Category: XYZ recipes

Recipe for Au Naturale Weed Killer

WEED KILLER
1 gallon white vinegar
1 cup salt
  • Mix well
  • Spray on weeds
  • 24 hours later they’re dead

No chemicals!!
BEFORE

AFTER

Now if the city would just do something about the sidewalks. Been using this method since June 2009 with HUGE success.

Making something out of nothing ~ A SOAP tutorial



We’re all trying to cut a few corners these days and conserving all the scraps just makes sense.

  • Save up your old bars of soap, making sure they are dry slivers.
  • Use your grater or chopper to make small pieces. Or like me I eventually give up and use an old ziploc and a meat tenderizer.
  • Put them in a sauce pan with 8 ounces of water for every 1 1/2 cups grated slivers and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. They should blend together like a smooth pudding.
  • I added a hint of lemon extract and green food color also.
  • Pour into molds. I like to use an old ice cube tray for a smaller decorative soap for the guest bathroom or this should make about 3-4 medium-sized bars.
  • After they are set up, pop the bars out of the molds. If they don’t come out easily, stick them in the freezer for 4 hours or overnight, or until they feel dry when you touch them. Then they will pop out easily.
  • Air dry them without their touching each other for 2-3 days.

JEWELRY CLEANER

My tip this week is for the best and super inexpensive jewelry cleaner. Denture cleaner tablets! You can pick up a box of 100 for around $4. House brand works just as well as name brands too. 
Keep a small bowl and old toothbrush handy. Get your rings wet and brush over the surface to loosen the dirt. Put them in the bowl and just cover with water. Pop in 1 tablet and let set several hours or over night. 
I used to take mine in for a good cleaning and my jeweler actually taught me this, he said this is what they use a lot of the time. I run the toothbrush over them again before rinsing and they turn out like new!

DO NOT USE THIS ON SILVER JEWELRY AS IT WILL TARNISH THEM.
THIS METHOD IS ONLY GOOD ON GOLD OR PLATINUM!

UNCLOGGING DRAINS

Here is a recipe for a safe and inexpensive way to keep your drains clear and or unclog them as necessary. I have used it for years and it WORKS!!

1 cup baking soda
1 cup white vinegar

Pour the baking soda in the drain followed by the vinegar. Allow it to fizz for 20 minutes or so and then rinse with hot water.

I also do this to the shower heads when they start to clog.

STARTING FRESH

Most of you know that this past few years have been particularly hard for me with everything from care taking of family members with debilitating diseases, major moves and being diagnosed with cancer myself.
One of the things I like to do to feel better is have some ME time.  Now while everyone deserves some ME time, not everyone can afford to do the SPA experience regularly.  So, I thought I’d share some of my homemade recipes with you.

CUTICLE CREAM
2 tablespoons petroleum jelly
1/2 teaspoon sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

  • Whip until creamy.
  • Massage cream into your cuticles and nail beds.
  • It will keep 2 weeks.

FACE WASH
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons mild liquid soap

  • Mix together in a bottle with a spout.  (I use an old honey bear bottle)
  • Shake before using so mixture is well blended

BODY SCRUB
1/2 cup ground coffee
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup sunflower oil

  • Whip together until well blended.
  • Place in an air-tight jar.
  • Massage over body.
  • Rinse and pat dry.
  • Keeps for a month.

GREEN TEA MASK
1 tablespoon green tea powder
3 drops lemon juice
1/2 cup warm water

  • Whip all together to form a paste.
  • Smooth over your face and relax 10-15 minutes.
  • Rinse and dry.

HUGE HELPFUL HINT!

The next time you’re painting or staining and the directions call for turpentine or paint thinner as a cleaner – STOP & DON’T use it!

With all the home remodeling and rebuilding we’ve been doing around here, my skin has taken a huge beating and in an effort to take the sting out of clean-up, I finally tried this idea that I had read somewhere, but always forgot to try, BUT IT WORKS!!!

Instead of the turpentine or paint thinner, use vegetable oil. Yes, you read that right, plain old vegetable oil. It easily removes the paint or stain from your skin and leaves the skin soft and supple instead of dried out and flaking. Not to mention it’s environmentally friendly and the cost is much better.