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Blueberry Thyme Bath Salts Recipe (A Homemade Mother’s Day Gift Idea)

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April 25, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 2 Comments

If you’re looking for an easy homemade recipe for bath salts, then make this blueberry thyme bath salts recipe! This bath salt recipe is formulated with Epsom salt and magnesium flakes to ease sore muscles and reduce stress. Plus it smells amazing! (It’s kind of cotton candy like. My friends LOVE this scent.)

Learn how to make this Epsom salt bath salts recipe for sore muscles for yourself or as a delightful homemade Mother’s day gift. This is the perfect handmade gift to help you – and your Mom! – unwind from daily stress or muscle aches and pains. A must for any self care routine.

Moms Need Time Out for Self Care Too!

Both as women and as mothers, we often try to take on too much and brush self care aside. Not only does this put a strain on our emotional wellbeing, it leaves us feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated. Basically on a fast track to burning out. (Are they still calling that a nervous breakdown?)

Recently a dear friend remarked to me how she exhausted she is day in and day out. How nice it would be if someone took of her once in a while. Not only does she push herself to work two jobs, she’s also always on her feet working through chronic pain. Home life isn’t much different. Like many of us, she’s also expected to tackle all the chores and cooking.

It’s easy to understand why she feels so run down. Don’t we all have those days? It can be a challenge to learn how to say no. Or to stand up for yourself and demand things change when you’re caught in a cycle. We all need a break from time to time. We aren’t machines. And we certainly can’t continue to keep doing everything and then some without help. It’s no wonder many of us feel as if we are just surviving.

This homemade bath salts recipe is the perfect way to ~~push~~ gently nudge your Mom into taking some time out for herself. And to remind her that yes, you do appreciate everything she’s done for you. By making this easy bath salts recipe for a homemade Mother’s day gift, you’re not only helping her relax, but ease away tension and sore muscle pain as well. This easy bath salts recipe yields two 8 oz. containers of blueberry thyme bath salts. So you can make one for mom, and keep the other for yourself!

Using Magnesium Flakes for Bath Salts Recipes

If you read my recent posts on how to make pineapple hidden color bath bombs or magnesium oil, then you’ll recall why magnesium flakes are my new favorite ingredient. Not only is this salt, also known as magnesium chloride, more readily absorbed by skin then Epsom salt, it can be used in a number of different ways. You can use magnesium flakes to make a simple magnesium oil recipe to ease sore muscles and restless legs. Or give it a try in a magnesium body butter that calms your body and assists with a restful night’s sleep. It can also be used as a key ingredient in a recipe for bath salts.

Magnesium flakes are better suited than Epsom salt for topical application as they are more readily absorbed by skin. FOr this homemade bath salts recipe I used both magnesium flakes and Epsom salt. I also included a touch of moisturizing shea nut oil. The combination of these ingredients make my easy blueberry thyme bath salts recipe a wonderful remedy for stress relief and sore muscle recovery. It can even help to improve circulation!

Keep reading to learn how to make my blueberry thyme bath salts recipe to gift as a homemade Mother’s day gift for mom!

Blueberry Thyme Bath Salts Recipe

Ingredients:

19 oz. Epsom salt
1.5 oz. magnesium flakes
.25 oz. polysorbate 80
.25 oz. shea nut oil (aka fractionated shea butter)
.25 oz. blueberry thyme fragrance oil
1/2 teaspoon lip & eye safe pink mica powder
dried cornflowers, to suit

Instructions:

Using a digital scale, weigh out the Epsom salt and magnesium flakes into a large glass bowl. (I like to use glass Pyrex measuring cups for mixing. I have them in all sizes.) Mix well to combine. Then measure out the mica powder and mix evenly throughout the salt mixture. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, weigh out the shea nut oil, polysorbate 80 and fragrance oil. (Polysorbate 80 keeps the mica powder from staining your tub.) Mix well.

Now combine the dry salt mixture with the liquid mixture. Mix thoroughly until all of the salt is evenly coated. Then mix in cornflowers as desired to achieve the look you want and to add contrast.

