, thinking, it was broken. (Me: Microwave is clean! Yay!) And then, there are times when I have to laugh out loud because I've been so dumb for not thinking of an idea sooner....like not turning on the microwave oven, thinking, it was broken. (Me: It didn't work yesterday so why would it work today? Besides, we don't need it anyway.)

Not having a working microwave is not the worst thing in the world. But having some "unknown" food explode in it is pretty close being the worst.

And again, I had the dumbest laugh (at myself) for not realizing the obvious...like cleaning the microwave oven effortlessly. This 'new' - no, "Duh!" method, unequivocally falls under the category of, "Duhhhh....why didn't I think of this before (WDITOTB)???" It's added to the many *slapping my forehead* ideas that already reside in my WDITOTB file.

So here it goes.

How to clean your microwave oven effortlessly.

Place a *Microwave Safe glass bowl (I'm using a Pyrex bowl) with one cup of water and juice from one lemon. Place it in the middle of the microwave and turn it on HIGH for 2 minutes. By the way, "Micro-Safe"  means, just that. It's safe to use in the microwave. It does NOT mean it's safe for YOU. So never, NEVER heat plastic in the microwave, even if it says "Micro Safe". Chemicals from the plastic still can leach into the food when heated in such high temperature. Always use micro safe GLASS in the microwave.

After 2 minutes, the microwave oven should be steamy and the walls moist. Spray all the surfaces with vinegar and wipe down with sponge. If the stain is stubborn, you can repeat the above steps for another 2 minutes and spray & wipe down again.

Now tell me this doesn't look clean. And how stupid simple was this cleaning job? Forgive me if you already do this but as I said, discovering this method of cleaning was one of those "Duhhhh" moment revelations, like when I found out that my microwave oven was working just fine.

As you can see, I don't put that much emphasis of my life on microwaving foods. And honestly? You shouldn't either. Cook and eat fresh foods. Don't use the microwave if you can help it.

But if you do and dirty up the box, now you know how to clean it, effortlessly.

Don't judge me but there is nothing sexy about cleaning a dirty stove top or an oven. It's as glamourous as cleaning a burnt stainless steel pan or an iron skillet. Who needs to break a nail when cleaning? So I was thrilled when I came up with a way to clean my disgusting stove top.

I have to admit; there is a twisted satisfaction of restoring a dirty and grimy stove stop to a gleaming and shiny glory without breaking a sweat. (That's one of those house chores that actually makes me look like I did something that day.) I don't like the high maintenance of a radiant range that requires only heavy bottom pots and pans but I do appreciate the relative ease of cleaning it after cooking. Just wipe of any spills and you are done. But grime does set in over time even with daily wipes and the glass top gets so "grody-to-the-max" (who says that anymore? I do.) that I need a snow shovel to scrape the gook off after awhile.

And do you know when is absolutely necessary to clean the range top? When your pot or pan doesn't contact the glass top evenly and isn't heating up properly because it's sitting on the grime. Yeah, that's not energy efficient and annoying since food doesn't cook evenly and not fast enough. It's time to clean that bugger when that happens.

So I came up with an awesome formula that can remove the built up grime from my stove top quicker than a drying nail polish.

The formula is similar to my Natural Soft Scrub recipe, except, this uses dishwashing liquid instead of castile soap. I found dishwashing liquid soap cuts grease a lot better than Castile soap.

And you know what's the best part? You don't have to wear gloves or a mask to protect your hands or cover your nose from this safe formula. And I bet you can find these ingredients in your kitchen right now! Who needs chemicals, especially, in the kitchen, right?

Let's get scrubbing, I mean, watch your stove top self-clean!

...

Read On →

I had "one of those" days last week. My dishwasher smelled like dead fish - a decaying dead fish, to be exact - after the it supposedly washed the dishes. I guess our fish dinner won that battle.

We love grilling fish in the summer because the wonderful smell stays outside and my house is spared from the stench. And what kind of fish we LOVE to eat? The smelliest fish in the ocean.

Mackerel. 

Yes. mackerel - the greasy fish that is rich in Omega-3 oil that happens to be on the "Best Choice" list by Seafood Watch.Org. I simply salt the fish and grill on high heat. Then, I squeeze lemon on the crispy and browned skin before serving, and my family gobbles them up. Since mackerel is a oily fish, the oil gets burned off when it gets seared on high heat. And the smell.......well, let's just say, I don't cook this in the winter when I can't grill it on the outdoor BBQ grill.

Then, "last week" happened. I was hurrying to load the dishwasher and I didn't rinse out the glass container that I used to store the leftover fish. I also didn't rinse out the plate that the fish was served on. Normally, I don't pre-rinse the dishes but fishy plates, I always do but this time, I was in too much of a hurry to pre-rinse. I also didn't preset the dishwasher to 'skip' the drying so when it stopped, it dried in high heat, baking in the fish smell on everything inside. Yeah. Good going, Karen.

Long story short, fishy plate + fishy glass container + HOT dishwasher water = one bad fishy dishwasher...

