"Go Green" and Clean with what You Already Have - Cheaply

These days everyone is looking for ways to be environmentally friendly. Here are some of my favorite tips to clean with everyday things you have around the house with everyday products you already have. You can see a lot of ads on TV for all those environmentally friendly cleaning products but why pay out the extra money when you can use these items for a fourth of the cost?

* For dusting skip the expensive polish and use a micro-fiber mitt. I know that you may not have this yet, but once you buy it, it will pay for itself within a few months because you won't be using all that polish you were using before. After you use it just toss it in the wash for the next use. I'll even dampen it if I have a lot of dust to pick up. My favorite is Flylady's http://flylady.net/pages/FlyShop_d_duster.asp and it is only about $10.

* To clean windows put the vinegar that is already in your pantry into a spray bottle, spray, and wipe off with microfiber towels or newspaper. I buy vinegar buy the gallon, love the stuff!

* Use the same spray bottle with vinegar in it and attack that bathroom. It works fantastically in the shower and around the sink area. Spray, let it set for a minute, wipe it off and rinse.

* Have a tough cooked on stain on the stove? 1 part bleach to 5 parts water in a spray bottle. Spray over stain and then sprinkle baking soda over it. Let it set a couple of minutes. Use a washcloth to lightly scrub off. This won't scratch up your surface and to me works just as well as those harsh chemicals you can buy. You might need to repeat, but I'm telling you it really works. I am always fighting those yucky stains around my burners on my stove.

* Do you have tile floors? I do and when I was pregnant I would wash them with cleaners and they would make my floors so slippery. After slipping a couple of times when I was seven months pregnant, I came up with this solution. Add about 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol to your warm mop water, no other cleaning products needed. The rubbing alcohol sanitizes my floors and prevents them from getting that slipperiness that I was having problems with. And my floors look great too.

* Do you have a piece of clothing that has a smell you can't get out? Add a cup of vinegar to the wash along with detergent and wash as normal. This really helps. You might need to repeat, but the smell should come out after a couple of washes. You can also add vinegar straight to a potty spot from an animal to help get the smell out. Just add, let set for a few minutes, then blot it up.

I can tell you these items are so much cheaper than buying the factory made cleaning products and the work so well, why spend the money? Leave a comment if you have any suggestions or natural cleaning tips.

Pamper Yourself!

Here are five ideas to pamper yourself, in a hurry (if need be), easily, and definitely on a budget.

1. Stick your favorite face lotion/cream in the fridge. On a day you've had too much sun or just want something soothing, apply the cold lotion on your face. It feels sooooo good, I should know, I just did it!

2. Take 10 for yourself. Soak your feet in water, add epsom salt if you wish. Then wash your feet with a foot scrub, it moisturizes and sloughs off some of that dead skin we have a tendency to get on our summer feet. You can get foot scrubs at the dollar store.

3. Download your most relaxing music onto itunes, don't have it? Its free to download and you don't have to have an ipod to use it, just listen off your computer after you download your cds. Make a folder labeled RELAX. When stress is at its best steal 15 minutes to yourself and listen to your relaxing music with your eyes closed. Turn it up to block out the kids!

4. Stash your own little guilty pleasure such as little Dove chocolates or some dark chocolate, you know what you love. When things are hectic and you need to slow down find a quiet corner and take a minute to indulge in one of your little treats with your eyes closed and focus only on the taste in your mouth.

5. Buy yourself a little inexpensive bouquet of flowers next time you are at the grocery store, or if you happen to have flowers growing in your yard hand cut some and put them in a vase. Place them somewhere you will see whenever you walk through the livingroom. They'll make you smile when you see them. Who doesn't love flowers?

There are lots of little things we can do for ourselves that we normally don't think to do. Why because we are moms and life goes so quickly we barely make time to "smell the roses." While I wouldn't trade my life for anything, I do know that I need to try and recharge my batteries even if that means 2 minutes at a time.
If you have any fun ideas to pamper yourself that are fast and budget friendly please post a comment!