The Well Code

Refresh: 8 DIY Nontoxic Cleaning Recipes to Try Today

Cut down on chemicals and waste with These Simple & Effective Cleaning Solutions
January 11, 2017
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Everyday

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8 DIY Nontoxic Cleaning Solutions, Waiting On Martha

It’s pretty scary to learn that not all products on the market are safe for our bodies; many have harmful chemicals that become carcinogens (substances that can cause cancer) and many include “fragrance”, which could mean they have as many as 200 undisclosed chemicals in their ingredients.  It can be daunting to try to decode these labels, so that’s why I’ve turned to DIY nontoxic cleaning thanks to inspiration from my journey with essential oils.

Good news is that switching out your cleaning supplies is probably the easiest and least expensive step in detoxing your home/life plus with the concern of toxins growing our options are more readily available than ever.  From “green” laundry detergent, surface spray, and even clean candles your choices are literally endless.  As I began detoxifying my home I found myself leaning Thieves essential oil, the Thieves cleaning line and a lot of easy, DIY nontoxic cleaning recipes.  

Of course, when you decide to make the switch to nontoxic cleaning products, you’re faced with an initial investment that can seem daunting.  Believe me, I know.  Throwing out the tried-and-true name brand counter sprays, dishwashing detergents, window sprays and air fresheners feels like a waste of money just to turn around and spend more on all this Thieves business.  (And actually, you shouldn’t just throw these toxic products out in the trash because they’ll end up back in the environment; check out your local Department of Public Works to find a safe way to dispose of them.) But once you make the switch, you’ll find that you actually save money in the long run.  

For example, the Thieves Household Cleaner bottle is highly concentrated and equates to about 128 all-purpose 30 oz. spray bottles for only 88 cents per bottle (!) and 67 cents per bottle and the majority of DIY recipes include inexpensive and easy to find items such as baking soda, fresh lemon, and white vinegar.  By creating these simple DIY concoctions I’m able to create cleaning solutions that are MORE effective and longer lasting than their store-bought counterparts.  Which means less trips to Target where I walk in for one thing and out with a whole cart full of items I do not need.  Another money saving tip; buy bulk when you can, and common cleaning ingredients for your recipes will include: essential oils (click HERE to learn more about all of that), baking soda, white vinegar, castille soap and of course your reusable amber spray bottles.  

Anyway, enough rambling; check out a few of my go-to ways that I’m putting DIY nontoxic cleaning to work.  It’s become an important factor of our household, especially with my dog Addison running around (and licking the floor).  These solutions are great to keep in mind especially for anyone with dogs or kids.  Truly, MKR

"Fresh & Clean" DIY All Purpose Cleaner

Thieves Household Cleaner Bottle Label / Essential Oil Labels

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Love love love this all purpose cleaner for just about everything.  It’s easy to make and cheap to refill. 

DIY All Purpose Cleaner
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
5 drops Thieves essential oil
5 drops lemon essential oil or the juice of at least 3 lemons (one drop = 1 lb. of lemons!)
5 drops rosemary essential oil or a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 cup distilled water

DIY Window Cleaner (Windex Alternative)

100% Natural and Biodegradable Amala Magic Sponge Cloth

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In the back of my mind, I’ve always known that Windex was horrible for us; the smell alone can suffocate you!  Next time you’re looking to clean your shower door or wash our windows, use this recipe (just be sure to use enough lemon to cover the vinegar smell).

DIY Window Cleaner
2 cups of water (distilled or filtered)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
10 drops lemon essential oil

DIY Heavy Degreaser

Thieves Household Cleaner

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For the heavy degreasing jobs, when the all purpose cleaner just won’t cut it, I like to pull out the big guns.  And that means simply Thieves Household cleaner and water!

DIY Heavy Degreaser
15 parts water: 1 part Thieves Household Cleaner

Click HERE to sign up and get a major discount on the Thieves cleaning kit. 

DIY Bleach Alternative

Young Living Lemon Essential Oil

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I don’t know about you, but bleach scares the heeby-jeebies out of me with its toxicity level.  So when I found a safer alternative, I jumped at the chance to try it myself. This combination will help keep whites a bit whiter.

DIY Bleach Alternative
3/4 cup 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
15 drops lemon essential oil

DIY Laundry Stain Remover

Thieves Household Cleaner

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This practically isn’t even a recipe; it only requires one ingredient!  I use the cleaner directly on stains (with no water) and gently scrub until the stain disappears. I mean, I’ve even used it on red wine stains!

Click HERE to sign up and get a major discount on the Thieves cleaning kit. 

DIY Carpet Deodorizer

Glass Airtight Canister (Set of 3)

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I’ve found that using essential oils to fight odors is the trick because comparable store-bought air fresheners and spray simply mask odors, never getting rid of it completely. That’s why I love this simple, yet effective DIY carpet cleaner recipe.  By all means, you can swap out the essential oils used; though Thieves, Lavender and Purification are some of my go-to’s.

DIY Carpet Deodorizer
2 cups baking soda
10 drops Thieves essential oil
10 drops Lavender essential oil 

OR

20 drops Purification essential oil blend

DIY Workout Equipment Cleaner

Thayers Witch Hazel

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Not only does Thayers’ Witch Hazel have a cult following for being an all natural skin toner, it’s a staple ingredient in DIY essential oil sprays. Of course, you can sub it with vodka, but I prefer this wonder-product witch hazel (and it’s so cheap on Amazon).  Use this DIY workout equipment cleaner on yoga mats, dumbbells, treadmills and more, and store in a small spray bottle. 

