Recipe Review: 4-ingredient Home made Dishwasher Detergent

I couple of posts ago, I shared a recipe for green, all-natural DIY dishwasher powdered detergent. The recipe I shared was for "trial size" and the amount I made was good for for about 15 loads of dishes. 

Today I'm revisiting this recipe. I've used it for two months now, and wanted to share my critique of this home made detergent recipe. To recap, here's the very simple recipe. It's made with things you can find at many local grocery stores. 

RECIPE (trial size, 15 washes) 

3/8 cup Citric Acid 

3/8 Cup Washing Soda 

1/8 cup Baking Soda 

1/8 cup Sea Salt

RECIPE (regular size, 60 washes) 

1 1/2 cup Citric Acid 

1 1/2 cup Washing Soda 

1/2 cup Baking Soda 

1/2 cup Sea Salt

Product Review:

Q: WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT TO A FRIEND?

A: YES! I have loved using this. It is simple to make, inexpensive, effective, and all-natural.

Q: WHAT IS THE APPROXIMATE PRICE OF THIS PRODUCT? 

A: After buying the initial ingredients, the cost per load is only pennies. 

Breakdown of item costs: 

• 2 lb box baking soda - $2.00 (Walmart)
• 7.5 oz jar Citric Acid - Approx. $4.00 (Walmart)
• 3 lb box washing soda - $3.97 (Walmart)
• 26 oz Morton Natural Sea Salt (fine) - $2.00 (Walmart)

Each load only calls for 1 Tablespoon of detergent mixture. So, for the grand total of about $12, you have enough materials to create a LOT of detergent that will last you quite a while. The citric acid was most expensive item, but you can buy in bulk from Amazon or other local stores (such as a canning supply store) and your cost per dishwasher load would go down even more. 

Q: WHAT DID YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THIS PRODUCT?

A: There are a couple reasons I will continue to use this detergent recipe: 

It's all-natural with no toxic chemicals:

I've been using liquid and powdered detergent for a long time with brands like Finish, Palmolive, Cascade, etc. I've preferred liquid over powdered detergents, because I always felt like the powdered ones left more of a residue that liquid ones. Whether powder or liquid, though, there always seems to be a little residue from the detergent.) Another important fact is, all these items are filled with harsh chemicals. There are warnings on the boxes that caution the user to keep away from children, and to not ingest. As of late, I've wondered why we put this stuff through the machine that "cleans" the items we eat off of. A part these products end up being ingested by us. So why am I even using this? These items are toxic, and I'm putting them on my forks and knives. Yikes. I like that my 4-ingredient recipe is so simple, and made with things that are natural and safe for consumption. 

It's super effective:

I feel like my dishwasher has been wanting to die for a while. Since we have lived in this house (for 2 years now) there have been 7 or 8 instances where the dishwasher lines get clogged, and water won't run through the washer. There will be old water left in the bottom of the dishwasher that won't drain, and fresh water won't be flushed in to the system to actually wash anything. The washer and kitchen end up smelling like mildew and rotting food, and it's so gross. In order to get it to work, I would have to dump hot water in the basin of the dishwasher manually (maybe 3-4gallons) and then set the washer to "drain" so it would flush the lines. About 70% of the time after than it would work again, but sometimes I would have to flush everything a couple times.
My dishwasher had been acting up like this a couple weeks before I decided to switch to this all-natural powdered detergent. I was nervous that this detergent would clog it up too, so I was cautious. I must tell you, though, since using it, I have had ZERO issues! I think this mixture has even helped to rid the lines of any buildup. After two months of using the all natural home made detergent, the water lines function great in my washer now, and the stainless steel liner on the inside has never looked cleaner. I guess I didn't realize how easily the lines can get clogged by the residue of the store-bought detergents. But if each load I do now is literally a cleanse for my dishwasher, just think about how that cuts down on maintenance and extends the life of that appliance. 

As for actual dish cleaning, my clear glassware comes out without spots. Pots, pans, and metal items look shinier that they have in the past. With plates, cups, bowls, sippy cups, etc., they call come out clean as well. I realize that a lot of what comes out of your dishwasher depends on the age of your dishwasher, how you load it, and if you presoak or leave crusty food on the dishes, but dish detergent definitely plays a major part. (Here's a good article on How to Load and Run a Dishwasher for Efficiency and Ultimate Cleanliness if you're needing pointers.) 