I thought I can run the dishwasher again to eliminate the odor so I ran it again with my trusty dishwasher detergent. But that didn't work. My dishes and glasses smelled even more fishy. Not the nice ocean salt waster smell but the putrid dead fish smell.

I thought I needed the stronger store brand so I borrowed my mom's Seventh Generation Dishwasher Detergent. That didn't work either.

By this third wash, I was certain that I needed to just replace the damn machine because the dishes and glasses were smelling fishier and fishier and the machine reeked when I opened the door.

So I unloaded the dishwasher, rewashed the drinking glasses and put all the dishes on the dish rack for the smell to dissipate and crosses my fingers.

Then, I got to work.

How to clean your dishwasher

I took out the bottom wire rack and removed the blade in the bottom of the machine. I unscrewed the plastic cap in the middle and it was easy to remove. When I removed the blade, a little surprise greeted me at the bottom of the machine. Lettuce pieces. Where did they come from??? I guess my kids took "you don't have to pre-rinse" to extreme! And you see the crud that's stuck underneath the blade? You can click the photo and see the larger size. I swear I don't know what the heck that is. I thought dishwashers are suppose to clean stuff and not accumulate junk!?!?? Gross.

I cleaned out the lettuce and other small debris out of the screen at the bottom of the machine. Then, cleaned out the crud that were stuck on the bottom of the blade.

Then, I squeezed some lemons to make 100% lemon juice to clean the dishwasher. I used about 5 lemons to do the job.

Saturate a dishcloth with lemon juice and wipe down ALL THE WALLS, including inside the door. Remove the utensil racks if they are on the door and clean the inside panel of the door. Even if you don't see stains, wipe them down WELL with liberal amount of lemon juice.

You would think that since dishwasher washes dishes, it would wash itself too, like the washing machines. Not. Like your washing machine, you also have to wash your dishwasher if you want to remove any odors or clean stains. No, there is no setting for "self-cleaning", like the oven, for dishwashers or washing machines.

Anyway, back to cleaning. I filled two small bowls with juice from 2 lemons each. Then, I placed one on the top rack and one on the bottom rack. I made sure I placed them securely so the juice didn't spill out all at once.

I ran the dishwasher on "Quick Wash" and "Air Dry". That means, it ran on short cycle and I made sure it dried naturally. When the wash was finished, I left the door opened until it was completely dried.

And that did it!

I thought it still smelled like fish but my kids said, they didn't smell it. I guess my olfactory nerves were on high alert but the actual odor went away completely after doing the above steps. But in case, your machine still smells, repeat the procedure one more time and this is important - do not let the machine dry in high heat. Open the dishwasher and let it air dry completely. You can wipe the walls down with clean kitchen towel to speed up the process if you want. Some people use vinegar or baking soda to run the machine but my instinct reached for fresh smelling lemons and actually wiping down the walls. Passively running the machine and spraying the water wasn't solving the odor problem. Nothing like good ole' elbow grease to the rescue!

Here are some great tips on preventing potential future dishwasher problems.

1. Run the garbage disposal before starting the dishwasher. The dishwasher drains into the garbage disposer well. So if there is garbage in the disposer and the dishwasher  water empties out into it, there is potential for that garbage or the water to backup into the dishwasher.
2. Run a bit of hot water in your sink before running the dishwasher. Run the water until what comes out of the tap feels hot. Hotter the water in the dishwasher, cleaner your dishes will be. You can collect the water you run and use it for watering plants or other purposes.
3. Run full loads to conserve water and energy. But don’t pack dishes so tightly that water can't reach the insides of the bowls and plates to clean them. Water needs to be able to get to them.
4. DO NOT pre-rinse your "normal" dishes before you put them in the dishwasher. Dishwasher detergent - even my homemade  detergent - NEEDS a certain amount of grease and dirt in order to do its job. Otherwise, it will pit your dishes and will damage them. Also, without 'something' for the detergent to 'grab' on to, it will just get sudsy and it may even overflow.
5. Speaking of overflowing dishwasher, (I know, I'm not the only one who did this in the past - admit it.) if your dishwasher ever over flows, stop the dishwasher, drain the water, and toss either some white vinegar or oil into the suds. Then, start your dishwasher again, without the soap, if you are using my recipe. If you are using the store bought brand, skip it altogether and run it again. Seriously. When I was experimenting with my detergent recipe, I made my machine overflow too many times to admit but found out this little trick really works!

I will still grill fish but I'll remember to rinse off the fishy oil from the plate before loading it next time. All in all, it was a good excuse to really clean my dishwasher. Otherwise, I wouldn't have discovered those little lettuce pieces that could have potentially caused more problems later on.

I am so happy to tell you that I've FINALLY came up with the perfect dishwashing detergent without using Borax but with a secret  ingredient.

I posted my recipe for homemade dishwashing detergent using Castile soap awhile ago and I've had results from "not-so-great" to "iffy" at best. And the main reason seems to be that Castile soap coats a thin film on some dishes and glasses. I've used vinegar as a rinse but it's still not that effective in making everything spotless. Some people suggest using Borax but I'm not so sure it's that safe either.

