Homemade Jewelry Cleaner

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Have you ever needed to clean your jewelry and didn't have any cleaner? 
My Grandma used to make her own, and told me the recipe a long time ago.
If your in a pinch and need some quick, this is good because most people have these things on hand. This is all I've ever used and it works perfectly! I wear silver and white gold jewelry, & my husbands ring is titanium  and its never harmed anything I own. Quite the opposite, its made it all very shiny!!

Also I use toothpaste to clean my silver jewelry that is a little tarnished.The paste kind works best, instead of the gel.. I just use a old tooth brush on it and rinse well when I'm done then put it in the homemade cleaner, shiny! {see below}

What you Need

Ammonia
Dish Soap ( I used Dawn, but you can use any)
Water

You can make as much or as little as you need, just use equal parts of all 3 ingredients. I used about 1 Tablespoon of each for this batch, if you put it in a lil container that has a lid, it will lasts forever!! {or at least until it gets too dirty and needs to be changed out} ツ 

 I use a tooth brush on my rings, to get in all the crevices.

All clean! {Its hard to take a picture with one hand ans zoom in AND keep still!}

Necklace that has some tarnish.. 

You can fix that with a little dab of ToothPaste!

I usually work it between my fingers first, then use a damp toothbrush, but I was trying to keep my camera hand toothpaste free! ツ 

After the toothpaste rub down/scrub, rinse all the toothpaste off and soak in the jewelry cleaner for about 10 minutes, rinse well and dry.

All clean && Shiny!!

Also if you have a jewelry box, and you have lots of sterling silver jewelry, take a piece of foil {doesn't have to be big} and ball it up a little and keep it in your jewelry box, that will help the silver from getting tarnished so fast! Or you can take a piece of foil and place you silver in it and fold it up in there.
Now you have some Homemade Jewelry Cleaner that actually works!
Your welcome... ツ 

Now go get your jewelry that needs to be cleaned and make some cleaner!

Homemade Outdoor Window Cleaner

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Shiny Windows! Air Dried without Streaks or Spots!

Its getting to be that time again...Spring Cleaning...I know you are so excited  ツ
I have been waiting since Fall to write this post, it was kind of pointless. Most people clean their windows outside in the spring or summer. We did ours in the Fall. I was so excited to see how shiny and streak free they were when they finally dried. I only took one or two pictures but I know we will be doing our windows again soon as we never got around to putting the Rain-X (Original )  on them, as it got cold outside, and they are dirty again on the west side since that is the side that gets splattered if it rains hard and the wind is blowing. Not only that, but we have to do the insides too! I have another recipe for the inside for a (near) future post.
We have constant nose art on a few of our windows from our two, 4 legged artists. They love watching over their domain out the windows ツ

Charlie peeking out the door♥

♥Ozzy looking out the front

Needless to say I was very impressed with this homemade window cleaner, I will definitely be using it again this Spring!!! I adapted my recipe from this one.  Once we wash them again, I will post more pictures. But for now....

What You Need:

5 gallon Bucket or a large bucket
4 oz. of Vinegar
4 Tablespoons of Alcohol
1/4 Cup of Ammonia
1/3 Cup of my Homemade Dishwasher Detergent (I don't add the dawn in this recipe)(you can use any dishwasher detergent)
2 Gallons of Hot Water
Car Wash Brush or long handled brush (we used the car wash brush, it worked really well!!)

Using a Spray Nozzle on your hose, spray window down with water.
Dip your brush in homemade window solution, scrub window, including the frame.
Rinse with the hose and let air dry.
If that isn't easy I don't know what is!

We are going to come back after they are dry and go over them with Rain - X Original. I don't know if your familiar but this stuff works great for your car windows/mirrors, so why not use it on the  house widows to?!! It will make it even easier to clean them the next time around!
I have also heard of people using it on their shower doors, after they have been cleaned.

Look at that reflection! Its almost like your inside, looking out. 

