Herbal Steam - Decongestant.

I had written a post when I started this blog, called Healing Steam – Cough, Cold, & Stuffed up Noses. This is for a similar steam with different ingredient options. I decided to make a new one with just herbs. Herbal steams can be so beneficial. This steam works wonderfully for chest congestion, coughs and stuffed up noses.



 

To Make:

2 tsp each of the following herbs:

• Eucalyptus (I crushed 2 full leaves)  (Or 2 drops Eucalyptus Oil)


• Chamomile


• Calendula


• Peppermint (Fresh or dried) (or 2 drops Peppermint Oil)

• A large heat safe bowl


• Boiled water

To Use:

• Place your herbs in a heat proof bowl and pour in enough steaming water to cover the herbs.


• With a towel over your head to create a 'tent', hover over the bowl inhaling the steam. (be sure the steam isn't so hot that it may burn your face) I like to keep my eyes closed because the peppermint can make them water.

This brews into a beautiful dark tea. The strained water (once cooled to being warm but not hot) could probably be used for extra relief by soaking a cloth in the mixture and laying it across your chest.  I'm going to try it and I'll let you all know.

What are your favorite herbal steam blends?

HAPPY HEALING <3

*Medical advice should be sought for those who suffer from asthma or allergies prior to using a herbal steam.*

I recommend Mountain Rose Herbs for all of your herbal healing needs! You can purchase any extra supplies over at Amazon.ca.
Images Edited using PicMonkey. Some of the links here are affiliate sites. & Please also see my disclaimer. Thanks Friends.

DIY - All Natural - Dryer Sheets

I'll never buy dryer sheets again! This is such a better alternative! Chemical free dryer sheets for pennies!

As some of you already know, many dryer sheets contain cancer causing chemicals. This just isn't good enough for my family + my son breaks out from the chemicals in laundry soap and dryer sheets. I wanted to find a safer alternative. Here's what I came up with so far.

What You'll Need:

• Vinegar (Natural Fabric softener, static guard & freshener)
  


• Tea Tree Oil (Naturally antibacterial)


• Favorite Essential Oils (Whatever you'd like your clothes to smell like)


• Airtight Storage Jar


• Wash Cloths or rags (Old towels or t-shirts cut into squares)

I tried things a little differently and uploaded a photo file with basic instructions. I'll add them in a list as well:

1. Cut an old towel, t-shirt, rags or cloth into squares


2. Fill your desired container most of the way full with vinegar (I used about 1 cup)


3. add in 5-10 drops of tea tree oil


4. 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil


5. close the lid and shake the ingredients together


6. add your cut cloths and shake some more


7. Throw one or 2 in the dryer with your cloths.


8. After the load is dry, toss your cloth back into the container and shake again to keep covered in mixture.

These last almost indefinitely. Until the towels fibers give away. If you're really talented, I'm sure you can sew the edges to make a seam to keep them lasting longer. 

The vinegar smell may scare some of you off BUT I assure you, your clothes do not come out smelling of vinegar. Only the essential oils remain. I have my dryer's heat on the lowest setting and they still smell wonderful.

I've read over and over with similar recipes that these don't get rid of static cling but they do. Vinegar is a natural fabric softener + it keeps clothes fresh. I also pour some into the 'bleach' tray of my washer.

These may be a little 'odd' because you throw them in wet. I suppose you could hang dry them and toss them in dry but I don't mind using them this way. I may try to come up with some other ideas soon. ^_^

HAPPY LAUNDERING! <3

I recommend Mountain Rose Herbs for all of your herbal healing needs!
Images Edited using PicMonkey. Some of the links here are affiliate sites. & Please also see my disclaimer. Thanks Friends.

Herbal Baby ~ Bedtime Bath Blend!

I love this herbal bath blend. It's similar to what I used for my son when he was a baby, only new and improved. He's now 9, and this still works like a charm for a nice calming bath blend before bed! A little chamomile tea with honey + this herbal bath = sleepy, calm child. <3 Even I enjoy bathing in this blend. (So really, it's not just for babies!)

This gentle mix is soothing to little skin. Oatmeal is great for moisturizing and nourishing skin as well as relieving dry skin issues.

