Mix these together and pour them into an air-tight container.  To grate the Fels Naptha, you can use a box grater or cut the bar in chunks and put them in a food processor.

To use: Add 1-2 tablespoons per load.  This mixture is safe for front loading washers.


Extras to add/try:

• 1 part oxygen bleach (Oxyclean)
• Essential oils for scent
• Add vinegar to the rinse cycle (of the fabric softener compartment) to soften and disinfect
• Make this into homemade detergent tablets!  Using a spray bottle, spray water onto the powered mixture and mix until you can compact it.  You can shape the tablets by hand or put them in silicone ice cube trays to dry.  Once dry, they will harden and retain their shape.  Add one tablet per wash.

When we think of all-natural cleaning, the first ingredient that comes to mind is vinegar!  White, also known as distilled, vinegar is a great staple to keep around.  It's dirt cheap and has so many uses.  Just make sure to keep it away from marble, granite or anything sensitive to acids.  Here are a few ways to use vinegar to clean around the house.  Note, the recommended mixing ratio is water and vinegar. 10:1 would be ten parts water and one part vinegar.  You can change these ratios when you feel a little more or less cleaning power is needed.

1. Give windows a streak-free shine-10:1, Vinegar dries faster than water, which will help leave windows, glass and mirrors streak free.  If your windows have any residue on them, you may want to add a few drops of dish soap to the mixture.
2. Remove water spots from glass shower doors- We suggest vinegar straight from the bottle for this task.  You can put it in a spray bottle and shine the glass with a microfiber rag.
3. Add a disinfecting punch to your cleaning products- Vinegar has some disinfecting properties, similar to bleach.  Use it in place of bleach for a natural alternative.
4. Use vinegar to replace your fabric softener- Brighten dull clothes and remove stains- Ketchup, chocolate, wine, and jelly can be removed with vinegar.  Left it soak on the stain for a few minutes and then wash as usual.
5. Remove mildew or sweat odors from clothing- 2:1 Let clothes soak in a bucket or sink of vinegar and water for fifteen minutes (or longer if you have time).  Then machine wash as usual.  You can also add a cup or vinegar straight in the washing machine.
6. Clean the washing machine- Put two cups of vinegar in the washing machine and run it, empty, on a hot cycle.  The combination of hot water and vinegar will help remove hard water buildup, kill bacteria and mold and remove odors.
7. Eliminate odors around the house- 2:1 You can spray a vinegar mixture on or in shoes, trashcans, upholstery or anything else that has gotten a little musty.  You can also use it to clean and freshen your refrigerator or carpets.
8. Kill and remove bacteria and mold in bathrooms and kitchens- With ceramic an porcelain tile, you can use use vinegar straight from the bottle to disinfect your bathrooms and kitchen.  Use a toothbrush to get in corners and grout.
9. Clean your coffee maker or coffee pot- 10:1 Mix vinegar and water and run it through the coffee maker, as if making coffee.  Run it again with just water to make sure it's rinsed and let it dry completely before using it again.  To clean stains from the carafe, mix one part vinegar and four parts water and let it soak overnight.  Wash with dish soap and rinse well.
10. Mop floors- 4:1 You can mop tile floors with a mixture of one part vinegar and four parts water.  For messier jobs, you can increase the amount of vinegar.  Hardwood floors can also benefit from an occasional cleaning with a mild vinegar mixture (10:1).
11. Clear slow drains- Put half a cup of baking soda in a slow drain, followed by one cup or vinegar.  Wait five to ten minutes and then rinse with very hot water.  For more detailed instructions, see here.

Let us know in the comments if you've tried any of these tips!  If you have any vinegar cleaning tips that we missed, we'd love to know!  Leave a comment!

Slow drains can be a pain!  Before you reach for the commercial drain clearing chemicals, try these natural solutions.  Note, natural cleaning, in general, is best used as a preventative, rather than a solution for severe problems.  Use these recipes every few months or at the first sign of a slow drain!


Baking Soda and Vinegar: 
(For extra power, start with about a tablespoon of concentrated dish soap, down the drain)  

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1 cup white vinegar

Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain.  Adding a little at a time, follow this with one cup (8 oz) of distilled vinegar.  Let this work its magic for ten minutes and then follow with very hot water. 



Baking Soda, Salt and Cream of Tartar: 

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup table salt
• 1 tablespoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup boiling water

Mix 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup table salt and one tablespoon of cream of tartar.  Pour the dry mixture down the drain and follow with a cup of boiling water.  Let it sit for 20 minutes and then flush with cold water.


Heavy Duty Borax Drain Cleaner:
(Look for borax in the detergent aisle of the grocery store)

• 1 cup borax
• 4 cups boiling water

Pour one cup of borax down the drain, followed by four cups of boiling water.  Let sit for 20 minutes and then flush with cold water.

You can also try a commercial enzyme cleaner.  These are natural and usually safe for septic systems.  And to help keep you drains clean, we suggest a mesh cover over your shower drains to catch hair.  There's also the magical "Drainwig," device, which you can buy here.  We've seen them in action and they do a great job catching hair.



Post your drain clearing tips in the comments!

