New Nostalgia

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Vinegar-Free Homemade Glass & Floor Cleaner

Most homemade glass/floor cleaner recipes call for vinegar. And I can see why. It's inexpensive. It kills germs. It's safe enough to drink. But if you can't even use it because your husband and kids won't stop complaining about the smell, it's just not going to work. So I switched to an alcohol-based recipe that no one has complained about yet! I think it works better than vinegar and water, which left streaks when I used it. It's super easy to make and it only cost me $0.86 for 24 oz! Streak-free, smell-free, and stress-free. What's not to love?

Vinegar-Free Homemade Glass & Floor Cleaner Recipe

16 oz. water
4 oz. vodka
10-20 drops essential oils (optional)

I used the cheapest vodka I could find. Lately I've been loving pine essential oil in my homemade cleaners for the "clean" aroma and extra disinfecting power.

What homemade cleaners do you make?

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Kendra blogs at Our Homemade Happiness and writes about all things homemade, especially cleaners, skincare & healthy eating.

Kendra Drake

Natural & Homemade Contributor

Kendra started her blog after her husband suffered from mono symptoms for over two years and his blood results showed some liver disease. Since the liver is responsible for filtering out chemicals and toxins from the bloodstream, she started to realize how many chemicals are in everything we buy, from processed food to household cleaners, lotion, and even air freshener. She has become inspired to rid her home of as many chemicals as she can, one product at a time, and write about it along the way.

You will love Kendra & all the great things she has to share!

You can follow Our Homemade Happiness here:

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Other Posts By Kendra at New Nostalgia:

The Oil Cleansing Method-100% Natural ...

Oven Roasted Veggies On Pasta

How to Clean A White Sink Without Bleach-a guest ...

Easiest Homemade Whole Wheat Bread--A Guest Post

Homemade & Healthy Lavender Lime Body Spray

How To Make Your Own Facial Toner

The Oil Cleansing Method-100% Natural ...

Homemade & Healthy Lavender Lime Body Spray

Friday, May 17, 2013

Bringing The Element Of Fire To Our Backyard

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TIKI Brand® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Our weather hit a record high yesterday, a 100 degree Nebraska day in May was a pretty big deal! I love the heat, and it made me excited to get out of the house and enjoy the outdoors.

We have a teeny, tiny backyard, and I am always trying to think of ways to make it a cozy outdoor area that we want to be in as a family. We are slowly making it into the space we imagine it could be. I have done that with comfortable seating, a few pots of flowers, an in- ground water feature & some fun lighting. We are getting close to having the outdoor space we have imagined, all that is left to add is a hammock, and a table with an umbrella so we can eat outdoors.

One of the things I recently got to cross off my list was the element of fire. I wanted the ambience that fire brings, but did not want to mess with a fire pit. Tiki torches were an option, but I wanted something more simple, that would be easier to store than a bunch of torches. I was not sure what I was looking for, until I saw the new TIKI Brand Fire Sculptures.

These sculptures are great! They are the perfect bridge between a garden torch and a fire pit. They bring the ambience of a large, natural flame but with less mess and smoke than a fire pit. If easy flame is what you are looking for, than TIKI Brand Fire Sculptures are a must have!

If you want one of your own, they are sold exclusively at The Home Depot. They can be used with OFF! /BiteFighter Torch fuel which will provide mosquito repellency, which is a good option for us as our in- ground water feature can attract mosquitoes during certain summer months.

The TIKI Brand Fire Sculptures is a BREEZE to use. I couldn't believe it was so easy. You simply fill the canister with fuel, screw the lid on, and light it. It could not be easier.

My girls were super excited about the Fire Sculpture. My youngest just came in and saw me writing this post and said "Mom, that is going to be your best post EVER because I love our new fire 'thing'" Ha. So cute.

I have found that if I want the family to hang out in the back yard, all I have to do is light the sculpture and they come running. It just sets such a nice atmosphere, and is such a simple and minimal way to bring the beauty of flame to our backyard. I love it!

What about you? Is this something you think you would like? If so, you can follow the TIKI Brand on Facebook. They have other styles of Tiki Sculptures that are really beautiful. I'd love to know which one is your favorite and what you like about it.