How to Wash Fruits and Vegetables {The Natural Way}

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Confession: I used to not wash my fruit or veggies.  Or, if I did wash them it was simply with running water.  I thought it was too much of a hassle and I didn't even know how to do it.  But one day I thought about how much I handle the fruit and veggies at the grocery store trying to find the perfect avocado or head of broccoli, and I realized that there were other people out there handling the fruit and veggies just as much as I was.  <gasp>  This made me a little queazy thinking about.  

Insert fruit and veggie washing!  Now, you can buy fruit and vegetable washes that are super simple and safe to use, but I just prefer doing things my own way.  :)  

So, how do I wash my fruit and veggies?  Well, it's actually quite simple.  I follow these few steps right when I'm unpacking my sacks from the store (see bottom for some special instructions for certain produce):

1.  Wash one side of the kitchen sink and then fill it 1/4 to 1/2 of the way full of water (I use cold water but you could use luke warm too).  

2.  Pour in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of white vinegar and put fruits and veggies in to soak.

3.  After 10 minutes rinse the fruit well and lay on a towel to dry.

That's it!  You now have nice clean fruit and veggies that are ready to eat! We use most of our fruits and vegetables within the week, so cleaning ahead of time doesn't affect us much; however, if you store fruit and veggies for a longer period of time you may wish to wash some things right before using them. 

Here are some other special instructions for certain produce:

leafy greens - Make sure you remove outer leaves and separate leaves for easier cleaning.

mushrooms - Use a damp cloth to gently wipe the tops or you can run under cold water to remove the dirt.  You can dip them into the water/vinegar solution but don't soak them.  

berries - Don't leave them soaking too long in the water/vinegar solution because they will absorb the taste.  Simply dip them in and then set aside to dry.  Most berries should be washed right before use as not to promote bacteria growth, but we often wash them right when we get home and use them throughout the week.

fruits with hard peeling (like melons and avocados) - Wash as mentioned before.  Even cutting into a fruit can transfer bacteria from the outside of the skin to the fruit that you eat.

Want healthy recipes to go with your veggies and fruits?  Check out the books below.  You can get all of these (plus dozens more) for around $30!  Click the books for more details on this offer!

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Homemade Dishwasher Detergent... and Bathroom Cleaner

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Like anything homemade I use, I research and research before settling on a recipe.  It was no different with my homemade dishwasher detergent (that also doubles as a bathroom cleaner).  

I didn't want one with borax, but couldn't seem to find one that worked.  One day I finally decided that almost anything I make myself is better than the chemicals found in store-bought detergent. I decided that I would rather control what goes into my detergent than trust a big name company.  I'm happy with the decision I made, and I really love this dishwasher detergent (even if it does contain borax).  

What you'll need:

1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup citric acid
1/4-1/2 cup salt (if you are using course salt, use 1/2 cup)

What you'll do:

1.  Mix all ingredients into a medium size bowl then pour into a container for storage.  A mason jar works great, or you could also use a plastic container with a lid.

2.  Because this recipe contains citric acid, it will clump.  Therefore, you will need to leave it on your counter for 3 days after you make it and stir it a few times a day (I just stir mine every time I walk by it).  After the third day it should be clump free.  Simply put a tight fitting lid on it and store it away.  

How to use your detergent:

• Use 1 tablespoon per load of dishes.  I usually put almost 1 T in the main compartment and then just a small bit in the pre-wash compartment.  You can use a heaping tablespoon if you feel you need it.
• You can also sprinkle 1 tablespoon in your toilet or shower before cleaning them.  I also add vinegar to my toilets and shower before I scrub them.

Notes about this detergent:

• Since borax is harmful if swallowed, you will need to keep it out of reach of children (or anyone else who enjoys taste testing cleaners). 
• You want to make sure there is no detergent left after your wash cycle.  This is true with any detergent because you don't want to ingest any.
• This detergent will clump if you expose it to moisture.  If that happens just stir it very well with a fork to get the clumps out.
• I've been using this recipe for months now with very little problem.  I always rinse dishes before I put then in the dishwasher.  I also have a very powerful dishwasher.

How to Clean Your {Top Loader} Washing Machine Without Using Bleach... And Tips for Keeping it Clean!

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We've had the sickness going around our house.  You know, the one that makes you wash all the sheets, towels, clothes, toys, etc. at least 65 times (slight exaggeration - maybe).  Since I suffer with HG during pregnancy, I sort of have this slight fear of the sickness of which I speak.  So, I decided it was a good time to clean the washing machine.  It was a super easy task, and it even has me looking forward to wash day (ok, that may be another exaggeration).  

