Tag: green cleaning

Pure Soap Flakes—Your New (Old School) Secret Weapon to Clean EVERYTHING

When I was a kid, they still sold soap flakes in all the stores. Soap flakes are, well, soap flakes. Dried, 100% pure, vegetable based castile soap with no added preservatives, bleaches, phosphates, or perfumes. If you’re old enough to remember that, you’ll probably remember how amazingly versatile soap flakes were. You could use them to clean everything from delicate wood floors to laundry to newborn babies. They were magical and just like that, they started disappearing from the shelves at the grocery store and were replaced by all kinds of products containing heaps of toxins.

Anyway, I recently got my hands on some soap flakes and I’ve totally been on a cosmetic making rampage! I usually swear by Dr. Bronner’s liquid soaps, but some household products I make call for something a little bit thicker. Who doesn’t prefer creamy shampoo or laundry detergent? So I’ve been testing out some recipes for you lot, because of course I have. Not only are soap flakes extremely powerful (just imagine your laundry whites actually staying white), but they’re also gentle enough to use on the most sensitive of skin. This is an all in one kinda deal, folks!

Here are just a few of the many uses for soap flakes:

  • Laundering natural fibers and delicate fabrics including wool, cashmere, silk, linen, flannel, chiffon, cotton, and down.
  • Washing and cleaning children’s toys chemically free.
  • Cleaning precious ceramics, crystal and glassware, fragile china, porcelain and marble
  • Shampooing wool and other fine carpets and rugs.
  • Cleaning musical instruments, wood and metal.
  • Shampooing pets, show dogs and show horses.
  • Use in craft projects such as making frost for holiday trees, rock polishing, making soap crayons, carving soap sculptures.
  • Safely combine soap flakes with other natural cleaning ingredients such as baking soda, borax and washing soda for extra cleaning power.
  • Wash oak, pine, teak, walnut, linoleum and vinyl floors.
  • Wash walls and wallpaper, wood products, fine furniture and priceless antiques.
  • Wash boats, cars, and motorcycles with no harm to the environment.

Basic Laundry Detergent Directions

  1. Dissolve soap flakes thoroughly in hot water and allow to cool to skin temperature before use.
  2. Washing Items by Hand: 2 or 3 tablespoons per gallon of water. Work fabric in soapy mixture and rinse well. Squeeze or pat dry.
  3. Top Loading Washing Machines: 1/2 cup per load.
  4. Front Loading Machines: 2 tablespoons per load. Dissolve flakes in hot water before pouring into machine. Do not use machine’s detergent dispenser.

***Always wash garments according to garment label.

***Also, I like to add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the diluted mixture before throwing it in the washer. It smells divine!

The Only 2 DIY Yoga Mat Cleaners You’ll Ever Need

My love affair with essential oils continues! From skin care to household cleaners, I put drops of essential oil in everything. I was a bit scared at first because the last thing I wanted my house and my body to smell like was a hippie. No offense, I know some hippies that I absolutely love, but I sure do gag at the smell of patchouli (shout out to Ithaca, NY! i love you guys!).

Anyway, the other day, I was about to start my home yoga routine because I’m like #yogaeverydamnday. I rolled out my mat and was greeted by the ghost of workouts past. My yoga mat smelled like the rankest of gym bags. Horrified, I ran and grabbed my pillow mist from my bedside table and sprayed the yoga mat down. I did my routine, but I knew that I had only masked the odor of sweat and that my poor little, hard-working yoga mat still wasn’t clean.

DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner With Essential Oils

So, armed with essential oils, white vinegar, and distilled water, I was able to disinfect and freshen up my mat in no time at all! Here are two quick recipes that I alternate between about every two weeks.

DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner

DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner with Essential Oils

What You Need

  • small spray bottle (I’ve been using these glass bottles for all of my green beauty products)
  • distilled water
  • witch hazel (fun fact: if you don’t have witch hazel, you can use Vodka instead!)
  • essential oils (peppermint + lavender +tea tree= what I imagine heaven smells like)

Directions

  • fill your bottle about 3/4 of the way with distilled water
  • add about 1/8 tsp of witch hazel or vodka
  • add anywhere from 5-15 drops of essential oils (I used about 5 drops each of peppermint, lavender, and tea tree oil)
  • Shake the bottle and spray your mat
  • Wipe the mat down with a clean damp dish towel
  • Allow your mat to dry before you try to do King Dancer Pose!

DIY Yoga Mat Cleaner without Essential Oils

What You Need

  • Small spray bottle (I’ve been using these glass bottles for all of my green beauty products)
  • distilled water
  • white vinegar
  • fresh lemon

Directions

  • Fill your bottle about 3/4 of the way with distilled water
  • Add about 1/8 tsp of white vinegar
  • Squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon juice.
  • Shake the bottle and spray your mat
  • Wipe the mat down with a clean damp dish towel

Store your yoga mat cleaner the right way!

  • The mat cleaner containing essential oils can be stored in your gym bag, or any cool dry place.
  • The mat cleaner containing fresh lemon should be refrigerated.

Image Credit: Sophie Uliano