Clean out your kitchen

Is it time your Kitchen needs to be cleaned and detoxed? Do you still have cleaning products in the back of your cupboard that you're ashamed of, or maybe you're just not sure if they are safe or not? 

Let's Detox Your Kitchen

1. Get a laundry basket. Put everything you find that doesn't belong in the kitchen in the laundry basket. This helps stop Cleaning A.D.D. You know, when you go to put something away in another room and suddenly start cleaning something in that room? Then a few hours later you realize you started with the kitchen and suddenly ended up cleaning the toy box out in the play room? Yeah, guilty! The laundry basket is how I get myself to not do that. 

2. Clear everything off of your counters. 

3. Start at the top of your Kitchen and work down. Take everything off the top of your cupboards or shelves and refrigerator and wash/clean them off. Vacuum up there. Use MamaSuds® All Purpose Cleaner to clean the grease/grime/dust. 

4. Spray your cupboards and handles/knobs and wipe them down. Use a cotton swab to get in any nooks and crannies. 

5. Take everything out of your refrigerator and wash it out. A bucket of hot water with about a half an ounce of MamaSuds® Castile Soap would work great, or continue using the spray. Put refrigerator contents back.

6. Take items out of cupboards one section at a time. Anything that your don't use or isn't yours put in the laundry basket. Wipe out cupboard and put contents back. Do the same with the drawers too. 

7. Oven. This can be done at night if your oven it particularly filthy. It may need a good wiping down or a scrub. Vacuum or sweep out anything sitting at the bottom. Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom so it creates a thin layer. Spray it with white distilled vinegar and shut the down. Leave it over night then scrub the oven floor and walls. Wipe out. 

8. Spray kitchen surfaces and back splash and appliances. Wipe down.

9. Dispose of any other cleaning products you no longer use. You really can get away with just a few cleaning products! 

10. Take your laundry basket and put items away. 

Now have a cup of something tasty and enjoy your clean kitchen! 

So when was the last time you cleaned those make-up brushes? I have to admit, I do it less than I probably should, however now that my girls are at the "love-to-put-makeup-on" stage, I do it more. Only because I have black eyeshadow on my kabuki brush and blush on my eyeshadow brush. 😳

If you have one MamaSuds product or quite a few, there are multiple products you can use to clean your makeup brushes. Here are your steps:

1.) Rinse your brushes off. Experts say to avoid getting anything but the bristles, but I am not very good at that. 

2.) Get a shallow bowl and put either a small amount of a)  MamaSuds Castile Soap b)  MamaSuds Laundry Soap or c)  MamaSuds All-Purpose Cleaner. Then add enough water to have up to the middle of the brushes submerged. 

3.) You can let your brushes sit in it for about 10 minutes or just start swirling  each of them around in it, working out the makeup.

4.) Rinse and dry carefully. Then put a towel or washcloth down and lean them up against something (like the wall or mirror) so they are leaning with the brushes down. Let them dry overnight. 

That's it! Try it and let me know how it works! 

5 years.

5 years ago I had a 5 year old, a 21 month old and I was 6 months pregnant when I walked into the county building to buy my business license. I had no clue what I was doing but I did have a vision that I wanted to make truly safe products for people to use in their homes. I knew I wanted to teach people to read labels and learn about ingredients so they felt confident in the products they choose. I had no idea what it would become 5 years later, but every day I am pleasantly surprised and humbled by the emails and product reviews showing the love for MamaSuds®. 

As a thank you we are running a month long promo! We are giving you a complimentary bottle of MamaSuds® Hand Sanitizer with every *order $30 or more!
(*product will be offered when you checkout in a pop up window)

Thank you for your purchases, your reviews, your referrals, and your attention for the past 5 years. I'm excited to share what we have planned for 2017 with you! 

-Michelle 
oxo

No you do NOT need a special cleaner for that! 

Have you looked at the upper rim of your washing machine drum? Mine was pretty gross. I don't even know what prompted me to look there, but I caught a glimpse of it and immediately felt the need to clean it. How does all that gook get there? My washing machine is just over a year old and has never been clean. My previous washing machine was just over 7 years old and I never even thought to look at the drum to check for gunk. Yikes!

Isn't that gross? First I took a wet washcloth and put a squirt of laundry soap on it and scrubbed it. Then I thought I was going to have break out an old toothbrush or the cotton swabs. I really didn't want to get that crazy with it so I grabbed some scissors to jam my washcloth into the knicks, crannies and ridges. It did the trick!
I then took a dry washcloth and poured some vinegar on it and wiped it all down until it was all sparkly.

Now my washing machine drum is nice a clean! Try it :) 

• MamaSuds® Castile Soap was applied directly to the red wine stain on the carpet.
• The small carpet cleaner brush was used to scrub it in.
• The machine was then turned on and the stain sprayed with water and scrubbed further until it disappeared.
• The soapy residue was removed by spraying and soaking up the soap for 10 minutes, until only water remained.

Attention Crunchy Moms and Ecofriendly Peeps!  

 

As the holiday season approaches, it's that exciting time of year when we start thinking about gifts for the little ones in our lives and for those who share our passion for sustainability. Whether you're a parent with young children at home, a loving aunt or uncle, or simply someone committed to making more environmentally-friendly purchases, I've got some fantastic news for you! This Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I'll be curating a list of the best green deals that will help you shop consciously and save money.

