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Author Archives: Kristin

Vodka isn’t just for drinking

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Kristin Posted in Cleaning Tips .

Vodka isn’t just for drinking anymore!

 

It can actually be used around the house to help make cleaning a little easier. It is cheap and it’s a good solvent, much like lemon juice. Vodka is also non-toxic when used as a cleaning agent.

 

Here is our top 10 list of things you can clean using bottom-shelf vodka:

 

1.)                Save yourself money by spritzing your “dry clean only” garments with a 50/50 vodka-water dilution between dry cleaning to remove odors. Since vodka has no smell once it dries, you won’t go into work smelling like a brewery.

vodka for dry clean

2.)                Clean your spectacles. Vodka is also a great glass cleaner, but it is NOT for use on coated lens.

vodka to clean eyeglasses

3.)                Get up that sticky stuff! Got sticker residue on your favorite frame? Maybe the kids have concocted some science experiment in their bedroom making everything sticky. Whatever the case, pull out the vodka!

4.)                Keep flowers lasting longer than ever by adding one tablespoon vodka, one tablespoon sugar and then fill the vase with water. The vodka kills bacteria that will form in the vase and sugar gives the flowers nutrients.

5.)                Got smelly feet? Use straight vodka as a foot soak. It eliminates odors, even the worst stinky feet!

vodka as odor eater

6.)                In a pinch for a quick hand sanitizer? Spritz some vodka on your hands and rub them together. Then, spritz your mouth because, hey, that needs santizing, too! 😉

vodka as hand sanitizer

7.)                Vodka can also be used as an anesthetic and disinfectant by helping achey teeth, open blisters, cold sores and minor wounds.

vodka as medicine

8.)                Get those diamonds sparkling! Use straight vodka to clean your diamonds, emeralds and other crystallized gemstones. Put vodka in a small bowl, add jewelry and let sit for 5 minutes.  Dry your pieces then watch them shine.

9.)                Fight oil build-up in your hair by adding an ounce of vodka to your shampoo bottle. Since it is odorless, you won’t smell like a bar after you get out of the shower.

10.)            Kill weeds by adding one ounce vodka, a few drops of dishwashing soap and two cups water to a spray bottle.

 

Have you tried these tricks? Do they work? Did we miss something? Tell us at www.facebook.com/Miraclean

vodka meme

 

Tags: all natural, cheap, chemical-free, dry cleaning, glasses, green, green cleaning, jewelry, miraclean, smelly feet, vodka .

Help me, help others

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Kristin Posted in General Announcement .

Polar Plunge pic

 

We are so excited to announce our participation in the Area 11 Frozen Fans Polar Plunge! This unique event raises money for over 1,500 athletes in the Chester, York and Lancaster area.

 

These athletes are some of the most amazing people we have ever met! Their motto is “Let me win. But, if I cannot, let me be brave in the attempt.”

 

According to their website, the mission of Special Olympics is “to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for individuals with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympic athletes and the community.”

 

These athletes have seen improved physical fitness and motor skills, they gain self-confidence and a more positive self-image from their participation.

 

The Frozen Fans Polar Plunge is a way to raise money so these athletes can train in the sports they love. Each Polar Plunge participant sets a goal to raise a certain amount of money. Then, at noon Feb. 22 at Ebenezer Park in Rock Hill, we take the plunge into freezing, cold Lake Wylie!

Want to help? Miraclean has set a goal of $500 and we need your help! To donate, please visit our fan page at https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/Miraclean/2014-frozen-fans-polar-plunge

Kristin Malone will represent Miraclean in the plunge.

Everyone is invited to watch (or take) the plunge!

Come on out and support our athletes.

special olympics

Tags: charity, cold, February, lake wylie, miraclean, polar plunge, special olympics .

A new look at New Years resolutions

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Kristin Posted in General Announcement .

I hate New Years resolutions.

 

I’m convinced they are in place to make people feel bad about themselves.

 

Think about it. You say “I want to exercise more.” Great!

new workout clothes

If you are anything like me, you’ll go out and buy cute workout gear, new shoes, maybe a yoga ball and you’ll workout for a couple of weeks. Then one day you don’t want to get out of bed early, so you convince yourself that you’ve been doing so well for the last few weeks that you deserve a day off.

 

Of course you deserve that day off! But, that day turns into “Well, I didn’t do it yesterday, so what does it matter if I do it today?” …And the cycle begins.

 

Before you know it, your workout clothes are at the bottom of the drawer and your yoga ball is sitting in the guest bedroom collecting dust.

 

Has that ever happened to you?

 

Well, I’m here to help you with your New Years blues. I think I’ve discovered a way to keep true to those pesky resolutions without feeling guilty.

 

My solution is to be specific. Now, I’m only testing this theory, but it makes sense in my head. Here we go.

