Marriage is all about compromises. Even when it comes to simple things, like what you clean the windows with. Papa Bear hasn't minded too many of the changes I've made over the years, but he does like streak-free windows. And toilets that smell like bleach, but there's not a compromise there. I've purchased a few different kinds of all-natural glass cleaners and made my own with just vinegar and water. None of them meet Papa Bear's standards. Since his police cruiser is his "office" and visibility is a very important factor in doing his job well, our compromise was that he would use (and keep) commercial (read: toxic) window cleaner in his car.

But now...I found a recipe for Heloise's window cleaner and after trying it on a couple of mirrors in the house, this may be the one. My only concern is that it contains rubbing alcohol. I know it's dangerous so I'll definitely have to be more vigilant about keeping it out of reach of the little ones than I was with the plain vinegar/water solution. Just wondering, is rubbing alcohol considered natural?

Heloise's Window Cleaner

In a clean, empty spray bottle, combine:
12-16 oz water
1/2 c white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1/4 c rubbing alcohol (70%)
 a few drops of essential oil (lavender, orange, cinnamon, etc.), opt.

Heloise and many others recommend using newspaper to clean windows also. I stick to paper towels or microfiber cloths because we don't get the newspaper. It would be a great way to recycle them, though.

The true test of this homemade glass cleaner will come when I use it inside the van. I hate do not care for cleaning the van when it's cold outside, so it has accumulated quite a bit of filth. I have a couple of boys who love to display their artistic abilities in the condensation on the windows.

Homemade Recycled Toys

My boys can be fickle when it comes to toys, so I stick to the proven boy favorites as much as possible. Legos. Wooden blocks. Army men. Play food. Hot Wheels. Lincoln Logs. Wooden train set. Playmobil. Nerf guns. But to provide variety when they get bored with the usual and not waste money on new toys that they'll tire of even quicker, I have found some great ideas for homemade toys made from household items. The boys can have just as much fun in the process of making it as they do when playing with it.

LooLeDo.com is a cool educational website for craft projects using household materials. You'll never look at your empty milk carton the same way. 

ZiggityZoom has some really cute crafts including Monster Stompers and a Pirate Castle.

Family Fun has too many recyclable projects to list. Although I did link to some of them below.

What you can do with a half gallon milk or juice carton:

Milk carton blocks - I made some of these for my older boys when they were little. They are sturdy and light for their size.

Milk carton dump truck - Picture tutorials from Origami Mommy.

Traffic light - Add some signs made from cardboard and set up an indoor driving course for your little ones or teach them about street safety.

What you can do with cardboard boxes/tubes:


Kitchen - This adorable pint-size sink/stove combo is made from boxes, paper plates, and plastic caps.

Marble Run - Save your wrapping paper tubes and a couple of margarine tubs.

Park and Play Garage - Two cereal boxes and some toilet paper tubes are all you need to make this parking garage with ramp for your little guy's Hot Wheels.

Box Buildings - The perfect addition to the parking garage. I like the idea of stuffing them with newspaper to make them sturdier. If you wanted to skip the decoupage step, you could just cover them with paper and double-sided tape.

Trashtown Fire Department - Continue the city theme with a fire station.

The Great Cardboard Castle - This one is more involved than the Pirate Castle above but looks awesome.

For your wee little ones:


Discovery Bottles - Multisensory bottles for ages 6 mos and up. You can also fill them with beans, rice, oil/water/food coloring mixture, or small jingle bells for even more sensory experiences.

A Flock of Baby Socks Mobile - Ever wonder what to do with those sweet baby socks that lost their mate?

Simple Shakers - Babies and toddlers love things that make noise and this rolls too.

Drum - Uses an oatmeal container and a large mailing envelope.

Easy & Affordable Green Cleaning

Baking soda and vinegar. 

These are my top two natural cleaners. They just can't be beat. I buy a 13.5 lb. bag of baking soda from Sam's Club and a large jug of store brand white vinegar at the grocery. Add some dish liquid and hot water and you can clean just about anything.

This is what I do with them:

• Bathtub/sink scrub - Run a little bit of hot water into the plugged tub (just about a 1/2-1 inch over drain) while getting sides of tub wet. Sprinkle about 1/2-3/4 cup of baking soda all around tub sides, then drizzle a little dish liquid (I use Seventh Generation natural dish liquid) over it. Use a scrubbing sponge to scrub tub in circular motions until clean and smooth. Unplug drain and rinse tub with hot water. 
• Drain cleaner - Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, pour 1/2 cup baking soda into drain. Pour about a cup of vinegar down drain. Let sit for about 5 minutes; pour boiling water down drain. Use a plunger (carefully, your drain is full of boiling water!), if drain is still going slow. Sometimes that helps to loosen the soap scum and hair. Run hot water to test drain. If it is still slow, it may need a second treatment. If you do this regularly, you're less likely to need a plumber for simple clogs. 
• Toilet bowl cleaner - Sprinkle baking soda around inside of bowl, add 1/2 cup vinegar to water, use toilet brush to scrub, and let sit as long as possible or overnight.
• Mildew remover - Ever leave a load of clothes in the washer overnight? ;) Wash on warm or hot and add 1 cup vinegar. Wash again on normal with detergent.
• Fabric softener - Add 1/2 cup vinegar to rinse cycle.
• Stainless steel pots & pans - Burnt food stuck to the bottom of pan? Sprinkle a layer of baking soda in bottom of pan, drizzle a little dish liquid, and add about an inch of hot water. Let soak for a while. Once it's softened up, use a spatula or scraper to remove food. For just regular pot cleaning, I sprinkle a little baking soda inside before washing with hot, soapy water and a scrubbing sponge.
• Kitchen cleaning - I clean my kitchen sink the same way I clean the bathtub. For cleaning the refrigerator shelves, sprinkle a little baking soda on a hot, soapy dishcloth or sponge and wipe down shelves. Rinse cloth or sponge and wipe shelves until clean. For disinfecting, use straight vinegar in spray bottle. Spray surface, let sit for a minute, wipe away.

You can find more uses for vinegar at Frugal Fun and for baking soda at The New Homemaker. Eco Child's Play has an article about using vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to disinfect. By using baking soda and vinegar for just the above-mentioned tasks, you can eliminate at least 5-6 toxic chemical cleaners from your home and save money.


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