First on the list is Dirty Diaper Laundry's THE List. This comprehensive guide is perfect for parents looking to stock up on cloth diapers and other sustainable baby essentials. Cloth diapers are not only gentler on your baby's skin but also significantly reduce waste compared to disposables. Investing in these eco-friendly options during sales can make a big difference for both your wallet and the planet.

Next, we have Change-Diaper's Sale Compilation. This resource is a treasure trove of deals on everything from organic baby clothes to non-toxic toys. It's a great opportunity to support brands that prioritize safety and sustainability, ensuring that your little ones are surrounded by products that are as kind to them as they are to the Earth.

Finally, The Green Connoisseur Blog's Eco-friendly Deals and Discounts rounds out our list. This blog covers a wide range of sustainable products, from household items to personal care goods. By taking advantage of these sales, you can make strides in your journey toward a greener lifestyle, all while supporting businesses that are committed to ethical practices and environmental responsibility.

Shopping during Black Friday and Cyber Monday doesn't have to mean compromising your values. In fact, it's an excellent time to support green businesses and invest in products that align with your commitment to sustainability. Look for items with certifications like Fair Trade, Organic, or those made from recycled materials, and always consider the environmental impact of your purchases.

By choosing eco-friendly options, you're not only saving money but also contributing to a cleaner, healthier planet for future generations. This holiday season, let's celebrate by making mindful choices, finding the best deals, and showing our support for companies that care about the environment. Happy green shopping!

How did I get here?

In my previous post in this series I talked about how my husband started telling me I should sell the liquid soap and the laundry soap I was making from it to people outside of our family and friends. I had lots of doubt and thought he was crazy for thinking people would want to buy soap from ME.

Where does my story lead to next?

See Part 1 here.    See Part 2 here.     See Part 3 here.    See Part 4 here.   See Part 5 here.

So here is Part 6 in my series. My lovely techie husband set up a website for me. We did a few Mom 2 Mom sales. They were not successful.  I was not a very good salesperson. It was no loss for me, I knew it wouldn't work. Plus, I was teaching and was expecting our third baby so I didn't think I could have the time either.

Then on December 28, 2011 a lady named Dorothy from Colorado ordered a gallon of my laundry soap. I'll never forget that feeling. I actually cried in disbelief. Someone in COLORADO bought my soap? Get out! Later I received an email from her telling me that my soap was "such a blessing" to her 80 year old skin. She even called to tell me in case she didn't send her email correctly. She thought it was hysterical that my first order came from an old lady who could barely use the internet. From then on she called me to place her orders and we would chat. I loved it. It was because of Dorothy in Colorado that I forged ahead and went to the county and registered our business so that we were official on January 3, 2012.

The last time I talked with Dorothy was over two years ago. Her last order came from her daughter and she let me know Dorothy was ill. I frequently think about her and wonder how she is....

Dear Dorothy,

Thanks for being my first customer. I'll never forget you.

Love,  Michelle 

Update: I did find out Dorothy passed away in January 2016.  

• People often equate bubbles, lather and foamy suds with cleanliness, however harsh detergents are usually the culprit.
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), which can have various names, have been rated as a low to moderate hazard by Skin Deep.
• The International Journal of Toxicology recommends using products with concentrations of SLS of 1% or less when used for any length of time, but most cleaning products have levels between 10-30%, or even higher.
• The ILO states that “the substance is toxic to aquatic organisms” and advises not to let it enter the environment.
• Contamination with 1,4-dioxane is also possible, which is a possible human carcinogen and harmful to the environment.
• Alternatives for bubbles include coconut derived products and castor oil, but these are more expensive.

How did I get here?

In my previous post in this series I talked about how I almost threw in the towel with cloth diapering because I was tired of stripping the diapers and my daughter getting diaper rashes and burns. I had a hunch that if I could make my own liquid soap, surely I could use that to make a laundry detergent.

Where does my story lead to next?

See Part 1 here.    See Part 2 here.   See Part 3 here.    See Part 4 here.

So here is Part 5 in my series.

Right away I learned the difference between soap (made from lye and oil) and detergent (a mixture of surfactants {lower surface tension between dirt and water} and cleansers in water). Surfactants sounded harmless. But behind the definition was the fact that surfactants are derived from a variety of petrochemicals, AKA petroleum by-products (For Better Living). I am not about that.

I found a bunch of recipes online but they were all dry products mixed together. I really wanted a liquid version because I already had the liquid castile soap.  I first tried castile soap alone. I have very hard water and it didn't cut it. So I researched other sodium minerals that are safe and biodegradable. I ended up with a formula that worked awesome. I didn't want to hold my breath until a good month went by. In the mean time I used it on all our laundry. It worked great on our clothes, so hoped it would work on the diapers?

After a month, I started to get excited! Months went by and I had my aunts, Grandma and parents try it. They loved it. They couldn't believe how little you had to use! Then friends and extended family wanted to try it and so I would sell them my laundry soap. 

After about 6 months my husband started telling me I should sell it. I would roll my eyes at him and say, "Yeah right, who is going to want to buy laundry soap from ME?"  My daughter Molly helping me fill bottles of laundry soap.

(part 6 continued here)