I've combined Chamomile which is good for relieving skin irritations, softening skin, and helping your littles sleep soundly and peacefully through the night. Lavender which releases a subtle therapeutic aroma helping calm baby and relax them before bedtime. & Calendula which is amazing for so many healing purposes and any skin issues. (You can also see our posts Calendula Tea, Poultice + Salve for all the amazing benefits of Calendula. - I am also working on a herbal spotlight)

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

Ingredients:

• Chamomile Flowers


• Lavender Buds


• Calendula Flowers


• Oatmeal


• Epsom Salts (Optional-detoxing benefits below)


• Baking Soda (Optional - ")

(*Buying Organic ingredients is best*)

Honestly, I never really measure out ingredients too strictly for bath blends. I'd say if you're filling a 'ready to go' mason jar with oatmeal you can add 2-4 tsp of each herb to your jar.+ 1-4 tbs of Epsom Salts + 1-4 tbs baking soda. (alternatively, you can add half and half oatmeal to salts for older kids and parents. There is a great ratio chart linked to below for detox baths) *Just a quick reminder though, if you are putting half salts in the bath, be sure to have a glass or bottle of water (or something to hydrate) near by as even though the salts are very beneficial, they can also dehydrate.

Tools:

• Blender, coffee grinder, food processor or mortar and pestle for crushing the oatmeal.


• Airtight Mason Jar (Or other such jar)


• Organza Baggies (reusable)


• Stir Stick (I use chop sticks)

(Amazon has all these wonderful tools if you're buying online)

TO MAKE:

Start by blending up or crushing the oats, then using a mixing bowl or your jar - add in the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir or shake well until everything is blended together. (a few drops of lavender essential oil is a great option, especially for older kids)

TO USE:

Fill an organza baggie full of your mixture adding in anywhere up to 1/3 cup of the mixture for children. MRH offers the great idea of also using the baggie as a gentle wash cloth. (I wouldn't recommend adding mixture directly to the water and using a drain screen for this particular blend as some of the oats don't dissolve and they make a bit of a slippery gloopy mess.)

Soak for 20 or so minutes, relax and let the stresses of the day sooth themselves away.

Follow up with some coconut oil as a moisturizer after they are toweled off.

<3

For those of you adding in Epsom Salts & Baking Soda:

Why Give Your Kids a Detox Bath? - from The Paleo Mama's Post How to give your kids a detox bath:

1. To flush out toxins that have built up in our body. THIS is a great article on how and why we should take detox baths.


2. To strengthen our immune system. 


3. To promote sleep and relaxation. 


4. Help muscles and nerves function properly. Great for growing kids.


5. Helps promote concentration.

<3

Plain Oatmeal & Calendula Baths can be used to help relieve:

• Chicken pox


• Poison ivy, oak and sumac


• Dry skin


• Insect bites


• Eczema


• Diaper Rash


• Itchiness


• Windburn


• Sunburn


• Shingles

Here is an excerpt from Mountain Rose Herbs about using their Baby's bath herbs in your baby's bath:

This herbal bath blend has a sweet floral aroma that is calming for both infant and parent. Adding herbs to your little one’s bath is a gentle way to absorb the healing properties of these soothing botanicals. These loose bath herbs come with a reusable muslin bag, so you are free to add as much or as little of this aromatic blend to a bath as you wish. The filled bag also makes a gentle washcloth for sensitive skin, or a delightful squishy toy to play with.
Contains: organic Calendula flowers, organic Chamomile flowers, organic Oat tops, organic Lavender flowers, and organic Rose petals.

[caption id="attachment_959" align="aligncenter" width="288"] Baby's Bath Herbs - From Mountain Rose[/caption]

Mountain Rose Herbs also offers a wonderful selection of items for Babies and Children. You can find the Baby's Bath Herbs as well as the rest of the collection here. We also wrote a bit about some of their products here in our post 'Herbal Baby ~ All Natural Product Options for your Littles'.

<3

HAPPY HERBAL BATHING!

Do YOU have any favorite herbal bath blends you use at home?

I recommend Mountain Rose Herbs for all of your herbal healing needs!
Images Edited using PicMonkey. Some of the links here are affiliate sites. & Please also see my disclaimer. Thanks Friends.

Epsom salt can act as a laxative if a child swallows the bath water, leading to increased bowel movements. It goes without saying but children should never be left unsupervised while in the bath, and should be monitored to prevent drinking the bath water with Epsom salts.

Citrus Peel Vinegar Spray Cleaner - DIY all natural

Citrus cleaners are so effective and versatile for cleaning so many different surfaces. I chose to use orange peels for this recipe. This would equal out to be the equivalent of your standard orange cleaner, for a fraction of the cost. + no nasty chemicals are involved so it's safe for the whole family. This is a great all purpose cleaner, the oils from the orange peels have disinfectant properties which helps to kill off bacteria around the home. It is very effective for stains and odors in carpets and laundry as well as everyday dirt and grime and doubles as a natural degreaser.

