The kids have Spring Break this week, and the beautiful weather has had us out and about quite a bit.  Muddy hikes, blowing bubbles in the grass with the neighbors, and even sandy beach fun at the ocean have kept us busy.  Technically it's only the second day!  All this gallivanting around has given me a rude awakening one byproduct of such fun.  Disgusting floors!  Yup, it's time to hit the wood and tile.  Here's some recipes to make the job a little easier.

Lemon-Scented Wood Floor Cleaner and Polish


1 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp lemon essential oil

Mix ingredients together well, and apply with mop or sponge.  This combination even makes small scratches seem to disappear.  It's magic!


Cedar-Scented Kitchen Cleaner

1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1 tsp cedar essential oil (Pine also smells great and acts as a disinfectant)

Mix ingredients well, and apply with mop or sponge.  For tough stains, try mixing a few tablespoons of  washing soda into the mix and apply.  Voila!  Floors you can eat off. And believe me, my children will.


Carpet Freshener

5-10 drops of essential oil of choice (Lavender, Rose, Peppermint are all yummy)
5 cups baking soda

Mix well.  Sprinkle on freshly vacuumed carpet and let sit overnight.  Avoid stepping on mixture during treatment.  Vacuum up and inhale deeply!

So don't be scared of the spring and summer fun! You are now armed with all you need to know on how to do damage control after a few days of outdoor adventure.  

Get Messy!

~Kristin Henningsen M.S., R.Y.T.

The beautiful sunshine today (and large cup of dark coffee) has inspired me to do some major washing.  The best part of washing all those blankets, rugs, and even curtains is being able to hang them up on the line.  There are few things in this world that beat the smell of line-dried sheets, especially when washed with chemical free detergent.  Unfortunately natural laundry detergents can be pricey!  Here's a few recipes for easy to make, affordable laundry detergent that will leave your wallet and your skin feeling happy.


Lemon Scented Laundry Powder

1/2-4 tablespoons essential oil (Rosemary, Lavender, Orange, and Tea Tree also work great)
1 cup Borax
1 cup Washing Soda
1 bar soap

1. Mix oil and borax thoroughly by hand.  A blender also works great, but the oil will
     leave a residue that is hard to clean.
2. Use a grater and shave the bar of soap (I like Dr. Bronners) into fine pieces.
3. Mix above two ingredients with washing soda (available in grocery stores) Note:   
    This is different from Baking Soda!
4. Store in air-tight containers, and use 1-2 tablespoons per load.


Rosemary Stain Pretreatment

1/2-4 tablespoons Rosemary Essential Oil
1 cup dishwashing liquid

1. Combine essential oil with dishwashing liquid in spray bottle
2. Apply to stains on damp fabric and scrub gently.  Allow to set for 20 minutes, then  
    wash in cold water.

*This works great on a number of different stains.  Be sure to use cold water, as hot water sets stains.


Happy washing!

~Kristin Henningsen, M.S., R.Y.T.

*This 3 part series was originally published with the Center for Health and Wellness.  Find them here  http://www.kaplanhealthwellness.blogspot.com/


It's started.  My usual spring-cleaning assault on all the dirt, grime, and germs that always seem to take over my house in the winter time.  I'm coming for YOU dirty floors!  Perhaps it's the sunshine (and subsequent Vitamin D) that gives us the energy to freshen up our homes in the Spring.  Maybe it's that awakening we tend to feel as we come out of hibernation, and we finally see some of the dirt and clutter we've been overlooking for months.  It doesn't matter.  If you are feeling the urge to open the windows and put the sheets on the line, then go for it!  Because the temporary inspiration for spring freshness tends to wither with the daffodils.

This week I will be sharing with you some of my favorite natural cleansers out there.  They are inexpensive, easy to make, and actually work.  And you get to have some creative license in your formulas.

 Let's start in my least favorite place to clean. The bathroom.   I do have a 4 year old!  Here it is crucial to have some antibacterial and deep cleaning formulas.

Gentle Scouring Powder

1.5 Cups Baking Soda
4.5 tsp's  Essential Oil Lavender & Rosemary
*Other EO's to try are peppermint, tea tree, or eucalyptus.  Experiment!

Combine essential oil and baking soda and apply with sponge or scrubber pad. 


Herbal Window/Mirror Wash

3 cups water
1/3 cup Herbal Vinegar (see Below for Recipe)

Mix herbal vinegar and water and pour into spray bottle.  Shake well, spray, and polish with clean, dry cloth.

Herbal Vinegar

2 cups dried herb
3.5 cups vinegar

1.Place herbs (Rosemary, Basil, Thyme, or Yarrow are good for cleansers) in clean jar
2.Fill the jar with vinegar, making sure all the herbs are covered.
3.Tighten lid and shake the jar
4.Store in cool, dark, place for at least 2 weeks, shaking occasionally
5.Strain and label.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

1/2 cup Gentle Scouring Powder
Herbal Vinegar

Sprinkle powder into toilet.
Spray with vinegar to make a bubbling paste, and use brush to scour.
You can also leave the scouring powder in overnight for deep cleaning.

Whew!  Tired yet?  Clean bathroom today, clean ---- tomorrow?  We'll see what kind of inspiration strikes!