All Natural Carpet Stain Remover

I don't know about all of you guys, but in my house with two dogs, a husband, and a preschooler stains on my rugs are commonplace.  It is almost a full time job to keep them looking half-way decent; I'm not going to lie, I usually turn a blind eye until they get so ridiculous I can't stand it anymore.  I'm trying to eliminate as many harsh cleaning chemicals as I can and the rugs were a major concern of mine.  My little one is always on the floor rolling around and playing, so the stains and germs she comes into contact with are a big concern for me.  I searched high and low looking for a simple and natural method to remove the stains in my rugs AND disinfect them. After a long time, I finally found a recipe I liked! You can find the original here, while I kept the recipe original I changed the procedure a little bit. I think my way really insures the stains are completely removed from deep in the carpet and won't come back, AND I think it really disinfects the carpet. So, here we go!

Materials

See, my rug was quite sad.

1) Organic White Vinegar-This is the disinfectant 
2) Pure Baking Soda
3) Scrub Brush
4) Vacuum. I like the Shark Professional Navigator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum from bedbathandbeyond.com (AMAZEBALLS)

Step 1: Pour Vinegar on the stain. I poured a lot on since my stains were set in, but you can do as much as you feel is necessary, I don't think you need to drown the stain if it's relatively fresh.

Step 2: Put baking soda over the vinegar and let them sit and fizz for about a minute.

My daughter loved watching the fizzing, we had a nice little science experiment and lesson while I cleaned!

Step 3: This is where my procedure varies from the difference.  Once the bubbles stop fizzing I took the scrub brush and really worked the mixture into the stain. I made sure scrub in all directions to really get the mixture into the fibers for maximum stain removal and disinfectant.

Step 4: After you have completely worked the solution into the stain (there shouldn't be any baking soda on the surface of the rug), take a damp rag and blot the mixture from the rug. You are trying to get all the extra solution that the fibers didn't absorb. I rubbed the damp rag into the rug a little to get any extra vinegar that was way down deep.

Step 5: Once the area has dried just vacuum up any extra baking soda. Even if you don't see any, make sure to vacuum because since we rubbed in the solution there could be some left over baking soda deep in the rug fibers.

Here is the result of my little concoction, with before an dafter shots. This stain, though small, has been on my carpet for over a month! It took me maybe 5 minutes to do the entire process per stain. After I finished with this, I moved on to the food stains left by my daughter (this is our kitchen rug), this simple solution took them right out, and they had been there for at least three months!  Finally I moved to the area where my husband sits, he's a mechanic, so along with food stains there are some grease stains from his shoes...GONE!!!!

After I cleaned the rug I decided to move to our microfiber couch that is in our den.  The den is basically our daughter's play/TV area. When she has her snack in the afternoon, and before she goes to bed, she will watch TV there. This has resulted in some pretty gross stains on that couch. I figured it couldn't get any worse so I tried this procedure and the results were amazing!

The after is a little darker because the couch was still a little damp when I vacuumed, but you can still see the difference! But once the couch dried it looks even better! I was so excited, I'm planning on deep cleaning my couch this weekend...and the best part is not that the stain is gone but that it has also naturally been disinfected, which is wonderful when there are little people running around!

If you would like to see how I naturally remove stains from clothes click here.

If you would like to see my cleaning schedule which helps maximize my efficiency when cleaning, click here.

All Natural DIY Febreze

I, like pretty much everyone, like my home to smell nice...no one wants to have "that weird house smell." However, with a toddler, two dogs, and a mechanic husband keeping that fresh scent isn't always easy. My carpet freshener and the essential oils in my all purpose cleaner help to keep my carpets and surfaces smelling nice. However I wanted something else to help freshen the air in general, and something I can spray on my linens and sheets to freshen them up in-between laundry rotations.  In the past I would have used Febreze, however after reading a post by Brown Thumb Mama I decided that there was no way I was going to let those toxins into my home. I mean, you can't even throw away the empty bottle, it has to be taken to a hazardous waste facility!!!  So began my search for the perfect DIY Febreze.  Brown Thumb Mama has a recipe on her sight, however she uses baking soda, and I thought that it would leave a film along the surfaces of my house.  When I read the comments on her post that's what seemed to be happening, and with our new wood floors I didn't want to risk it.  I had read some commenter's mention using vinegar or rubbing alcohol however I couldn't find a recipe.  I found plenty of recipes that used fabric softener, but I use dryer sheets and even so, I didn't like the idea of using something for clothes in the air...even if it was an all natural product.  So I decided to make my own!