We added a post on All Purpose Vinegar Spray (with essential oils) but this mix is for the people {like me} who dislike the smell of pure vinegar. The mix of orange seems to dull it out quite a bit PLUS you can add in cinnamon sticks or vanilla beans for an extra yummy smelling spray, or you can use the orange peels alone. ( I mixed in some vanilla & it smells like orange creamsicles! :D )



What You'll Need:

• Citrus Peels (Orange, Lemon, Lime, or Tangerine)


• Cinnamon sticks, vanilla beans (optional)


• Distilled White Vinegar (or alternatively you could use apple cider vinegar)


• Distilled Water (optional)


• Airtight Glass Jar (a recycled jam jar works great for this)


• Fine Mesh Strainer.


• Funnel


• Spray Bottle


• Essential Oils (Optional)

To Make:

• Fill your jar with citrus peels and pour vinegar over them right to the top. (you can grate the peels for further effectiveness)


• Seal the jar and allow to stand in a cool dark place for 2 or so weeks. (I kept this batch in the fridge) You can also shake the jar everyday to get more out of the peels. The vinegar will start to colour orange.


• Once the standing period is over, (or when you've reached your desired consistency) strain the peels reserving the liquid. (I put the strainer right over a funnel into the spray bottle)

• I dilute mine equal parts: Vinegar Mixture to Water (You can keep the concentrate for more stubborn cleaning jobs)


• If the scent isn't strong enough for you, (or you can still smell too much vinegar) you can add in a few drops of essential oil.

That's it! You're ready to start cleaning away! <3

I made a pretty big list of uses in the last cleaner's profile, (Which you can check out here) so I don't want to double up BUT this is an all around all purpose cleaner.

What are your favorite all natural cleaners to make?

Happy Cleaning! <3

I recommend Mountain Rose Herbs for all of your herbal healing needs!
Images Edited using PicMonkey. Some of the links here are affiliate sites. & Please also see my disclaimer. Thanks Friends.

Natural Spray Cleaner - DIY

Vinegar is the perfect all natural - all in one - disinfectant cleaner. It's perfect for so many surfaces and dries streak free so there is no need for a ton of different cleaners. There are no harsh chemicals to worry about for you or your family. PLUS - it's much less expensive than your typical cleaning products. Vinegar is just as effective at killing harmful bacteria and viruses as bleach.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• Equal parts Distilled White Vinegar & Distilled Water


• 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil blend. (Tea Tree Oil has antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-fungal properties and Lemon is also antiseptic, anti-fungal, and antiviral. Both of these oils work well to disinfect.)

I recycled an old spray bottle for this project BUT you can purchase all kinds of different ones from Amazon.

WHAT THIS IS GOOD FOR:

• All around disinfectant


• Cleaning stained or sticky counter tops, tiles, and appliances.


• Streak free interior or exterior windows.


• De-stinks and kills bacteria in recycle bins, green bins and garbage cans.


• Deodorizes stinky shoes.


• Acts as a room / carpet / surface deodorizer.


• Clean stains or stick on walls and floors


• Acts as a Goo-Remover (especially with lemon oil mixed in)


• Removes soap scum and mildew on tiles in the bathroom, shower, shower curtain, tub and sink.


• Removes soil or stains on clothing, carpets or shoes.


• Helps clear out musty washing machines, dishwashers or humidifiers.


• Provides a streak free shine to mirrors, glass, chrome and stainless steel.


• Cuts through grease on the oven or other appliances.


• Removes mineral and lime buildups from kettles and coffee pots. (Run a mix of vinegar and water through the kettle or coffee pot to safely clean it out. Rinse thoroughly by running plain water through until there is no longer a vinegar smell. You will notice how much more fresh your next coffee / tea tastes. )


• Removes lime and mineral buildup on shower heads and drains. (Fill a plastic bag with vinegar mix and using an elastic band, secure it to the faucet or shower head. leave on overnight.)


• Removes old coffee stains on tea cups.


• Removes stuck on wax.


• Removing permanent marker accidents.


• Disinfects cutting boards


• As a fabric freshener / softener by adding 1/2 cup into your wash.


• Washing off patio furniture, siding, tables etc.


• Baseboards, crown molding etc.


• As a mopping mixture.

AND A MILLION OTHER THINGS I'M SURE! ;)

TO USE (standard cleaning) :

Spray generously and allow to sit for a few minutes. The longer you let it soak, the easier it is to remove grime. I like to use a rough sponge for tough areas.

I let our bathroom get a little lotta scary to show you just what this cleaner can do! ^_^

BRACE YOURSELF -

(I'll add in more before and after photos with follow-up posts - I'm working on a stubborn stain one now)

What are your favorite ways to clean the house all naturally? <3


Images Edited using PicMonkey. Some of the links here are affiliate sites. & Please also see my disclaimer. Thanks Friends.