See the "old" and "new" images for my glasses and stainless steel lids and blades above? "Old" ones are using Castile soap. Very disappointing.

So frustrated, I was determined to find the perfect dishwashing liquid, using non-toxic ingredients. I still love Borax in my laundry detergent recipe but decided against using it for washing dishes and utensils.

If you have one of those dishwashing detergent brands that contain synthetic chemicals, throw it out. It's gross. Use my formula. It's much safer. Besides, I did all the work in finding the perfect formula for you. I ran my dishwasher a bazillion times to test them all and this is the formula that rocked in making my dishes and utensil spotless!

I'm going to list the exact amount that I use for one load of wash. You can multiply this for a larger quantity but it's just as easy to scoop out individual portions each time. It only takes a few seconds and scooping it out individually, I know I am getting the exact proportions.

Homemade Borax Free Dishwasher Detergent Recipe

• 1 tablespoon of Washing Soda - a.k.a. Sodium Carbonate. It acts as a de-greaser and disinfectant.
• 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt (or Sea Salt) - softens hard water. This amount can be adjusted, according to how hard or soft your water is.
• Secret ingredient --> ½ teaspoon Plant Based dishwashing liquid soap - the kind you use for hand washing your dishes. Yes, the one that your dishwasher's manual says NOT to use! But make sure you use no more than this amount. Otherwise, you'll get a huge sudsy mess and you'll cuss at me, like I did many times. And I don't want that to happen. My hubby already did that....after using too much and got my kitchen floor all sudsy. (If by chance, the dishwasher spits out suds from using too much dishwashing liquid, stop the machine and drain the water. Then, pour/splash some vinegar into the suds. It magically makes the suds dissipate. And then, start the machine again, without  putting any more detergents.)
• Full strength white vinegar in the closed second detergent compartment + in the rinse aid well - The idea is to have the vinegar rinse the dishes after the powder washes the dishes. NOTE: you do NOT want to put vinegar and the soap in the dishwasher at the same time as vinegar is acid and soap or detergent is basic so they will neutralize each other, making the whole thing useless.
• 1 tablespoon Undiluted Citrus Enzyme (Optional) Follow my recipe to make some but you can omit it and you'll still be fine. There are other detergent recipes that require citric acid (see below for links) but I didn't want to buy another thing. So since I was going to use this for cleaning anyway, I decided to add it to my wash. If you can make this enzyme, you should. It really makes the dishes and glass squeaky clean! And you can use it in so many other places, including washing fruits and vegetables.

Instruction: 

Dishwasher loading tip to maximize the machine: Make sure you load the dishes well so that water can reach inside the bowls, dishes, utensils, and glasses. In trying to be 'green', I used to really jam pack the machine and sometimes food residue didn't come off because water flow was blocked. Make sure utensils are loosely placed and not too compacted. This is especially true if you are not running your dishwasher right away. Obviously, dried up food scraps won't come off as easily. Also, open the dishwasher door when the wash is done and let air dry. It uses less energy if you let it air dry than use the heat.

Now with the instructions on using the detergent.....add washing soda and kosher salt in the OPEN compartment. Fill the second compartment with vinegar and close the lid. Add the dishwashing liquid (and citrus enzyme, if using) anywhere inside the dishwasher. That's it! When you use this formula for the first time, just be mindful of the machine and stay nearby, just in case the machine overflows with suds. Using ½ teaspoon of Ecover brand worked like a charm for my machine. But if you are using another brand, especially if it's concentrated, you'll have to adjust the amount. Start with very small amounts and see how your dishes turn out and then increase it little by little if you are not happy with the result.

So far, I am very happy with this formula for my dishes. If you have really greasy dishes and pans, you might need to add a little more of each ingredients, except for dishwashing liquid.

Do you want to know how to make your own Washing Soda? Check out my tutorial! It's easy peasy!

Have you heard of citrus enzyme? Me neither until I read about a month ago how it cleans a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g. and everything.

And you know me - I want easy peasy but natural ways to clean. I even made my own soft scrub for scrubbing my  bathtub because I hate the smell of commercial brands of scrubbers.

So when I read that a citrus enzyme can basically clean anything, I had to try it. But then I heard that it required 3 months of fermentation! That's like a whole trimester of pregnancy! For a baby, I'd understand but not for a cleaner. Besides, my house can't wait that long.

Then, I wondered if I can cut that time down by forcing it to ferment faster.

Hmmm....

Well, after weeks of tweaking here and there, this is how I made my citrus enzyme.

Citrus Enzyme Cleaner Recipe

You'll Need:

• 2 Liter Wide Mouth Bottle -I used an old orange juice bottle from a neighbor's recycling bin. Yeah, I do that a lot - steal from neighbor's recycling bin. I chose this brand because it had a wide mouth and it was easier to squeeze the peels in.
• 2 C or Enough citrus fruit peels to fit half the bottle. Oranges, Lemons, Lime,
• ½ C Brown Sugar (Note: a reader said she used white sugar and it was fine too.)
• 1 teaspoon of active yeast
• 1 Liter of water
• Funnel - to add brown sugar
• Strainer or cheese cloth
• 1 C Apple Cider Vinegar AFTER the enzyme is done fermenting

Instruction:
Pick a bottle that has a wide mouth and make sure to follow the proportions in this recipe. Do NOT double the recipe in this bottle. Chop up any citrus fruit scraps into chunks that will fit into the opening of the bottle. Add water, sugar, yeast, and shake for about 30 seconds. Then, close the cap LOOSELY so the trapped air can escape and not build up in the bottle.

