I like to post on this, but usually do it from my cooking blog so I thought you could indulge me…

Great Recipes for Keeping it Clean and Green:

Rub-a-Dub Tub Scrub 
(or “Because I have 3 men in my tub scrub”?)

  1. In a mixing bowl pour about equal amounts of baking soda and Borax.  (What I do is take 2 jars, fill one almost full of Borax and the other almost full of baking soda.  Then I pour them both into a bowl.)
  2. Pour in some True Lemon powder (you can use True Orange or Lime also, or citric acid if you can get it) just enough to scent the mix, about 2-4 Tablespoons more or less.
  3. Mix and put back in your jars!

To use:  Wet bathtub or sink.  Sprinkle tub scrub in tub.  Watch the fun!  It bubbles when it gets wet!
Scrub and watch the sparkles!  This smells yummy too.


Laundry Detergent

1 cup Washing Soda (you can get this at most grocery stores now)
1/2 cup Borax
7-10 drops of tea tree oil (disinfectant and antibacterial)
*You can add other essential oil drops if you want a scent but I don’t
1/4 cup or so of Dr. Bronner’s Baby Castile liquid soap
4 quarts hot water (first) then added about 8 more quarts

Mix it in a bowl with a whisk because the washing soda (soda ash) gets hot when it gets wet. (Luckily I knew this from my pool or I’d have probably burned my hands trying to get the clumps out.) Let sit for about 20 minutes to cool off, then put in containers.  I use old detergent bottles and glass bottles.
Very inexpensive and effective!
Natural Deodorant
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup baking soda
*If you have sensitive skin (like me) use more cornstarch and less soda to still equal 1/2 c total.
10 drops essential oil (I like tea tree or bergamot)
Mix it all together(takes about 2 seconds)
You can use it just like that- dust it on as a powder
OR if you want to put it in a stick form you add
2-3 tbs coconut oil (I use more and a little water because it’s been dry here and seems to crumble if I don’t.) you find it in the baking aisle by the shortening (also good as a skin cream and lip balm)
Once you have it all mixed up you pack it into an old, empty stick deoderant container.  You will have to add and pack and keep this up until you get to the top.  I like to use a small baby spoon to help pack it down tightly.
Let “cure” about 24 hours for it to hold together properly when you apply it.
This really works well, especially with the tea tree oil/bergamot mixture.  Haven’t tried the powder form. Makes about 2 sticks in a normal ladies’ sized container.