BlogHer - DIY - Comments

wow! awesome tips

Tessa_W — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:51:42 -0600

I have been starting to "go green" with my housecleaning products. I mostly just use water in the kitchen with anitbacterial cloths (from Norwex). I've also stopped using bleach in my white bathroom (hated that stuff but couldn't find anything else to work) and switching to Norwex bathroom cleaner.

I'm going to try the litterbox sprinkle and diaper pail ball. Maybe I can even get my husband to try the deoderant (I don't normally use anything actually)!

I don't have a baking soda tip but I have a bar of saponified olive oil in my bathroom and I have found that my water will stain the rest of my white tub yellow, except where it runs over the soap. Which tells me it not only cleans but doesn't leave a residue that grime can build up on. So maybe olive oil is another way of cleaning stuff, or maybe it's just the saponified version.

www.aimedattheheart.blogspot.com

I love docorating and giving

midnightbliss — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:54:24 -0600

I love docorating and giving gifts during chirtsmas, its a magical feeling but during this time that we spend so much, so one way I can save with my decorations at home, is making christmas decorations from old unused decorations or things that I can find at home. So every chistmas we have a different decorations at a minimal expense.

Cute! Do you find that the

greenlagirl — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:21:25 -0600

Cute! Do you find that the friends who receive the gifts in the bags tend to reuse the bags?

green LA girl

DH makes cloth gift bags

Laurie PK — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:43:47 -0600

My husband sews his own cloth Christmas gift bags every year.....very green and eco-friendly, but I miss the joy of tearing open wrapping paper! For some reason, opening a bag just isn't as exciting...but I love DH for making those cloth bags. :-)

Laurie

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Hellish heartburn

Beth Terry — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:26:34 -0600

@blueberryjunkie There are so many recipes available on the web for DIY cleaning products that don't cost a small fortune, and they are non-toxic. I often wonder why so many of us are duped into believing we have to use all these chemicals and special preparations to have clean homes.

@Leighbra I hear you. My dad and I have heartburn too. The only reason I didn't add it to my list is because of the high sodium content and danger of people taking too much. I didn't realize it was used for that purpose in hospitals. Still, I like my Wintergreen-flavored Rolaids. :-)

Beth Terry
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Heartburn from hell...

Leighbra — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:20:01 -0600

I inherited my father's super fantastic acid reflux, and since we're out in the middle of nowhere, if I have no antacids, I've used baking soda for heart burn.

It works, but you have to be careful about injesting baking soda because of all the sodium. Read the directions, consult your doctor, yada yada nurse CYA.

We actually still use baking soda in the hospitals at times. Sometimes you can't argue with the old methods.

Great tips

blueberryjunkie — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:52:37 -0600

Thanks for these great tips. Ever since I became pregnant with my first child I ditched a lot of toxic products in favour of "green" products. So, I have been buying, and spending a small fortune on anything from laundry detergent, all purpose cleaners, shampoos, etc. I will definitely give baking soda a try, especially for household cleaning applications, and save some money.

Carla

Blueberry Junkie Blog

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My mother (a retired

Expat Mum — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:14 -0600

My mother (a retired teacher) always advises giving something teachers can use or eat. They have enough trinkets to last a lifetime. I usually give lovely tubes of handcream (not too smelly) which can be picked up for a few dollars from Avon, TJ Maxx etc. (If they have an allergy at least it's nice enough to pass on to someone else.)

The most popular gift I give is a hand made scarf from the beautiful, fluffy yarns you can get at the fabric and craft stores. It costs between $5 and $10 and if you can knit in plain stitch, you can do it. Take a big pair of needles (I use size 15), cast on about 20 stitches and you're good to go.

For someone really special, you can then pick up (or make) a pair of beaded ear-rings to match.

That is too funny

sassymonkey — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:54:19 -0600

When I started reading this post I was totally thinking about those tile coasters on Skip To My Lou. lol

We didn't have to give to multiple teachers and really only did it until I got into junior high (seventh grade). So we spent a little bit more. It was usually a gift certificate to the restaurant my mother worked at (enough for one meal, which didn't cost so much at the time) accompanied by a rose.

Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.

thanks for chiming in

Mir Kamin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:03:16 -0600

I'm so grateful for the different perspectives we can get here, Rachel, because I've had so many teachers tell me the opposite! It's good to have the reminder that it's somewhat a matter of personal preference, and your best bet is always to ask (either obliquely or straight out, as is appropriate to your relationship). I think a lot of the teachers who ask for stuff "for the room" probably have received a lot of popsicle-stick creations. ;)

--
Mir Kamin (BlogHer contributing editor) Personal: Woulda Coulda Shoulda Having it all with less: Want Not

As a former teacher....

Rachel May — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:47:48 -0600

I can unequivocally say that my very favorite gifts are those that included a heartfelt note from the parent or student. After eight years of teaching (and I'm not teaching this year), I still pull out those notes when I'm having a rough day.

I'm not sure how to put this without seeming kind of rude, so I'm just going to throw it out there on behalf of other teachers, too -- I actually don't like getting gifts "for the classroom". I'd much rather receive a gift certificate to someplace for *me*! Granted, I was a high school teacher, so elementary teachers may feel differently.... but for my son's teachers, I'd rather give them something that's specifically for *them*, not for their students. It seems a bit backward, actually, to give something that will ultimately be for my kid instead of for the teacher.

My son and I will be mixing up huge batches of dry spiced tea and hot chocolate mix, and packaging it in fun jars -- very frugal and also something he can help make. I'll include a note, and ask him to dictate one, too.

Great Ideas!

SpinDiva — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:43:25 -0600

I love some of these ideas. Thanks for sharing, I better get to it or the end of school will be here in no time.

http://www.familyinshape.typepad.com http://w

@beany, I'm glad the baking

Beth Terry — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:50:04 -0600

@beany, I'm glad the baking soda "shampoo" is working for you this time around. I am impressed, though, that you found a bottle of shampoo that would last an entire year. That's a good second choice, compared to most bottles that last a month.

@midnightbliss, if you do try the baking soda shampoo, please be sure and read the Guide and the Forum at the links I provided. Many people find that their scalp takes a few weeks to adjust if they have been using conventional shampoo and conditioner for a while. You may find you have a case of the greasies for a while until your scalp stops overcompensating for the lack of artificial moisturizers.

@LisaLaGrou, hope the baking soda soak works for you. I think it's a far better alternative than the chemicals in Efferdent. One person I spoke to said she adds vinegar to the solution to make it bubble like Efferdent. But after reading Melanie's post about not mixing vinegar and water, I don't think it's such a great idea.

@kazari, I do think the bubbles from the baking soda/vinegar can help to loosen baked-on yuckiness. However, it's not a good idea to mix them together in a bottle, as you'll end up with nothing more than salt water. Hope the deodorant works out for you! Please feel free to contact me at Fake Plastic Fish (http://fakeplasticfish.com) if you have questions.

@mashadutoit, I'm so sorry to hear about your poor dog, but glad the baking soda helped with the odor at least. That tidbit about little white dogs with the red around their eyes is very interesting. I've certainly noticed it but had no idea what it was from.

Beth Terry
www.fakeplasticfish.com
@fakeplasticfish
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Doggy Uses

mashadutoit — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:31:22 -0600

That tip about dog urine burns on the lawn is interesting. Going to try that out.

But here is my baking poweder tip - its the only thing that removed the smell of dog urine and vomit from my carpet.

My Anna was incontinent for a while, poor girl, and would leave big wet patches wherever she was lying. Stank like you would not believe.

Nothing worked. Not enzyme cleaners, not vinegar. But sprinkling a very healthy layer of baking powder on the carpet and working it in - leaving for a while and then vacuming it out completely removed all the smell.

Also worked for the time both my dogs vomited fish liver onto the carpet. That was a bad, bad moment.

I need to look it up, but I believe its also good for removing those red stains that white dogs get around their eyes and lips. The red is actually a kind of yeast that grows in the hair.

'Round these parts...

alladither — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:27:06 -0600

...which is Seattle, we give coffee cards. Always in fashion. And they can be used for coffee, yes. Or tea, cocoa, maybe even a MUG!

Angie www.AllAdither.com www.HalfAssedKitchen.com