You'll see the foam on the top in a day or two because of yeast fermentation. Shake the bottle daily for the first few days to mix the yeast and let out the air.

Do you see the bulging right side from gas build up?

After about 2 weeks, the enzyme will look opaque. Strain the pulp and the peel.

Add apple cider vinegar to the liquid and store the liquid in a glass jar. You can create an all-purpose cleaner spray bottle with 1:10 ratio to water and clean away to your heart's content!

Or, you can use the concentration amounts that are appropriate for other cleaning uses.

Here is how to use this enzyme in laundry detergent laundry detergernt WITHOUT Borax  and dishwasher detergent dishwashing soap WITHOUT Borax.

Why bother with citrus enzyme? What'd the big deal?

My main purpose for making citrus enzyme is to add it to my dishwasher. And I'll tell you why tomorrow. But believe me when I tell you - this citrus enzyme cleaner WORKS on so many other things, in addition to dishwashing!!

And, citrus enzyme cleaners is great because it's:

1. Natural
2. Cheap since you are using up kitchen scraps
3. Effective
4. Easy to make

It is great:

1.  for dishes and laundry (use ¼ cup of enzyme to a load of dishwasher and washer)
2. for washing bathrooms and toilets. grime comes off easily (1 part enzyme to 10 parts water)
3. for removing stubborn stains and odors (colored fabrics and floors - used undiluted in the amounts you need.)
4. to clean vegetables and fruits (1 part enzyme to 10 parts water)
5. clear blockages in kitchen sinks and drains (use concentrated or blended pulp/sludge of enzyme)
6. as a natural insect repellent (use undiluted) for ants, cockroaches
7. for mopping floors (1 part enzyme to 20 parts water)
8. as fertilizer for plants (use 1 part enzyme to 20 parts water, or use the leftover mop water)
9. as a skincare product, e.g. facial cleanser or toner (1 part enzyme to 2 parts water)
10. wash cars – cars will look as if they have just been polished! (1 part enzyme to 20 parts water)

Convinced yet? Thought so. More reasons to eat citrus fruits!

What do you use citrus enzyme for?

Practically Green states that "most common chemical used, perchloroethylene aka perc, is dangerous. The EPA says perc causes cancer in lab animals, and is a likely human carcinogen that impacts brain, liver, and kidney function. It’s no good for the environment, either. Yet 85 percent of U.S. dry cleaners use perc (there are an estimated 35,000 of them)." And according to Washington Post, Perc remains in dry cleaned clothes! Yikes!

So why not use "Green Dry Cleaners" then? While they might be less toxic, the chemicals they use is still derived from petrochemicals and are still not that safe.

Do you  know what's the safest method then? And cheaper? "Wet" cleaning. Really. In fact, I've been hand washing "Dry Clean" only linens and silks and line drying them for years.

But I admit; I used to send heavy Pendleton wool blankets to be dry cleaned because I was afraid that they will shrink if I washed them in water. Well, it turns out, I was wrong.

I washed my Pendleton wool blankets in cold water a month of ago and they came out perfect!

I used my non-toxic detergent mixture to wash and rinse the blanket in "COLD" water and GENTLE CYCLE. Then, I used extra rinse to make sure all the soap was rinsed out. Then, I tumble dried it  under "Air Dry" setting for about 20 minutes. "Air Dry" setting has no heat but it just tumbles the blanket to give them a good shake to get all the wrinkles out. I took out the blanket, and draped it over two dining room chairs, like a tent. I let it dry over night in the living room. I don't know if line drying it outside would be a good idea since I don't know what the direct sunlight would do.

Anyway, washing it and drying it this way made the blanket come out as if it was "dry" cleaned! No wrinkles. No shrinkage. AND best part? NO CHEMICALS!! And for once, they felt cleaned! Just make sure you don't do this TOO often as wool might get 'felted' and shrink if you wash it too often. I'd wash it once every two years for normal usage.

Have you washed "Dry Clean Only" items before? What have you washed and how did they come out?

*I take no responsibility in how your wool blanket would come out since every wool is different. Yes, this is a disclaimer. 🙂

Winter is not the best season for fruits. But pomegranate saves the day when I get sick of eating clementines. After all, pomegranate is more than just the burst of sweet-tart juice but it's also full of vitamin C and potassium, as well as polyphenols, the same cancer-fighting and heart-healthy antioxidants found in red wine.

So why not make a body scrub with it? After all, it's good for the inside, so it's good for the outside, right?

Here is a simple body scrub I made with, you know, not-so-fresh looking pomegranate.

