I get a lot of questions about natural makeup options, and this was definitely one of the tougher things for me to find natural alternatives for. In college, I practically collected makeup, and had endless tubes and compacts of makeup that never even got half used.

While there are some good natural alternatives that you can buy (see list below), the cheapest, easiest and most natural way is to just make your own, and you might have all of the ingredients in your kitchen already!

Natural Skin Care

What you do to your skin before you use makeup is just as important as the makeup you use and there are some great natural options for skin care.

Personally, I’m a microfiber convert, and only use microfiber products with natural silver fibers (antibacterial) for washing my face and for make-up removal. This is truly the most natural option you can use, since you don’t even need soap (and microfiber is great for baby too… no chemicals to irritate skin!).

For deeper cleansing and moisturizing, I’ve also use the oil cleansing method, which leaves skin very soft and smooth. You can also use a natural sugar scrub (equal parts sugar and natural oil) or natural microdermabrasion (baking soda) to make skin look younger.

With proper skin care, the skin will be naturally healthy and you won’t even need to wear makeup most of the time. Most days, I skip the makeup altogether, but  when I do wear it, these are the recipes I use:

Natural Foundation

Homemade Option: At the recommendation of a friend who had used cocoa powder for natural bronzer, I started experimenting with natural foundation options, and came up with a recipe similar to a mineral make-up, though lighter, and smoother…

I start with a base of arrowroot powder (can also use cornstarch, but arrowroot works better) and then slowly add in cocoa powder and finely ground cinnamon powder until you get a shade close to your skin tone. You can then store in a jar or old powder container and use a brush to apply. It took me a few tries of mixing to get the color correct for my skin tone, but most days, a quick brush of this is all I need.

If you want to make it a more solid base so that only a little sticks to the brush, use a few drops of essential oil or vodka to mix with the powder and push down in a compact. This will make it hard like a regular compact.

I’ve thought about adding this combination to some homemade lotion to make a liquid foundation but haven’t tried it yet.

Commercial Options:If making makeup isn’t your thing but you still want some natural options, there are a few good choices. No commercial choice is as natural as the homemade option, but they are a tremendous improvement over any conventional options! Dr. Haushcka Translucent Foundation is the most natural liquid foundation I’ve found and my skin reacted well to it. I also loved Nvey Eco Liquid Foundation. I’ve also used Nvey Creme Foundation which is thicker and is mainly great as a concealer or under-eye cover.

For powdered foundation, my favorite one I’ve tried is Aubrey Organics Silken Earth which doesn’t have titanium dioxide like many of the mineral make-ups and which has almost completely natural ingredients.

Natural Bronzer/Blush

Homemade Option: Similar to above, natural bronzer and blush can be easily made with a base of arrowroot and by adding more cocoa powder and cinnamon to get a darker shade. I’ve also tried powdering dried beet root (in the dehydrator) or dried hibiscus flowers to add a pink tone which works well as long as you can very finely powder them. Store in a shaker make-up container or an old compact.

Commercial Options: For natural blush, I love Aubrey Organic Silken Blush or Nvey Eco Powdered Blush.

Natural Eye Liner and Shadow

Homemade Options:Always be careful when using any products, even natural ones, near the eyes. I mix up several colors of eye shadow using cocoa powder (brown shades) Spirulina (green shades) and arrowroot (light shades). My favorite is just cocoa powder with a tiny bit of arrowroot mixed in for smoothness.

For eye-liner, I either use a tiny bit of cocoa powder mixed with coconut oil, or a tiny dab or activated charcoal on a slightly damp brush. Be careful not to get either one in the eye. I store the eye shadow in an old powdered eye shadow container and apply with my finger or a very slightly damp brush.

To make a smoother eyeliner, I mix equal parts of coconut oil and cocoa butter (about 1/2 ounce of each) and add about 1/2 tsp of activated charcoal to make a black eyeliner that is thicker. You can also do this with cocoa powder for a brown hue.

Commercial Options: Nvey Eco Powdered Eyeliner is the best I’ve used so far and is almost completely natural.

Natural Mascara

Homemade Option: I don’t wear mascara most days, but when I want a natural option, it is an easy one to make. In a small bowl, I just mix a few drops of Aloe Vera Gel from Mountain Rose Herbs, a couple drops of Vitamin E oil, and a pinch of activated charcoal (not very precise… I know). I mix it up as I use it, though you could also make and store in an old mascara container or in a small jar and just clean the mascara wand between uses. I brush it on with a clean mascara brush, or even a used Bass Toothbrush from OraWellness.

