Amy Bayliss

Homemade Scouring Powder Cleaning Product Recipe: Natural Cleaning Series

January 26, 2012 By Amy Bayliss

I don’t know about you but I fell right into the hype the FlyLady started many years ago. I just knew that if my neighbors came over and saw that my sink was not sparkling then chances are they would know I was a failure. That got me started down the road of clean sink fulfillment. I went through a container of Comet every two weeks. I did this for years and over time the results of it became evident. My hands started cracking and peeling at the cuticle.

You might be wondering why I didn’t just wear gloves but the fact is, I did wear gloves! The residue commercial cleaners leave behind can do just as much damage as being directly exposed to it. Every time I filled the sink with water to rinse the dishes, I was in fact putting my hands in a sink full of left behind commercial cleaner.

These days I still scrub my sink but my hands aren’t at all damaged like they used to be. Simply switching the ingredients has given me a clean sink and healthy hands. Not to mention we are no longer ingesting the left over residue of Comet from it being on our dishes. It is because of these experiences that I want to teach you how to clean your house naturally.

This recipe is simple and you will likely use lots of it. It is easy to double or even triple the recipe and it is still less expensive than the harmful stuff.

Homemade Scouring Powder Recipe

1 cup baking soda
1 cup sea salt
1 cup Borax
3 packs of True Lemon

Add all ingredients into a large bowl. Combine well with a whisk. Use a funnel and pour into a one quart jar or container. To use, sprinkle on surface, scrub clean with wet sponge or brush, rinse completely.

Download Homemade Scouring Powder Labels

For best results, print on mailing labels or Avery sticker paper. After adhering to bottle, use contact paper over the label to give it added protection.

Other posts in this series: Homemade All Natural Cleaning Products

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Getting Into the Details of Blog Photography

January 25, 2012 By Amy Bayliss

This is the photo from my blog post here: Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cupcake Recipe w/ Cream Cheese Frosting. For this photo I wanted to really capture what the cupcake was about. I purposely put the icing off center to reveal the vanilla sugar underneath. I put it on a plate that would cause it to to be the star of the post. Patterned plates typically take away from the food that is placed on it. The eye is immediately drawn to the more profound pattern. I also put some of the chocolate shavings all around the plate to give it a bit of interest. I used the macro setting to get all of the little details. Finally, I took it outside, in the evening to get the best lighting possible.

So what kind of shots have you taken lately?

If you want to join along with me I have a link up ready for you to to link to. This should be lots of fun! We will do this every Wednesday so mark your calendars and be sure to follow the feed so you can share and learn along with us!

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DIY Homemade Dishwasher & Dish Soap That Works: Natural Cleaning- 17 Days Series

January 24, 2012 By Amy Bayliss

How to Wash Dishes Naturally

The dishwasher soap recipe was easier than I thought it would be. I’ve used other commercial cleaners in my dishwasher and never been quite as happy with them as I was with one particular brand. That lead me to think I’d never be happy with a homemade dishwasher soap. Thankfully, I was wrong.

The main problem I presumed I’d encounter would be spotty dishes. Then, I read the ingredients on the back of most of the commercial rinse aids. Guess what the ingredients included: vinegar. Mmmm, hmmm. Look for yourself. So, I figured I’d skip the added chemicals and just use the real thing. The results: spotless dishes.

One thing I questioned when contemplating whether or not I’d make my own dishwasher detergent was, if the dishes are thoroughly rinsed before they come out then aren’t they chemical free? Short answer is no. Long answer is that even though the trace amounts that are left as residue are very minute, the true hazard lies in the fumes that are dispersed from the dishwasher while it is in operation. I had never considered that. Once I realized how much harm that would do, the decision was easy.

If you happen to wash dishes by hand or if you use dish soap for every day hand washing, I have a recipe for that too. This one works great as an everyday soap. If you have greasy dishes then it is best to use baking soda as a degreaser. Just sprinkle the baking soda on the dishes and wipe it off. The grease goes with it. Then, you can wash as usual.

Homemade Dishwasher Soap Recipe

1 1/2 cups of Borax
1 cup of washing soda
5 packs of True Lemon
2 packs of True Orange
1/2 cup of baking soda

Add all ingredients into a large bowl. Combine well with a whisk. Use a funnel and pour into a one quart jar or container. To use, add 1 tabelspoon to both soap containers.

Natural Dishwasher Rinsing Agent

Vinegar

Once the commercial rinse aid has run out, fill the rinse compartment with undiluted vinegar.

Homemade Dish Soap

1 1/2 cups of water
1/2 cup of castile soap
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. washing soda
27-30 drops of essential oils

Add all ingredients into measuring cup and mix well. Using a funnel, pour the mixture into a squirt container or foaming pump bottle. Use as normal.

Degreaser

baking soda

Sprinkle a light coat of baking soda over the greasy area. Wipe clean. For dishes: follow up with dish soap. For surfaces: Spray with DIY homemade natural all purpose cleaner spray and wipe to remove any residue.

Download Homemade Dishwasher Soap and Dish Soap Labels

For best results, print on mailing labels or Avery sticker paper. After adhering to bottle, use contact paper over the label to give it added protection.