Going Natural

For the past year or so, I've been trying out ways to use more natural and homemade products around our home. I wouldn't exactly call myself a hippie, but I am growing concerned about the amount of chemicals in our houses, and often using homemade products is more cost-effective too.  I know there are people who make nearly everything, and I've seen recipes online for homemade laundry detergent, shampoo, hairspray, etc.  Personally, I don't make anything that's really time-intensive.  I could try making laundry detergent, but with only two of us around, I'm okay buying more expensive natural products as it takes ages to go through a package.  On the other hand, if a product is fairly easy to make at home, why not do that and save ourselves a little exposure to toxins?

Here are some of the homemade products I currently use:

Cleaning:  I am in love with baking soda.  I use it to scrub the bathtub and the stove top and deodorize the basement carpets.  I also pour some into the toilet tank to clean.  It is super-easy and so cheap.  Honestly, I tried a million times to clean the scuff marks in our old condo tub... When I finally tried baking soda, it was a snap.  I also use a mixture of vinegar and water in a spray bottle to clean the toilet and the kitchen counters.

Conditioner:  I've been out of conditioner for ages, so last week, I finally tried a home-made alternative.  I have a spray bottle with apple cider vinegar and water (1 part vinegar; 4 parts water).  I spray it on my hair after washing, then rinse it out.  One week in, and my hair feels softer than ever.  I'm loving this and will never go back to overpriced store-bought conditioners!

Deodorant:  Occasionally, I get freaked out about aluminum in deodorant, but I don't particularly like most of the natural products sold in stores.  Last year I tried out this recipe and I love it.  It only takes a few minutes to whip up, and it smells great and works well.  The only issue I've found is that the deodorant gets a bit melty in hot weather, so I keep it in the fridge and have a natural alternative for when we're traveling in the summer or to hot places.

Here's a couple of other blog posts with some great natural alternatives.

What about you?  Is going natural a priority for you?  Do you have any tips?  Or, on the other hand, have you tried any homemade products that just did NOT work?