Commercial Options: The two natural ones I’ve tried and love are Nvey Eco Mascara and Organic Wear Natural.

Supplements for Skin Care

I’m firmly convinced that what you put into your body is just as important, if not more so, than what you put on it when it comes to skin health. I used to have terrible acne and since changing my diet and supplements, I don’t break out at all and my past scars have healed. The supplements that seemed to have made the biggest difference in skin health for me are:

• Fermented Cod Liver Oil- for the Vitamins A, D and K, Omega-3s and Antioxidants, all which are great for the skin.
• Gelatin – Which is a pre-cursor for collagen and has made my hair, skin and nails noticeably stronger and smoother (great for cellulite too).
• Magnesium- An anti-inflammatory and lacking in many people’s diets. Topical Magnesium Oil seems to be the most effective for skin health.

I’ve also switched to using microfiber for cleaning my skin, which leaves many of the natural oils in my skin and has made skin care a breeze.

Natural lip gloss and lipstick recipes coming soon

Ever made any makeup? What is the toughest thing to find natural versions of for you? Let me know below! 

Since we’ve been on the topic of homemade lotion bars the past couple of weeks, I figured I’d share the recipe for deodorant bars (or homemade deodorant sticks!)

This is similar to homemade sunscreen bars but without the zinc oxide for sun protection and with baking soda and arrowroot added in. These are slightly thicker than my original homemade deodorant recipe, which allows them to be used as a bar, or put into an old deodorant container.

Since the homemade lotion bars, sunscreen bars and deodorant bars all use many of the same ingredients, you can order these in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs or find them locally and save a lot of money on your family’s personal care products.

I also love Frugally Sustainable’s idea of adding probiotics to the recipe to help balance good bacteria and prevent odor, and I tried it with this recipe. If you have very sensitive skin or really struggle with odor, this might be a great option for you also!

Try making your own deodorant if you haven’t already… you’ll not only save money and avoid chemicals, but I’ve found the homemade versions work better too!

The Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup shea butter, cocoa butter or mango butter (or a mix of all three equal to 1 part)
• 1/2 cup + 1 tsp  beeswax
• optional: Vitamin E oil to preserve. I added 1 tsp vitamin E oil for  this recipe)
• 3 tablespoons baking soda (Omit this if you have sensitive skin and just use extra arrowroot)
• 1/2 cup organic arrowroot powder
• 2-3 capsules of high quality probiotics that don’t need to be refrigerated (I love Bio Kult brand)
• optional: Essential oils of choice – I used about 20 drops of lavender essential oil

This recipe can be adjusted to make any quantity that you’d like by increasing the amount of ingredients used. This batch made enough deodorant for my husband and I for about 2-3 months. You could also cut the recipe in half if you want to make a smaller amount.

How to Make:

Combine coconut oil, shea (or other) butter, and beeswax in a double boiler, or a glass bowl over a smaller saucepan with 1 inch of water in it.

Turn the burner on and bring water to a boil. Stir ingredients constantly until they are melted and smooth:

Remove from heat and add the vitamin E oil, baking soda, arrowroot powder, probiotics, and essential oils. Make sure the mixture is not hot to the touch (warm is ok) so that the heat doesn’t kill the probiotics.

Gently stir by hand until all ingredients are incorporated.

If you will be making these into bars, pour into muffin tins or other molds while still liquid. If you will be putting into an old deodorant container to use like stick deodorant, let the mixture harden for about 15-20 minutes at room temperature to harden and when it is about the consistency of peanut butter, use a spoon to scoop into the deodorant tube and pack down to fill. Then, leave the cap off overnight to completely harden before using.

Enjoy!

Next week, we’ll move on to natural make-up and hair product recipes! Any specific requests?

Have you ever made your own personal care products? How did it go? Let me know below!

Chamomile is one of the most well-known herbs, and one I wouldn’t be without, especially with small children.

It is widely available in tea form, but can also be made into capsules or tinctures or used in cosmetic applications.

Chamomile flowers are mildly sedative, making them wonderful for improving sleep quality and relaxation. I use chamomile in place of Tylenol for teething or colicky babies, and on my own stomach after giving birth to help ease the after pains.

I’ve also heard of natural doctors using a strong chamomile tincture as a nervine to reduce cravings in patients who are stopping smoking or drug use. It is a good herbal source of Magnesium, which is one of the top supplements I recommend.