Finally, fill your containers of choice with your homemade bath salts. (I used a thick walled PET amber jar as well as an upcycled soup container that resembles a milk jar.)

Then add stickers, ribbons or gift tags as desired to give your bath salts as a homemade Mother’s Day gift.

To use, simply add the desired amount to warm bath water, sink in, relax and enjoy!

Try Another Easy Bath Salts Recipe

If you love my blueberry thyme homemade bath salts recipe, then try one of these other easy bath salt recipes as well!

More Homemade Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Looking for more ideas for mom? Try one of these other homemade Mother’s day gift ideas. Learn how to make custom Hand Painted Ceramic Vases or an Easy Needle Felted Wine Bag. You can also view an entire collection of the best homemade Mother’s day gifts here. You can also discover more ways to practice self care here.

Discover more of my favorite bath salts recipes by following me across your favorite social media platforms. You can find and follow me on Pinterest, Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter to stay updated on new recipes.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Health & Wellness, Holiday DIY, Homemade Gift Ideas Tagged With: bath and body, bath salt recipe, bath salts, bath tutorial, crafts, diy, easy, epsom salt, gift idea, home remedies, home remedy, magnesium, Mother's Day, Mother's Day gifts, natural skin care, pain relief, self care, sore muscles, stress relief

Natural Cleaning Clay Recipe for Your Glass Stove Top, Countertops & Tile Floors

March 27, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 3 Comments

Learn how to make a natural cleaning clay recipe to clean just about everything! Perfect for cleaning glass stove tops, granite countertops and even tile floors, this easy cleaning clay recipe requires just 3-ingredients. Make yours in just 5-minutes! Plus discover more simple, all natural cleaning products you can make using essential oils.

Natural Cleaning Products That Work

I first discovered the miracle of cleaning clay after attending an H2O at Home party at a friend’s home. I was particularly impressed with both the effective of their cleaning clay and the simplicity of this all purpose cleaning product. Not only does it work great as a non-toxic, natural household cleaning product on most surfaces, it literally lasts forever!

Since trying out their products, I’d been dying to make my own natural cleaning clay. Unfortunately this homemaking project kept getting pushed onto the back burner. That is until I received the new Simply Earth essential oil recipe box for April. Well timed for spring cleaning, this essential oil recipe box contained a variety of recipes for natural cleaning products. It also had a bottle of that one ingredient I’d needed to finally make my natural cleaning clay recipe – lemon essential oil.

All of Simply Earth’s essential oil boxes come with a collection of four essential oils. They also include additional ingredients and containers to make everything from natural beauty and skin care products to non-toxic cleaning products and aromatherapy diffuser blends. Each box also includes a collection of essential oil recipe cards. As their recipe cards are the same size as index cards, they fit easily into a standard 3″ x 5″ recipe box for quick reference and storage.

I love receiving my Simply Earth essential oil recipe box every month. It’s such a great way for me to explore new essential oils (some of which I’d never heard of like the amyris essential oil) as well as affordably grow my essential oil collection. Plus it feels good knowing that Simply Earth donates 13% of their profits to help end human trafficking. How can you not get behind a cause like that?

Related: Amyris Essential Oil Uses, Benefits and Recipes

Inside the new Simply Earth essential oil recipe box.

The April recipe box from Simple Earth is all about making your own natural cleaning products. The most recent box contained nutmeg essential oil, tea tree essential oil and lemon essential oil. It included an essential oil blend – BO Be Gone – as well. (It’s kind of perfect for making hand soap and natural laundry detergent.) In addition to the essential oils, my box also contained liquid Castile soap and an aluminum spray bottle for making their tea tree & lemon multi-surface cleaning spray.

The April essential oil recipe box contains recipes for the following natural cleaning products.