Materials:

1) Spray Bottle

2) Water

3) 3 Tbsp. Rubbing Alcohol

4) 20-30 drops essential oil of your choice (the amount depends on the strength of the smell)

I decided to go with the rubbing alcohol because it evaporates very quickly so I didn't have to worry about water build up on any of my surfaces or floors.  The essential oils are the most important part of this recipe because they are what make the DIY febreze, a febreze! Be aware that the mixture will dilute the smell of the oil a lot so you want to put a lot of the oils in or pick a very strong smell.

Step 1: Fill your spray bottle with water.  Some recipes called for hot water, but I thought this was silly since you're not going to make a new batch each time, and the water isn't going to stay hot. So I just used room temperature water. You want to fill the spray bottle 3/4 of the way full.

Step 2: Add the 3 Tbsp. of rubbing alcohol. I may add an extra Tbsp or two, I'm not sure yet because it did evaporate quickly but not as quickly as my all purpose cleaner. So this is kind of up to you and what you are comfortable with.

If you have a funnel, I would suggest using it for this part.

Step 3: Add your essential oil(s).  The scent you choose if entirely up to you. I like to stick with lavender and spearmint for all of my product just so I can have some consistency throughout my house with scents.  I think it can be too over powering and jolting if there are too many scents in one home.  I have at times used different scents in the bedrooms and bathrooms and then the same scents in all of the main living areas. I like to use the organic lavender essential oil from Aura Cacia, which you can get here. Amazon.com sells essential oil sets for very good prices and there shipping is very quick, I get a lot of my stuff from there, it's usually WAY cheaper then at my local natural foods market.

I added about 25-30 drops of the lavender into the mixture and that resulted in a very subtle smell. This is fine with me, because I am mainly using this for my couches, pillows, towels, and linens so something very subtle is perfect.  If you want something specifically for the air you can either add more drops of the essential oil you choose, or use a stronger smelling essential oil. It all depends on your preference, and what you would like the essential oil to do. Lavender is used for allergies and to help relax your muscles and body so I went with this for all of our linens and seating areas, because that's where we want to relax.

After you have all of the items together, screw not he lid and shake very well. I suggest shaking the spray bottle each time you use it to make sure that the essential oil, and alcohol are thoroughly mixed in with the water.  I hope you liked this very simple recipe to help get another set of toxic chemicals out of your house!

Little Boy Nursery Bedding

Hey everyone! I hope you had a great 4th of July weekend, I know we did! We went to our local parade and then had a family BBQ with sparklers, (bigger stuff isn't allowed here). So anyway, I thought a good post for coming down from the holiday haze would be to show you the AMAZING bedding I just received for our little bean.  As you know, we are expecting a little boy in October. I also LOVE to decorate and had such a great time decorating my daughter's nursery, I was excited to do something really cool for a little boy.  I new from the beginning that since my husband was a "car guy" and a mechanic I wanted to do an all out car theme for our little guys room.  I started with a color scheme: grey and orange.  I didn't want to do the regular blue baby room, I wanted something completely different.  We are changing my daughter's old room into the new nursery and it already had a grey wall, and my husband drives an orange Camaro so I thought that would be a great color combo!