Ways to Use Chamomile:

• As an herbal tea before bedtime to help improve relaxation and sleep
• As a tincture (internally or externally) for muscle pain or for teething children (on the gums)
• As a tincture for children who have trouble sleeping or who are emotionally upset
• As a strong brewed tea in the hair to naturally lighten blonde tones
• To help relax during emotional or physical distress (I use the tincture internally during labor to help ease contractions and help me relax)
• Internally and externally for headache relief
• As a tincture to help calm hyper children
• For pink eye: Pour a small amount of boiling water over a chamomile tea bag and soak on the eye for about 15 minutes a few times a day (wait until its cool) OR make a strong tea with it and use a soaked cotton ball to wipe the eye every hour throughout the day and infection should be gone within 24-36 hours. Can also sleep with a cotton ball “patch” on the eye to help remove the infection.

Where to Get:

• As with most herbs, I buy in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs as this is the cheapest way to order and I am confident in the quality of their herbs.
• I highly recommend making a chamomile tincture (instructions here) as the flowers can easily lose their natural oils, which make them effective. You can also buy a pre-made tincture if you’d prefer not to make your own.
• There are also capsules available, though I would not suggest a concentrated dose like this for children, and this would be more effective when stopping a tobacco or drug addiction as overseen by a natural doctor.
• You can also, of course, get Chamomile tea bags, which is the most widely available form of chamomile.

Notes: Chamomile is generally considered a safe herb for anyone, including during pregnancy, but in very rare cases it can cause an allergic reaction in those with ragweed allergies, so use caution if you have these types of allergies.

Do you use chamomile? What is your favorite use? Share below!

I’ve had fun lately creating a lot of different varieties of lotion bars. I started with the basic recipe and realized that the options were truly endless for variations.

Another of my favorites so far is the sunscreen bar!

It’s basically a bar version of my homemade sunscreen, and it avoids all the chemicals and potential carcinogens in regular sunscreen. It’s also easier to apply, since it is in a bar (use it almost like soap) and easier for kids to do themselves. I would recommend keeping it in the cooler if you take it to the beach, because it will start to get soft when the temperature hits the high 80s, but it will store well at room temperature.

I’d also encourage experimenting with how much coverage you want based on how much Zinc Oxide you add to the recipe, as this will be a smoother and thinner (and more waterproof) coverage than the basic sunscreen recipe.  When possible, it is also important to spend some time in the sun without sunscreen for vitamin D production and there are some supplements and high nutrient foods that will help you avoid burn when you don’t use sunscreen.

Sunscreen Bar Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut oil (I get mine here)
• 1 cup shea butter, cocoa butter or mango butter (or a mix of all three equal to 1 cup)
• 1 cup beeswax (can add an extra ounce or two if you want a thicker consistency, which leaves less lotion on the skin when used)(I get mine here)
• 2 tablespoons (or more) of Zinc Oxide (available online or in many stores on the diaper aisle, just make sure it is pure zinc oxide- For those concerned about contaminants or nano-particles, this version has larger particles)
• optional: Vitamin E oil to preserve. I added 1 tsp vitamin E oil for  this recipe made with 1 cup of each ingredient)
• optional: a few drops of vanilla or essential oil for scent (do not use citrus oils!)

How to Make:

Combine all ingredients (except zinc oxide and essential oils if using) in a double boiler, or a glass bowl over a smaller saucepan with 1 inch of water in it.

Turn the burner on and bring water to a boil. Stir ingredients constantly until they are melted and smooth:

Remove from heat and add the zinc oxide powder and  essential oils.

Gently stir by hand until essential oils are incorporated.

Carefully pour into molds or whatever you will be allowing the lotion bars to harden in. I used these silicon baking cups, though any mold would work. This recipe exactly filled 12 silicon baking cups when I made it.

Allow the lotion bars to cool completely before attempting to pop out of molds. These could be made in different shaped molds for different holiday gifts (hearts for valentines, flowers for Mother’s day, etc) or made in a square baking pan and then cut into actual bars.

They can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge or freezer for longer term storage. Keep below 80 degrees or they will melt! Adjust coverage to your needs and be careful not to burn while determining how long you can spend in the sun with these.

It is also important to protect your skin internally by making sure that your body has the nutrients it needs to avoid burning, even when you don’t use sunscreen.

If you missed it last week, I’ve recently become obsessed with microfiber cleaning. I still love all of my homemade cleaning products and still use them, but not nearly as much since I’ve found microfiber.