*Note: if you want to use fresh fruits for my Kiwi scrub, Avocado scrub, as well as Pomegranate scrub, by all means, that is the best way to get all the nutrients. I only mention the part about using "past their prime" fruits is because I think it's better than chucking them into a compost.

You can reduce the recipe to the portion you like but I like using up the whole fruit - what are you going to do with the rest, especially if they are not fresh to begin with anyway?

Pomegranate Body Scrub

Ingredients

• 1 Whole Pomegranate with skin and all
• 1 ¼ C Organic Olive Oil
• 1 C Raw almonds - skinned
• 1 Lemon wedge - peeled
• ½ C Sugar

Instruction
Cut the pomegranate in quarters, skin and all. Skin has a lot more antioxidants than even the seeds or the juice so you're going to use the whole fruit. Use a blender to blend all the ingredients except sugar. Blend until the mixture is a little coarse. You can add more olive oil as you blend. The mixture will be thick and you may have to use a scraper to scrape the sides and loosen up the mixture so the blades don't get stuck.

Pour the mixture into a bowl and mix in the sugar.

Store the scrub in a glass jar with a tight seal in the refrigerator. The scrub will change its pretty pink to a not-so-pretty brownish color as time goes by (one thing I don't' like about using fruits in scrubs) but the nutrients are still intact so don't let the color scare you. Refrigerated pomegranate scrub will last about a week.

I use a smaller jar for my bathroom and refill it when needed.

Let your winter skin glow!

[CC Images notahipster and empressofblandings via Flickr]

I always wonder what this world would be like if we didn't have to wear clothes.

Did I make you spit up your morning coffee? Sorry. 

Seriously, can you imagine all the clothing related industries that would become obsolete if we were allowed to run around with our birthday suits on?

I say this to my daughter every time I iron her khakis, and she'd plug her ears with her index fingers and shouts, "La la la la la...", as she runs away.

But, really, if we didn't wear clothes, the fashion industry, of course, would be obsolete. There would be no pollution related to clothing manufacturing!

We wouldn't need to buy iron and ironing board.
...and you know how much I hate ironing - more than scrubbing toilets!

We wouldn't need dry cleaners...we wouldn't need dressers or armoires...we wouldn't need luggage to pack clothes when we travel...no hangers...

And no laundry detergents and all the other related laundry products. And imagine all the energy we'd save for NOT washing clothes. We consume up to 35% in energy using washer/dryer.

B U T ...

I can dream, right?

Well, I guess I have to stop day-dreaming and do some laundry. And iron. Grrrr....and *Sigh*

But you know what? As long as I have to do laundry, I decided that I am going to make my own, well, not really make, but come up with my own non-toxic laundry detergent recipe. Actually, this formula is nothing new. There are a ton of recipes like this on the web and I tried many variations and in different methods but this formula seems to work best for me.

Non-Toxic and Cheap Homemade Laundry Detergent

My front loader has a drawer that has four compartments: Prewash, Wash, Bleach, Fabric Softener, and Bleach. I put my powder mixture in the "Wash" compartment. I never use bleach so "Bleach" compartment never gets used. To make the laundry smell nice, I use about ½ TBSP. of  Dr. Bonner's Rose Castile liquid soap in the "PreWash" compartment because I don't want to make the powder ingredients get all clumpy and get stuck to the drawer.

You'll Need:

*For convenience sake, I scoop out the following and store in separate containers for use.

• 1 Cup of Borax Natural Laundry Booster
• 1 Cup of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
• One bar of grated Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Bar Soap or Fels Naptha Laundry soap. Castile soap is a little more expensive but it's vegan and organic; Fels Naptha is not. I heard some people use Ivory Soap too but that's also not vegan. If you want to use other types of soap, just make sure it's SOAP and not a CLEANSER like Dove.

*White Distilled Vinegar - ½ C per load (see Where do I put all this stuff section)
*Dr. Bonner's Castile Liquid Soap - ½ tablespoon (see Where do I put all this stuff section)

Direction:

Directions on some websites say mix all three and use 1 tablespoon of the mixture per load. However, I found it hard to know if Borax and Washing Soda were thoroughly mixed. Also, when I added grated Fels-Naptha soap to the mixture, it stayed on top and I couldn't really get to the rest of the powder.

So, while it might sound like it's inconvenient, I use ½ tablespoon each of Borax, Arm & Hammer Washing Soda, grated soap, Castile Liquid Soap for one load of wash. That way, I know for sure I'm using all the ingredients in my wash.
And this formula is good for High Efficiency front loading washer too. Not only is this recipe cheaper than commercial detergent, it also cleans my front loading washing machine. Remember I posted a while ago how I had to 'clean' my washing machine because it smells like mildew? Since I've been using this powder formula, it smells less and I think it's cleaning the drum much better than the liquid detergents I used to use. It's so much better than the plant-based, non-toxic, fragrant free, phosphate-free detergents I used to use. The fragrant-free detergent was gentle on the skin but it didn't make my laundry smell fresh, especially when my wash machine started to smell mildewy. And using the Castile Liquid Soap and White Vinegar make my laundry fresh so I don't even need a fabric softener.