Tea Tree and Lemon Surface Cleaner Recipe
Lemon and Nutmeg Dishwasher Detergent Recipe
Laundry Stain Remover Roll On Recipe
Natural Home Diffuser Recipe
Easy Foaming Hand Soap Recipe
Natural Laundry Detergent Recipe

(If this is your first time learning about Simply Earth’s amazing essential recipe boxes, I’ve provided a clear overview of their ingredients, supplies and benefits here. There’s also coupon code for a free jam packed bonus box on your first order and a discount code for your second box.)

Related: Eco-Friendly Spring Cleaning Tips

Essential Oil Natural Cleaning Products

Following are some of my favorite homemade natural cleaning products included in the latest essential oil recipe box from Simply Earth. I’ve also included my own natural cleaning clay recipe so you can discover why I think it’s the bee’s knees. (And yes, I’m told, bees do have knees. Technically.)

Tea Tree & Lemon Surface Cleaner

Ingredients:

1/3 cup hot distilled water
1 tsp. borax powder
2 tsp. white distilled vinegar
2 tsp. rubbing alcohol
10 drops tea tree essential oil
10 drops lemon essential oil

Instructions:

Measure out the hot water into a glass measuring cup. Add the borax powder then stir to dissolve.

Follow with the remaining ingredients for the surface cleaner as called for in the recipe. Stir well to combine.

Now pour the mixture into an aluminum spray bottle. If desired, label your creation with one of the product stickers provided by Simply Earth.

Usage:

Shake this product prior to each use. To use, simply spray onto countertops and other non porous surfaces, then wipe clean with a microfiber cloth. Your natural tea tree & lemon essential oil surface cleaner not only cleans surfaces and kills germs, it will also leave your home smelling naturally fresh.

Laundry Stain Remover Roll On Recipe

Ingredients:

10 mL liquid Castile soap
10 drops lemon essential oil
10 drops tea tree essential oil

Instructions:

Combine the essential oils in a 10 mL roll on bottle. Swirl the bottle to mix the oils.

Now fill the remainder of the bottle with liquid Castile soap.

Usage:

Shake well prior to each use. Then simply roll this natural laundry stain remover onto laundry stains. Allow to sit 5 to 10 minutes prior to washing.

Natural Cleaning Clay Recipe

Ingredients:

4 oz. liquid Castile coconut oil soap
12 oz. white kaolin clay
40 drops lemon essential oil

Instructions:

Using a digital scale to weigh out the Castile soap into a large glass bowl. Add the lemon essential oil and stir well to combine.

Then, in a separate container, weigh out the kaolin clay. Slowly add the clay to the the liquid soap base, mixing with a fork until all the clay is incorporated into the soap. If necessary, use your hands to blend the last bit of clay into the natural cleaning clay. There should be no dry clay left. However the mixture should be very firm.

Now fill an 8 oz. low profile jar with the cleaning clay. Press the natural cleaning clay firmly into the jar until it’s filled. You can then use the back of a measuring cup or as spatula to press the clay flat on top.

Usage:

Massage a slightly damp bubble up brush or sponge onto the cleaning clay. Then cover your surface with the cleaning clay, adding slightly more water to the sponge if necessary to form a thick foam. Then remove the cleaning clay using a damp microfiber cloth.

For dirty glass stove tops, cover the entire stovetop with cleaning clay. Allow the mixture to dry on the surface, then wipe clean with a dry microfiber cloth. Follow with a damp cloth to remove any residue if needed. Then polish clean with a dry cloth.

My natural cleaning clay recipe works great for deep cleaning a number of other surfaces including granite countertops, sinks, tubs and tile. However, as will all natural cleaning products, I recommend testing the cleaning clay first in an inconspicuous area on natural surfaces.

More Natural Cleaning Products Recipes

Now that you’ve tackled these recipes for natural cleaning products, try some of these other recipes for natural cleaning products for your home.

Also be sure to check out my eco-friendly laundry tips to save time and money as this household chore. You’ll also love my collection of spring cleaning tips for a green friendly lifestyle and a non-toxic clean throughout your entire home.

Explore more recipes with essential oils.