I love that one cloth can literally clean my entire kitchen from ceiling to floor without any chemicals. I found that microfiber cloths clean better than any other cleaning method I’d used before and since no cleaning products are needed, cleaning is much faster. Since I started using microfiber, these are the biggest changes I’ve noticed:

• Every night, my kitchen is completely spotless and it takes less than 10 minutes to do it (dishes aside…). I clean the cabinets, counters, stainless steel appliances, and even mop the floor in that time!
• While the kids are in the bathtub each night, I clean the bathroom in about 5 minutes with the microfiber cloth I have hanging on the inside of the bathroom cabinet. Once or twice a week I still clean the toilet bowl with a regular toilet brush and some vinegar and baking soda, but the mirror, counters, shower walls, tub and floor stay clean each day.
• Our entire house has hardwood floors and the wet and dry mop combination make sweeping and mopping much faster. The mop is pretty wide, so I can use the dry attachment to quickly sweep and the wet one to quickly mop. Since not much water is needed, it dries in a couple of minutes and no chemicals are needed.
• I don’t feel like the house is clean unless the windows are clean, and our backdoor is glass. The Envirocloth and the polishing cloth clean the windows, so even though I have to do this daily to keep the dog nose art and kids handprints off, it doesn’t take any time and I don’t need vinegar anymore. So far, I’ve gotten crayon, coconut oil, apple sauce, mashed banana, hairspray, butter and mud off the windows with this combination!
• Make-up removal is much faster with the body cloth, which even removes my waterproof eye makeup without a problem.
• My kids love dusting now because the dusting mitt is so fun.
• Since the cloths are different colors, I’ve designated one per room, so we won’t be using one that has been used in the bathroom in the kitchen or vice versa. This also makes it really easy to spot clean the entire house.

Why Norwex?

I looked at several brands before choosing Norwex, and chose this brand for several reasons:

1. They were the highest quality microfiber I’d seen and once I tried it myself, I was really impressed with how well they cleaned.
2. They have a 2-year warranty! So even though I use them really hard, they’ll replace them if they stop working before that time.
3. The natural antibac properties of the silver woven into the fibers put my mind at ease about using the same cloth over and over.
4. Did I mention they clean really well?

I didn’t even realize just how well they cleaned until the first time I washed them. I’d been carefully rinsing them out and drying them after each use but after about 4 days, decided I needed to wash them all. I ran a mini-load of just 6 microfiber cloths that I had already rinsed out in the sink. This is what happened:

First of all…. EWWW that there was that much dirt in my house, but I was in shock that the microfiber had pulled out that much dirt, even after I’d rinsed it out (and only in a few days!)

I’m also convinced that I’ll save a lot of money with microfiber since I won’t even need to use natural cleaning products as much. The one downside to trying microfiber is that they are slightly more expensive up front. Norwex cloths are more expensive than the bulk pack you can get at Sam’s Club, but I’ve found that the difference is well worth it.

Even though I know they are worth every penny, I wanted to make it easier for you guys to get to try microfiber if you haven’t already.

With the Mop Set, the Household Package and the Kitchen Collection, I can literally clean my whole house from top to bottom! There’s actually a special this month on the Essentials set that would give you enough microfiber to clean the house (except the mop) for a great price.

If you’re not interested in trying microfiber but still want to clean your house as naturally (and inexpensively) as possible, here are some of my favorite recipes for natural cleaners:

Make Your Own Natural Homemade Laundry Detergent-Video Tutorial
Natural Stain Treatment Reference Sheet [Printable]
Natural Homemade Laundry Detergent
Natural All-Purpose Cleaner Recipe
Natural Oven Cleaning
Natural Homemade Glass Cleaner Recipe
Easy Homemade Scouring Powder Recipe

Happy Cleaning!

Disclaimer: I am a Norwex independent distributor and do earn a small commission on any Norwex products you buy through my link. I was not paid to write this post and all views are completely my own. If you do decide to purchase any Norwex products, thank you for supporting my blog Warmly, Katie

Nettle is one of my favorite herbs (though not to pick itself, due to its common name: Stinging Nettle). It is packed with nutrients and is even one of the ingredients in my homemade pregnancy tea that I always drink throughout pregnancy.

Nettle is available in both root and leaf form, and even a powdered version of the leaf (pictured above) which I add to my veggie smoothies.

I’ve found it especially useful for allergies and asthma, but its diuretic and blood pressure reducing abilities have been studied in the medical world. From Mountain Rose Herbs:

Nettle’s purported anti-inflammatory effects have been repeatedly confirmed by modern research over the past ten years. It is particularly effective in treating allergic rhinitis, relieving nearly all the symptoms of itchy, watery eyes, sneezing and runny nose. It also has performed better than the prescription drug furosemide in reducing blood pressure, increasing urine output as a diuretic and increasing salt excretion. It also seems to be effective in reducing pain and producing a sedative effect. It is important to keep in mind that the medicinal effects of the leaf and root of the nettle are markedly different. Nettle root, for instance, shows exceptional efficacy in treating prostate complaints in men. Nettle leaf has some of the same effects, but not to the same extent. The leaf, on the other hand, shows some promise in boosting immune system function and is an effective treatment for many skin conditions. One final use should be noted and that is nettle leaf has been used as a hair and scalp treatment for centuries, and again, those uses are being supported by research as well. Nettle leaf extract seems to promote hair regrowth and thicken hair, as well as reducing dandruff and scalp conditions when used as a rinse.