I feel like these 4 basic ingredients in this recipe pack a punch and are much more effective that the traditional store-bought brands. 

It's cheap and very easy to make:

So, the cost per load of this detergent is super inexpensive. And the great thing is, if you're transitioning over to your own home made green cleaning products, you will use all these ingredients for other recipes, or you might even already have them on hand. 

To make this, you just measure each item, dump it in a jar or air-tight container, shake it until it's mixed well, and then it's ready to go. It's even an easy and safe project that I can have my kids help me make. We had a lot of fun making laundry detergent together. This is another cleaning item that they can help me make. It's part science lesson, part household responsibility lesson, and part family fun/quality time. 

Q: WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT SURPRISED YOU ABOUT THIS PRODUCT?

A: I was REALLY surprised that it fixed the issues I've been having with my dishwasher, and that it cleaned the interior of my dishwasher so well. 

I was surprised out how little I need to use to get my dishes clean. 

I was surprised that even though I had a prejudice against powdered detergents, this has cleaned better than any liquid detergent product I've used. 

Conclusion: 

I am really pleased with this recipe, and I hope my friends and family will give it a try. It affirms my opinion that you don't need to spend a ton of money to get safe and effective home cleaning products. We have officially gone 100% green with all our cleaning supplies in the house. There are still some cleaning solutions that I'm experimenting with (like window/glass cleaner, all-purpose cleaners), but I won't be changing or trying a different dishwasher detergent recipe any time soon. 

Home Made Carpet/Cloth Upholstery Deodorizer

Dingy carpets needing a refresher?

                      

We've had our dog for about 2 months now. When we got her, I was determined that my house would NOT smell like dog. I don't want anyone who comes into my home to know that I have a dog unless they see her.

Between the dog and young kids, my carpets can quickly absorb all sorts of smells...and even if I vacuum every day, some things still linger...UNLESS I use a really simple homemade (and green) carpet deodorizer. This is a good in-between if you're not feeling like you're at the point where you need to shampoo your carpets, but if you need an extra boost of freshness.

Things you'll need: 

• Baking Soda
• Essential Oils (OPTIONAL, but it adds a really nice fragrance. I like to use Peppermint, Eucalyptus, and Lavender - 3 drops of each. It's a fresh, relaxing and invigorating scent.)
• A sprinkle bottle/shaker can (you can use an old parmesan cheese container, a mason jar with holes poked in the lid, or they even sell 12 oz baking soda bottles with a sprinkle top.)

Directions:

1. Measure out 3 cups of baking soda and place in a plastic bowl. 
2. Add 9-10 drops of your favorite essential oils. 
3. Mix well, and eliminate any clumps in the baking soda. 
4. Place in your shaker of choice. 
5. Take your homemade carpet deodorize and sprinkle very lightly across carpets or rugs (or even cloth upholstered furniture). This amount should cover about 500 square feet of carpet. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes, then vacuum up. With this deodorizer, though, I think the longer it sits the better. It's my recommendation to just sprinkle things all over the carpet right before you go to bed, and when you wake up the next morning, you can vacuum and have extra fresh carpets. The overnight method gives the baking soda LOTS of time to absorb strong odors. 
6. Enjoy fresh carpets for the next 3 hours until your youngest gets her hands on a brand new bottle of parmesan cheese and dumps it all out behind the living room chair. But hey! Now you have an empty bottle to use for your homemade carpet deodorizer. That living room area will probably need some attention.

Learning to Speak The 5 Love Languages In Your Home

Am I a good parent?

I think that any good parent wonders, at times, what more they could do to be a BETTER parent. I sometimes wonder if I'm doing it right at all. It's a very tricky job we have. We're given these little humans that have their own individual personalities, quirks, gifts, and weaknesses, and we're supposed to raise them to be not only functional adults, but over-all decent people. Good parents will frequently assess themselves and consider what they can work on. Sometimes they dive into parenting books, rely on the practical advice of experienced friends, or just try their best to go with their gut and forget the rest of the world's opinions. 
If you google "What Type of Parent Are You?" You'll come up with an endless list of links to different quizzes or articles helping you identify your parenting style. Most of the questions are totally bogus, or don't accurately represent what you would actually do in a certain scenario. You are therefore left alone to figure out your own "label".