Where do I put all this stuff? 

My front loader has a drawer that has four compartments: Prewash, Wash, Bleach, Fabric Softener, and Bleach. I put my powder mixture in the "Wash" compartment. I never use bleach so "Bleach" compartment never gets used. To make the laundry smell nice, I use about ½ TBSP. of  Dr. Bonner's Rose Castile liquid soap in the "PreWash" compartment because I don't want to make the powder all clumpy. And I use ½ C of White Vinegar as a fabric softener in the "Fabric Softener" compartment. But your machine can be differently configured so you'll have to decide what to add to which compartment. Also, if you have hard water, you should use more vinegar.

So, as long as we have to wear clothes, I am glad I found this safe detergent formula to wash my clothes with. Oh, and to make my clothes even more  pretty, I use these dryer balls I made out of orphaned socks. Can you spell fresh  + pretty?
Now, only if I can come up with ways for me NOT to iron...

If you are sensitive to Borax, you can check out my "Borax-Free Laundry Detergent Formula" ---> here.

UPDATE:

Cost Analysis
Forgive me for being an idiot. I should have put this cost analysis in the post. I don't know why I forgot to do that. But here is why this homemade detergent is cheaper than the commercial brands.

Ecover Laundry Detergent that I used to use was 100 liquid oz. I used to pay around $18 ~ $19 for 40 loads. So that equals 45 cents per load.

This homemade recipe costs as follows:

1 Box of Borax - ~ $4.99
1 Box of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda - ~ $4.86 - $8.99 (depending on where you buy it. I bought mine for $4.99. Or you can make your own!)
3 Fels Naptha Soap or Castile Bar Soap - ~ $4.50 (although my supermarket sells it for $4.19)

Total Cost = ~ $15 - $19

The above formula makes about 150 oz of detergent. And if you use 1.5 oz of combined powder you'll be able to do at least 100 loads of detergent.

So that means, even if the total cost is $19, you'll spend 19 cents per load.....less than half of any non-toxic commercial laundry detergent.

I'd say, that's cheap. Don't you?

CC Image by missmeng

Anyway, I hesitated to use the one cast iron pan I have in the past. And it's not because it's heavy, although, it is hard to flip my pancakes with it.

It's cleaning the darn thing.

It seemed so complicated to prevent rust from setting in.

But, not anymore. Thanks to Pinterest - yes, most people use Pinterest to find pretty things; I use it to find tips on cleaning pots and pans. I'm pathetic. I admit.

But, see how greasy and yucky the pan is? I'll show you how I cleaned it.

Apparently, all you need is some Kosher or coarse salt. I used Morton's Kosher salt because that's what I have but you can use any coarse salt. Just don't waste expensive sea salt or a Himalayan salt on cleaning. That would be one expensive way to clean a pan!

Add some water and scrub with dishwashing cloth or sponge. Salt will act as a scrubber and de-greaser so give it a good scrub.

See how all the grease just disappeared and water is beading on the surface? More importantly, look how clean the washcloth is? Initially, it was brown but once I rinse the pan with it, the brown coloring disappeared from the wash cloth too.

Let the water evaporate on med to high heat on the stove.

Add about 1 teaspoon of oil - I use olive oil - and coat the pan evenly.

That's it! This method will keep your cast iron pan protected from rust and is ready to be used again! This pan will outlive me....along with my LED lightbulbs.

Some white stuff is falling today. It's not a blizzard but it's enough to make the snow plow guys to come through my streets several times throughout the day. I think they were bored this winter and were probably more excited about the snow than my daughter!

But truth be told - We NEED snow in the winter to nourish the earth. Warm winters are never good for the planet or our immune system (warm winters make germs thrive and we tend to get sick more often because of them) so as inconvenient as cold brutal winter weather might seem to our lives, we do need cold winters and the snow.

Having said though, cold weather also means dry dull skin.

And among many skin moisturizing mask recipes, like my Moisturizing Avocado Face Mask, for some reason, kiwi sounds like it's just what we need in the winter too - maybe because cold winters remind us how much we crave hot tropical weathers where kiwi fruits come from? I know. We are wired to want what we can't have, right? No, that's not the reason.

I know kiwi is not exactly in season or local but sometimes I crave potent Vitamin C. And kiwi has a higher concentration of vitamin C than even an orange. And it also has alpha hydroxy acids that are great for maintaining elasticity in the skin. It's a perfect fruit for your skin, especially, in the winter.

Anyway, I had a couple of over ripened kiwis and wanted to try this refreshing kiwi mask on this wintery day. My skin was looking kinda thirsty and dull lately despite my drinking water frequently. So I decided to make this skin brightening Kiwi Mask to give it some help it needs.

