Everyone has their own thoughts when it comes to global warming. From what I've seen, I believe that we cannot continue to degrade the Earth and expect not to kill it eventually. Since I came to this conclusion, I have been looking into various ways that I, as one person (well, one with a family), could do something to help lower MY participation in the destruction of the Earth. Through reading what seems like thousands of articles, books, blog posts, etc., I have also found out that trying to change my lifestyle in this way could also help with my family's various health issues. I am going to share a few of the ideas I have tried and liked.
LAUNDRY PRODUCTS
Quite honestly, I came upon this when I was trying to find a way to save money. The fact that it is natural was a side benefit at the time. Now, I wouldn't trade it for the big name detergents. Yes, there are still bottles of those big name detergents in our house because some members of the
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| homemade laundry detergent |
family refuse to give up their, *ahem* Time, Bounde or Dowdy *ahem*. I only have to make a five gallon batch of this a couple times a year...washing clothes for five and towels for seven. Last summer, I had to purchase a new washing machine (the old one died after 12 years) and got one of the high efficiency models...they had to buy new soap because theirs wasn't recommended for the new machine, I was able to continue using my homemade soap. I think the clothes come out as clean and fresh smelling as theirs, for pennies on the dollar. Not to mention, I have used the same 5 gallon bucket for more than 6 years, where they have gone through I can't tell you how many plastic bottles. If my soap isn't poisoning the water like theirs. ** Side Note: Military uniforms cannot be washed with phosphates, this soap is safe for the military. I found this out while my son was active within the Marine Corps.** In addition, for softener I use plain ole white vinegar. A gallon costs around $2.00 compared to their bottles which are closer to $6.00 for half the amount. Commercial softeners leave a film on clothing and towels that make them less absorbent and can be aggravating to sensitive skin, vinegar doesn't leave this film. According to all the articles I've read about it, vinegar softens and removes static, again all naturally. I agree that the static is controlled pretty well and clothes are soft without commercial softeners, but the towels were a little stiff. Nothing too bad, but just not as fluffy and cuddly as they had been. I have recently started using dryer balls and noticed that towels are a little softer than without. I had found a set of those "steamer" balls when cleaning and thought it was worth a shot to see how they worked...after seeing the difference, I've also made a set of wool dryer balls. Unfortunately, my grandson loves to help with laundry and finds all of these fascinating and keeps 'borrowing' them. The only problem is that at one and a half, he doesn't like to return them. Check out my blessed life , The Family Homestead , and Rural Revolution (unlike the friend mentioned in Rural Revolution, I have not noticed the scent) for recipes, reviews and cost analysis of making your own laundry detergent.
SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER
Would you be grossed out to hear I have only used brand name shampoo or conditioner in my hair approximately six times in the last four years? I read a few articles about people going
shampoo free that intrigued me, so I decided to give it a try. I love it! My hair feels better, I have almost no problem with dandruff (unless I've recently used a commercial product), my straight/wavy/curly hair (yes, it's all three at the same time) has wonderful curls for about 24 hours after washing that go into nice waves after, and as much as my hairdresser brother hates to admit it - my hair is healthier. To wash my hair, I pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into an old soda bottle (I've been using this particular bottle for almost two years) then fill the rest of the way with water while I'm in the shower and shake to mix. I just pour it on my scalp and rub through to the ends and rinse. If it happens to get on my face, I just rub it all over for a great exfoliant and skin brightener. Using the same bottle, I pour roughly the same amount of vinegar in and fill with water. Being careful not to get any into my face ('cuz, yuck!, made that mistake once or twice), I pour it over my hair and rinse out. Most websites will suggest using apple cider vinegar, but I use plain vinegar - the scent goes away when your hair is dry. One point my brother has made is that my hair feels not so great while it is still wet, I have to agree with him there, but once it is dry, it feels silky.
VARIOUS NATURAL PRODUCTS FOR MORE CLEANING
If you research natural cleaning products online, you will find way too many results to read them all. Most of them have several ingredients in common:
Now, obviously, I didn't even scratch the surface here of the search results for these products. This is just a jumping of point. If you are like me, you will do your own searches in addition to what I have shown here. An important note: Just because these products are natural, does not mean you do not have to keep them out of the reach of children. They are much less dangerous than the chemical cleaners out there, but they can still be hazardous to the health. Please be responsible and keep small children away from containers. What is much better about using natural products is that they do not leave the chemical residue that commercial cleaners do. Even bleach leaves a residue after killing the germs.
Whether you agree with the global warming accounts, want to use less chemical substances around your home or just want to try to save some money, there are plenty of ideas out there to help make your switch to more natural products easier. Another added benefit is the feeling of satisfaction you can get from doing something on your own. I know that it gives me a little bit of a thrill to know that my great grandmother would be at least a little proud of me that I'm doing some things the 'old-fashioned' way...back when people were much more self-sufficient.
Good luck on your adventure!
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