How to Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaning Wipes

The invention of the cleaning wipes was genius.  They make wiping up a mess or disinfecting door handles a snap.  The problem with these wipes is that sometimes the ingredients are a bit harsh and they can be a bit pricey.  Worry no more, check out this tutorial on how to make your own non-toxic cleaning wipes for less.
Step 1 Take a roll of 2-ply paper towels and cut it in half with a sharp knife.  Try to avoid serrated knives as sometimes they chew up the edge of the paper towels too much.
Step 2 Find a container that is big enough to put one half of the paper towels in.  A 4 quart round container is ideal, but sometimes difficult to find.  Square containers work fine too.  A large margarine tub is often the most efficient and handy choice.  Once you have found a container that the paper towels will fit into you will want to work the core of the paper towel roll free from the glue in the center and remove it.  Put the paper towel in the container cut side down.
Step 3 Mix together a solution of 1 ½ cups of white vinegar, 1 ½ cups of water, and a tablespoon of lemon juice (optional).
Step 4 Pour the solution all over the paper towels.  Snap the lid on and turn it upside down for about 5 minutes to let the solution completely saturate the paper towels.
Step 5 Turn the container right side up and cut an “X” in the top of the container.  Open the container and grab a paper towel from the center of the roll and feed it up through the “X” in the lid.  Snap the lid back on and you are ready to clean.
Germ fighter In order to make your wipes the germ killing kind you will need to go a step further with your solution.  Add ½ teaspoon of tea tree oil.  Make sure that you get the pure essential oil and not the cheap imitation stuff.
Window cleaning wipes Turn your wipes into window cleaning wipes by using a different solution.  Mix together ½ cup of rubbing alcohol, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and 2 ½ cups of water.  Pour the solution over the paper towels as before and you will have wipes that will give you streak free windows.  To make sure your windows or mirrors are streak free you might want to dry them with some newspaper.
Tips If you’d like to give your wipes a nice fragrance add a few drops of an orange essential oil and wherever you clean will have a citrusy fresh scent.
Warning these wipes are not intended for baby care. These wipes are non-toxic, but it’s still a good idea to keep all cleaning products out of the reach of children.  Do not flush these wipes as the paper towels can still clog your plumbing even though they are non-toxic.

P. S. This post was  proposed to me for publication by Maria Wells I'm therefore publishing it by her invitation and under her permission. See also the link below fore more information:


 http://www.housekeeping.org/blog/how-to-make-your-own-non-toxic-cleaning-wipes/

How to Organize Breast Milk

Nursing mothers who choose to continue breastfeeding after returning to work or mothers who prefer to pump for controversy-free on-the-go feeding often find themselves faced with the daunting task of storing and organizing their expressed breast milk in a way that ensures both freshness and convenience. Organization systems must also be simple enough for a childcare provider to make sense of while you’re out of the home so that they can be sure to feed your baby the earliest milk first. Because the World Health Organization recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their lives, and fed solid foods to supplement breast milk until the age of one year, it’s of vital importance to your baby’s health that breastfeeding not be abandoned simply because an organization and storage system isn’t achieved. To keep providing your baby with the best possible nourishment for her growing body, take some of these organization and storage tips under consideration.

• Label Everything – Whether you choose to freeze large amounts of expressed breast milk or store bottles in the refrigerator, make sure that every container is labeled with the date and time that it was pumped. For children that attend daycare outside of your home in an environment with other breastfed babies, be sure that her first and last names are also on the bag for ease of identification. Clearly indicating that a particular container belongs to your child is one of the best ways of ensuring that the breast milk isn’t discarded due to confusion and your baby fed formula in your absence.
• Use Proper Storage Containers – Freezing your breast milk is a perfectly acceptable method of storage, but it’s important to use the right containers and methods for the job. Traditional freezer bags may be more likely to leak than those designed specifically for breast milk storage, so springing for the more expensive but more reliable bags may be of more value in the long run. Letting the bags lie flat in your freezer until they’re solid also makes defrosting quicker and easier, as well as creating a flat labeling surface that’s more easily read. Freezing your breast milk in bottles also works, but be sure to leave enough space at the top to accommodate expansion as the liquid freezes. Milk intended for refrigeration should be stored in two to four ounce containers, as they shouldn’t be mixed or saved for later feedings, and larger containers may lead to more waste.
• First In, First Out – Allowing bags of breast milk to freeze on a flat surface not only makes the labels easier to read, it also creates a shape that’s simple to organize in the freezer. Using a small plastic bin, put bags in order by date and sort them upright, similar to books on a shelf. Turn the container so that the oldest milk is facing the front, making sure that the first bag grabbed is the oldest to facilitate a “first in, first out” system. Sort bottles in freezers and refrigerators similar to the method grocery stores use for cow’s milk, with the newest containers in the back and the oldest pushed to the front. This rotation makes it easy for you or a childcare provider to know which container should be used first, eliminating waste and confusion.
• Know Storage Guidelines – Part of keeping your breast milk system organized and functional is knowing exactly how long milk can be frozen or refrigerated before it should be discarded. Ideally, refrigerated milk should be kept no longer than 72 hours, but can be stored for up to eight days if collected carefully, according to La Leche League International. Frozen milk has an ideal shelf life of six months, but is acceptable for use up to one year after being pumped. The first tenet of organization is to cut clutter, so make sure that you periodically check your stash for any milk that should be thrown away, both to free space and to prevent the inadvertent feeding of less-than-fresh milk to your baby.
• Ice Cube Trays – Pouring expressed breast milk into ice cube trays, then emptying trays into freezer-safe bags is a great way to store large amounts of breast milk in small enough increments that you can take only what you need, minimizing waste while consolidating large batches. Be sure to keep the cubes from each day in their own individual bags to prevent date mix-ups.