Something I've learned over time is that not all parenting styles are created equal. Even if parents have some over-arching umbrella philosophy of what good parenting is, each child requires his or her own individual plan or approach within that philosophy. There is a LOT of trial and error (and sometimes it feels more like overwhelming error), because whatever worked to help child #1 to cooperate will sometimes NOT work for child #2. 

One of the biggest hurdles in parenting (or with any personal relationship) is learning how to communicate effectively. It's important to recognize the way that YOU like to communicate is not always the way the the other person likes to communicate. So, for you, you have to identify the other person's communication language in order to reach out to them effectively. 

The 5 Love Languages - Learning to Speak Each Language In Your Family

I read a book years ago that has shaped the way I approach communication with loved ones: "The Five Love Languages" written by Gary Chapman. I read this book during a time of "young adult crisis" when Brett and I were dating. When we would have discussions or talk about important things, we often didn't seem to see eye to eye, OR, it just seemed like there was a wall between us, blocking our ability to communicate. It frustrated both of us. Then somebody recommended this book to me, and it changes the way I approached Brett, and really improved the way we communicated in all aspects of life. 

The concept of the book, if you haven't read it, is that every person has their own unique style of communication, and their own unique ways they enjoy being shown affection or love. If a person isn't spoken to in his love language(s), he may ultimately feel undervalued, unsupported, and unloved. That is why it really is so important to know the love language of your family members or people you closely associate with. It will help you to better show your love and appreciation for them. 
LUCKILY, anyone can visit The 5 Love Languages website and take a pretty dynamic assessment that will accurate indicate what your love language is. 

I recently took the assessment online again for myself and with other family members to see what everyone's love languages are. I've known the love languages of Brett and myself, but it gave me a totally new perspective when I considered the love languages of my children. Now that I've identified what language is most impactful with Aedan and Eli, I'm able to reach out to them a little better, and make them feel more loved and respected by me. Having each member of the family take this assessment is a GREAT activity. Everyone learns a little more about each family member that they just didn't know before. It also helps establish better harmony in the home as people are able to be more considerate of the emotional needs of everyone else. 

What I took away from our family's assessments:

My boys are different! 
Even though they're onyl 18 months apart and are at similar developmental stages in life, Aedan and Eli speak different love languages...and I needed to remember that. Aedan feels mostly loved when he gets to spend Quality Time with someone. Whether that is building something with daddy, or going on a frozen yogurt date with just himself and mommy, that individual one-on-one time is what makes Aedan feel REALLY special. Eli on the other hands (though he loves quality time) really loves to feel empowered and encouraged by the words you say to him. With Words of Affirmation as his love language, he will beam with pride when given a compliment or some positive verbal feedback. He, unlike Aedan, is also a little more fragile when negative things are said to him. I have been working to be careful to phrase any criticism I have with Eli to be constructive and encouraging, so he can know that "Yes, this was a mistake, but it's okay because we can learn and do an even more job awesome next time." A lot of Eli's self esteem is linked to the words people speak to him, while a lot of Aedan's self-esteem is linked to the activities that people want to do with him. Until I was able to identify each of my sons' love languages, these emotional needs were not something I was completely aware of. Going forward, I'm able to try harder to speak their individual love languages, and I've seen a positive impact on their behavior and our relationship just over the last two weeks I've trying doing this. 

Here are results for those in our family who were old enough to accurately take the assessment: 

BRETT: 

ME: 

AEDAN (7 years old):

ELI (5 years old):

The 5 love languages In Detail (Taken from the 5 Love Languages website)

Physical Touch

This language isn't all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face – they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive. Physical touch fosters a sense of security and belonging in any relationship.

Acts of Service

Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an "Acts of Service" person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: "Let me do that for you." Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don't matter. Finding ways to serve speaks volumes to the recipient of these acts.

