Living Well Naturally

Cleaning your oven without chemicals

2009-07-05T20:04:00.002-04:00

If you have a self-cleaning oven, then you don't need to read this. But if you don't, you've probably resorted to using those foul smelling chemical oven cleaners.

There are safer alternatives. Many people report good results using baking soda and vinegar, as follows:

* Sprinkle baking soda onto the spill, then follow it with vinegar, let it bubble up and then wipe the area with a sponge or rag.

* Make a paste of baking soda and water, apply it to the spots and leave it on overnight. It works best to periodically moisten the spots.

I have used baking soda and water or vinegar, and it does work well on newer oven spills. But I recently tried them on an older oven mess that I had neglected, and had some trouble getting it off. So I tried my old standby, the "All Purpose Cleaner" made by Tropical Traditions that has worked on other greasy problems, and it worked beautifully with no elbow grease needed. I just sprayed it on and let it sit about 5 minutes, and it loosened up the old baked-on spills and splatters.

I don't believe I've covered this product in previous posts, and thought this was a good time to write about it. It's chemical-free, made from water, amino acids, minerals and other ingredients from green edible plants. We use it to clean the bathtub and shower, toilet, sinks, walls, floors, outdoor grill, and tar on the cars. It even took a stain out of our bathroom sink that bleach wouldn't touch. It's really great for cleaning a shower because you don't have to worry about being overcome by the fumes in a poorly ventilated space like with other bathroom cleaners. We discovered it while shopping online for our coconut oil, as it's manufactured by the same company.

I hope you find this information helpful to you for your cleaning needs.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

2009-07-04T00:01:00.000-04:00

glitter-graphics.com

No lemon please

2009-07-01T07:04:00.003-04:00

The next time your waiter asks if you'd like lemon in your water or iced tea in a restaurant, you might want to pass on the lemon.

When a study was done, it found 2 out of 3 lemon wedges were covered in a total of 25 different types of bacteria, including fecal bacteria in the restaurants tested. It appears that many restaurant workers aren't washing their hands after a trip to the restroom and before they handle the lemons, leaving the bacteria on the lemon peel, which goes right onto your glass. Then you handle it to squeeze the lemon into your drink, and the bacteria goes into your drink as well as on your hands.

While people's bodies fight off the bacteria, those with compromised immune systems such as the elderly and very young cannot and become ill.

To read more about the lemon study, CLICK HERE.

Coping with the stress of debt

2009-06-30T06:52:00.006-04:00

Debt is a word that makes us all uneasy, but something most of us are dealing with daily in our lives. The stress caused by living with debt affects your health in many unseen ways and needs to be dealt with.

The first step to debt relief is to avoid adding more to it. Stop using credit cards if at all possible and pay cash or use a debit card. Be aware that banks charge you for overdrafts and ATM fees out of the network and substantial increases are on the way. But there are some things you can do to prevent them.
* If you deal with a larger bank, sign up for email or text message alerts to notify you if your account drops below your account balance.
* Sign up for auto payment for everything you can to avoid late payment fees.
* Avoid ATM machines not in your bank's network.
* If you are charged a fee, ask your bank to remove it. Many banks will wave fees if asked. If they don't, threaten to take your business elsewhere.

But what can you do about the debt you already have? Debt consolidation or refinancing a loan can reduce your interest rate and monthly payments. But maybe you have more serious debt problems and need additional help. The key is not ignoring the problem - you need to take action. Knowing what direction to take can be confusing, but you can find help at Bills.com. They provide articles on debt relief that help you choose your best self help option. For example, they explain the differences between credit counseling, debt consolidation, debt management programs, debt negotiation, and debt settlement. There are many reputable debt relief organizations out there, but also many scams. Be sure to also check out their article "When Debt Relief Services Go Bad" to help you avoid the pitfalls.

Educate yourself on your options, and start getting your debt under control so it doesn't control you. Taking action will relieve your stress level and you'll feel better and help your health.