White Vinegar and Diapers

Thank goodness for WHITE VINEGAR.

So, many of you know that I have been using cloth diapers with Lucas. Well, a couple weeks ago I noticed a familiar smell. It smelled like the litter box. HAHA But really, I noticed a smell coming from my used diaper bin. It smelled like AMMONIA. 
What a horrible smell. I washed my diapers, but would notice that after they were soiled, the smell came back quite strongly! So, I did some investigating about ammonia. I came across some people saying that white vinegar does wonders for getting rid of vinegar-- so I tried it.


My wash cycles now goes as such:
Cold Pre-wash/rinse with 1cup white vinegar
Hot pre-wash/rinse
Full wash and rinse cycle with detergent
Cold Rinse with 1/2cup vinegar
Cold Rinse

Well, ammonia is basic, and vinegar is acidic, so they cancel each other out, so to speak. Since I've started using vinegar in my wash the ammonia smell has not come back after Lucas soils his diapers. Thank God for vinegar because ammonia smells awful! And if there is anything else I've learned, RINSE, RINSE, RINSE your load. Detergent build up not only can lead to your diapers repelling urine, but it can lead to ammonia. So, add some vinegar to your wash and make sure you rinse your detergent out well!!!

CONT.

Thanks to Brian McCarthy for this!!!!

What you should and shouldn't buy from the produce dpt.

So, today I met a friend at Forest Park in Springfield, MA and we went for a walk and caught up in each others lives. While we were walking and talking, I told her about my alternative lifestyle actions that my family and I were taking and she was very supportive of what we talked about (Thanks Julie!). She was telling me about a chart on her friend's refrigerator that had a list of produce items you can buy from the grocery store that are "safe" and a list that you should try to buy organic because of heavy pesticide usage. I thought that was very intriguing! She was going to send me a copy, but I've researched the topic tonight because I liked it so much and wanted to share it with you all.

*The topic of why pesticides are bad for human consumption will be posted soon!

Things that are safe to buy non-organic and why:
These fruits items are safe to buy non-organic because they have a thick skin that is usually not ingested:
Papaya
Pineapple
Kiwi
Banana

These veggie items are safe to buy non-organic because they have naturally strong defenses against insects, therefore, farmers use less pesticides:
Cabbage
Broccoli
Asparagus
Cauliflower
Onions

Things to purchase organically:
Any fruit that has a skin that you ingest, or a thin skin that may allow for pesticides to seep through:
Peaches
Nectarines
Plums
Grapes
etc.

Any veggie that has skin to directly ingest:
Bell peppers
Lettuce
Zucchini
Squash
etc.


More information about the topic HERE

Tea Tree Oil

Lets talk about Tea Tree Oil.

Tea Tree Oil (TTO), also known as melaleuca oil, comes from the Narrow-Leaved Tea Tree found in Australia. It's a natural, essential oil that can be used for MANY medicinal and household purposes.

1. Anti-fungal: Tea Tree Oil can be used against conditions such as Athletes foot and other fungal infections. Just rub the oil on the affected area after a proper cleaning of soap and water has been done. Apply every couple days.
2. Antiseptic: Apply to wound after a proper cleaning to promote healing and to reduce infection.
3. Acne: Tea Tree Oil has been known to be a natural equivalent to 5% benzoyl peroxide.
4. Antiviral and antibacterial: known to kill MRSA and other bacteria.
•  To make an all purpose cleaner to use around your house:
•  place 2 drops of TTO
• 2tbs of white vinegar
• 1tsp of borax 
• spray bottle with 12oz of water
• Use on counters, floors, bathroom sinks, etc. 

Tea Tree Oil has many many other uses, of which can be found HERE.

Tea Tree Oil can be bought from any health food store and online.

!!DO NOT INGEST TEA TREE OIL!!

Tea Tree Oil is meant for topical uses on the body.

Making Your Own Cloth Diapers

So recently I've switched my son Lucas over from regular diapers to cloth diapers. I did this for two particular reasons. 1. In the long run, cloth diapering saves around 1000$ a year. If you figure your kid could be in diapers for at least 2 to 3 years, then that's 2000-3000$ per child!! This is much more expensive than buying cloth diapers and saving them over the years. As long as you take good care of them (cleaning wise) then they could last more than one child! 2. With cloth diapering you know exactly what kind of chemicals (or lack there of) are going on your child's bum. I remember seeing somewhere that Pampers was dealing with a major lawsuit due to their Dry Max diapers causing chemical burns on many children's rear. When you have to worry about your child getting a chemical burn from a diaper, I think it's time to reconsider your options.
So, we've been cloth diapering now and we love it.
This post isn't so much to talk about cloth diapering though (I'll do that in another post!) but it's to show a couple videos I've come across and links on how to sew your own cloth diapers. So if you like to be crafty, this is the stuff for you!!

Enjoy!!!



The link to the diaper pattern is HERE



Credit to: Adventures In Fluff (LOVE this blog!)

The Alternative Healthy Housewife

Hello everyone!!

Over the last couple years, especially this year, I have taken action for myself and my family to walk a more healthy and holistic lifestyle. My husband, Austin, and I, have been learning so much about organic foods, alternative medicine, healthy diets, cloth diapering our son, and so much more.
The purpose of this blog is to share all of the lifestyle changes we've made, showing the benefits on our health and our daily living. As we continue to make more changes and come across cool findings, this blog will be here to share them with you! Encouraging you to try new things!

I hope you enjoy the things you read and please leave as much feedback as you'd like! Please feel free to share your own stories, links, and lifestyles!

Sincerely,
The Alternative Healthy Housewife-- Alysha