These same properties make Nettle a remedy for Urinary Track Infections, Kidney Stones and respiratory infections. Though long-term daily use is not recommended, I typically use nettle leaf tea or capsules for acute allergy reactions or urinary track infections.

Nettle leaf is very high in Chlorophyll and Vitamins C and A. It contains trace minerals and is also known as a blood purifier.

 Where to get Nettle

I buy Nettle as a bulk herb from Mountain Rose Herbs because it is cheaper when I order herbs in bulk and I get up to a 30% discount when ordering in bulk. Capsules are also available on Amazon or in most health food stores.

Persons using blood thinners or blood pressure lowering medications should not use nettle leaf without consulting with a doctor. If you have any medical condition, consult with your doctor before using this herb or any herb.

If you’re brave enough to handle the sting, you can also try to harvest it yourself (just make sure you are 100% sure of any herb before eating one you harvest yourself). Here’s a great tutorial on how to find and harvest it.

Ever used Nettle? Did you pick it yourself? Share below!

I’ve finally reached a point where I make all of our toiletry products by hand. I’ve saved a lot of money doing this with bulk ingredients, and I love that I’m not putting any chemicals on my family’s skin. (Finally even replaced my make-up with homemade versions and more on that coming soon!)

I’ve made lotion in the past, but was excited to stumble on this great variation, which is solid at room temperature and looks like a bar of soap. It is also even easier to make than lotion because it doesn’t require any emulsifying with water, which is the tough step. These are solid at room temperature like a bar of soap, but when rubbed on the skin, a tiny amount melts and is transferred to the skin, leaving a highly moisturizing and very thin layer.

There are endless variations on this lotion bar recipe too. You could add any mixture of essential oils, or add zinc oxide to make a diaper rash bar. I’ve also modified for a deodorant bar that is more like stick deodorant (that recipe coming soon) and travels well. I’m infusing oil for a neosporin imitation bar and my homemade sunscreen bars are drying now (I’ll post those too!)

These are fun presents, and could be made for baby shower gifts, birthdays, Christmas gifts or for pregnant moms to use to prevent stretch marks. Did I mention it is super easy?

The Ingredients:

• 1 part coconut oil
• 1 part shea butter, cocoa butter or mango butter (or a mix of all three equal to 1 part)
• 1 part beeswax (can add an extra ounce or two if you want a thicker consistency, which leaves less lotion on the skin when used)
• optional: Vitamin E oil to preserve. I added 1 tsp vitamin E oil for  this recipe made with 1 cup of each ingredient)

This recipe can be adjusted to make any quantity that you’d like. I made with 1 part=1cup so I used 1 cup of coconut oil, 1 cup beeswax and 1/3 cup each of shea butter, cocoa butter and mango butter (though I could have used 1 cup of any of the individual ones). I also added about 50 drops of lavender essential oil. I set them in silicon baking cups though any mold or shape would work. The recipe I used made exactly 12 lotion bars.

How to Make:

Combine all ingredients (except essential oils if using) in a double boiler, or a glass bowl over a smaller saucepan with 1 inch of water in it.

Turn the burner on and bring water to a boil. Stir ingredients constantly until they are melted and smooth:

Remove from heat and add the essential oils.

Gently stir by hand until essential oils are incorporated)

Carefully pour into molds or whatever you will be allowing the lotion bars to harden in. I used these silicon baking cups, though any mold would work.

Allow the lotion bars to cool completely before attempting to pop out of molds. These could be made in different shaped molds for different holiday gifts (hearts for valentines, flowers for Mother’s day, etc) or made in a square baking pan and then cut into actual bars.

 Super Easy and only three ingredients! Ever used a lotion bar? Will you make these? Share below!

So far, we’ve tackled cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms with all natural methods and without the use of chemicals. Next on the list: the bedrooms and general areas of the house. I included checklists for each room, including the kitchen and bathrooms, for easy reference.