Fridge smells....what can we say about fridge smells?  Well, they sure can ruin a meal.  Removing the odor can be a little time consuming but the task itself is pretty easy.  Take it slow, maybe even one step per day and you'll get through it, we promise.  Read on for our tips:

1. Remove the source of the odor.  Is it the leftover fish from last week?  An egg that cracked and went bad?  Get it out of there!  If you're reading this, chances are, your problem is a little bigger than that.  If so, read on...
2. Go ahead and remove all items, sort through them and discard any expired items.  Make a note of any items that will soon expire and be sure to put them where you can see them so you will be more likely to use them.
3. Remove all shelves and drawers.  Read your refrigerator's owner's manual.  Sometimes shelves and drawers are dishwasher safe.  Even if they are, we recommend a low heat, gentle cycle, so they will last longer.  If they aren't dishwasher safe, hand wash and dry them completely.
4. While the shelves and drawers are drying, use a microfiber rag and some all-purpose cleaner (instead of water, we recommend half water, half vinegar, in this case) to clean the inside walls, ceiling and floor of the refrigerator.  If you had any spills, you may need to let them soak for a bit. (EXTRA TIP: Mix one part rubbing alcohol and one part vanilla extract.  After cleaning the interior, rub this mixture all over the walls.  Vanilla extract is known for removing odors and the rubbing alcohol will kill the bacteria that causes the odors.)
5. Once everything is dry, put the shelves and drawers back in.  Before you put the food back in, why not go ahead and give those items a quick wipe down too?  The smells could be lingering on the outside of the bottles and containers.

Next, you'll need to maintain the freshness.  Here are some tips:

• Place an open bowl of baking soda in the fridge (also vinegar, coffee grounds or activated charcoal placed in a bowl will absorb odors).  Replace this monthly.
• Keep less food in there!  This makes you more likely to eat everything before it goes bad and makes it easier to clean the shelves without removing everything.
• Clean up spills and leaks immediately.
• Wipe the shelves with the half rubbing alcohol, half vanilla mixture once per week (or wipe them with vinegar)
• Make sure to keep any leftover food in airtight containers (no open plates of food!)

Got more tips?  Leave them in the comments below!

We've seen more than our fair share of cloudy or spotted marble and granite surfaces.  Even after seeing it so often, we still feel a little pain in our hearts when we see such beautiful natural stone, ruined by harsh chemicals.  Natural and homemade cleaners tend to be easier on these delicate surfaces but there are still some ingredients to steer clear of.

The main thing to be concerned with is the pH of your cleaners.  A neutral pH is best for marble, granite, travertine, and even hardwood floors.  This means products like vinegar and bleach should be kept far away!  A pH of 7 is ideal.

Over the years, we've had a lot of questions about what products we suggest for this or that, what we like….and usually, our answer is, our all-purpose spray!  We make it ourselves, it works on just about everything and with the addition of the essential oils, it smells great AND disinfects (we've even done bacteria tests!).  You can buy our all purpose cleaner on Etsy!  Or make it yourself:

It seems like the biggest trend in soap right now is all-natural, cold-pressed, bar soaps.  They’re great!  Many times they are made by local crafters with high quality, skin loving ingredients.  It’s also hip and trendy and makes a great gift! Surely, you love your bar soaps but did you know that bar soap produces more than double the amount of soap scum that liquid soap does?!  This is especially true when mixed with the hard water of the areas surrounding Charlottesville.  That greasy, tinted film on your shower walls and floors is from your beloved bar soap!  The call is yours but if you still love your bar soap, you’ll certainly love us too!

It’s the most common problem we hear about….MOLD.  It’s in the grout, on the ceiling, in the toilet, in the tub jets….everywhere!  We can clean it but how can you prevent it?  The simple answer is to make sure the bathroom stays as dry as possible.  This may mean installing or upgrading a ceiling exhaust fan, using a squeegee or towel to dry the shower after using it or opening a window.  All of these steps help but some areas are more susceptible to mold and mildew and it takes a little more effort to prevent it.  Here are our tips:

• Keep it dry:  Exhaust fans, windows, squeegees, etc.  Also, keep the shower door or bathroom door open when your done so it can air out.
• Clean thoroughly: Before you can take any preventative measures, you’ll need to fully kill and remove the mold that has already formed.  We suggest using borax, vinegar/baking soda or a high-pressure steamer (we can do this for you!  Just ask!).  See recipes below.
• Disinfect daily: As long as you don’t have sensitive natural stone like marble, granite or travertine, you can make a vinegar, water, essential oil spray to kill the bacteria each time you shower.  Mix 4 ounces water and 4 ounces white vinegar in a spray bottle.  Add 10-20 drops of tea tree or lavender essential oil for an extra boost.  A few sprays in the corners, around the drain and on the floor should help prevent mold (NOTE: this won’t remove mold that has already formed!).  If you have natural stone tile, you can leave out the vinegar and the essential oils will still help prevent mold.
• Get those commonly missed spots: Many plastic shower curtains can be machine washed or replaced cheaply.  Towels and washcloths should be washed regularly and allowed to dry otherwise they can harbor bacteria when left too long.  Don’t forget to look up; Mold can grow on the ceiling and walls too!  Then, look down; Make sure to thoroughly clean the edges of the floor, around the tub, toilet.  If any bacteria is left behind, it will continue to spread to other areas.  Make sure to get it all the first time, then it will be easier to maintain!
• Remove the soap scum: Bacteria LOVES soap scum!  To prevent it, switch from bar soap to liquid (more on that soon) or to remove it we suggest Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, Bon Ami powder cleanser or shampoo….that’s right, SHAMPOO! ( Also, Bounce dryer sheets work, if you’re into that).

Anti-mold Borax Cleaner

• 2 cups hot water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons borax
• 1-2 tablespoon dish soap

Mix all ingredients well.  You can use this mixture by putting it in a spray bottle or a plastic cup and dipping a sponge in the mixture.  Apply to any areas of mold (or all over).  Let sit for 5-10 minutes, then scrub with the scouring side of the sponge or a firm brush.  Rinse well.  *NOTE: Check with your stone/tile manufacturer before using this on non-ceramic or fiberglass surfaces, such as marble, granite or other natural stone.




How to you prevent mold in your bathroom?  Leave your favorite tips in the comments below!