 

Instead of having something like “exercise more” or “eat healthy”; be more specific like “I’m going to jog twice a week” or “I’m going to cook a homemade meal three nights a week.”

 

Ahh…doesn’t that feel better? You don’t have to be a gym rat and wake up at the crack of dawn, just know that you have two days set aside for maintaining your goal of being healthy. You don’t have to turn into a health food nut, just be mindful of the ingredients you are putting into your body and know that you are completing your goal of eating healthy.

 

I think that by being more specific, that takes the pressure off and makes it kind of neat. You are changing your life for the better and at the same time, you don’t have to feel guilty for a late night bowl of ice cream. 😉

cup-of-ice-cream-w-sprinkles

So, here are my resolutions for 2014:

 

*Instead of saying “travel more”, I have already picked my destinations and months I want to travel, so I can start saving money for those trips. My trips include, Charleston, S.C. In April, L.A. In December, and a music festival this summer. (Ok, I know that last one is not specific, so let me ‘splain myself.)

 

Every year, my friends and I take a one week vacation and camp out at a music festival. It is amazing hearing your favorite bands live and enjoying the company of your biffles. The downside is that festivals don’t release their line-ups until the festival date gets closer. I don’t know which festival we are planning to attend at this year, but I know we are going! 🙂

 

*Instead of saying “do more charity work”, I’ve chosen three ways I can help my community. First, this year, I will participate in the Polar Plunge, a local charity event where you raise money for Special Olympics then, you all jump in the freezing cold lake. Sounds like fun, right? Second, I’ve decided that Miraclean will sponsor a person/family receiving cancer treatments and we will clean their house for free. (I’m still working out the details, but I’m really excited about this!) Last, I have volunteered for a local Amazing Race-style fundraising event this Spring.

special olympics

*Lastly, I want to be the person my dog thinks I am. I absolutely LOVE this quote! I want to be more loving, go on more walks, experience new things, appreciate what I have and live everyday to the fullest. I’m not saying I’m going to jump out of an airplane tomorrow, but I do want to appreciate little things. I want to soak up snuggle time with my fur baby. I want to spend more weekends at home in my pj’s…and not feel guilty about it.

 

What about you? What are your New Years resolutions? Tell us at www.facebook.com/Miraclean

Tags: clothes, exercise, healthy, ice cream, miraclean, new years resolutions, olympics, workout .

I almost ruined Christmas!

Posted on December 12, 2013 by Kristin Posted in General Announcement .

elf on shelf

What the hell is an Elf on the Shelf?

 

Being 27 years old with no children, there are some “phenomena” that I don’t understand. A few months ago, dozens of little girls were ranting and raving over some chick called Sophia the First.

 

The First what?

 

Anyway, another one of those phenomena is this Elf on the Shelf character. Between my friends’ children, my little cousins, and my customers’ children, I’ve gathered he is an elf who watches the children and reports back to Santa. The elf tattle-tails on the children’s behavior and Santa determines if the child is naughty or nice.

 

Quite a few people have said they wish they could leave the Elf out all year long, but it is tradition that the Elf comes out the day after Thanksgiving and stay until Christmas Eve.

 

Ok. I’ve got that much. Here’s my confusion.

 

First, according to almost every kid I’ve asked, their Elf has a name that THEY (the children) got to pick out. My little cousins’ Elf’s name is Red McStuffins. How he came up with that, the world may never know. My niece’s Elf’s name is Sugarplum, “But he is a boy, not a girl,” she informs me.

 

So, you get a second babysitter of sorts that you get to name? How is that magic? Shouldn’t your Elf come with a name and back story like, “oh…he’s the most strict of all Santa’s elves!” Just a thought. Ok, so the kid gets to make-up the back story. Got it.

 

Next, what is up with this Elf’s behavior?! He is a mischievous little guy that according to Facebook and Instagram gets stuck in a lot of strange situations. Some innocent, like a hand in the cookie jar. Some not so innocent, like under the covers with Barbie. (You know who you are, you naughty Elf on the Shelf lovers!)

 

Anywho, this Elf is supposed to be checking your behavior; yet he is running around your home causing a ruckus?! What the french, toast?

 

Finally, the “magic” part. The children cannot see the adults touch the Elf. No one can touch the Elf. The Elf magically ends up in these situations.

 

I told you all that so I could tell you my Elf on the Shelf story. I was cleaning a customer’s house when I came upon the Elf sitting on the bottom part of the staircase handrail. I took my cloth, sprayed the handrail and picked up the Elf to dust underneath it. Just as I picked up the Elf, the children came running down the stairs, “Adults can’t touch the Elf! Adults can’t touch the Elf! Now he’s lost his magic!”

 

What?!

 

The first thing I could respond with was, “Oh no guys, I called Santa and explained to him that I had to get the house nice and clean for his arrival and in order for me to do that, I may have to clean up after his elves. Santa said that it was okay because he liked a clean house and he knows his elves can get pretty messy.”