For the most part, these areas often require as much organizing as cleaning, so I’ll be including some organizing ideas today as we go through the house and checklist. Feel free to print the checklists below, or you can print my Room Cleaning Checklist from my Home Management Binder and customize to each room (Free printables here). I keep mine in protective binder sheet (tape the top closed) and the kids can use them to clean each room.

Living Areas

1. Pick up everything on floors and move to appropriate areas.
2. Open windows for some ventilation or turn on an air filter if you have one.
3. Starting with the highest points (top of door and window frames) and moving down, dust furniture with a damp rag or microfiber cloth. Remember to dust lights and fan blades.
4. Spot clean any spots on furniture using baking soda and water or liquid castille soap and a damp rag.
5. Wash any blankets or throw pillows if needed.
6. Clean lamps with microfiber cloths or a damp rag with all-purpose cleaner. A hydrogen peroxide spray works to clean white lampshades.
7. Wash windows and windowsills with microfiber or 50/50 Vinegar/Water solution.
8. Remove blinds and wash in bathtub with vinegar and water or use some old rags and straight white vinegar.
9. Wipe down electronics and electronic screens with microfiber or rags with just plain water.
10. Use a damp rag or microfiber cloth to wipe down walls and switch plates.
11. Wipe down door s and door handles (use hydrogen peroxide if anyone has been sick)
12. Mop floors with microfiber or with a cup of vinegar in a gallon of water and a wet mop.

Bedrooms

1. Pick up everything on floors and move to appropriate areas.
2. Open windows for some ventilation or turn on an air filter if you have one.
3. Starting with the highest points (top of door and window frames) and moving down, dust furniture with a damp rag or microfiber cloth. Remember to dust lights and fan blades.
4. Spot clean any spots on furniture using baking soda and water or liquid castille soap and a damp rag.
5. Wash any blankets or throw pillows if needed.
6. Remove clothes from drawers, wipe down drawers and return clothes.
7. Clean lamps with microfiber cloths or a damp rag with all-purpose cleaner. A hydrogen peroxide spray works to clean white lampshades.
8. Wash windows and windowsills with microfiber or 50/50 Vinegar/Water solution.
9. Remove blinds and wash in bathtub with vinegar and water or use some old rags and straight white vinegar.
10. Wash sheets.
11. Hand pillows and mattress pads in the sun for 2-3 hours to remove bacteria and air out.
12. Dust, sweep or mop under bed.
13. Use a damp rag or microfiber cloth to wipe down walls and switch plates.
14. Wipe down door s and door handles (use hydrogen peroxide if anyone has been sick)

Bathrooms

1. Open windows for some ventilation or turn on an air filter if you have one.
2. Starting with the highest points (top of door and window frames) and moving down, dust furniture with a damp rag or microfiber cloth.
3. Take everything out of cabinets and closets and re-organize and refold. Wipe down shelves and inside with damp rag and all-purpose cleaner.
4. Scrub down and clean shower and tub. Vinegar and water works well and homemade scouring powder will work on tough scum and messes.
5. Clean outside of toilet with hydrogen peroxide and inside with vinegar and baking soda and a brush.
6. Shine mirror and windows with microfiber or with vinegar water (50/50) mix and a clean rag.
7. Wipe down counters and sink with all-purpose cleaner or microfiber.
8. Clean floor and grout (use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide for stained grout).

Other bathroom cleaning tips and specific recipes here.

Kitchen

1. Open windows for some ventilation or turn on an air filter if you have one.
2. Starting with the highest points (top of door and window frames) and moving down, dust furniture with a damp rag or microfiber cloth. Don’t forget lighting fixtures and fans.
3. Take everything out of cabinets and closets and re-organize and refold. Wipe down shelves and inside with damp rag and all-purpose cleaner.
4. Wash cabinet doors and knobs with microfiber or all-purpose cleaner.
5. Wipe down appliances.
6. Clean inside of oven with baking soda and water paste (more info here)
7. Remove food from fridge and freezer and clean inside with a 50/50 vinegar and water solution or microfiber. Return food to proper places.
8. Pull out fridge and stove and clean underneath them with a vinegar and water solution.
9. Dust refrigerator coils and clean out grate at front of refrigerator.
10. Remove everything from counter tops and wipe down counters and backsplash. Wipe down each appliance and counter item before returning it.
11. Clean dishwasher by running it empty with a bowl of vinegar (more info here)
12. Clean sink and fixture with microfiber or undiluted vinegar on a wet rag.
13. Sweep and mop flour and clean grout if needed.

More specific kitchen instructions and cleaning recipes are here.