Skin Brightening Kiwi Mask

Ingredients

• 2 Kiwis, Pureed
• 3 tablespoon Plain Yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Orange juice
• 1 tablespoon Almond or Olive Oil

Instructions
Peel the skin and puree kiwi. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well until smooth and creamy in a blender. Spoon a dollop onto your fingertips and apply to the entire face, avoiding the eyes. Leave on until dry, then rinse well. You'll feel the tiny pureed seeds exfoliating your skin and you may feel a little bit of tingling sensation. That means it's working! I used olive oil for this mask because I don't have almond oil. And I used Greek yogurt instead of plain. I tend to make up stuff as I go sometimes. I like being inventive. 🙂

Strut your bright and pretty face and conquer the world! <---Me, telling myself.

*Refrigerated mask can last up to one week in the fridge.*

Have wine bottles lying around? Here are 5 Upcycled Wine Bottle Ideas that will help you rurn your favorite drink into wall art and decor.

We are not wine connoisseurs and we don't pretend to be. We once opened one of our friend's French wines before its 'time' because we believed it was a total waste of 'time' to wait. Literally. Of course, we were totally wrong. They never let us touch their wine collection after that. So, we let our friends do the honors in ordering wine when we go out.

But we do drink at home occasionally - usually with Italian food.

May be by the time I pour half the bottle of red in the "gravy", the rest of the bottle has been decanted already so I feel compelled to finish it off. 

Anyway, I saved a few bottles because I hate to waste such great looking glass bottles. So, once I have a few more saved up, I'll be making some of these. I'm sure you can make these with beer bottles or glass soda bottles too. 🙂

5 Upcycled Wine Bottle Ideas 

1. Drinking Glasses

Watch this video, and see how easy it is to cut wine bottles. You don't have to buy the $45 gadget the video suggests. I bought a glass cutter for less than $10 to use for my project. These glasses seem easy enough, right? Now that I know how to cut bottles, I'll be sure to try these.

[Creative Commons Images from zieak via Flickr]

2. Candle Holder

Candle Holders - These pretty candle holders are made from cutting wine bottles using acetone nail polish remover. Great way to cut the glass without fancy tools. Seems easy enough, right?

3. Table Top Lamp

Table Top Lamp - this method is using a glass drill bit and drilling a hole and putting a string of Christmas lights inside. I think this would be easy too but it does take some patience as it can take up to 30 minutes to drill.

4. Lantern/Hurricane Lamp

These are like hurricane lamps that you put the candles inside. It requires cutting the bottom of the bottle and putting it over the candle. That's it! Simple but pretty.

5. No Cutting Required Lamp

No Cutting or Drilling Required Lamp  - this seems like the safest method as it does NOT require any drilling or cutting or putting anything on fire. Just insert the string of Christmas lights from the top, embellish the bottle with some cascading fake grapes and leaves to cover the wire and that's it! She also has a cool idea of frosting the bottle with reverse stenciled snowflakes. No fancy tools necessary! So if you are squeamish about using sharp tools or fire, this is it for you.

Which one do you like?

As you might have guessed, I'm on a Castile Soap kick lately. I use it in my Dishwasher Detergent that makes my glass squeaky spotless clean and my wonderfully scrubby Soft Scrub. I think my upstate friend would be very jealous at how spotless my glasses come out. She has hard water and she says she has to use detergents with phosphate to make her glasses spotless. I wonder if my home made formula would make those spots go away. Hmmm....must tell her to try.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you how to make dishwashing liquid using castile soap. You know that it's greener to wash your dishes in the dishwasher since it uses less water but there are pots and pans that don't fit in my dishwasher - although I remember one professional chef saying that he never buys pots and pans that do not fit in his dishwasher. (Yes, he must have one ginormous dishwasher!) - and "wash by hands only" items like wine glasses and china.

So here is the formula I use.

Dishwashing Liquid with Castile Soap

• 1 ½ Cup Water
• ½ Cup Liquid Castile Soap
• 1 tablespoon Washing Soda - to thicken the soap

Mix gently and store in your upcycled glass jar soap dispenser. And you are good to go!

How easy was that? I use this for washing dishes and washing hands. Since Castile soap is made with vegetable oils, there are no harsh chemicals to irritate your skin. You can wash dishes until the cows come home without ruining your prettyful nails!

UPDATE: I just bought Dr. Bronner's Almond Castile Soap for the kitchen and I LOVE the smell. It's more in line with the kitchen aroma than the Lavender or Peppermint or Baby Mild that I've tried. I'll try the Citrus one after I run out of this bottle, which might be for awhile. So it's a good thing that I like this Almond smell.

UPDATE #2: I am not sure if I like Castile soap for washing dishes by hand. For some reason, it leaves a little bit of film on my utensils and dishes. But the dishes from the dishwashers don't. So I am thinking, that vinegar must help the rinsing part when I use the dishwasher but since I don't use vinegar to rinse by hand, the filmy feeling is left on the dishes. Hmmmm......I may need to go back to researching the formula for hand washing. The jury is out on this one. (December 10,2011)

OK, the party is over. This middle-aged, pampered, prima donna has to get back to doing the dishes after celebrating her 50th birthday.

And after my hubby finished cooking - yes, he grilled this awesome Asian Citrus Salmon on my birthday and even brought home a Strawberry Shortcake! Emily was sick as a dog to bake me her fabulous version but that's ok.  And he even did the dishes! Bless his heart.

