Five Faves: My Fave Natural Concoctions for Home and Body

I'm going to share my five fave natural concoctions that I use in my home and on my family. Maybe someone will get a new idea from this!

1. Charlie's Soap (Charlie's is great; check 'em out!) +White vinegar!  My fave all purpose cleaner for bathroom floors, potty-training accidents, you name it. I add white vinegar and tea tree oil to this basic, non-toxic detergent. It doesn't just smell great, it really kills germs and mold! And leaves no toxic residue for little people or pets (or parents) to come in contact with.

2. Homemade baby wipes: Dr. Bronner's Castile soap +lavender essential oil +tea tree e.o. I mix up a bottle of this in an empty castile soap bottle and keep it by the changing table to pour over my cloth wipes. (Tip: tear or cut up cotton flannel baby receiving blankets into the size and shape you want for wipes. You may already have more of those blankets than you need; if not, buy super cheap at garage sales. If you use cloth diapers, it is so much simpler to also use cloth wipes!) I put just a dribble of soap and only a couple drops of each essential oil to the empty bottle, then fill with hot water. The soap and oils help remove stool and germs, and fight things like bacteria and yeast. They also prevent mold in the wipies container.

3. Wellness Mama homemade natural sunscreen, with wonderful smelling coconut oil, olive oil, neem oil and zinc oxide. Many of us have been hearing of the wonders of coconut oil. It is naturally spf 5 as well! And to me, that divine smell is what sunscreen should smell like. Check out WM's blog for a recipe and the natural SPF factors of various ingredients. (I didn't have beeswax, so I didn't put any in. My mixture is very liquid as a result. I have it in a little plastic pump-bottle). I saw 'neem' e.o. at my local health food store. (I go to Garden Patch Market; haven't yet entered Whole Foods in my town). Neem has a reputation for being soothing and healing for skin. It has an interesting scent that reminds me of sesame oil. But the real reason I bought it and put it in is because of this poem I used to read to my daughter:

From groves of spice, o'er fields of rice, athwart the lotus stream,

I bring for you, aglint with dew, a little, lovely dream.

Sweet, shut your eyes, the wild fireflies dance through the fairy neem,

From the poppy-bowl for you I stole a little lovely dream.

Dear Eyes, goodnight, in golden light the stars around you gleam.

On you I press, with soft caress, a little, lovely dream. 

4. Wellness Mama's recipe for underarm deodorant: (You better go check out her blog if you aren't already familiar. Great info). I made mine with lemongrass and lavender oils, and it smells heavenly and really works! I got to go thrift shopping for a cute little jar with a lid; I grab a dab and massage it on each morning, and I really think it works better than the brand name stuff we were buying! I just bought another, more masculine(?) little jar, so my husband is about to get some, too. I think I'll put tea tree and something else woodsy in his...

5. Bug repellant! We discovered this great, natural flea and tick repellant (this here) for our dog a few years back. My husband always says he smells like Christmas when we put it on. Turns out, cinnamon, peppermint, lemongrass and lots of other essential oils are toxic to insects while remaining harmless to most mammals! I have used this info to get rid of an ant problem just by spraying some lemongrass, peppermint, lavender and rosemary oils, mixed in a spray bottle with water, in the problem areas! We have started spritzing it on our skin* when we are out in the yard. Of course, Wellness Mama has bug repellant recipes on her site.

*It is important to follow some safety guidelines when using essential oils. A drop goes a long way! Keep them away from the faces of babies and small children! Keep most of them away from cats. Use water or a carrier oil, and do not ingest. Essential oils are natural, but even garlic can be toxic to babies in some circumstances! Do your research. Try out a few things, discover what you like, and enjoy!

Linking up with Five Faves, now hosted by Heather: http://www.mamaknowshoneychild.com/2014/07/five-favorites-kelly-style-finally/