Laundry Room/Area

1. Open windows for some ventilation or turn on an air filter if you have one.
2. Starting with the highest points (top of door and window frames) and moving down, dust furniture with a damp rag or microfiber cloth. Don’t forget lighting fixtures and fans.
3. Take everything out of cabinets and shelves and re-organize and refold. Wipe down shelves and inside with damp rag and all-purpose cleaner.
4. Wash cabinet doors and knobs with microfiber or all-purpose cleaner.
5. Wipe down washer and dryer with wet rag and all-purpose cleaner.
6. Wash inside of washing machine, removing the inner part and washing in the sink if you don’t have an HE washer.
7. Remove dryer lint trap and wash with dishwashing liquid to remove film.
8. Wipe down all walls, baseboards and other flat surfaces to remove dust.
9. Sweep and mop flour and clean grout if needed.

What did I miss? Do you have a cleaning checklist? 

If you are like me and have boys, it is probably also one of your least favorite places to clean. Luckily, a checklist and some natural cleaners can make quick work of cleaning the bathroom.

Mirrors

Just like windows, mirrors can be cleaned with a 50/50 Vinegar and Water mix in a spray bottle and wiped with old rags from cut-up t-shirts or newspaper (paper towels leave a lot of residue with this method).

The easiest way, if you have them, is to use microfiber cloths (1 regular one wet, and one polishing one dry or just one regular wet one and one regular dry) to clean without the need for chemicals at all.

Counters, Tile, Shower, Tub

If you have it, you can use microfiber for all of these. I’ve even found it to be effective on soap scum in the shower.

If not, there are other natural options that work great too:

• A 50/50 Vinegar/water solution will clean tile, counters, cabinet fronts and soap scum in the shower
• A baking soda and water paste will clean stuck on gunk in the shower and tub (use vinegar instead of water for really tough stains).
• For grout, I sprinkle baking soda on the floor and spray with undiluted hydrogen peroxide and scrub with a gentle toothbrush
• For stained tubs and really, really tough messes, this homemade scouring powder works great, though it isn’t needed for regular cleaning
• For wall tile, painted door frames, spots on the doors, outside of toilet, etc, my homemade all purpose cleaner will clean and disinfect

Toilets

About once  a week, I sprinkle some baking soda around the inside of the toilet to coat, then dump a cup of undiluted white vinegar into the water. I use a reusable toilet brush to scrub and the chemical reaction of the baking soda and vinegar removes stains and any lingering smell. This also works externally (I use on the bottom of the toilet and the floor) to remove that “boy” smell from bathrooms.

I’ve also found that the urine smell that can linger (especially with potty-training boys) is often hiding in the hinges of the toilet seat and under the bolt caps on the side of the toilet. At our house, these get removed every 2 weeks or so and thoroughly cleaned.

I finish up toilet cleaning with a spray and wipe down with undiluted hydrogen peroxide.

Air Freshening

Products like Febreeze and Lysol spray have a host of chemicals that can be really harmful, especially to children. To freshen the bathroom without the toxins, try these natural ideas:

• These two spray recipes from Keeper of the Home make easy and natural air freshening sprays
• Here is another recipe for an air freshener in a jar that you can use anywhere in the house that need freshening

Dyno-mom also has a great checklist that she uses with her kids and shares her schedule for making sure the bathroom stays clean.

How do you clean your bathroom? What is your least favorite room to clean? Let me know in the comments below!

The next 5 posts will cover how to naturally clean your house from ceiling to floor without using harsh chemicals.

Today, we tackle the kitchen.

Why the kitchen first? It has to be cleaned the most often, has the most different types of surfaces to clean, and the surfaces of the kitchen come into contact with our food (and vice versa) so not cleaning it well has the most potential for harm.

It is also a place where harmful chemicals often lurch, despite the fact that this is where they are the most dangerous. I’ll share my best tips for cleaning the kitchen naturally, and please share yours in the comments!

Cabinets

At my house, cabinets get food, fingerprints and wall art (mainly the lower ones) from my four little aspiring Picassos, and these can be a pain to clean. Lately, I’m hooked on microfiber to clean these with just water, but another great solution is a natural all-purpose cleaner and a clean rag (I use cut up old t-shirts and towels).

Counters and Table

The All-Purpose Cleaner also works great on countertops and tables. I’ve used it on granite and formica and it doesn’t leave residue. I would not recommend specific granite cleaning sprays, as these are some of the worst offenders in the chemical department. Do not use vinegar/lemon or anything acidic on granite as this can erode the finish and wear down the stone. You can also use a homemade alcohol based cleaner for tough messes and great shine, but I wouldn’t use it everyday.