What you'll need:

2 cups Vinegar (plus 1 cup more if you have a fabric softener dispenser)
1/2 cup baking soda
Multi-Purpose Citrus Cleaner (optional)

What you'll do:

1.  Fill your washing machine to the highest level with hot water then stop the machine (or you can be super frugal like me and do 1/2 hot and 1/2 warm).

2.  Pour 2 cups of vinegar and 1/2 cup baking soda right into the water.

3.  Turn your washing machine back on (remember you turned it off after you filled it up with water).  Let it agitate for a few minutes then turn it back off again leaving the water/vinegar/baking soda mix in the washer.

4.  While it's sitting there soaking, get a washcloth and clean the outside with some Multi-Purpose Citrus Cleaner.  Make sure you get all around the top and the bleach dispenser (it should pop right off to make it easier to clean).  Wipe down the inside of your machine using the washcloth and water from inside the machine.  You won't have to scrub hard, but you will need to wipe the agitator and tub to get all the dirt and grime off. There will probably be a ring above and below the water line so make sure you get it all.  You may need to spray your washcloth with some vinegar for added cleaning power. 

5.  Fill the fabric softener dispenser full of vinegar and leave your machine alone for 30-60 minutes letting it soak.  After it sits, turn it back on and let it finish the entire cycle including an extra rinse cycle.

 Tips for keeping your washing machine clean:

• Use the correct amount of detergent.  Using too much will leave behind residue.
• Stop using fabric softener.  Add 1/4 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle instead.
• Leave the top opened when you aren't using it.  This will keep away mold and mildew.
• Occasionally wipe down the inside of your machine and the dispensers.
• Use the method above every few months to deep clean your machine.

For more information like this, check out the books below.  You can purchase all of these (plus dozens more eBooks and FREEBIES) for around $30!  Click the books for more details!

What other tips do you have for keeping your washing machine clean?  Let us know in the comments!  

*I have included affiliate links in this post.  That means that if you order from Vitacost not only will you get $10 to spend, but I will too.  I also get a small percentage from other sales listed in this post. 

Soap Nut Review and Giveaway (from The Laundry Ladies)

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I normally make my own laundry detergent, but when I came across The Laundry Ladies at a local farmer's market selling soap nuts I just had to try them.  They graciously gave me some soap nuts and a laundry dryer bag to try.  The Laundry Ladies are offering FOUR of our readers a choice of the trial size soap nuts or the trial soap nut liquid (see giveaway at bottom).  AND, they are offering a 10% discount for our readers using code LEXIENATURALS10!  This code will be good until January 26, 2012 and can be used in their online store.

Soap nuts are actually a fruit from the Sapindus Mukorossi Tree.  The shells of this fruit contain saponin which produces suds and breaks up oils and dirt in clothing.  Learn more about soap nuts here.  

So, how do the soap nuts work?  You simply put 5 soap nuts into a muslin bag (included with purchase) and throw it into the wash with your dirty laundry.  You can reuse the same nuts 5 times or until they no longer produce suds and are grey in color.  I actually found that I could wash 6 or 7 times with some loads of laundry.  

The soap nuts come with detailed instructions and other uses.  You can also make a liquid version with the soap nuts by boiling them in water.

Other uses for soap nuts:

• household cleaning (windows, counters, sinks, floors, etc.)
• jewelry cleaning
• bathing
• hair washing

I used the soap nuts in the laundry, and I made a liquid version.  I used the liquid version to wash clothes and my hair.  Yes, my hair!  

What I loved:

• The soap nuts actually washed well.  The clothes were just as clean as if I'd used normal detergent. 
• Using soap nuts is a very frugal option.  You can buy 5 soap nuts for just $3 and since you reuse the same soap nuts that's about $0.60 per load (and only $0.19 if you buy the replenish bag for only $12).  It's even cheaper if you boil the nuts and make the liquid version (only about $0.09 per load).
• You can use them for so many different things.
• I love to reduce, reuse, and recycle and I really feel like using soap nuts helps me do just that.
• It cleaned my hair nicely without over drying.
• I didn't feel the need to re-rinse my towels like I do with conventional detergent because there aren't many suds when using soap nuts.
• The lavender dryer bag was heavenly. It made my clothes smell so very nice! I just wish it lasted more than a few loads.  