DIY Workout Equipment Cleaner
10 drops Thieves essential oil
1 teaspoon witch hazel (or vodka)
Top with distilled water

DIY Trash Freshener

Thieves Essential Oil

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This simply combination is a game-changer, friends. I mix it together, sprinkle in the bottom of my trash cans and I never get a whiff of something terrible! Like I mentioned above, Thieves works as a true odor neutralizer (rather than just masking it, making it worse). 

DIY Trash Freshener
10 drops Thieves essential oil
5 drops lemon essential oil
2 cups baking soda

Featured image, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha

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Healthy Greek Shrimp, Quinoa & Avocado Salad in Under 30 Minutes

Full of rich Mediterranean flavors, this salad will quickly become a weekly dinner favorite
January 9, 2017
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > 30 Minute Meals

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A Healthy Greek Salad with Spicy Shrimp, Avocado & Hummus Waiting On Martha A Healthy Greek Salad with Spicy Shrimp, Avocado & Hummus Waiting On Martha

Three cheers for an easy meal that’s fresh, healthy and clocks you under 30 minutes.  It was due time I shared the recipe for my healthy Greek salad with spicy shrimp, rainbow quinoa and avocado. Complete with some of the best Mediterranean flavors (cherry tomatoes, hummus, cucumber, arugula, lemon, oregano and garlic), it’s both a powerhouse lunch and a dinner entree that will be on high demand.  I love to add a pinch of cumin and cayenne for a kick (because #duh) and top with my favorite Greek salad dressing.

Of course, you’ll feel great about eating this salad. With plenty of fresh veggies, good fats and lean proteins, it will sustain you without slowing you down.  Instead of feta or another cheese, I opted to use hummus because it still gives you that irresistible creamy texture.  And if you’re looking to make this salad vegan, simply remove the shrimp and sub it for tofu (or nothing at all).  It lends itself to be a fantastic, easy lunch whenever I do so. 

To serve, I love to plate the salad on a large platter.  But if you’ll notice in the pictures, I created four miniature salads on the platter, rather than mixing it all up.  This way, when serving themselves, each individual can grab the corner and get every ingredient perfectly proportioned without disrupting the others serving.  Everybody’s happy!  Enjoy!  Truly, MKR

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Mediterranean Shrimp & Quinoa Salad
Serves 4
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. Fresh arugula (I used 1 1/2 containers)
  2. 1 1/2 cups rainbow quinoa
  3. 1 pound fresh, wild caught shrimp; tail on, heads off and deveined
  4. 1 cucumber, halved and then cut into half circles
  5. 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  6. 1 cup hummus (any flavor you prefer)
  7. 1 avocado, sliced
  8. 1 lemon halved
  9. Your favorite greek dressing
  10. For the Shrimp
  11. Juice of 1 lemon
  12. 2-4 garlic cloves, finely diced
  13. 1 tablespoon oregano, finely diced
  14. 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  15. 1 teaspoon cayenne
  16. 3 tablespoon organic olive oil
  17. 1 teaspoon salt
  18. 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
  1. Add 1.5 cups of quinoa to 3 cups of water in a medium size pot, covered, and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 10 minutes or until you see that the majority of the water has evaporated. Keep covered, and remove from the heat, fluff with a fork.
  2. While the quinoa is cooking add your shrimp to a medium/large bowl and add lemon, diced garlic, diced oregano, cumin, cayenne, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt & pepper. Mix till shrimp are completely covered.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of olive to a skillet and heat over medium/high. Once hot, add shrimp and cook approximately 2 minutes per side or until done.
  4. Begin layering your salad: arugula, quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, shrimp, avocado, and a few dollops of hummus. Squeeze half a lemon over the plate, and serve with your favorite greek dressing.
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Recharge: DIY Sage Smudge Stick

An Easy DIY to Purify and Cleanse the Air
January 6, 2017
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Everyday

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You may have seen a sage smudge stick before, and you may be wondering what on earth is all this woo-woo stuff on here today?!  I’m here to tell you that these simple DIY sage smudge sticks are my new favorite way to clear the energy in a room at home.  They’ve been used for centuries by the Native Americans for healing, meditation, protection and relaxation.  Sure, the first time you go around the house with a burning smudge stick you may cause a few eyebrows to raise.  But this easy, all natural and ancient tool to purify the air is a great way to “recharge” your space this month. 

How does it work, you ask?  The burning sage is said to remove the air of negative energy and impurities.  You simply light the end of your sage smudge stick and let it burn until it smokes.  And when the fumes start to point in one, uniform direction, you can move onto a different room to “smudge” the air there too. Needless to say, the sage sticks also offer a calming herbal scent that is all natural, uplifting and utterly intoxicating.

You can make your own DIY sage smudge stick using bundles of both dried and fresh herbs and flowers. I found that it was easier (and prettier) to make mine with fresh ingredients this week as the stems and leaves were more pliable and bendable. Find a simple three-step tutorial to make your own DIY sage smudge sticks below!  Truly, MKR

Step One…Gather your ingredients. I used dried white sage, fresh lavender, fresh cedar (leftover from the holidays) and fresh rosemary.  The beauty of a DIY smudge stick is that you can add any herb or flower that you enjoy; fresh or dried. 

Step Two…Next you’ll want to layer your herbs and flowers, with the bases/stems all at the same level. 

Step Three…Simply bind it all together with cotton twine that is long enough to wrap around your bundle a few times. You’ll want to take care to wrap in stray stems to keep it all together as you criss cross the twine and tie it back at the base. 

For best results, let your DIY smudge sage stick dry (upside down) for at least 2-3 weeks so that the herbs can properly dry out before burning.  

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