Floors

Depending on your type of floors, the type of cleaning will vary, but any floor can be cleaned naturally. For laminate, ceramic, etc, a mixture of 1 cup vinegar in a gallon of water on a wet mop will clean really well. You can use the All-purpose cleaner to pre-treat any tough stains. There are also other options for carpet and hardwood.

For tile and grout, I sprinkle with baking soda and then spray with hydrogen peroxide and leave for a few minutes before scrubbing and then wiping off. This is the only way I’ve found to keep grout white.

I’ve switched to microfiber on this and am looking forward to my microfiber mop coming in, but in the meantime I just clean the floor by hand. (P.s. go enter the microfiber giveaway if you want to try it too! Through 4/23)

Dishwashing

For natural dish soap, I use Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castille or the Dishwashing Liquid from Tropical Traditions. I’ve tried many natural variations of homemade dishwasher detergent, but usually default to Tropical Traditions Dishwasher Soap since it is the best natural option I’ve found.

To clean the dishwasher itself, I put a bowl or two on the top shelf of the dishwasher right side up and fill it with undiluted white vinegar. I then just run the dishwasher as usual (no other dishes in it) and this removes soap scum and makes the dishwasher run more efficiently. This is on my once-a-month to do list.

Oven Cleaning

I have a self-cleaning oven but don’t like to use that feature, unless it is an especially cold day in winter as it heats the house up a lot. The easiest way I’ve found besides using the self-clean is to spray water over the bottom of the oven and dump on a lot of baking soda (about 1/4-1/2 inch think) and then spray with more water to make a paste. Then, I leave it overnight. In the morning, I scrape out all the baking soda mixture (which is brown by this point) and then use a wire brush to scrub any tough spots. After all the baking soda has been wiped off, a vinegar and water rinse will leave a spot free shine.

Garbage Disposal

I use my garbage disposal a lot and sometimes it gets that not-so-lovely odor. To combat this, there are a couple of options:

• cut a lemon in half, shove in garbage disposal and grind (with water running) for 10 seconds.
• Freeze lemon and orange peels in ice cube trays with vinegar or water and throw these in and grind for 10 seconds
• pour 1/2 cup of baking soda in and then 1 cup of distilled white vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes before running the water and and the disposal

Cast Iron

This won’t be in everyone’s kitchen, but we use cast iron a lot (haven’t had trouble with anemia during pregnancy since we started that). I try not to use soap on cast iron since it ruins the seasoning that takes so long to accomplish. Instead I use a steel scouring pad and some regular salt and scrub. This usually gets them clean without any trouble.

Paper Products

We’ve finally transitioned to paper free in our kitchen, and I won’t ever go back. We actually bought several hundred cloth napkins for our wedding years ago, and we still use those, though if I ever replace them, I’ll replace them with a darker color to hide the stains they have now. A couple of dozen cloth napkins will last a family between washes and will save a lot of money and waste in the long run.

We also use extra dish towels instead of paper towels and just replace them every six months to a year, which is still cheaper than buying paper towels.

Produce Washing

The way I wash produce largely depends on where it came from and what it is. For stuff from our garden, it gets a light wash in water before use. For store bough produce with tough skin, I soak in vinegar for about 10 minutes, and then lightly scrub with my hands after I’ve dipped them in baking soda. I do this before placing them in the fridge so that the chemicals don’t transfer to the fridge and so the kids can get their own fruits and veggies for snacks. I’ve also tried a hydrogen peroxide and water spray, and this seems to work for softer skin fruits and veggies like peaches or grapes or berries (1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide in 2 cups of water- stored in a dark bottle!).

What is Under My Sink

I keep it simple with kitchen cleaning. Under the sink, I have bottles of white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, Dr. Bronners, baking soda, my homemade cleaner, microfiber cloths and assorted cloths and scrubbing brushes. I’m yet to find a mess I can’t tackle with this regimen. (on a related note- I keep everything under my sink in a boot tray (from Home Depot) that typically goes by the backdoor so that I can remove them all at once to clean under the sink)

Kitchen Cleaning Checklist

Today, lets all get our kitchens naturally clean! Take the chemicals to a hazardous waste disposal place and stop using them!! I’ve found this checklist from Real Simple helpful to clean the kitchen from the top down. You can also download my personal organizing printables that have  my chore lists, room-by-room checklists and daily to-do lists to help make the process easier.

I’ve also found that I can accomplish everything above using just microfiber cloths and I have a feeling that even the homemade natural cleaners will be disappearing from my kitchen soon…

Go clean and  come back here and let me know how you did!

What is your best kitchen cleaning tip? Do you have any natural tips or suggestions for natural kitchen cleaning?