Sticky gum mess

Source: google.fr via Mélanie on Pinterest

About a month ago I found a wad of gum ground into the floormat of my car. At the moment, I didn't have time to try figure out how to get it out, and I soon forgot about it until a couple of nights ago when Husband and I were cleaning out the car.

I went inside and looked around at what I had on hand. I decided to see if lemon essential oil would take care of the sticky disaster. It not only smells wonderfully fresh, but it cleans wonderfully and dissolves sticky, gooey messes. I put a few drops on a rag and scrubbed for a few minutes. The gum came right up with a little elbow grease. The added bonus is my car smells delightful.

Lemon essential oil is great to have around. I love to clean with it. I'll be doing a post later about many more of its benefits.


*Make sure to do a spot test before using on fabric or upholstery and follow with a damp rag or water rinse.

Fighting Colds Naturally

It happened again. I can't even believe it. This Winter has been a nasty one at my house, and now we are getting in to Spring. My kids have been sick a ton, which never happens! Miss M is sick again. She started with a yucky cough on Monday and woke up this morning with a stuffy nose as well. Blech.

There are many ways to prevent and fight off colds. Here are just a few of my favorite tips.

1. Wash your hands well and often. Of course! With kids this means about every ten seconds as you go between the two :) Keep a good hand lotion nearby!
   
   
2. Drink lots of fluids. Again, a no brainer, but I still forget to do it. When I'm sick, I don't feel like drinking anything really. It's a bit of a challenge to get Miss M to drink when she's not feeling well either. Water is best to stay hydrated and flush out the cold bugs. We aren't big on juice around here, but sometimes water just sounds blah when you have a cold. Just look for 100% juice with lower sugar. You can also add a little water since most juices are pretty concentrated. Miss M will gobble up juice popsicles, and the cold soothes a sore throat.
   
   
3. doTerra essential oils. My favorite one for fighting off and preventing sickness at my house is called On Guard. It is a blend of wild orange, clove bud, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary essential oils. It is antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal as well. I like to diffuse it in my home so everyone benefits. You can also dilute a drop in fractionated coconut oil and rub on the bottom of your feet or your little one's feet. Added benefit - it smells wonderful. The second one I love is Breathe. It is a blend of laurel leaf, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, lemon, and ravensara. I diluted a drop in some coconut oil and rubbed it on Miss M's throat and chest last night and her coughing stopped so she could sleep. This morning I did the same thing and she has nearly stopped coughing.
   
   
4. Garlic. Garlic has been used for thousands of years as a natural remedy. It has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. I love garlic, but Miss M, won't just eat a clove of garlic or drink a lemon-garlic-honey concoction. I just add a little extra to some dishes she already likes.
   
   
5. Gargle with warm salt water. It does the trick for me when I feel a sore throat coming on, but not for Miss M yet. She's too young to get the whole idea and would probably just drink the salt water or spit it out.
   
   
6. Get plenty of rest. It's hard to rest when there is so much to do, but one day resting is better than a few days feeling crummy while trying to get stuff done. For Miss M, that means some TV time. It's not my fav solution, but the girl won't stay down otherwise. We are currently watching Cars.
   
   

Now I'm off to make some chicken soup packed with veggies, garlic, and herbs and some fresh squeezed orange juice.

What are your best cold-fighting tips?

Safe all-purpose cleanser recipe

Several months ago I had been looking for a safe, chemical-free cleanser to use on my kitchen counters and for general cleaning. I found several on the internet that seemed ok, and then I saw this one on Dr. Oz. It was developed by Dr. Gary Ginsberg who is a toxicologist. It's my new favorite cleaner. I don't always put the Borax in, and I haven't noticed a major difference without it. I usually put more essential oils to cover the vinegar scent a little more. The vinegar smell will not linger once the surface dries.

All-purpose cleanser
1 tbsp of Borax powder (find it in the laundry aisle of your supermarket)
3 tbsps of white vinegar
2 cups of water
1 tablespoon of dish soap
1 drop of essential oil

Mix all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well. Shake before using as well.

Some of my favorite essential oils to clean with are lemon, orange, peppermint & rosemary, and white fir which is especially nice during the holidays. You can get creative and try a blend or just pick one oil. Many of the essential oils also have antibacterial and antiviral properties.

*Caution: Be careful when using vinegar on granite. I don't have granite countertops, but I have heard that vinegar can damage some types of granite sealer.

What's your favorite chemical-free way to clean?