Receiving Gifts

Don't mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous – so would the absence of everyday gestures. Gifts are visual representations of love and are treasured greatly.

Words of Affirmation

Actions don't always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, "I love you," are important – hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten. Kind, encouraging, and positive words are truly life-giving.

Quality Time

In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, "I love you," like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there – with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby – makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful. Quality Time also means sharing quality conversation and quality activities.

Healthy Energy Bites (Home-Made Granola Balls)

This is a very quick recipe that's easy to make, and a great thing to have laying around for little bodies (and adult bodies) to snack on. It literally takes less than 10 minutes to throw together. It's a healthy munchy that is such a better alternative to chips or sugary, super-processed goodies. These energy bites are sweet, but are packed with nutrition to nourish and energize you. PLUS, it's such a customizable recipe that you can alter based on your diet needs. (Early apologies. I'm still working on my food photography skills.)

SERVINGS: approximately 24 1" granola balls

INGEDIENTS: 

• 1 Cup Oats (or 3 packets Instant Oatmeal)
• 2/3 Cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 Cup nut butter (I used crunchy peanut butter. This would also be great with almond butter or any other nut butter)
• 1/2 Cup mini dark chocolate chips (use whatever mini chips you want - vegan, milk, semi-sweet, etc.)
• 1/2 Cup honey (I use raw desert wildflower honey from Gus's Fresh Jerky. It's the best and worth a try!)
• 1/8 cup chopped nuts & seeds (OPTIONAL. Use chopped almond, cashews, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, flax or chia seeds.)
• 1/4 cup chopped dried fruit (OPTIONAL. such as cranberries, apricots, raisins, etc.)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Use a tablespoon or ice cream scooper to scoop out consistent amounts, and roll into bite-sized balls. You can also put this in a baking dish, spread out and press down, and then cut this into granola bar sizes. Eat immediately or refrigerate for a cool treat. (You actually don't need to refrigerate these. They have a pretty good shelf life. But around my house, these are usually gone within a day or two.)

Who Is Your Most Joyful Self?

The first post I made referred to Marie Kondo's book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up":

One of the concepts in this book is to consider what brings you joy...
REALLY consider and contemplate this.

Take a moment now and think about it: WHAT BRINGS YOU JOY?

After you've identified that thing (or things) the goal is to surround yourself with the things that bring you TRUE joy.

As I was trying to figure this out, I was initially discouraged. I thought for a long time, and felt like I had gotten stuck in the mom trap. The things that USED to bring me joy in college and before 4 kids are things that don't necessarily bring me joy now. OR, maybe they do...but I don't do them anymore. The time I dedicate to my family, to raising my children, to working, to keeping a home has taken me away from many of the things I used to do for fun. I know that's somewhat part of life. Being a parent takes immense sacrifice, and often times, personal desires or practices have to be put on the back-burner. But the fact that I really don't do the things that, as a young college student, seemed so central to my identity, made me sad.

As I thought about it more, I compared the person I used to be to the person that exists now. Who is happier? Who enjoys life more? It seemed like the old me was happier, more adventurous, spontaneous, fun. She painted and drew and surrounded herself with art. She made plans for world-travel and road trips. She smiled a lot and really LIVED life, took every day as an adventure. What a person. The me now is more serious...sometime way too serious. She's worried about keeping a grocery budget, meal-planning, making sure her kids are healthy and nurtured physically/emotionally/spiritually. She updates the household budget and bills calendar every month. She takes kids to the Emergency room for stitches or strange illnesses (way too ofter in 2015) and works from home full-time. She worries about family/friends/neighbors/herself. She's replaced a bold sense of adventure with worry. She sometimes feels like her life belongs to all the other people around her rather than herself.

It seems to me that the difference between the two people is not necessarily the money or the opportunities, but rather the state of mind. When I closer analyze the college me, I find that it's not necessarily the painting, pottery making, or drawing that was part of my identity and brought me joy. It's rather the concept of CREATIVITY. Being creative and making art brings me joy. Art is a broad term and applies to many things. I can identify things in my life today that are artful and creative. Interior design, floral arrangements, color theory and interior paint, building/crafting things from wood...I actually do lots of artsy things.