And, as life doesn't disappoint, we ran out of the dishwasher detergent.

So instead of buying a new one, I wanted to check to see if my castile soap can be used as a dishwasher detergent. I bought a bottle to make various types of cleansers - remember the Natural Soft Scrub I made? Dr Bronner's Castile Soap has NOTHING but certified organic vegetable oils. So even if there's a little bit of residue left on my dishes, I wouldn't ingest artificially harmful chemicals so I know it's safe. Besides, it's biodegradable so it won't harm the water system.

These were the same reasons why I used plant derived dishwashing detergents anyway but I wanted to see if I can use this magic soap since it would be cheaper. And being that Dr. Bonner's soap is for washing and not made specifically for dishwashers, I wasn't sure if it'd be too sudsy for the dishwasher. So I checked for the recipe and "Bingo!" You sure can use it in the dishwasher! Yesss!

I decided to skip a few ingredients and go to the hardcore version - I wasn't about to buy a new set of essential oil, yet.

The difference between soap and detergent

But before I tell you the recipe, here is some basics about the difference between soap and detergent.

Detergent is " synthetic. Simple. Some detergents are very toxic to fish and wildlife. Detergent are better for hard water since it react less to minerals in the water.

Soap is naturally derived and is safe for the environment. The drawback of using soap is it reacts with minerals in water, and depending on whether you have hard water or soft water, it may leave an insoluble film on dishes.

Dishwasher VS. Handwashing

You may wonder if it's more eco-friendly to wash dishes by using the dishwasher. I have great news for you divas.

YES, it is!

According to Treehugger;

...thanks to a scientific study at the University of Bonn in Germany, you can have your cake and eat it too-relaxed in the knowledge that the cleaning up with your trusted machine will be a piece of cake and the eco-friendly thing to do...The Bonn study proves that the dishwasher uses only half the energy and one-sixth of the water, less soap too. Even the most sparing and careful washers could not beat the modern dishwasher. The study also rated the cleanliness achieved, again in favor of the washing machine...

Booyah! and Yesssss!

Of course, you wouldn't want to run a dishwasher if it's not full but rest be assured that if you are washing the same number of dishes, it's better to wash in a dishwasher. But I do wash small items and dishes that can't be washed in a dishwasher in a big pot that needs to be washed or in a dishpan. I dont' let the water run and I don't use soap for each dish.

Oh, but before your do your next wash with this detergent recipe, check this article on how to use your dishwasher - Yes, there is a right and a wrong way to use your dishwasher. What's not on the list, though, is skipping the dry cycle, which uses a ton of energy. Just open the dishwasher door when the wash is done, and air dry. The hot water will evaporate and dry very quickly - you don't need to use the dry cycle.

Now, this is a simple recipe for dishwasher detergent soap.

Non-Toxic and Cheap Dishwasher Detergent

Ingredients:

1 8 oz Bottle of Castile Soap - the fragrance of your choice. Almond or Citrus is the best option for the kitchen.
1 C Water
2 teaspoon Lemon Juice or more if  you'd like but totally optional. Personally, I didn't smell any lemon when the dishes were done but  I saw this tip somewhere so I'd try it this time.
1 Qt. Size Glass Jar with lid
IMPORTANT::: > ESPECIALLY if you you have hard water, use about 1 ½ C to 1 C of White Vinegar in the second detergent compartment (mine opens after the first washing cycle)

Direction:

Mix the ingredients in a jar, close the lid and shake gently.

That's it!

How to use castile dishwasher detergent

There are some recipes on the web, telling you to add vinegar to Castile soap. Even baking soda.

But let me tell you why that's a bad idea. Castile soap is basic. Vinegar is acidic. When you add them together, at the same time, you'll neutralize the soap and you can visibly see clumping in your soap. That means, the two compounds are reacting and the soap will lose the cleaning property. Yes, that might depend on the pH level of both but with most castile soaps, and most household white vinegar, they will neutralize when they meet.

So, DO NOT mix vinegar and soap together. Don't ever say I never warned you. 🙂

1. Fill OPEN compartment with 1 tablespoon of the castile soap mixture made above.
2. Fill CLOSED compartment with about 1 to 1 ½ Cup of white vinegar. You can use MORE vinegar if your water is hard. I found that I needed a little more vinegar so I put vinegar in the "Rinse Aid" compartment as well.

One thing I found is that if I let food dry up on dishes before running the dishwasher, they do not get cleaned very well since I don't pre-rinse. That sounds like a common sense, no? But I don't know if my commercial detergents worked better at cleaning dried up food or not since I never really checked as thoroughly before. But with usual washes, I am really satisfied with this recipe and I don't have to sorry about toxicity on dishes.

FOR HARDWATER - If you find that your dishes are coming out cloudy after a cycle, add 1 CUP of vinegar in the machine - just pour straight into the bottom of the machine - and run a rinse cycle once. Air dry afterwards.

And here is how to make dishwashing liquid soap for washing dishes by hand....for pots and pans, and other little (and big) things that can't go in the dishwasher.