As it says in my profile, I am a reluctant yogi. Meaning I do yoga, but I'm not really in to yoga. It all started because, as a cancer survivor, I needed to take better care of my body. And I knew I wouldn't do it on my own at home (this is true, because I was a four year cancer survivor before I finally said I needed to heed the medical advice and DO SOMETHING).
Why yoga? Honestly, because it was the only thing I could find that was early enough in the morning for me to do before my husband had to start work. I was not interested in evening classes, because I know as the day wore on, so would my resolve. And as much as I hate dealing with my toddler (now preschooler) at bedtime, I absolutely LOVE being with my son at bedtime and didn't want to miss it too often. He's only this little once.
So, yoga it was. And I don't hate it. I LOVE the way I feel when I'm done. It's just that I can't wait for class to be over pretty much from the minute it starts. But I do it, and I've been doing it for over a year and I can honestly say that at 43 (gulp) years old, I am in the best shape of my life.
My yoga class meets two days a week at 6am. That was a great time until my son started preschool. Now I'm racing against the clock to get home, shower, and dress while still having a minute for a cup of coffee and a piece of bacon before packing up his back pack and getting out the door by 8 o'clock.
Before you say anything, skipping the shower is an option, but not a great one. The yoga class is heated, so I am a disgusting sweaty mess when it's over and my moisture wicking yoga clothes are drenched and feel gross. If I only had to drop him off at the front door, that would be one thing. But he's three, so I have to bring him in. And honestly, what's the point of yoga if it's just going to make me feel worse afterwards?
But I digress... Can you tell I have had this argument before?
As a time saving measure, I have to skip cleaning my sweaty mat at the studio and choose to do it at home. (My mat can wait for its shower, I cannot.) Here's a recipe for a DIY green yoga mat cleaner that will help keep your mat clean and in peak condition.
DIY Green Yoga Mat Cleaner
- 1c white vinegar
- 3c water
- 5 drops lemon essential oil
- 5 drops lavender essential oil
Mix together in a spray bottle. Spray your mat, and wipe down with a clean towel or rag.
That's it. Easy peasy. I suppose you can skip the essential oils, but I believe they may help condition your mat. Feel free to adjust the combination of oils for a fragrance that better suits you and your practice. You can also adjust up or down the amount you use, but I would be careful adjusting too far up. You don't want your mat to be slick. You need it to be sticky.
Cleaning your mat is extra important if you practice hot yoga. All that sweat that drips off your body gets absorbed into your mat and can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Think about that the next time you are gently resting one cheek on your mat. Gross.
Happy cleaning! Namaste!
As promised in my Natural Disinfectant post, I also have a recipe for a green granite cleaner. This stuff makes your counters so shiny and glossy, it's incredible. I love it.
DIY Green Granite Cleaner
- 1/4c rubbing alcohol or vodka
- 3 drops dish washing liquid (good old fashioned Dawn blue is recommended)
- 2c water
- 5-6 drops lemon essential oil
Gently combine all ingredients in a spray bottle, being careful not to mix too vigorously or else the dish washing liquid gets too bubbly.
When I clean my granite counters, which is often thanks to a work from home husband who hasn't met a meal he wanted to clean up after, I first wipe it down with a damp, soapy sponge. And then I get eye level with it to see what I missed.
After I've recovered from my shock at how much crap is still on my granite counter (the pro and con of the granite counter is that you can't see how dirty it is), I repeat that step.
Then I spray with the granite cleaner, and wipe it down with a paper towel or my favorite kitchen rag. If you've used raw meat and want a sturdier disinfectant, you can use my Natural Disinfectant (link to come, when I figure out how to do that) before using the granite cleaner.
When I first found this recipe for the granite cleaner, I was so excited to make it but did not have any rubbing alcohol in the house. It was doing something weather-wise that made me not want to get the baby in the car and go to the store, so I opted instead to use vodka (which was listed as an acceptable ingredient). So if you are like me and a little lazier than you want to admit, use whatever vodka you have on hand if you don't have the rubbing alcohol. Just hopefully it's some cheapo brand, and not Grey Goose.
I am fairly confident my husband will not read this, but just in case: love you, honey! XOXO
Also, do not skip the lemon essential oil. In many recipes, the essential oil is optional. In this one, the lemon oil actually does something to condition the granite countertops and it's a good thing, not just clean smelling.
Happy cleaning!
There are times when you need to make sure your sinks and counters get a little extra TLC from the bacteria police. For most of us, that's after we've prepared raw chicken or other meat. I do try to keep the meat off of the surface of my counter by using a cutting board or silicone mat, but after watching 20 years worth of Law & Order episodes during one 9 month pregnancy, you learn a thing or two about spatter.
