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Month: February 2014

Simple Tip: Baking Soda – The Unsung Hero!

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Baking soda – that little orange box that sits in your pantry – is more than just part of a baking recipe.  It is a great cleaner and freshener!  And don’t forget, baking soda is an inexpensive product to use. Try out some of these simple ways to freshen up your home:

Baking Soda-The Unsung Hero!
Baking Soda-The Unsung Hero!

Freshen Fridge and Freezer

We all know you can stick a box of baking soda to get rid of smells in your fridge and freezer.  You just pop open the top of the box and place it in the back of your fridge, replacing it every 30 days.  Did you know Arm & Hammer makes a specially designed, non-spill box? It only costs $.10 more than the regular box ($.95 versus $.85 a box).  Bonus Tip: When you replace that box after 30 days, pour the used box down your kitchen sink disposal and let sit for 20 minutes to freshen it up!

Freshen Your Towels – Get The Stink out!

You can add a cup of baking soda to every load of wash to freshen the smell of your laundry.  Have really tough odors, like towels that smell like mildew? Simple Solutions Diva has a tried-and-true way to remove that stink — Click Here!

Freshen Your Carpets & Couches

For Carpets – Sprinkle baking soda on carpets ½ hour before vacuuming. The baking soda absorbs the smells.

For Couches And Other Fabric-Covered Furniture –  Make your own fabric spray! Use a spray bottle filled with 1 T. Baking Soda, Warm Water, 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Shake well until baking soda is dissolved. Lightly spray your couch and let dry. It will smell a little like the essential oil, and the stinky smell will be neutralized.

Clean Coffee And Tea Stains

Have a favorite coffee/tea cup or pot that is stained? Just mix up a ¼ cup baking soda in 1 QT warm water and soak the cup or pot.  You can also make a paste with baking soda and water and lightly scrub.

De-Stink Those Dental Appliances

Grossed out by your night guard or child’s smelly retainer? Mix a 1/2 cup of baking soda with one cup of water and soak those dental appliances to remove food particles and smell. You can also dip your wet toothbrush into baking soda and scrub the appliance and let it sit for a few hours.

 

Thank you to WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for inviting me on to share these ideas! Here is the video from First Coast Living:

Top Four Common Product Combinations To Never Mix

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With so many great cleaning ideas floating around Pinterest, it really is important to know that some common household products, when combined together, can be dangerous!  Thank you to BuzzFeed.com for these combination warnings – visit the site for more combinations that are not good.

Take a look at these products that you should never mix:

Bleach and Vinegar

These are great cleaners — when used separately! But combine these two, and you end up with Toxic Chlorine Gas! It can cause a chemical burn to your eyes and lungs.

Ammonia and Bleach

This combination, if you inhale the vapors, could cause respiratory damage and throat burns. BuzzFeed.com highlights a story of a man who used Ammonia, Bleach and Drano to unclog his toilet, was overcome by the fumes, and died. I don’t know about you, but cleaning my toilet is NOT the way I want to go!

Rubbing Alcohol and Bleach

This chemical cocktail creates chloroform – Who knew? It can damage your nervous system, eyes, lungs, kidneys and more. Extremely high exposure can actually cause death, and even low levels of exposure can cause  dizziness and nausea.

Hydrogen Peroxide and Vinegar

You can use these items as cleaners, separately. But if you combine them together in the same container (like a spray bottle for cleaning), you can create a corrosive acid! use them on the same surface, separately.

Check out Buzzfeed.com to see the full listing of products they recommend you do not combine!

Common Products your should never mix, from BuzzFeed.com
Common Products your should never mix, from BuzzFeed.com

 

Simply Smooth Skin: Homemade Sugar Scrubs

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Homemade Sugar Scrubs, from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
Homemade Sugar Scrubs, from SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

It is the peak of winter, but warm spring and summer days are just around the corner! Start making your skin smooth and soft with these great homemade sugar scrubs!  Did you know exfoliating BEFORE shaving your legs will actually allow for a closer shave?

These scrubs are simple to do, cost very little to make, and are just delicious smelling!

The Basic Sugar Scrub Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3 Cups white sugar
  • 1 Cup (plus 2 Tablespoons) Extra Virgin Olive Oil  – you can experiment with other oils, such as almond oil, coconut oil, etc.
  • 10 drops favorite essential oils – this amount really depends on how strong you like the scent.  Add more or less to suit your preference.
  • Jars for storing sugar scrubs (The Dollar Store is where I found mine!)

