All I Need is Vinegar & Castile Soap

One of my goals is to cut down on unnecessary chemicals in the products we use regularly. Our skin is an organ, after all, and it does absorb things, even though there is little to no regulation of what is put into "topical use" products since we aren't officially ingesting them. In this pursuit I've discovered the many uses of vinegar and castile soap---which happen to be vastly cheaper than their alternatives.

Distilled White Vinegar:
1. Main component of the anti-bacterial all-purpose cleaner I make
2. Weed killer--thistles especially.
3. Hair conditioner (apple cider vinegar)
4. Fabric softener (I'm still using up my sheets, but plan to start using this when I'm done)
5. Jet-dry substitute in the dishwasher

Castile soap:
1. Shampoo
2. Main component of the foaming hand-soap refill I make
3. Body wash


Recipes:
(Note: Tea tree oil has antibacterial properties and smells good, so you can add drops of this to almost any cleaner. Don't overdo it because studies show it can cause health issues in large quantities as well, however, at least for small children or pregnant women.)

All-purpose Disinfectant:

• 4 tablespoons white vinegar (or more as desired)
• 3 to 4 cups hot water
• 2 teaspoons borax (optional—I choose to avoid it for food surfaces) 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap (optional for extra cleaning power)

Mix together in a large spray bottle. Shake before using.It does smell a bit while you're using it---more if you use more vinegar--but it evaporates pretty quickly.

Homemade Liquid Hand Soap FOR FOAMING DISPENSER

• 1 cup water (give or take)
• 3 tablespoons liquid castile soap
• Drops of essential oils if desired

Put the liquid castile soap and essential oil into a reused pump bottle and then add water to fill the remaining space.