Yea!

At least one spring cleaning job will be easy.
Spring clean up of three acres is going to be a little harder...

Ps. If you try this, come back and leave a comment how it worked for you.. I love feedback!

Homemade Sanitizing Wipes

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I have been sick literally for over a month now, since just after Thanksgiving! And everyone is getting sick in the house, and I'm tired of it!!! So I did some research and saw a few different  recipes for "Homemade Clorox Wipes"  and they didn't even have Clorox in them LOL!
I saw some with vinegar, I saw some with actual Clorox though, and a few with different ingredients in them, but settled on this recipe. I didn't really like the idea of putting my bare hands on the actual Clorox ones because it seemed to me like it was a really strong solution to water ratio, no thanks. I felt this recipe with the Alcohol would work just fine for my purpose! I used paper towels because I really didn't have a whole lot of rags to use.
In hindsight I will use about 1/2 tablespoon of Dawn when adding the ammonia (makes it to sudsy) If you choose to omit the ammonia then use the two tablespoons of Dawn, or adjust it as you see fit otherwise 1/2 tablespoon should do the trick . But you can experiment to see what you like. :)

(optional) but I used it! 

Here is what you need:

1 Cup of Water
1/4 Cup of Alcohol
2 Tablespoons of Dawn dish soap (only use Dawn)
2 Tablespoons of Ammonia (optional)
Container to store them in

Mix Water, Alcohol, Dawn, and Ammonia (if your using ammonia)
I used the other half of my Viva paper towels from my Baby Wipes recipe
I unrolled about half of the roll and layered it accordion style (see picture below) I didn't tear them apart I left them together.

If you have rags you can use those if you want and just wash and reuse them!

Place your paper towels (or rags) in the container and pour mixture over the paper towels. I let them sit about 10 min., then flipped the whole stack over the other way, to make sure they were saturated completely.

I'm going to have to play with this recipe or maybe make a whole new one? (I know Alcohol doesn't kill everything!) We'll see... until then.... these will  have to do.

I labeled my container so it wouldn't be mistaken for the Baby Wipes...that would be bad! Although they are in two different looking containers, still, Ouch!  lol

Maybe I'll get better soon  (-’_'-) ....

Make Your Own Fabric Freshener/Odor Eliminator

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I love Febreze! And I love the original scent, but its getting harder and harder to find the original AND it can be expensive! But I love it even better that I can make my own!! And if you have been following my posts I bet you can guess what scent I made  :)   Yes....Original Scented Gain! Love It!!
I always like to try things before I post them so this is my 2nd batch and it works great!
I've seen different recipes on Pintrest and I have adjusted the measurements on the Fabric Softener for strength in smell, if you don't want a real strong smelling spray, then use 1/8 cup (or anywhere in between the 2 measurements) I have not had mine clog up from the baking soda, but I used super hot water (don't know if that makes a difference or not? but probably) 

This recipe is intended to make enough to fit into a 27 oz. bottle

Here is what you need:
1/8 - 1/4 Cup of Fabric Softener
2 Tablespoons of Baking Soda
Hot! Water from the Tap (fill to just about the top of the bottle)
Empty Squirt Bottle

First added the 2 tablespoons of Baking Soda to the bottle with the funnel and added VERY hot water (maybe half a cup of water) and shook it till I thought it might be dissolved a little. 

Add the baking Soda and some hot water

Then I added the 1/4 (stronger smelling for me please) Fabric Softener and shook it again. 

Add the Fabric Softener

Then I filled the up remainder of the bottle with HOT (tap)water. I left just enough room so when I put the nozzle on, it didn't overflow! Shake again.

Every time you use it, give it a good shake..the baking soda does settle at the bottom. I shake it as I'm using it also, maybe that's why mine doesn't clog!
Did I mention to use Hot Water? lol

My house smells like freshness, and clean laundry! ♥♥

Homemade ♥ Hummingbird Nectar

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I think one of my favorite Birds are Hummingbirds! I love their jewel like colors that glow like prisms in the sun. Love watching them zoom in and out... blink and you'll miss em'
I can not Wait to see who comes to visit my feeder at my new house!!