It’s so easy to get started with essential oils as well as make your own simple essential oil recipes for home, health and beauty. Visit Simply Earth now to order your first essential oil recipe box and get a free bonus supply box with coupon code: SOAPDELIFREE You’ll also receive a $40 discount on your second box.

To discover more ways to use essential oils in your home, visit my Essential Oils & Herbs for Health, Lifestyle and Beauty Pinterest board. You can also find and follow me across your favorite social media platforms including Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram so you never miss a post. Or simply sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter.

Filed Under: Handmade Home, Health & Wellness, Lifestyle Tagged With: bathroom cleaner, cleaners, cleaning, cleaning hacks, cleaning products, cleaning recipe, cleaning solutions, cleaning tips, diy, easy, eco-friendly, essential oil recipes, essential oils, green cleaning, green living, handmade home, healthy homemaking, healthy living, homemaking, housework, kitchen cleaner, simply earth, spring cleaning

Natural Skin Care Recipes for Bath & Beauty

March 21, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 28 Comments

Learn how to make your own non-toxic natural skin care recipes for everyday beauty! Three simple recipes for crafting a homemade coffee scrub, lip balm and foot soak. All with natural ingredients that you can find in your kitchen. Plus discover more homemade beauty recipes in the book, Spa Apothecary: Natural Bath & Beauty Recipes, by Stasie McArthur.

Making Natural Skin Care Recipes

I started making my own bath and body products not long after graduating from college. It started with a simple brown sugar scrub, much like the original they sold at Bath & Body Works at the mall. Melt and pour soaps soon followed. I made a lot of mistakes when starting out. Even on simple projects like melt and pour soap.

I once added too much cocoa butter to a soap base resulting in zero lather. I added dried lavender buds to another. They quickly turned brown and looked a lot like mouse poop. And while the internet is filled with a plethora of natural skin care recipes, access to reliable recipes and projects wasn’t quite the same as it is today.

I’ve found that doing your research for skin care or soap making projects beforehand can really make a difference. It saves you not just time, but money as well. After all, no one wants to make something just to have to chuck it in the waste bin.

Spa Apothecary: Natural Bath & Beauty Recipes

I’ve never really been one of those people that can afford a regular trip to the spa. So making my own spa worthy skin care products is the perfect substitute. Not only do I enjoy a quality spa experience at home, but I’m always learning something new.

If you’re ready to start your own beauty adventure, then be sure to check out Spa Apothecary: Natural Bath & Beauty Recipes. A natural skin care recipes book by Stasie McArthur, this book is the perfect introduction to making natural skin care products at home.

You can find most, if not all, of the ingredients you need for Stasie’s natural skin care recipes at your local grocery store or co-op. So you don’t have to fool with investing a lot of money in specialty ingredients you can only find online. Her recipes also make it easy to avoid costly beginner mistakes. You’ll discover not only how simple and affordable it is to unwind at home, but you’ll also learn a new craft. All without an expensive trip to the spa.

Ready to make your own natural skin care products but aren’t sure where to start? Then this book is perfect for you! Inside you’ll find a variety of natural skin care recipes to make at home in addition to helpful tips and information about the ingredients used. Plus, you’ll also discover little quips about the author’s life and friends along the way.

Natural Skin Care Recipes for Bath & Beauty

Keep reading to discover three natural skin care recipes from the book, Spa Apothecary. Then be sure to purchase a copy of Spa Apothecary to learn how you can make the switch to a healthy natural skin care routine!

Energizing Coffee Body Scrub Recipe

Yields 4 to 6 uses.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh ground coffee
1/2 cup sugar (raw, brown or white)
3/4 cup carrier oil (almond, coconut, jojoba or olive oil)
3 to 4 vitamin E softgels

Directions:

Combine the coffee, sugar and carrier oil in a large glass mixing bowl. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Next, puncture the vitamin E softgels (just like the supplements you take to support healthy hair and skin!) and mix into the coffee scrub.

Spoon the coffee scrub into a mason jar or similar container for storage.

To use simply massage onto damp skin, then rinse off.