Now I am by no means a germaphobe. And I would eat steak raw right out of the package if it was socially acceptable (since it's not, I have to settle for steak tartare in a fancy restaurant when the occasion presents itself). But raw chicken skeeves me out big time. If it wasn't so darn good for you, I wouldn't touch the stuff.
And since I do make an effort to use green cleaners that won't harm my family or pets (who sometimes manage to find that sunny spot on the kitchen counter for a nap), I want a natural solution. Lucky for us all, I found one!
DIY Natural Disinfectant
- 2c water
- 3T dish soap (good old fashioned blue Dawn is recommended)
- 1t tea tree oil
- 15 drops essential oil (optional)
Gently mix together (be careful, you don't want the soap to get too bubbly) in a spray bottle.
Here are my thoughts on using essential oil in this cleaner. Not worth it. Tea tree oil is very fragrant, and not in a good way. You would need a lot more than 15 drops to neutralize that smell, and then you are going to have an oily cleaner, which defeats the purpose. I say don't bother. Essential oils are not going to break the bank because they are used in small doses, but a bottle can be a little bit pricey so I say save it for an application where you really get the benefit.
But don't skip the tea tree oil, because that is what gives this cleaner its disinfectant properties. Don't worry about the smell. It will go away.
The cleaning method I use is to wipe down my counter with a soapy dish sponge (the one that I use only on countertops and not on my dishes... even though sometimes I use the one that is supposedly only for my dishes on my countertops, but that's just when there is no raw meat involved). Dry it off with paper towels or counter rag of your choice.* Spray the counter with the natural disinfectant and wipe it in/off with your towel.
You can even finish it with my granite cleaner for unbeatable shine. (I smell another post coming! Link to follow but search on the "green cleaning" label if you just cannot wait.)
Happy cleaning!
* My counter rag of choice? Cloth baby diaper. The old fashioned Gerber white cloth diaper. You can buy these at Target, probably Amazon, and I'm sure any baby superstore out there. I have a set for rags and a set for drying dishes. They are so absorbent and do an AMAZING job. I'm sure they would have made awesome diapers too, but I went the earth killing disposable route and just happened to have a pack of these for some reason or another.
The easiest way to go green with your cleaning products is to start with an all purpose cleaner. This thing is so versatile and so CHEAP, you will wonder how you ever lived without it. And better than cheap, it is effective and completely non-toxic. You can feel good knowing that your family is not being affected by unpronounceable chemicals that have who knows what long term impacts on their health.
DIY Green All Purpose Cleaner
- 1 cups water
- 1 cups white vinegar
- 10-15 drops essential oil (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Swirl or shake to blend.
The essential oils are optional, and are used to provide a light, clean fragrance. I am partial to lavender and lemon (together, or on their own). If you do choose to use essential oils, do not go overboard. A little goes a LOOONG way.
I use this cleaner primarily on glass, but it also works great on appliances (even stainless steel), porcelain sinks, and while I have not used it on a flat finish paint, it works well on our glossy painted cabinets and wood trim. Do not use it on granite countertops... the vinegar can erode the finish over time.
If you are concerned about the lingering smell of vinegar, don't be. Once it dries, the smell is gone.
I tend to make a huge batch of this cleaner by tripling or even quadrupling the recipe and storing it in a large container that I use to refill my smaller spray bottle (that naturally, I labeled with cute adhesive vinyl letters that I cut out using my Cricut Explore).
* I will update later with resources on where to buy materials for making this cleaner.
Happy green cleaning!
Yeah, I'm really doing this. We'll see what that means.
Welcome to the Lazy Crafter's Workshop! While I am not lazy (at least I don't think so), my craft projects tend to be very simple and attainable for all levels of crafters, and I hope to inspire the lazy crafters who have the desire but just don't know where to start.
Who am I? Take a look at my profile, and you'll get an idea of that but basically I am a "retired" business woman who now is fortunate enough to stay home with my charming little handful of a three and a half year old.
If you saw all the paragraphs I have already edited away, you would know that I can go on and on... and on. I'm going to try not to do that (because boring), but wordiness is my weakness. So here's what I'm going to do. I'm just going to tell you what it is I hope to share on this blog:
- My successfully cute craft projects
- Stampin' Up! cards that came out better than I expected, and techniques that I learned and loved
- Recipes that my family enjoyed (well, my husband... the three year old eats nothing)
- My loom projects that are more inspired than a basic scarf or hat
- Green cleaning recipes that I use around my home
- Things I saw and loved on Pinterest
- And I'm sure many other random acts of crafting and homemaking!
I don't know how often I will post because even though my family is small, they keep me busy. But even if I only do it for myself, I want the Lazy Crafter's Workshop to be a forum to catalog my projects. And maybe I'll improve my photography in the process.
So thanks for taking a look and let me know if there is anything you want to see, know, or whatever.
Happy crafting!