Velvet-Purple Coronet Hummingbird by Tom Munson

Just a few hummingbird facts for you...

~* Hummers are the only birds that can fly backwards.
~* They got their name from the sound their wings make when they fly.
~* They can fly at speeds exceeding 34 mph!
~* The smallest Hummer is the Bee hummingbird measuring  5 cm.
~* Hummingbird nests are approximately the size of a quarter.
~* In some species, their heart rate can reach as high as 1,260 beats per minute.
~* While in flight have the highest metabolism of all animals.
~* They also consume more than their own weight in nectar each day, so they must visit hundreds of flowers daily. Because of this they  are..
~* Continuously hours away from starving to death, and are able to store just enough energy to survive overnight.

Sooo this is why we need to help feed them :)

Here is what you need:
1 Cup of Sugar
4 Cups of Water
Hummingbird Feeder
** Do not use Red (or any) food coloring as it causes a fungus to grow on their tongues!! 
If you have red on your feeder that will be enough to attract them, I always have some flowers like Fuchsia's, or Petunia's near by to help attract them. I've seen them drink the nectar from my Hosta's and they like pretty much any flower that is shaped like a Trumpet!

Petunia by Swallowtail Garden Seeds

Fuchsia by Glacial Ridge Growers

Bring sugar water to a boil, let cool completely before pouring into feeder. I use 1 cup at a time and freeze the rest and use as needed. In the summer I change it out often as it tends to get moldy quick if they don't drink it all first! 
Depending on how many hummers come to my feeder, I may have to use more than a cup at a time at my new house.... hopefully ;)

Costa's Hummingbird by Dean M. Chriss Photography

There are lots of different kinds of hummingbird feeders, but there are a couple of my favorites  (and the hummingbirds too) I knew they liked mine because my old neighbor had one like the one pictured below, and they always came to mine first :D She also used the store bought nectar, so maybe that had something to do with it? Don't know, but I know it made her mad that they came to mine but not hers ;) hehehe 

  

I got the one pictured below from Wild Birds Unlimited a long time ago (but it broke) and I forgot it had a lifetime warranty :( and threw it away. They LOVED this feeder!! Mine had a moat you could fill with water so the ants wouldn't invade. Maybe they don't make them like that anymore?

WBU Small Hummingbird Feeder

Another feeder they seem to love, and that I'm currently using, is this one...

Hummers Galore Hummingbird Feeder

This link goes to Ebay, but I'm happy they carry this feeder at my local Feed-N-Seed :)  You might be able to find them on Amazon? 
They are actually called Hummer's Galore and Bacon Products Corporation in Tennessee makes them. I checked the website and it doesn't have a link to see where to buy them, but I bet you could email or call them and they could tell you, if you really, really wanted to purchase one :)

Not only do Hummingbirds like the sugar water but also it tends to attract Bee's and Ants which we don't want! So I use a little Avon's Skin So Soft applied with a Q-Tip just around each hole, not to close where the Hummers can get it but close enough to deter the Bees and Ants. I also put it on the top and on the little metal hanger because that's where the Ants come from. If it rains I have to re-apply the Skin So Soft. 

Also Baltimore Orioles like sugar water, and I have heard that some Bats! like it too!! Orioles are okay, but I don't know about the bats!!!

Sooo there you have it.... 

go now, and make some juice for your little hummer friends, you will enjoy watching their antics as they try to keep each other away from the feeder! 

My Hummer Feeder Hanging on the Porch

Got my Husband ♥ to hang mine on the porch :)

And Let me know how yours does!



EDIT: 7-21-2012
My sister sent me a link with Hummingbird info and I found a very cool video on how Hummingbirds eat, check it out!

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/05/hummingbird-tongue-drinking/