Something I've envied and admired and been annoyed about with my husband is that he really hasn't seemed to change that much over the almost 8 years we've been married. I've noticed that if he wants to do something, he does it. He has hobbies and passions and enjoys them. He's generally content with life. Now, it's not ALWAYS sensible to have this attitude, because I do believe that you need to practice restraint when it comes to things. If you don't have money, you can't buy that new thing that you've been daydreaming of. But in Brett's case, he gets creative and generally makes things work. We've been blessed to have a lot of fun things. He has a wood shop with lots of wood and fun tools. He has a welder. He has car stuff from his years as a diesel mechanic. He has guns, hunting supplies and ammunition and targets. There are lots of things for him to go out do when he's feeling in the mood for adventure. My point with him, is that he makes things happen. He doesn't come up with excuses or worry about doing other less important things first. He knows how to make personal time for himself a priority. That has often annoyed me. At times I look at him, and he's so content, and then I look in the mirror and see someone who feels overworked, undervalued, and overwhelmed with "adult responsibility". I have gotten jealous of him and his ability to overlook the messy kitchen or the chaotic garage and rather decide to just have fun. He's just really good at brushing things off. I'm really good at holding on to things and feeling like I'm a mother martyr.

But after taking a time to consider the contrast of Brett's attitude on life vs. my current attitude, I came to an altering realization. Although there are things that DO need to get done, I can have the same attitude as him. I can have fun too. I just often don't let myself because I get to serious and caught up about my to-do list. I've noticed that once I set my mind to something or have something on my itinerary, it is really hard for me to transition and go with the flow if plans need to change. If I put it on paper, it's the law. And that means that I can't have my fun until all those things on my daily checklist are addressed.

I feel like I've been a bit of a pendulum. I used to be very easy going, spontaneous, just do whatever at the beginning of marriage (because that's how I was in college). Over the years with adding kids, job responsibilities, financial needs, etc, I have become much more type A personality. I can't just "go with the flow" on some things. That's been something I have intended to work on. But with my new outlook on this year, and the things I want to practice with finding joy, I feel myself swinging back in the other direction. LIFE IS JUST TOO SHORT TO NOT LIVE EVERY DAY CONTENTLY AND JOYFULLY. A constricted mindset will lead to a constricted life. I feel like I've been on both extremes of the pendulum, so hopefully with some trial and error I'll find a good middle ground that is conducive to everything I both need to be and want to be. 

The Sweetest Moment of Today

Today was very fast-paced. It was full of lots of work projects, lots of running around getting kids to and from school, some errands, an audio & visual health screening with Lillie, and many things in between. After work, and after picking up Aedan from school, I hurried to make dinner so Brett could have something to eat before he went to mutual tonight. He was home for only about 40 minutes before he had to leave, and then it was me and just the kids again.

Lillie was looking sleepy, but it wasn't quite late enough to put her down for bed, so we had bath time (which she loved). After a bath, we went to my room, and I suddenly lost steam. I was tired from the day and just wanted to put my feet up. I laid her down on my bed, got her changed, then put on a movie for us to watch in bed on the laptop ("Minions" [2015]). Later on, Izzy came to join us. The boys were having fun playing with toys in the bathroom sink and weren't making TOO much of a mess, so it ended up just being a girls movie. Lillie snuggled with me while I relaxed and perused  my babycenter app on my phone.

The aftermath of the boys' bathroom play time.

They were building a floating island (when the sink was full) so their superhero toys could have a "secret base". 

The time on the bed with my two little girls watching a fun movie, and then thinking about the new little girl we'll be having soon...THAT was the sweetest moment of today. I was able to forget about the dishes I had been determined to do, or other house chores that I had felt needed attention. Once we were all in bed, nothing else mattered except enjoying the moments with my beautiful girls, and enjoying the giggles from my boys as I could hear them play in the next room. It was a perfectly simple evening with no expectations or worrying about my personal to-do list. During our movie time, I realized that this was exactly what I needed to be doing, and it superseded any to-do-task I had previously felt to be important. It was a good mom moment, and just what everyone needed.