Natural Lip Balm Recipe

Yields approximately 30 uses.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. organic shea butter
1 Tbsp. sweet almond oil
1/2 Tbsp. natural beeswax pellets
1/2 tsp. raw or manuka honey
1 tsp. organic pineapple extract for flavoring (optional)

Directions:

You’ll use the double boiler method to make this natural lip balm recipe. To do this, fill a pan with about two inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium.

Now mix together the shea butter, sweet almond oil, beeswax pellets and honey in a small glass jar. Gently place the jar into the pan of water, gently stirring the ingredients as they melt.

Once melted, mix again to ensure all ingredients are evenly combined. Then remove from heat and stir in the flavoring.

Finally, pour the lip balm into large lip balm pots such as metal tins or low profile jars. Once your lip balm has cooled and is fully solidify, it’s ready to be used.

Homemade Foot Soak Recipe

Yields a single use.

Ingredients:

1 cup Epsom salt
1/4 cup baking soda
3 cups warm water
1/4 cup raw honey
Juice from 1 lime
Lime pieces

Directions:

Add the Epsom salt, baking soda and water to a foot basin.

Then stir in the honey, lime juice and lime pieces.

Soak your feet in the bath soak for 20-30 minutes, then remove and pat dry.

Discover More Natural Skin Care Recipes

Ready to get your feet wet and start making your own natural skin care recipes? Then check out Stasie McArthur’s book, Spa Apothecary: Natural Bath & Beauty Recipes, to get started today!

For more natural skin care recipes and project ideas, you can follow Soap Deli News on Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Health & Wellness, Lifestyle Tagged With: bath and beauty, bath and body, bath tutorial, beauty book, body scrub recipe, book review, coffee body scrub, diy, easy, foot soak, health and wellness, how to make lip balm, lip balm recipe, natural beauty, natural skin care

How to Dye Easter Eggs Naturally (Using Food Ingredients As Natural Dyes)

March 19, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon Leave a Comment

Learn how to dye Easter eggs naturally using food ingredients as natural, plant-based dyes. Plus unique Easter egg design ideas using foraged botanicals or store bought herbs.

When I was a little girl I would dye Easter eggs with my mother every spring. My mom would hard boil eggs and buy my brother and I an Easter egg decorating kit she’d picked up from the grocery store. We’d dye our Easter eggs a rainbow of colors and patterns. Using things like stickers,rubber bands and white crayons to create our own Easter egg designs. The one thing we never did, however, was dye our Easter eggs using natural dye.

As it turns out, it’s rather easy to learn how to dye Easter eggs naturally. You can still achieve a rainbow of colors based on the foods you choose. Or experiment with natural plant dyes such as indigo powder or turmeric. Just because you aren’t using commercial food dyes, doesn’t mean you can’t create a multitude of Easter egg designs and patterns. You can still do all the same things you did with traditional dyes. Methods such as wax resist or using stickers to create shapes work beautifully with natural Easter egg dyes too!

For the purpose of this tutorial however, I’ll teach you how to use plants, leaves and other foraged botanicals or herbs to create beautiful Easter egg designs. While also using common foods and herbs from the grocery store to create a rainbow of Easter egg colors. If you’re a soapmaker, like me, then I also encourage you to pull out your stash of all the natural dyes you’ve hoarded – er, collected – for naturally coloring cold process soap.

Ready to get your craft on? Keep reading to learn how to dye Easter eggs naturally using common vegetables and plant materials.

How to Dye Easter Eggs Naturally

Choose and prepare your eggs.

When buying your eggs, you should choose white eggs for bright colors. Or give brown eggs a go for more muted tones. Once you have your eggs in hand, hard boil them prior to dyeing. Alternately, you can also blow out the eggs for decorative home decor you can use through the entirety of spring. Or keep your eggs in storage to reuse the following year.

Decide on the colors you’d like to use.