What I didn't love:

• When I made the liquid version I could hardly stand the smell, BUT once I added some lavender essential oil it was much better!
• I couldn't use the soap nuts on my soiled kitchen towels.  I only wash once a week so my towels sit all week in a container.  Perhaps they'd work if I washed more often.
• While I found the liquid version to work on my hair, I didn't just love it for the clothes.  I found the soap nuts worked much better.

Overall?  I really loved using the soap nuts and dryer bag.  The Laundry Ladies were very helpful with my questions and I loved working with them to bring you this giveaway.  

Don't forget that you can use the code LEXIENATURALS10 to get 10% off your order with The Laundry Ladies through January 26, 2013. Visit their website to see all of their other fabulous products. 
If you are reading this via email you must click the rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway.

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*The Laundry Ladies did provide me with soap nuts, a muslin bag, and a lavender dryer bag; however, I was in no way paid to write this review.  Nor was I obligated to write a positive review.  This review is my personal opinion of the products I tried.

Homemade Powder Laundry Detergent

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Note: I updated this recipe on 12/26/12.  I found that the Fels-Naptha really bothered me as I grated it up (so much so that I had to wear a mask).  It wasn't as bad once it was in the detergent, but it was still enough for me to notice.  All changes are in italics.

I have been researching laundry detergents for a while now, and I even purchased almost everything I needed to make a liquid version a few years ago (I'll tackle that after I use up all this batch of powder detergent).  Like most things I make instead of buy, I wanted to make sure I did my research before I just jumped in.  I wanted to make sure that all the ingredients were safe and effective and that it was indeed cheaper to make my own.  Even though I stayed away from borax for several years, I feel very good about this detergent, and it works very well (see below for why I chose each ingredient)!  

What you'll need:

1 bar (3 oz.) laundry soap like Fels-Naptha (I now use my homemade laundry soap)

1 cup washing soda

1/2 cup borax

1/2 cup oxygen cleanser (I use Crunchy Clean Pure Oxygen)

What you'll do:

1. Grate your bar of laundry soap into a large bowl.  I use the very fine side of my grater.  Stacy at StacyMakesCents uses the large side of the grater then puts it in the food processor.  Either way is fine, but I don't have a food processor, and I like all the ingredients to have the same consistency (I don't like that cheese look), so I use the fine side of the grater. This part takes some muscles!

2. Pour in 1 cup washing soda, 1/2 cup borax, and 1/2 cup oxygen cleanser.  You can actually just use 1 cup of either the borax or the oxygen cleanser, but I  had both on hand and I wanted the benefits of both.  Mix well until it is all combined.  You want to make sure that all the ingredients are very evenly distributed.

3.  Pour mixture into any container with a lid.  I keep my detergent in an old yogurt container.  Glass would be nice if I didn't think I'd drop it. 

4.  I use 1-2 tablespoons in each load (depending on the load size).  If you are using an HE washer, you can probably use even less.  This detergent will not suds as much as a normal one, but it cleans just as well (if not better).

Take a look at why I chose each ingredient:

Laundry Soap Bar: Fels-Naptha in particular is a stain remover and pre-treater.  You can actually just get the bar wet and rub it on stains before you wash.  According to the package, it works especially well on oil-based stains.  I now use an unscented castile bar soap.  I've found that it works just as well.  If I have tough stains I add about 1 Tbsp of pure oxygen to the entire wash. UPDATE: I found that Fels Naphtha bothered my senses when I grated it, and it wasn't as natural as I thought it was.  I now make and sell my own laundry bar.  This bar works great as a pre-wash stain treatment and when grated and used in the detergent.  You can purchase it here.

Washing Soda (sodium carbonate): Washing soda is a pH balancer.  It also softens water and removes all kinds of stains.  

Borax: According to the box it is a natural alternative to color safe bleach, softens water, helps remove tough stains, freshens and deodorizes, and is an all natural laundry booster.  Now, it is NOT safe to ingest in large quantities (what really is though?).  In fact, it can even be fatal; however, we keep our laundry detergent out of reach of the children (as you should do too) so there isn't a chance of our children consuming the whole batch.  I struggled with this for literally years, but I honestly feel safer using this than anything you can buy at the store.

Oxygen Cleanser (I use Crunchy Clean's Pure Oxygen but you can use Oxiclean): Crunchy Clean's version has no additives, and I love that.  It whitens, leaves dark clothes brighter, kills germs, and removes stains.

Do you make your own detergent?  What's your favorite recipe?

