Make Your Own Cleaning Products

by MarkGallagher

I watched the documentary Chemerical a few months ago and wanted to start making my own cleaning products at home for a while.  I do not like the smell of most conventional cleaning products and bleach makes me want to gag, even with the windows open.  I'm using what I have now, but I bought glass mixing bottles from Ross and just grabbing ingredients as I go.

As soon as a bottle was empty I went to work creating my own mosquito repellent, because the screens on my bedroom widow doesn't quite fit and I'm being eaten alive.

I bought some lemon eucalyptus oil from Whole Foods and grabbed some Rubbling Alcohol from CVS, I also grabbed some vinegar to make a natural all purpose cleaner later.

The recipe I followed was based off the instructions from About.com:

One 16 oz. Bottle of Rubbing alchohol
One Small Bottle of Lemon Eucalyptus Oil (One bottle is almost not enough for the ratio, so 1/2 of another bottle of essential oil will cover the appropiate ratio)

The rubbing alcohol cost a little more than a dollar and one bottle of oil was about $6 and still cheaper than a 16oz bottle of the premade natual repellent.

by Stephanie (strph) from Oklahoma City, USA

How well does the concoction work?
I haven't been bittin again sense as long as I spray it nightly around the windows and front door.

How does it smell?
Like Off, but not too offensive once it dries, I think if I added more essential oil it would smell fine.

I also made my own personal all purpose cleaner:
32 oz. bottle (glass for me, but you can use your own old spray bottles too!)
1/4 cup of salt
about 16 oz  water
about 16 oz vinegar
If you don't like the smell, add favorite essential oil (about 100 drops, more or less)

With the essential oil it doesn't make for a great glass cleaner, but you can just do 1 part water and 1 part vinegar to make a good glass cleaner.

A great car windshield recipie:
3 tablespoons of cornstarch (to clean off bugs)
1 cup vinegar
3 cups natural glass cleaner (I used Method Glass Cleaner)

Another recipie I've used was for deodarant:
1 part corn starch
1 part coconut oil
1 part baking soda
Essential Oil 4 drops per oz

You mix all the ingridents in a pot or pan, put in mold or old deodarant stick container and keep in fridge in hot weather.  If the deodarant irritates your skin add less baking soda or change the essential oil.  I recomend a small batch of unsented to just try it out and change it later for your needs.

These are just a few I've used so far, do you have any cheap natural recipes for cleaning your home?

Happy Mabon!

Happy Mabon everyone!

I just did a short ritual today honoring Brigid, I know you're supposed to honor the god aspect, but I've been drawn to her and I thought this would be the perfect time to ask for her help with school and such.

I burned some oil I bought at Moonfyre Metaphysical, made by Sun's Eye Oils. Smells sweet and fruity, like a harvest I guess. I also wrote down what I wanted over this semester and I have a box to add all my assignments and research for Brigid to help me with.

I already have the drive to succeed, but a little help couldn't hurt.

I also did some card reading, one was for my X to see how he is doing and the other was about changing my major.

As far as I can tell my X is fine and I should just stick with my major of creative writing because I already am almost there.

I also found this great wine at Target, sweet and mellow Junebug, white wine, moscato. Really good.

I can't believe it's "fall", it's over 90 degrees here, ugh, my apartment is so HOT. Hope it cools down soon and I have use for my new sweaters!

Happy Mabon, blessed be!
Shadow Moon

Spell for Success

I am a hard worker, but who doesn't want a little assistance in searching for a job right now? I just did a little spell to help my niece out with her interviews, and with the economy as it is she needs all the prayer, luck, spells and success thrown at her.

She did do half the work in looking for a job, she is also a hard worker and currently has a job, where she was offered a promotion, however she declined because it was too much work for a minuscule raise in pay.

So, for the spell for her I used 2 GREEN candles (to symbolize her two interviews today) and a modified incense from Scott Cunninghams Incense, Oils and Brews (1989).

3 parts WOOD ALOE
2 parts RED STORAX (all storax is unavailable so use FRANKINCENSE or GUM ARABIC)
1 part NUTMEG

MINE:
3 parts SANDALWOOD with Creativity Oil
2 parts GUM ARABIC
1 part NUTMEG
1 part ROSE

I added 1 part ROSE PETALS for love/purity of intent and some Creativity Oil by Dancing Witch from Serpents Kiss.

To further the intent I burned a pice of paper with a few sentences stating how my niece WILL have a good interview, she WILL receive a call back, ect. This is to compensate for my lack of meditation focus. Sometimes, especially when I don't feel 100% I just can't keep my visualization up, so I burned my willful words instead.

Hope this helps anyone who needs some success in their life. And please be careful when using fire. :)

Have any successful spell stories you want to share?

Blessed be,
Shadow Moon