Clean Green and Frugally

I started this blog as a place for people to get real green clean tips from a normal person. I hate those bloggers with the "perfect" lives and "perfect" homes. I will be the first to say that house is not clean, but I am enjoy the precious time I have with my little one know that he is growing up way too fast!

I also want to share the cleaners I personally have tested. I have never liked the store bought cleansers. So after I moved out and starting buying them myself I decided there had to be a better way. After a few years, of looking a trying things I have found a few things you can't live with out.

Number 1: Laundry detergent
Number 2: Dishwasher detergent (if you have one)
Number 3: A spray cleanser
Number 4: A scrub (either powdered like comet/ajax or a paste like soft scrub)

I wanted green alternatives. I searched and tested. Finally I have found my four cleaners I can not live with out! To make it even better, these are recipes that I know with free up some money in your budget. They will also take about 30 minutes to make all and they are safe to use every day!

The laundry detergent is great, and since I started making it THREE years ago, I have yet to buy regular laundry soap. I have even given some away to skeptical friends.

Dishwasher detergent, works and we liked it, but we had too many problems with it. Maybe in a few months, or a year, I will try it again. We are really liking the Seventh Generation, even with our hard water we don't need a rinse aid anymore.

A good spray cleaner is something every home needs. I can't decide between the regular or the orange infused...

A good kitchen scrub, or all purpose scrub, is something everyone needs. I am loving the fresh summer sent of my orange peel scrub.


There you have it, my top four must have green cleaners. I hope you enjoy them! Do any of you use them? Do you like them? If so, what is your favorite thing about them?

Homemaking Tuesday: Oranges Part II

This post has been in the wings for awhile! So here you go the second part of cleaning with oranges! I showed you how to infuse vinegar with orange peels back in October. Today, I will tell you about a scrub that I saw on Crunchy Betty.

I have said before, but I LOVE this lady's blog! 

I while ago when I was looking for what to do with all these orange peels I was tossing I saw Crunchy Betty's Grapefruit Scrub recipe. I thought that would be a great way to replace my store bought secret weapon, so that I an not using it as often.

Crunchy Betty uses borax in the scrub, and so while I was waiting to get some dried orange peels I did some research on borax. For myself, I have decided it is safe enough to use.

I also REALLY need to clean my stove top. I haven't cleaned it since Baby was born, and well... A picture is worth a thousand words right? (P.S. Don't judge me!)

Since my stove really needs a good scrub, I decided to make and try out this scrub. I think this is obvious but, I made my scrub following the recipe from Crunchy Betty, but used ORANGE peels not grapefruit.

Borax, Orange peels, and Baking Soda

I really should wipe off my stove more often... This is just after wiping with a wet rag!

Now for an interruption by my super cute baby!

Ah! Clean stove! (and the start of dinner...)

This scrub smells AMAZING! It works great, and I never doubted it wouldn't!

And another shot of my baby! Who will be 5 months on Saturday!!

Aye Carumba!!

I know I said I was back, but life with an infant is unpredictable! 

I hope to finish up some of those posts promised eons ago!

I also, of course, have some things in the work.

I do want to keep with blog up, so please stick with me!

Hello, World!

I am alive!! Sorry the blog has been a little neglected. Life is in a constant flux. A lot has happened since November, but my 'vacation' is over.

As you readers know, when I left for 'vacation' i n November I was 6 months pregnant. We had our little miracle baby in February! He is perfect, and even lets us sleep some nights.


Over the break I didn't get much done, except the Shower Experiment, so that will be posted soon. While I am adjusting to motherhood, there will not be the daily posts.

In the mean time here are some pictures of our perfect baby boy!

Thanksgiving and Cars

Happy November!! I hope everyone is having a good November so far. We are enjoying the slightly warmer weather, and I am hoping the snow stays away a little bit longer.

Last week, I mentioned I was going to take a little vacation from blogging during the holidays, it is still planned, but I think I might have a couple of posts here and there.

This week, look for posts about cars. The car maintenance series is getting finished this week! (No rain forecasted!!) Here is what you will have to look forward to with those:

Tuesday: Fluid Check
Wednesday: Jump Starting
Thursday: Lights
Friday: Emergency Kits

Because, it is November, and we all tend to think about things we are thankful for this month. There is a new tab at the top call the Thankful Tree. For the months of November and December, I will be adding to the tree things I am thankful for. It will get updated about once a week, and will stay all year round.

Finished Friday: Baby Sweater

It is Friday again, and I am so grateful! It has been a busy week.

Today, I want to show you another baby item. I will try to finish something this week that isn't baby related...

Baby's First Sweater

Notes on the Project:
I reclaimed some yarn for this project from a sweater my mom made. I made the newborn size sweater and hat. This was super fast to knit, and I hope our little one enjoys wearing it.

How to Clean an Oven Part III: The Finished Product

Oops! I forgot to publish this on Thursday!

It is finished! I have finally cleaned an oven. And it wasn't too hard. It did take me a couple of days, but that is because kneeling, leaning, and scrubbing was doing a number to my already sore lower back. Then I would get some Braxton Hicks contractions... But it was worth it!

So continuing for Tuesday with Step 5.

Step Five: Scrub Away!

I got a bucket and put some hot water in it to rinse my scrubbie out with. Please do not us steel wool, it will scratch the oven's coating. Use a nylon scrubbie. You can scrub in any order that you would like, I did door, side, top, back, side, bottom. It worked nicely for me.

Scrubbing away

Before Rinsing

Step Six: Rinse

Spray some vinegar water around the oven, to get all the cleaner out. I sprayed until there wasn't any bubbling around the bolts and things that are hard to get clean. Wipe down the oven and leave open for a couple hours to air dry.

Step Seven: Burn it!

Well, not really. Set you oven to the highest temp setting to burn off any cleaner residue, let it go for an hour or so.

Step Eight: Polish it

 After you let the oven cool, wipe it out again with a damp cloth and replace the racks. Now you are done and should back something wonderful in it!

Before and After

So it isn't perfect, but it is way cleaner!

Bottom of oven, before on left, after on right

Oven door, before on left, after on right

One side, before on left, after on right.