Natural Honey Face Wash

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I'm sure we've all heard that you can wash your face with honey.  For some reason though, putting food on my face was never something I cared to do.  I just want to eat my food, not smear it on my face.  I also thought somehow it was wasteful.  But really, I can buy face wash or I can buy honey!  I saw this post on Pinterest recently and decided to give it a try tonight.   

I don't have the greatest skin ever.  I've suffered with acne since I was in High School (some days my face looks just like it did back then).  Tea tree and mild face wash seem to be the only things that help.  This is another reason I never really wanted to put food on my face.  Could food really clean my skin?  I doubted it!  But, let me just say, this worked!  After I washed my face with honey my face felt squeaky clean.  Really, it glowed with cleanliness.  :)

What you'll need:
about 1/2 teaspoon raw local honey (I didn't really measure)
warm water
wash cloth

It's this easy:
Put the honey on your fingers and then rub it on your face.  You'll want to make sure you have your hair pulled back because, well, it's sticky (not that I learned from experience or anything).  Rub it all in and get it all over your face.  You can let it sit for a few minutes on your face if you want.
Wash it off with a washcloth that has warm water on it.  

Note: 
This is not a makeup remover. You'll need to remove makeup first, only use the honey wash in the mornings, or don't wear makeup (my preferred choice).  You can also check out this post on how to add baking soda to the honey to make a make up remover.  It sounds super easy, and I'll be trying it soon.

See this post for why you'd want to wash your face with honey in the first place.

Natural Multi-Purpose Citrus Cleaner

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I love a clean house, but it's always been a love/hate relationship (until recently).  

What do I mean by this?  I mean, I've always thought there was a problem if I had to clean in a "well ventilated" area and turn on my vents in the bathrooms, or open the windows just to make it easier for me to breathe.  I also hated telling my 4 year old that she couldn't help me clean the bathrooms because of the toxic smells.  This just seemed like a problem to me.  

I heard about people using vinegar to clean, but frankly, I can't stand the way the stuff smells.  It's almost as bad as the toxic smell of the conventional cleaners.  I also prefer something that I can spray (and not sprinkle like baking soda).  So, what was I to do?

I just happened to stumble across a picture from my friend at The Hippiekarmama on facebook of a natural cleaning solution not long ago. So, I asked her about it and decided to make it myself.  I modified her version just a little bit for an extra boost.  

It's super easy and effective!  So far I have used it on the kitchen counters, sink, stove, and table; I have used it to clean the bathroom counters, sinks, and toilets.  And I even used it on some tough grease in a pan I used to cook breakfast sausage.  

What you'll need:

Recycled Glass containers

Orange peels (Or any other citrus fruit peels.  This makes it smell great plus it adds cleaning power.)

1 T Salt (any kind)

Vinegar

Distilled Water

5-10 drops Essential oil (optional)

Step One:  Cut orange peels (I had these frozen from when I made orange juice) and fill any empty glass containers you have on hand (I'm crazy about saving ALL glass containers).  If you don't have glass containers you can fill any containers that you have.

Step Two: Add some salt to the orange peels and let them sit for 20-30 minutes (or longer).  This will pull the oils from the peels and ultimately make your cleaning solution stronger.  You only need enough salt to lightly cover the peels.

Step Three:  Fill the containers with vinegar and water.  You can do all vinegar and leave it as is, you can do all vinegar and then add the water at the end of step 5, or you can do 1/2 water and 1/2 vinegar. 

Step Four:  Put a TIGHT FITTING lid on the jars and let the solution sit and be pretty for 2-3 weeks.  The longer it sits the better.  They make a great conversation starter too!  

Step Five:  Strain the solution and fill a squirt bottle with your natural ORANGE cleaner.  I just happened to have this one under my sink.  If you are using essential oils you will add them at this time.

Overall I love this cleaner.  My bathroom sinks were the worst they've ever been and this did the trick.  I did have to use a little more elbow grease, but I honestly didn't have to scrub that much harder.  I also didn't mind the extra scrubbing because I wasn't breathing in those awful fumes from my old cleaner.  This cleaner was also super cheap (which we all love).  I do recommend that you start a new solution as soon as you start using yours so that you have it ready when you run out.


What other natural cleaners do you use?  If you enjoyed reading this please share it with someone else!

UPDATE: I had several people experiment (as did I), and we found that you can reuse the peels at least one more time.  The solution obviously isn't as strong the second time around, but this makes it great for cleaning floors.  I found that if I don't mix the original solution with water it makes my floors sticky (and who wants to see shoe prints on a clean floor??).

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