I next set out to find the perfect nursery room set (bedding,valance, etc) for me to work off of when doing my decorations (that's the easiest for me).  Long story short, I came home in complete tears (yay pregnancy hormones).  I was devastated because I couldn't find a single nursery set for a boy that I liked.  They were all blue, and didn't have only cars, it was boats, planes, and cars.  I was devastated that my "vision" (I sound so artsy) wasn't going to work and I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to give my son the same amazing room that I have given my daughter.  But then, while holding my sobbing, convulsing body, my completely confused and somewhat scared husband suggested I look online....DUH!  I first did a general search, and nothing, and then I thought...etsy.com!  I did a quick search and found Little Charlie May and I was in HEAVEN! She had SO MANY options for bedding AND she did CUSTOM ORDERS!!!!!!!  I was drooling!  I quickly went and messaged her with my color scheme and nursery theme and crossed my fingers that she could help me.  The next day I received a message from her saying that she had  ORANGE CAR THEMED FABRIC!!!!  I nearly fell over with excitement!  This was only my second time purchasing something from etsy, and the owner of Little Charlie May was amazing!!!!

She was so prompt with a response, I don't think it ever took her longer than a day to respond to my messages.  She worked so diligently to help me find the perfect fabric, color, texture, and print to coordinate with the car fabric.  She wasn't afraid to express any concerns she had with prints matching.  She truly made me feel like I was her only client.  I was absolutely amazed with her dedication to me as a customer, I truly felt like she was emotionally invested in my son's nursery...it was exactly what this emotional, hormonal pregnant woman needed!  I finally decided on what exactly I wanted, and how I wanted it all to look...and then I waited.  It took about 10 weeks to get my order in, but it was SO worth it!!! Now, before I show you all the amazing things I got, I do want to let you know that this nursery bedding was more expensive than those I had seen at our local baby store, BUT I feel it was completely worth it.  If I would have purchased a bedding set at one of the large chains I would have taken home something mass produced, maybe not 100% what I wanted, and it may have had items I didn't want (i.e., an unsafe bumper). Instead I spent a little extra money, and received a custom, hand made item that I absolutely adore with only items I specifically wanted!  The best part, is because it fits a crib mattress, when we transition our son out of the crib and into his sister's toddler bed (which uses the same mattress) we can still use the bedding.  And since it's not too "baby" but still incredibly cute, we won't have to worry about him rejecting it as being babyish!  So we will get A LOT of use out of this bedroom set.  So without further hesitation, here is my amazing order from Little Charlie May.

The first thing I want to show you is his gorgeous blanket. Now, when I ordered the set I thought the blanket was going to be the normal quilt that comes in the store bought nursery sets, big, bulky and not really practical for use...more decorative.  I WAS WRONG! This is the softest, cutest blanket I have ever seen as part of a bedding set.  It is thin and malleable enough that I can actually wrap him in it, or I can lay it down on the ground for him to have tummy time, and when he gets older it would be very comfortable to actually put over him as a regular blanket. The blanket is also BIG it measures 4 feet 4 inches long and 3 feet 3 inches wide, my three year old was able to lay out on it, so I know it's going to get a lot of use! Please excuse the wrinkles, we are still painting the nursery so I have kept all of the items in the shipping box to keep them safe.

The stitching was done wonderfully, it's very secure and will not be going anywhere!

I love the color scheme, the slight insets of blue really help to soften the color pallet to make it fit more for a young child. The fabric also doesn't replicate quickly, as you can see from the second photo, so you get a lot of diversity within a single section. I LOVE it! But the BEST part is the back of the blanket!!

The back of the blanket is orange MINKY fabric!!! For any of you who are not familiar with minky fabric, it is ridiculously soft, like lay down and rub your face in a pile of freshly laundered 1000 thread count silk Egyptian sheet SOFT! I had to peel my daughter off of it, and she was trying to convince me that it was actually hers! I also like how the front is rather neutral with only slight pop of orange color, and then you turn it over and POW pure amazingness!!! Fun fact, babies are unable to see pastel colors for the first few months, but are able to see bright, bold colors from birth.  So if you want your little one to appreciate all your hard nursery work, make your color scheme BOLD.