I used onion skins and red cabbage to naturally dye my Easter eggs. Yellow onion peels impart an orange hue on eggs while red cabbage will turn your eggs blue. You can also use coffee for brown colored eggs. Or try one of these other color ideas:

Blueberries = Blue-Gray
Red Onion Skins = Green
Red Cabbage = Blue
Yellow Onion Skins = Orange
Coffee Grounds = Brown
Paprika = Light Red-Orange
Dill Seed = Brown-Gold
Grape Juice = Lavender
Violet Flowers = Green
Lavender Flowers = Blue Green & Brown
Beets = Light Pink
Beet Root Powder = Red
Spirulina Powder = Green
Turmeric = Yellow (Beware. This will stain everything!)
Hibiscus Tea = Black
Spinach = Yellow-Green

Make your natural Easter egg dye.

You should follow these guidelines for the amount of plant material to use when making your natural Easter egg dye. Adjust the recipe as needed to accommodate the number of eggs you’ll be making.

For spices and powders, use two Tablespoons per 1 1/2 cups water.
When using dried flowers or other botanicals, use four Tablespoons per 1 1/2 cups of water.
Combine one cup of cut fruits or vegetables with 1 1/2 cups of water.

Dye your Easter eggs.

Once you’ve prepared and measured out the plant material for your egg dye, you’ll need to combine the dye material with 1 1/2 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Then remove from heat.

Allow the natural dye to cool. Then strain out the plant material. Add dye to a bowl or a large mason. For every cup of water left (after the process) add one Tablespoon of white distilled vinegar to the dye.

Now add your eggs to the container of dye. Leave the eggs in the dye until they’ve reached the desired color. For deeper colors, place the container of eggs in the dye in your refrigerator and leave overnight.

Once the dyeing process is complete, remove the eggs from the dye. Place on a cooling rack or paper towel to dry. Then rub with olive oil, if desired, to add shine.

How to add designs to naturally dyed Easter eggs.

Leaf & flower prints.

It’s easy to use leaves or flowers, like parsley or four leaf clovers, to create leaf or flower shaped designs on your Easter eggs. To do this, simply place the plant matter onto your egg. Then wrap the egg tightly in either pantyhose or cheesecloth to hold the leaf or flower in place. Next, simply follow the above tutorial on how to dye Easter eggs naturally. Your final eggs with come away with a beautiful design. If desired, you can go back and dye your eggs again with an alternate color.

Wax resist method.

Simply use a wax crayon or beeswax to draw a design onto your eggs. Then dye your eggs per the above instructions. (Be sure your dye is cool so as not to melt off the wax.) Once you’ve dyed and dried you naturally dyed Easter eggs, simply rub off the wax with a soft cloth.

Rubber bands.

Rubber bands are an easy way to add random stripes to your Easter eggs. Just wrap rubber bands around your eggs, then dye as usual. Once the eggs are dry, remove the rubber bands to reveal your unique Easter egg designs.

For more Easter egg design ideas, be sure to check out my Easter board on Pinterest. Or learn how to make glitter Easter egg bath bombs for a non-food Easter basket treat.

Also be sure to follow me on Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram so you never miss a post. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter.

Filed Under: DIY Craft Project, Holiday DIY Tagged With: botanicals, craft tutorial, crafts, diy, Easter, Easter basket, Easter egg dye, Easter eggs, easy, herbs, holidays, natural

Spring Cleaning Tips for Your Eco-Friendly Lifestyle

March 13, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 1 Comment

This collection of eco-friendly spring cleaning tips will not only help you save time, but also save money! Discover the best spring cleaning tips for a non-toxic home.

It’s that time of year again! Time to give your home an overhaul and clean everything and every room for the new spring season. Sounds daunting, right? You bet it is! Rather than try to tackle the task all in one go, try implementing these spring cleaning tips over time instead! Plus learn how you can save money on your favorite eco-friendly cleaning essentials. All while making more time to do the things you actually enjoy!

Eco-Friendly Spring Cleaning Tips

1. Give yourself a break. While women certainly perform superhero feats in our daily lives, we are in fact, not superwoman. Rather than try to tackle a whole house makeover in a single day, go room by room one day a week. After all, it’s not a race.

