Wednesday's Small Step: Get your hands dirty!

Take a relaxing step back and let your hands get dirty. Play in mud. Don't run from germs, embrace them!

Stop worrying that germs are going to attack you and devour your immune system! It's not going to happen! So put down that bottle of hand sanitizer, rub some coconut oil (or whichever moisturizer you prefer) on your hands, and do something fun!

When you spend your time constantly worrying about how sanitized a surface is before you touch, or even after you touch it, you are wasting valuable brain space. Give it a wipe with a damp cloth if there is some debris and it will be clean enough. There are so many more things you can do if you relax your fears about bacteria.

Alcohol based sanitizers kill germs, sure... but they kill the beneficial bacteria just as often as the malignant bacteria. The down side? Malignant bacteria grows back faster. Then your body will have no helpful bacteria to assist in fighting off the bad bacteria, and you are more likely to get sicker than you would have otherwise.

So help your immune system, make your body stronger, and stop compulsively cleaning your hands and wiping your surfaces. You won't get sick from that, you'll get sick from someone coughing on you.

Instead of worrying about sanitation, worry about cleanliness. Think about keeping your things organized and tidy, and they won't have much chance to get dirty. Dust them periodically if they are items that stay in one place. Use your extra time to think about what you'd like to do with your life, come up with a plan or idea for sometihng that is important to you.

Enjoy the relaxing feeling of not stressing about germs. Germs are good for you, they make your body do it's job. So let it do what it was made to do, and relax. Your body will appreciate it.

Peace and serenity,

Simply Me

Enjoy the Small Steps series? Let me know what you think below.

7 different ways to use salt

So, like I said, I love finding fun new information on the internet.

Found on AboutMyPlanet.com, a list of new ways to use salt. Regular table salt.

Fantastic!

Check out the full list here.

I love that these tips and ideas are actually practical, and use an everyday household item.

Let me know if you have tried any of these, and how they work! I am interested in seeing different peoples opinions of these uses.

Lots of love,

Simply Me

Follow up on natural cleaning products...

I realized the other day that my shampoo containers has this strange white crust on the edges that were touching the bathtub. I had thought I rinsed the tub well to get all the baking soda off, but I guess I didn't! The crust wiped right off, it was just a reminder to rinse better next time.

I also used hydrogen peroxide to clean the in- and outside of the toilet. The dust and animal fluff came off and stayed off, and the scum in the bowl wiped off easier than I have ever seen it before.

Anyone had any luck or failed attempts with other natural cleaning products?

Also, I need to call the Bulk Barn and Rainbow Foods to see if they'll let my bring my own containers for their bulk bins. Reminder to myself, will update here to let everyone that reads this know.

Much love

All Natural Cleaning products... found in your medicine cupboard and baking supplies!

So, to go along with the information received from Kitchen Stewardship in regards to the Get The Junk Out Carnival! I decided to finally make the step towards getting the junk out... of my cleaning closet.

My chore, every week, at home is to clean the bathroom. Very important, it's used up to 20 times a day, so it's important to keep it clean and organized. Well, I had been sick last weekend, so it didn't get done. so this weekend, it was extra gunky. Time to try out a few new tricks! Instead of Mr. Clean (I know, terrible, but it was bought for me) for general cleaning and Comet for the bathtub, I used rubbing alcohol for the sink and cupboards. Cleaned off the toothpaste like nothing else, and gave it a nice clean feeling. Mixed around 50/50 with water, enough to smell the alcohol. Onwards to the shower, I wiped down the walls and ceiling with a little hydrogen peroxide on a facecloth, and the scum came right off, way easier than when I used the other crap.

You know what, why not use rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide? It's good for disinfecting wounds, why not surfaces? And not to mention about 10x cheaper, at least.

Last but certainly not least, the bathtub. Soap scum and dried on who-knows-what. A little baking soda, and a facecloth to scrub. Worked better than Comet, and I thought Comet was a godsend. Not only that, but baking soda also works as a deodorizer, so it works out very nicely. Follow up with a quick wipedown with either rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, and it's disinfected and sanitized as well.

Haven't done the toilet yet, that's for tomorrow. Got too busy organized all my art paraphernalia. But I'm sure the toilet will sparkle as much as the rest of the bathroom by the time I'm done with it.

Anyone else have any great natural, eco-friendly cleaning ideas or products? Please feel free to pass them on. Also, if anyone knows where to find rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide in something other than a plastic bottle, please let me know! Thanks!

Happy cleaning!