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Spring cleaning is just around the corner, and I’ve been attempting to either buy or make more natural products to use. My nose has even adjusted to chemical smells. where I like the “clean” smell. After doing some research, and making one trip to the store, I was able to make 5 simple changes in our lives, that bring cleaner living to all of us, even our new puppy, Theodore. With three kiddos, it’s easy to leave him out, but the most important way I can keep him living a cleaner, more natural life is by the food I offer him. What goes in your body is so important, both for humans and dogs! I talk a lot about nutrition and eating healthy here, and it is just as important for your pets!! Let’s go over the 5, quick and simple steps you can make for cleaner living, including your pets!
Simple and Healthy Dog Food:
I recently went to PetSmart and grabbed the Purina® Bella Small Dog Food – Natural, Chicken & Turkey & Accents of Carrot and Greenbeans and the Purina® Bella Small Dog Food – Variety Pack, 12ct (Grilled Chicken & Beef). Right now, PetSmart is offering a Purina Bella special, along with some other great deals!
I love a great savings option when buying dog food (it adds up fast!), to I was super happy to save $1 and $3. Purina provides complete and balanced diets from a leader in wholesome pet nutrition. They include Protein that is Grain-Free and Natural! You can head to the social hub for more stories about how people are going the extra mile to show their pet love, by providing them quality food from Purina. Make sure to click on the image below to shop the Bella products!!
Can you tell my boys love to help with the doggy chores? They even clean up after him in the yard, which is so helpful! He devours the Purina® Bella Small Dog Food – Variety Pack, 12ct (Grilled Chicken & Beef). Every night at 5pm, he’s waiting by his bowl. It’s his favorite part of the day I think. Because our Theordore is such a big part of the family, I also make him a natural shampoo, which is super simple and safe. Moving onto the next step to cleaner living!
Natural, DIY Dog Shampoo:
I saw this recipe somewhere on Pinterest a while ago. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but the general idea is that you are washing your pet with natural, non-harmful chemicals.
Ingredients:
1 cup Oatmeal
1 cup baking soda
1 Tbsp honey
5-6 drops of Tea Trea Oil.
You can shake all of this super well, then pour a 1/4 cup or so into your bath, or blend it in a blender. The Tea Tree oil is antibacterial, and it has a nice, minty smell. It leaves your dog clean, without being drying and itchy. My little boy LOVES to join our dog in his bath. Literally, cries and cries until he can get in and join!
Such a simple way to keep your pet (or kids!) clean, without needing harsh shampoos. In addition to a DIY, natural pet shampoo, I also have a super natural, DIY bubble bath recipe for your kiddos!
Natural Bubble Bath:
I didn’t know this existed until I started searching for some things I could substitute to be more natural. My kids love a bath. Literally the sink is their favorite spot (and secretly mine too because I can clean the kitchen!). So, I mix up this recipe and poor it in, and it works super well.
Ingredients:
1 cup castile soap. I like the scented kids. I get the bar because its cheaper, and grind it up or shred it with a cheese grader.
1/3 cup vegetable glycerin
1/3 cup epsom salts
1 Tbs. distilled water
15-20 drops of essential oil if you want more scent, or didn’t get the scented castile soap.
Because I do the bar version of the castile soap, I have to blend everything together in a blender. If you use the liquid castile soap, you can put a cup of that in, and it will all blend together much better.
Moving into the house hold items that you can switch to be more natural, I make a natural laundry soap and cleaner. I am constantly cleaning and doing laundry, so I felt like these switches have the biggest impact on us!
DIY Laundry Soap:
I basically used the same recipe found here, except I added some Borax to it because we just need it in order to keep things clean.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Borax
15 or so drops of essential oil of choice for scent
Mix everything in a food processor if you can. Start with the bar, and process that, then add everything else and process with a lighter blade, or just stir everything together. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a cheese grater, which actually doesn’t take as long as you’d think. Then, mix it all together, and make sure to stir around before every use. About 1 Tbsp for a full-sized load is perfect.
Natural Household Cleaner:
This is a game-changer because of all the cleaning I do. I have to wipe down our counters and kitchen table 10 million times a day. Then I sometimes get around to the floors. So, creating a natural product here was a no-brainer when making some simple changes.
Ingredients:
2 cups white vinnegar
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cups water
10 drops of tea tree oil (anti-bacterial properties and mint-smell)
*if you don’t like the smell of the tea tree oil, use a different essential oil for the smell
Mix it all together in a spray bottle and shake before each cleaning session. The baking soda is going to help with any scrubbing you might need to do. Like gunk or dried food. If you don’t think you need that, you can omit it all together and still have a great cleaner. No chemicals, and it still smells fresh! Always remember to store household items and detergents, whether DIY or store bought, in a place where your pet cannot get to them, just out of precaution to your pet’s health
These are my 5, simple and quick changes to live cleaner and more natural. Make sure to not forget about your pets in the process either! PetSmart has such an awesome sale right now with all the Purina products, it’s definitely worth it!