2. Clean your windows with water, not chemicals. You can save money by using microfiber cloths from Grove Collaborative to clean mirrors, windows and other glass surfaces. Simply clean with a wet microfiber cloth, then follow with a dry cloth for spotless windows. For extra tough jobs, save money with Grove’s eco-friendly glass cleaning concentrate.

You’ll also want to wash your windows on a cloudy day as the sun can hamper your efforts by drying your windows too quickly. This in turn can cause streaks to be left behind.

3. Kitchen cabinets can build of with grease and grime fast. Especially those cabinets in range of the stove. Make cleaning your greasy kitchen cabinets a breeze by mixing a few drops of Mrs. Meyers new spring scented dish soap with a vinegar and water solution. Then simply wipe them down with a microfiber towel or soft sponge.

You can also make a natural cleaner to clean and polish your wood cabinets, along with the wood furniture in your home. Simply mix 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil with 1/2 cup of vinegar or lemon juice in a plastic spray bottle. Shake well then spray onto a microfiber cloth to use.

4. While sheets and pillowcases should be washed at least every two weeks, comforters and pillows don’t need laundering quite as often. Typically they should be washed 2-3 times a year. You can simply toss these into your washer, then dry normally. (Just be sure to check the manufacturer’s guidelines for washing first!)

5. Not only do you need to launder your bedding, your mattress should also get a spring cleaning! While your comforter and pillows are in the wash, take the time to vacuum out the crevices, top and sides on your bare mattress. Then use a spot cleaner, like Paw Sense Pet Stain and Odor Remover, to tackle anything that remains after vacuuming.

6. Spring is also a great time to clean out your refrigerator. After all, it is where food is stored. Mrs. Meyer’s multi-surface cleaner is great for this task. First, pull out your refrigerator’s interior shelving. Then wash them with warm soapy water. Before putting the shelves back, use your multi-purpose spray and a sponge to wipe down the surfaces on the inside of your fridge that can’t be removed.

7. While area rugs don’t need to be cleaned every spring – with the assumption you are vacuuming out the dirt on a regular basis – now’s a great time to treat stains. If your rugs are too large to throw in the washer, you can use club soda to treat stains. Just keep in mind that some stains, such as those caused by pets, coffee or red wine, can be more difficult to remove. Therefore spill or stain with a dye or acid base should be cleaned immediately – or as soon as humanly possible.

This recipe for a vinegar free stain remover works great at removing stains not just from rugs and carpets, but laminate countertops as well. Or try this soap based DIY stain stick for anything you can toss in the wash.

8. Organizing your closet can be frustrating. Therefore I recommend removing and donating any items you haven’t worn in at least year. Then go back and organize your clothing by type or color – whatever works best for you. I typically organize my closet starting with short sleeve shirts to long sleeve, then following with skirts, short and pants so each type of clothing is grouped together. This makes my everyday routine easier. It’s also easy to keep organized once it’s done.

9. Use an old toothbrush to clean out the track for your sliding glass door. It can loosen up dirt and grime that your vacuum cleaner can’t. Vacuum again once the extra dirt and grime is knocked loose. Then follow with a damp sponge.

10. Don’t forget to perform your spring cleaning routine to your makeup bag as well. Most makeup is only good for 3-6 months. So toss the old and treat yourself to something new. Plus, you can use your old eyeshadows to create custom nail polish! Just add eyeshadow to clear nail polish and shake to mix!

11. You’ll also want to deep clean the carpeting in your home. This is my least favorite thing to do as the fibro makes it ten times as challenging as it needs to be. So if you have the money, you may want to hire a professional carpet cleaner. Otherwise, vacuum up dirt and debris. Then spot treat your carpet stains first. Follow with a carpet steam cleaner. (If you don’t have one, you should easily be able to find one for rent.)

12. If your curtains aren’t dirty enough to wash, you can remove dust by simply going over them with the upholstery attachment on your vacuum. Or, for more delicate or sheer curtains, toss them into the dryer on low with one of Seventh Generation’s essential oil based fabric softener sheets. They’ll come out dust free with a fresh non-toxic fragrance that’s perfect for spring.