Part of making sure that your organization system is effective is to maintain it every day; no system works if it’s abandoned. With a bit of discipline and dedication you can keep your baby’s most valuable source of nutrition sorted and well-stocked.
 P.S. This post was  proposed to me for publication by Kaitlyn Johnson. I'm therefore publishing it by her invitation and under her permission. See also the link below fore more information:


 http://www.newborncare.com/blog/how-to-organize-breast-milk/

Head Lice: Symptoms and Treatments

Few things strike fear into a parent’s heart like the dreaded letter from school or daycare stating that there has been a reported case of head lice. The frantic combing of hair, checking of scalps, and stripping of beds is enough to drive even the most level-headed parent into a small-scale panic, but there’s no need for excessive worry. Treatment is fairly simple, and almost always effective, provided that you recognize symptoms early and follow treatment instructions to the letter.

Symptoms of Head Lice
While some children can show few outward signs of a louse infestation, keeping a keen eye on your kids’ behavior and habits can often clue you in well before a notification regarding an outbreak is sent home from school. Because the movement of lice in your child’s hair can tickle or itch, be on the lookout for excessive scratching of the scalp or touching of the head. Complaints of scalp itchiness should be taken seriously, as this is one of the sole symptoms of infestation. On occasion, vigorous scratching and prolonged infestation can cause sores to erupt on a sufferer’s head and scalp; repeated contact with the bacteria-laden surfaces under fingernails can also spread secondary infections to these sores. Because lice are passed predominantly through head-to-head contact and sharing of hair accessories, kids tend to be more susceptible in sports settings or through the hair-play held dear by scores of little girls. 
The most definitive way to diagnose head lice without the aid of a physician is simply to examine the scalps of your children for nits, nymphs, and adult lice. Nits, or eggs, are oval in shape, very small, and attached to the shaft of individual hairs. They can be mistaken for bits of dandruff or flakes, so it’s best to make sure that the nymphs or adult lice are present before treatment. Nymphs may be difficult to spot due to their small size; an adult louse, however, is roughly the size of a sesame seed and tan to grayish-white in color. 
Treating Head Lice
The best line of defense against head lice is preventing them in the first place, so it’s wise to teach children not to share hair accessories or hats and to avoid head-to-head contact with other children whenever possible. Because kids are notorious for doing the opposite of what parents suggest, there are a number of products commercially available that help to repel lice. The Rosemary Repel Hair Products from Fairytales Hair Care are particularly effective, using all-natural and organic ingredients including rosemary, citronella, tea tree, and geranium oils to repel insects, including lice, from your child’s hair. Products in the line include shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioning spray, styling gel and hairspray.
Should prevention measures prove to be too little, too late, there are a plethora of treatment options on the market that are available without a prescription. In order to effectively treat head lice and prevent re-infestation, it’s essential to treat all members of the family with an over-the-counter solution of your choosing. Be advised, however, that there are no treatments available that are 100% effective against nits, so it’s also necessary to re-treat everyone according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If crawling lice are still visible after a full round of treatment with pyrethins or permethrin, contact your healthcare provider for a more concentrated medication such as malathion, lindane, or benzyl alcohol. Be sure to follow your physician’s instructions very carefully, as the insecticides used to treat head lice can be very dangerous if misused.
While there are a vast array of products designed to kill lice on clothing, bedding, and furniture, it’s important to note that the louse cannot survive for long after falling from their host and being separated from their food source. Rather than investing in a half-dozen products to scour every surface of your home and coat them in chemicals, simply launder clothing and bedding in hot water and dry on high heat. Seal non-washable items in a plastic bag for two weeks, soak combs and brushes in water that’s at least 130° for fifteen minutes, and vacuum floors and furniture thoroughly.
Remember that contracting head lice is not an indicator of poor hygiene or negligent parenting; an estimated one in ten school children will suffer a head lice infestation at some point in their academic career.

  P.S. This post was  proposed to me for publication by Sara Dawkins. I'm therefore publishing it by her invitation and under her permission. See also the link below fore more information:


http://www.nannypro.com/blog/head-lice-symptoms-and-treatments/