Preparation: 

In a large bowl, mix sugar and olive oil well. Add essential oils and mix well. Store in jars or other oil-safe container.  Use in shower to soften hands and/or body.  Rinse well before drying. (Note: Shower Floor can be slippery after using sugar scrubs in shower. Use caution.)

Types of Essential Oil Combinations:

I found essential oils at my local health food store, and they offered a wonderful variety! Try one of these ideas, or get creative with your own!

  • Lavender and Tea Tree Oils
  • Peppermint
  • Orange Creamsicle –  A mixture of Sweet Orange and Vanilla essential oils.
  • Brown Sugar Vanilla – Replace one of the cups of white sugar with Brown Sugar. Add Vanilla essential oil. (You will want to eat this one!)

If you want a rougher texture to your scrub, replace the white sugar with turbinado sugar. It changes the look AND the feel of the scrub!

Thank you to WTLV-TV’s First Coast Living for inviting me on to share this fun idea! 

 

Simple Recipe: Black Bean, Corn & Red Pepper Salsa

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I love flavorful, mexican-inspired food! When I was preparing for a Super Bowl Party, I wanted to create something that was tasty, not full of fat, and was made with fresh ingredients.  So I made this Black Bean, Corn and Red Pepper Salsa!  A friend of mine had made this years ago for a party and I never got the recipe, so I decided to wing it! And this stuff is addicting!

TryMe Tiger Sauce
TryMe Tiger Sauce

The key to the flavor of this salsa is a product called TryMe Tiger Sauce – I had never heard of this before, until I moved to the South.  According to the website,

“The original tiger sauce is an exotic, moderately spicy blend of ingredients in a cayenne pepper base. With a touch of sweet and sour, it’s perfect for meats, seafood and poultry. Delicious on sandwiches, in dips and soups.”

Well, delicious it is!  And don’t be frightened by the “moderately spicy” comment. It is really quite mild. I would describe it as a low heat that builds in the mouth. And it is perfect in this recipe! Try making the salsa without the sauce, try it, then add the sauce to it – you will taste a more complicated flavor.

 

 

Black Bean, Corn & Red Pepper Salsa 

Black Bean, Corn & Red Pepper Salsa, From SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.
Black Bean, Corn & Red Pepper Salsa, From SimpleSolutionsDiva.com.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 can Bush’s Reduced Sodium Black Beans, rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed and rinsed
  • 1/2-3/4 cup red pepper, diced small
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed
  • 2 Tablespoons green chilies, chopped (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (use as much or as little)
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder (use as much or as little)
  • Juice of one fresh lime
  • 2-3 splashes of seasoned rice wine vinegar
  • 3-4 splashes of TryMe Tiger Sauce (to taste)
  • Sea Salt, to taste (optional)

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl; refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour to allow flavors to blend. This is so much better the next day! Enjoy with tortilla chips, as a condiment on tacos and burritos, or as a side dish.

 

It Is Random Acts Of Kindness Week, Feb. 10 – 16, 2014!

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This week is Random Acts Of Kindness Week!  Try spreading some good feelings to people you know and love, or even a few strangers! Here are some simple tips to get you started, plus a free printable you can use as cards for your Random Acts of Kindness (RAK’ed)!

Random Act Of Kindness Card - Free Printable From SimpleSolutionsDiva.com!
Random Act Of Kindness Card – Free Printable From SimpleSolutionsDiva.com!

 

  • Say something nice to someone to brighten their day.
  • Pay for one Shelter Animal Adoption Fee and leave a RAK’ed card behind. You will make someone’s day AND help a shelter pet.
  • Buy coffee for a stranger – When you are buying your cup of coffee, give the cashier an extra $5 to pick up the person’s coffee behind you. You may start a trend at the coffee shop.
  • Pay for someone’s parking meter and leave a RAK’ed card behind.
  • Pay for a person’s heathy snack by leaving behind a baggie of change and a RAK’ed card at a healthy snacks vending machine.
  • Leave a generous tip, along with with RAK’ed card, for a waitress.
  • Secretly pay for a soldier’s meal.

For more ideas, visit The Random Acts Of Kindness Foundation’s Website!

 

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