Brett came home to a still messy kitchen, but everyone was so happy. We spent some time together as a family, everyone crowded in our bedroom (we're very luck to have a king-sized bed), and it was pretty peaceful when we actually had to put all the kids too bed. There wasn't as much defiance and hassle as there normally is during our bedtime routine. Maybe it was my attitude and relaxed state of mind. I wasn't impatient with the kids, I wasn't losing my temper or raising my voice or hurrying them to get into bed. We had enjoyed a fun yet peaceful evening together, and I think the kids continued that attitude into bedtime.

Then, it was time for ME to go to bed. Here's a "bumpie" at 24 weeks. Very glamorous, I know. It was taken in the low-light of my bathroom after all the kids were asleep. You gotta love the zebra PJ pants. (I'm just noticing how tired I look. Like I said, it HAD been a long day.)

I'm Going Green - Part 2

I remember when I had the conversation with my husband two weeks ago and told him I wanted to go green. I think he is amiably indifferent, so that's easy for me. But I feel like I had to say it out loud and say it to him so he could be aware of any strange behaviors he encounters over the next couple weeks. She's using baking soda or vinegar to clean everything? Including her hair? She's crazy... (FYI, the no-'poo method is really effective. I've been trying it for 3 weeks now, and my hair feels super healthy and clean. It is a little bizarre if it's something you're not used to, but the way it makes my hair and scalp feel makes it worth it.) I know my husband loves me and my quirks, though. He even verbally acknowledged the work I've been doing to keep our family safer, healthier, and happier. As a man of few words when it comes to "words of affirmation" (See "The Five Love Languages" by Dr. Gary Chapman), I will take that as compliment to my efforts. 

Before I made the commitment to change, I first wondered: Isn't this kind of weird? Will it really be that weird for me? But, you know, the more I thought about, I don't think it will be. It fits into my recent quest to simplify and declutter (Inspired by Marie Kondo). I also feel like we've moved towards a lot of sustainable practices in our family. We have a garden and use our home-grown fruits and vegetables for our food. We raise our own chickens for eggs and meat (they cage-free, and very happy ladies, until we kill them.). We generally buy used (from clothes to furniture to vehicles, etc.) and recycle a LOT with our DIY projects. We carpool or use a pretty fuel-efficient vehicle for Brett getting to work. We love to be frugal and save money by doing or making things ourselves. I was also raised to be very environmentally conscious. 

In the third grade, I won a city-wide art contest that all of the Mesa, AZ elementary schools grades 1-6 participated in (it's a pretty big school district). The topic was "Recycle Today For A Better Tomorrow". As prizes, I got to shake hands with the mayor at some city council. I also had my original artwork hung in the Mesa Public Library for years (it was gone the last time I went there. They did some remodeling...so I wonder where it went, or if it moved to a different part of the library, or if it's in storage or just gone. The city recycling company also came and gave a presentation to my third grade class where they taught about the benefits and importance of recycling, and gave us lots of fun little freebies. Recycling and taking care of the earth have always been a big concern of mine, even when I was young.

So...going green with cleaning products and home products is totally not a stretch for me. I feel like it will give me satisfaction on many levels. I'm excited to experiment and to get started. I'm sure I'll learn a lot through trial and error, and will eventually have lots of anecdotes and advice for anyone who wants to got the DIY Green Cleaning route as well. 

Here are the list of homemade household cleaners I would like to make and have on hand (some of which I already do. Follow the links to see what I've tried.) I'm still investigating beauty products (soaps, shampoos/conditioners, lotions, moisturizers, lip balms, salves), so a post on that are soon to come. 

• All-purpose Cleaner
• Glass/Window Cleaner
• Dish Detergent (powder, borax-free)
• Laundry Detergent Powder (omit the Purex crystals and use a plant-based bar soap to make this truly green. An alternative recipe that looks similar to the one I've used, but have not tried, can be found here.)
• Disinfectant
• Fabric deodorizer/Air Freshener (like homemade Febreze)
• Soft Scrub/Toilet Scrub 
• Floor Cleaner (for mopping)
• Carpet cleaner (shampoo)
• Carpet Freshener/Deodorizer
• Foaming hand-soap
• Wood cleaner 
• Gel Air freshener