Next, we have the sheets.  The sets displayed on her sight come with one crib sheet, but I ordered two so I can change them out and keep with the theme (I'm a little OCD). I decided to go with two different looks for the sheets so I can have different looks depending on my mood. For the pictures, please be aware that the sheets are on my daughter's toddler bed since she is using the crib mattress and we haven't purchased another crib mattress for the baby yet, so you can get an idea of how the bedding can convert over to a toddler.

The first sheet I chose, was her regular sheet which is just a basic crib sheet.  I chose the fabric from the front of the blanket just for consistency, especially since I am NOT planning on using that blanket in the crib until our little man is much older.  The stitching on the sheet was done perfectly, it was very secure and fitted tightly around the mattress.  When this picture was taken I had yet to wash the bedding, so I am hoping it will stretch a little to make it easier to put on. But if it doesn't stretch, I would rather have a little difficulty putting a sheet on then having a bunch of wrinkles were my baby is sleeping.  The second sheet that I chose was her deluxe sheet, and it was perfect.

Yes, it is MINKY! Can you imagine sleeping on something this soft, it would LITERALLY feel like you were sleeping on a cloud! I'm hoping this helps him sleep a little longer at night so I won't be a complete zombie.  I then asked Little Charlie May to make the side of this sheet the same fabric as the blanket for consistency, and then have to two fabric attached with orange piping...SO CUTE!  I think it coordinates perfectly without being too much. I honestly can not wait to put his crib together just to get his bedding set up! BUT, that's not all, there is more in this amazing set! Next we have our crib skirt.

I didn't want to go too crazy with the car fabric, so for the crib skirt I just used it as an accent with the main fabric being orange and white chevron...this is one stylish kid! Once again, like all of the items I have shown you here, the quality is amazing.  The stitching is straight and tight, the cuts and lines are all straight and even, it looks like I purchased it from a boutique, not from an online store.  You can definitely see why it took 10 weeks to make this set, every detail had been looked at and taken into consideration.  BUT, I have one more thing to complete the nursery set...a valance!

With the valance I basically did a reverse of the crib skirt.  I figured since the valance is going to be relatively far away from the bed, it would be a nice way to tie the room together and complete the set, and I thought that doing  the reverse of the crib skirt would be the best way to accomplish this.  The car fabric is the same that has been used throughout the bed set so it all ties together.  For this valance I requested a straight hole at the top for the rod to go through, but if you want to to hang a different way, Little Charlie May will do her best to accommodate what you need. Again, like the rest of the set this was hand made, and as you can see in the picture of the stitching, the stitches are all straight and tight with no fraying.  The cuts are all straight and look like they were done in a factory, I am absolutely stunned with how amazing this set came out, because quite frankly, when you order something handmade, and custom no less it's kind of a crap-shoot as to what you're going to get...and I got PURE AWESOMENESS!

If you are looking for nursery bedding for your new bundle, or new bedding for your toddler I would HIGHLY recommend Little Charlie May. She worked so hard to make sure I knew exactly what I was getting (mock ups and all) and that I was 100% happy.  She responded to my messages very quickly and addressed any of my concerns or questions after I had placed my order within a day.  She provided some of the best customer service I have ever had, anywhere.  If you're not sure a custom design is in your budget, she has plenty of amazing items already in her shop ready to go for you to brows and she will work has hard as she can to put something together that fits your vision and your budget. Like I said you MUST go check her out!

Also, stay posted because as I begin to decorate the nursery you will get some new craft tutorials and I will finish it all of with a full nursery tour showing you everything we did and how we did it...with links!

UPDATE: I sent this post to the woman from Little Charlie May who made this AMAZING bedroom set and she said that anyone who comes from my blog can use the promotional code PAMELA10 and they will receive 10% off any purchase over $25 excluding sale items. AND, this offer is good until December 31, 2014! That's right, you can use this code for the rest of the year!!!!!! Also, I made a mistake earlier in the post, Little Charlie May can actually make bedding from CRIB to KING sizes! So that means you can get some extra soft luxurious minky sheets for YOUR bed too!!!