Drain-O? Drain-Whoa!

We all rembember from making that volcano in elementary school that baking soda + vinegar = a frothy explosion.

You can put this oozing wonder to work on your clogged drains. Just unscrew the stopper if applicable and remove any hair or other nasty trappings that are right on the surface. Then shake baking soda into the drain. You may need to pack it in with your fingers. Then pour in the vinegar. Let sit for several minutes while the magic happens.

(I recommend skipping the lava red food coloring. This can have an adverse effect on your porcelain ;))

A Perk to Cleaning Naturally

Marlee opened the cabinet under the bathroom sink while I was brushing my teeth this morning. I jumped to get her out of it and realized...nothing under there can hurt her! Not that I want her eating baking soda (a serious bellyache), but what wonderful peace of mind to know my baby won't find anything toxic in my house!

Cleaning Mattress and Pillows/ Eco"Febreze"

To freshen fabric, try this eco-safe, DIY recipe:

Fill a standard spray bottle with water
Add 6-8 drops Tea Tree oil
and 6 drops Essential Oil (your choice!) or
3 drops Fragrance Oil

Spray fabric until damp and allow to air-dry.

I did some fall deep cleaning yesterday and thought I'd pass along my tips for cleaning mattresses and pillows.

Vacuum the mattress with your vac's upholstery attachment
(Flip and rotate while you're at it :))
Spray mattress and pillows with the concoction above. You want your mattress upholstery to be good and damp, but not wet to the foam. You can wash any spots with your homemade all-purpose cleaner if necessary.
Put pillows, two at a time, in the dyer on high heat for 30-45 minutes. This will kill any lingering dust mites.