Take The Flats And Hand Washing Challenge

Just doing some random blog reading the other day.  It started as it usually does where I just googled some topics that interest me, and searched ‘family cloth’ (family cloth will be discussed another time), and I discovered this cloth diapering Mamma’s blog Dirty Diaper Laundry in particular I read with great interest this post Take The Flats and Handwashing Challenge I understand that money is tight for lots of people at the moment, but can you imagine my shock when I read the article that some families resort to reusing disposable diapers.  Could you imagine reusing a disposable diaper?  Could you imagine making a little baby sit in a dirty diaper one second longer than they need to, because money is that tight?  Just keeping diapers on babies is hard for some families.  I didn’t know this as my little guy is 10 years old, and hasn’t been in diapers for a long time.  So in reading Kim’s blog I was happy to read that she had a call for action.  That she had a challenge.  That she was trying to educate people that there are options.  You don’t have to use disposable diapers.  You don’t have to use a diaper service or pre-fold fabric diapers.  You can save money, and not have to keep buying disposables.  Please check out the link above to read about the Flats and Hand Washing Challenge May 23 – May 30.  I will not be able to 100% join in the challenge, but I will be doing my part, and hand washing a couple loads that week and hanging them to dry.  Kim has some great videos and resources to help get you all ready for that challenge.  The very least please check it out.

Natural Cleaners ~ Fabric For Dish Cloths

Ever since I was a little girl I've been sensitive to harsh cleaners.  I remember being at my Grandma's after she had shampooed her carpets & not being able to go into the living room as I wouldn't be able to stop coughing.  At home it was different due to cost my Mom made most of her cleaners so she used more natural ingredients.  As an adult when I started working cleaning Hotel rooms I developed very bad allergic reaction to cleaners on my hands, this was very bad eczema that would weep, ooze & cause me a lot of pain.  It was in dealing with this very bad eczema I cut out as many commercial cleaners as I could.  I'm lucky in that my eczema on my hands has cleared totally right up, but I'm not going back.  I love my natural cleaners.  Yeah sure they cost less, but that's not the reason I use them, though it is a benefit.  I use them, because natural cleaners means fewer chemicals in my house.  I feel better using my natural cleaners due to Chris' asthma & allergies.  I have no problem asking Jeremy to spray down the kitchen counter, because what he's going to use isn't toxic or harmful.  Not to mention I believe they work just as well if not better than any commercial cleaner out there.  I also get a certain 'stick it to the man feeling' knowing that's something I don't HAVE to buy...lol.  I keep my cleaners very simple & easy to mix up, because who am I kidding for me it has to be simple or I won't do it...lol.  Here are my very simple yet effective cleaners:

~ kitchen/general purpose cleaner ~ mixture of 50/50 water & white vinegar, two squirts of dish soap & about 10 drops of tea tree oil then put into spray bottle.

~ bath tub ~ just baking soda sprinkled onto a cloth & scrub works GREAT!

~ floors ~ very hot water, cup of vinegar & a squirt of dish soap

~ I also have norwex microfiber cloths that I love & work great on mirrors, but so does 50/50 water & vinegar

Let's Swap Your Scraps For Knitted Dish Cloths

I posted this yesterday Fabric for Dish Cloths please check it out.