13. Get rid of stubborn hard water stains, soap scrum and even grease your tub by using this 2-ingredient shower cleaner recipe made with vinegar and Dawn. It’s the perfect solution for really grimey tubs and my go to cleaner whenever I move into a new apartment.

You can also make a daily shower cleaner to help prevent mildew and resist soap scum by mixing equal parts white vinegar and water, then adding citrus based essential oils to suit. (I love a lemon lime combo. But lemongrass and orange is also amazing!) Simply spray inside your shower after you bathe for a fresh scent and an extended clean.

My Favorite Everyday Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips

1. Use wool dryer balls to conserve energy and dry clothes faster. A money saver that allows you to toss softener and dryer sheets, wool dryer balls can be reused again and again. Plus they can be scented with your favorite essential oils. I bought my wool dryer balls from Grove Co., rather than make my own, and I absolutely love them!

2. For everyday cleaning of kitchen countertops, use Full Circle’s Squeeze Cellulose Sponge Cloths or Grove Collaborative’s European Dish Cloths. They work like like super heavy duty paper towels, but are reusable rather than disposable. When they get dirty, simply toss them in the dishwasher the next time you run it.

3. Swap out the rinse aid for your dishwasher with plain white vinegar. You can add a few drops of a citrus based essential oil, if desired. Otherwise, switch to Seventh Generation’s eco-friendly rinse aid for a non-toxic shine.

4. The new front loading HE washers need to be cleaned out periodically. Ours automatically lets us know when it’s time for a deep clean. While the manufacturer suggests running a cycle with bleach to keep our washer from developing odors, a combination of distilled white vinegar and baking soda is a more eco-friendly choice. You should also leave your washer door open to prevent odors from developing faster than usual.

5. To save both time and money on cleaning essentials, I order all of my cleaning supplies from Grove Collaborative. Their discounted pricing makes the products I use everyday more affordable. They also offer auto-ship, not just for cleaning supplies, but also for the probiotics and personal care items I use regularly.

Unlike other auto-ship services, Grove reminds me well ahead of time that an auto-shipment is coming up. So I always have plenty of time to change the items in my cart as needed. I can remove everything from my cart – even if it’s on auto-ship for the month – if I’ve not run out of something or money is tight. I can also change the frequency of how often things come with ease. It’s truly effortless. And I’ve honestly never had any issues with having something ship without me be aware.

If you’re not already a Grove customer, you can totally score some awesome freebies right now! All new customers will receive the hand soap, dish soap and all purpose spray in Mrs. Meyer’s new spring scents along with their best selling walnut scrubber sponges. Plus you get a really cool bubble up soap dish. Just add soap and water to the spring loaded ceramic base. Then move the brush up and down to make super scrubby bubbles for pre-washing stubborn pots and pans or even simply hand washing. (It can also be used as a drain for your kitchen sponges.)

All you need to do is spend $20 on other products at Grove that you might need, including any of the products mentioned above. So basically you end up getting over $50 in products for $20. And shipping is free! Spend $39 and you’ll also get a free stoneware tray. Plus new customers also get a free 60 day VIP trial. I’ve been a VIP member since I’ve joined and it really pays off! As a VIP customer I get free shipping, free gifts, price matching, exclusive sales and personal service! Truly this is an amazing company. Check it out! (Delivery is carbon offset right to your doorstep!)

Now that I’ve shared my favorite eco-friendly spring cleaning tips, I’d love to hear your ideas as well! Be sure to leave a comment with your favorite spring cleaning tips in the comments so we can all learn from one another!

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Filed Under: Handmade Home, Health & Wellness, Lifestyle Tagged With: cleaners, cleaning hacks, cleaning products, cleaning recipe, cleaning solutions, cleaning tips, easy, eco-friendly, green cleaning, green living, healthy homemaking, healthy living, homemaking, housework, kitchen cleaner, life tips and tricks, spring, spring cleaning