DIY Citrus Vinegar Cleaner

What did we do before Pinterest? How did we organize all of our favorite recipes, food blogs, and discover amazing tips for natural and green cleaning solutions? Maybe it's just me, but I definitely feel like I had a lot more free time before Pinterest came along!

This DIY Citrus Vinegar Cleaner was one of those amazing Pinterest discoveries that I am now absolutely addicted to using in our home. I love that it doesn't involve any chemicals and is a wonderful way to reuse citrus peels that would have otherwise made their way into the compost. When diluted with water, this cleaner is perfect for cleaning mirrors, glass, counter tops, and moping floors. And, if you have already jumped on board with using baking soda and vinegar for hair care, this is a fabulous way to make your vinegar rinse smell fruity!
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How to Wash Your Hair with Baking Soda & Vinegar

Awhile back I blogged about the baking soda and vinegar hair care method and I wanted to give an updated post about this. Baking soda and vinegar is an incredibly simple and easy way to clean your hair without shampoo. Since I am always on a mission to reduce my exposure to potentially harmful chemicals and simplify my beauty routine, it felt right to be using a natural, time-tested method to clean my hair.

Now, you might be asking, what's so bad about shampoo? Shampoos can contain a lot of harmful ingredients. I am by no means an expert on this, but in my research, I've repeatedly found the worst chemical-offenders to be:

• Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate (used as a foaming agent in shampoo and is a possible carcinogen)
• DEA/Diethanolamine (an emulsifying agent that can create carginogenic compounds when combined with other chemicals found in personal care products)
• Parabens (used as preservatives to extend shelf life, but many of these chemicals have been linked to breast cancer)
• Fragrance (the word "fragrance" on a label can mean the presence of over 4,000 separate chemical ingredients; scary!)

When I found out what was really in shampoo a year and a half ago, I vowed to stop using it and so I switched to the baking soda and vinegar method.  This worked really well for about four months. Then I fell off the baking soda wagon.

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Cucumber Peach Salad

I am an ugly crier.  No really.  Remember in Bridesmaids when Rose Byrne is crying and Kristin Wiig says that she is an ugly crier?  She doesn't even know what ugly crying is.

I suppose this wouldn't be too much of a problem except that I tend to cry during movies... a lot.  The Vow?  Yep.  Hunger Games?  Check.  Brave?  Definitely.  And don't even ask me about the Finding Nemo incident of 2006.  That was a legendary ugly crying moment.

Here's the important thing that you need to know as an ugly crier:  how to hide the signs.  No one wants to go out in the world with red, puffy eyes.  No one. So you quickly learn tricks like using chamomile tea bags and (my personal favorite) cucumber slices to calm the eyes.

If you're an ugly crier, I advise you to keep cucumber on hand at all times.  And, if you happen to have a cucumber and a peach handy,  you might want to consider making yourself this salad.  After all, you probably need a snack after all that crying.

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Baking Soda & Vinegar Hair Care

Welcome to the final Beaty Food Friday, a special feature I am doing every Friday for the month of October that shows beauty products that can be made from everyday items in your kitchen.

I am super excited to share my final Beauty Food Friday recipe with you beause it's something new that I've been trying and I am loving it. That's right... we're talking about baking soda and vinegar for hair care!

Now, before you judge and think I've gone off to Hippieville (which, maybe I have... and maybe I like it there...), hear me out for a minute. I've done my research and I know that there are mixed reviews about the baking soda and vinegar method.  The top complaints I've heard are:

1. Ease of use
2. The strong smell from the vinegar
3. Dry, brittle hair

What if I told you that I have solved these issues?  And that this method is super cheap and will save you  money on shampoo?  And, that using natural ingredients on your head keeps hundreds of toxic chemicals off your body and away from your brain?  Trust me, it's time you get on board.

Method:

It might be hard to adjust to the lack of shampoo foaming action at first, but using the right quanties of ingredients will make this a lot easier.  Start by mixing 1 part baking soda with 3 parts water.  I have chin-length hair, so 1 Tablespoon of baking soda mixed with 3 Tablespoons of water was the perfect amount for me.  You can adjust this depending on your hair length.

To make application easier, I recommend mixing individual batches in travel-sized squeeze bottles (pictured above).  Apply to dry hair by squeezing a little at the roots and working to the ends.  Repeat this process all over your head.  Let it sit for 1 - 3 minutes then rinse with water. 

Once you get the hang of this and are able to judge the right amount for your hair, you can make a big batch of the mixture in a large squeeze bottle and keep it in your shower.  The baking soda and water will separate so make sure to shake the bottle prior to each application.  Super easy!

After washing and rinsing with the baking soda mixture, you'll want to apply a vinegar rinse.  Mix 1 part vinegar (both plain white vinegar and apple cider vinegar work well) with 4 parts water.  For my hair, I used 1 Tablespoon plain white vinegar and 4 Tablespoons of water.  I also mixed this in travel-sized squeeze bottles.  Tilt your head back (to avoid getting this mixture in your eyes) and distribute through your hair.  Rinse after a few seconds. 

The vinegar rinse does have a strong smell, so I like to mix 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 pinch of cinnamon, and 1 pinch of nutmeg with it.  This not only masks the vinegar scent, but it's a nice scent for fall.  I've also been enjoying different combinations of essential oils and if you are looking for a stronger scent I would recommend experiementing with different oils. My favorite combinations are:

• Rose Mint (1 drop rose essential oil and 2 drops mint essential oil)
• Vanilla Lavender (2 drops of lavender essential oil and 2 drops of vanilla essential oil)
• Orange Rosemary (1 drop orange essential oil and 2 drops rosemary essential oil)

These amounts are for a single rinse so if you are making a larger batch, experiment and find the right amount of oils for you.

If you find that your hair is becoming dry, simply use some coconut oil!  You can apply it to your hair and let it sit for a few minutes before washing with the baking soda mixture or use it as an intense overnight hair mask.  

I found baking soda in the bulk section of my natural grocery store for $.92/pound.  A 16 ounce plastic squeeze bottle cost $2 and my travel-sized bottles cost $1 each.  This is a very accessible and affordable way to get rid of unnecessary chemicals in your life, green your beauty routine, and stay healthy! Now that I've solved all your complaints, you have no reason to not try this out at home! 

Note: I have an updated post about this method with revised tips.