Camper Life: Non-Toxic Cleaning

          Those who follow us on Instagram and Facebook may have already seen my posts on us recently having bought a camper. I've had people ask me about our living situation, those who've followed us from the beginning (the tent life) and those who are recently joining us. The answer isn't really quite so simple. I'll try to put it plainly.
              We moved out of the tent, after having been living there for two months, due to a spider infestation (we squished a pregnant spider) and the mold that was starting to be a problem. I mean, it started raining the evening we were married and basically did the entire time. It was rough, but I look back on it with fondness and I know I could do it again.
             Then we lived in the Nook for a few months after that. The Nook, at the time, hadn't been moved and didn't have the skylights, woodstove, new loft,  etc.  Around this time, Ryan's headaches and back problems were getting to a point that we new Nook living wouldn't be an option for a while until he was to get better. The problem is, he hasn't gotten better.
           For those who don't know, Ryan was rear ended two years ago. He ended up having a lot of health problems stem from that accident. He's put running on hold (doctor's orders) due to the pain it causes, and it affects his daily life. He couldn't even work on the Nook, his family were the ones who did the work you've seen. (Shout out to the Potter tribe!) His schedule is full of doctor's appointments, physical therapy, and it is daunting for him. The doctor's have been asking for me to join Ryan on some of his appointments so we can collaborate on some holistic therapy options I can do at home, while the doctor's do their therapy alongside mine.
          So then after a few months, we left even the Nook to go live with his family. Yeah, since mid-last summer we've had electricity and AC and all the rest of the modern conveniences most people deem themselves needing. At this point, it helps things go smoother with me rushing to work, doing school, taking care of The Healer's Nook. While Ryan just needs to focus on healing, and maybe one day God will work through the doctors and I and cause Ryan to not wake up with a migraine and back pain.
            Also, we aren't going to live where we originally planned to live. The Nook would need to be taken down and moved, to where one day we will live. I'm actually pretty excited about that part, because it means that we may have the chance to blossom to our full potential. Imagine goats, bees, huge garden, my office where I'll consult clients, etc. It'd be a dream come true, but once again that isn't feasible right now while Ryan is in the shape he is...
             So there you have it...

                Now onto our theme: non-toxic cleaning!
            I'm so thankful for the chance to be able to make my own cleaners. Let me tell you, I work at a daycare and the thing I can't stand most would have to be bleach. It hurts my throat it, weakens your immune system, stains your clothes, it's toxic, etc. Basically,  I'd never use it at home...
             I want to do a quick DIY on how you can make your very own disinfectant using essential oils, vinegar, and herbs.

               Essential oils are great for cleaning. If you have essential oils that aren't medicinal grade anymore (i.e.: those that have been left in a warm car, sat in light, may have had some moisture get to them), you can use them for cleaning! This is because while they aren't potent in some ways that would benefit your health, those essential oils that are anti-viral and help kill germs can still be used for household cleaning products.
             Oils, for example, that can be used for cleaning are: cinnamon C. cassia, citrus oils such as lemon Citrus x limon, pine Pinus sylvestrus, thyme Thymus vulgaris, eucalyptus E. globulus, lavender Lavandula angustifolia, garlic Allium sativum, and ylang ylang Cananga ordorata. Among the oils here, you have anti-viral properties, anti-fungal, deodorizing, and more. You can use these oils to make cleaners that you spray and wipe down a counter without worrying that your kid may come up behind you and lick the same surface.
                For gentle abrasion, I used baking soda Sodium bicarbonate. Did you know our bodies make Sodium bicarbonate in our stomachs for digestion? Crazy, right? Our bodies are amazing things. Baking soda is a safe substance you can use for cleaning, and I made carpet deodorizer from it. (Be warned that if your animals eat too much baking soda, it can lead to problems with their electrolytes and may lead to other health problems. I think you'd notice if your dog was going around eating your carpet powder, if you even left it down for very long.)

                 My formula for my surface cleaner:

• 6 drops of cinnamon essential oil
  
• 5 drops of ylang ylang essential oil
  
• 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
  
• 10 drops of lavender essential oil
  
• 5 drops of pine essential oil
  
• 5 drops thyme essential oil
  
• white distilled vinegar
  

              Fill a new spray bottle with all the ingredients, shake, and use. If you are overly sensitive to vinegar, then fill half of the bottle with vinegar, and the other half with water that has been infused with the herbs (not oils) pine needles and lemon peel. To infuse it, put the water and herbs in a glass pot on the stove and bring to a oil.
                The aroma was fantastic!

               For my carpet powder, I just put those oils into the baking soda and sprinkled it all over the floor (and even the furniture before I vacuumed them off).
                  You can change up the formula, change the oils and take out the vinegar, to make a room spray. The problem with many aerosol sprays is that they can affect asthma. This is a good replacement for those. You can also place the powder mix into cat litter boxes to keep down the ammonia smell.

              Thank you for the patience, and I think I'll make the blog posts every Thursday or Friday, considering life hits so often for me that it could go either day. Let me know if you have any questions or requests for a blog post, a product, or anything else!
               Here's to a new chapter in our life.

Our crazy neighbor!