 

Kids: “OHHH!!! But, you promise you called Santa.”

 

Me: “I pinky swear Santa knows and he said it was ok.”

 

Kids: “Ok! Yay! Our Elf still has his magic.”

 

And off they went.

 

Holy cow! Crisis averted! Jeeze, I had to think quick on my feet for that one.

 

The moral of this story is for parents.

 

Parents, please fill us non-having children folks in on your little magic tricks and give me a heads up before I go breaking your kids’ hearts.

 

😉

 

 

 

Tags: Christmas, cleaning, elf on the shelf, funny, gifts, green, kids, miraclean, safe .

My favorite all-natural beauty products for under $7! (You’re welcome)

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Kristin Posted in General Announcement .

I care about the small things. I worry about what I put into my body. I believe that all-natural is better, but I also believe in educating yourself and trying out new products. That’s why Melaleuca fits my lifestyle.

 

I have found a way to combat my biggest issues, like acne and bad breath, using Melaleuca. Today, I am sharing my top three beauty products…and they are all under $7!!!

 

First impressions are everything. Unfortunately, I have had acne rosacea my entire life. It is so embarrassing. I would cake make-up on my face in high school to cover up the bumps, redness, just all around grossness of my face. I tried Proactiv. I tried every face cleanser in the drug store. Nothing worked. I remember one day I was sick and I went to the doctor.  As I am freaking out because I was just diagnosed with swine flu, he says, “Yea, you’re sick and I’ll give you an antibiotic but would you rather we talk about your face because your breakouts are really bad?” I ran out of the office crying. It’s embarrassing and if you’ve never had the opportunity to be the pimply faced kid in school, you have no idea what I’m talking about.

 

One of my very first purchases when I joined Melaleuca was the Clarity face wash. I was excited to try it and skeptical because why would it work when I was on medication in the past for the same thing and even the meds didn’t work?! Within a few uses, I noticed the redness was starting to fade on my face. My skin got a little dry and flaky but nothing that I wasn’t already used to. Plus, if you buy the face wash and moisturizer, it works wonders. I’m not saying my face is completely healed. I have a lot of scarring that is probably never going to go away. Certain areas are still red, like around my cheeks and the temples of my forehead, but when it comes to the overall look, my skin is so much healthier!

Clarity

 

A little TMI, but just to let you know how this next product has helped me, I have always had sensitive gums. No matter how soft of a bristled toothbrush I buy, my gums always bleed. It’s gross and I hate it, but I’ve never found anything that works, so it was just the way that it is…until I found Melaleuca. I’ve been using a regime of mouthwash and toothpaste that has helped my gums extremely!

 

So much so, that I no longer bleed when brushing my teeth. Too bad I didn’t find this product earlier in my years. It was so embarrassing when I slept over at a friend’s house or we had a girls’ night and everyone was getting ready in the bathroom and here I am spitting blood into the sink. Gross! I bought a tube of mouth polish and mouth rinse from Melaleuca and I could see a difference immediately! I could taste a difference, too, as the Melaleuca products are all-natural and the mouth rinse has a fresher, crisp taste than Listerine.

Dental Group

I love fresh scents, but I can’t buy anything floral, old-lady smelling, or musky. I used to buy unscented, for sensitive skin body wash. It was the only body wash that didn’t make my skin break-out. Sure, I wanted to smell like coconuts or vanilla and honeysuckle, but my skin wouldn’t let me. One bottle of Body Satin later, I can smell like whatever I want! Right now I have the Island Sunset scent which my boyfriend loves because I smell like the beach and it reminds him of home. The rich lather suds up just as well as my over-the-counter stuff. I love it because it gets my skin soft and the smell isn’t overpowering.

 

If you’ve been blessed with having no health/allergy problems and none of these issues relate to you, then congrats and I’m super jealous. If you are like me and you know the embarrassment of these issues, I urge you to try these products risk-free. Everything is 100% refundable. If you are not happy, you will be reimbursed everything, including your $29 one-time membership fee. Give yourself a break and shop smarter, shop safer and save money with Melaleuca.

Tags: acne, all natural, bad breath, beauty products, body wash, face wash, green, melaleuca, melaleuca oil, miraclean, natural solutions, tooth paste .

Guest blogger: Take control of the chemicals around you

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Kristin Posted in General Announcement .

I have known Bree for about four years. We started off as networking pals and grew to really enjoy each other’s businesses because we are all about informing people to make healthier choices. Bree is an RN (and that’s just one of her many credentials)  so she knows her stuff! I received her newsletter and couldn’t wait to pass her featured blog on to you all. 

It’s not very often that we hear about a connection between our personal care products and our mood, but there is definitely a very important connection!  Believe it or not, what you put on and around your body is JUST AS IMPORTANT as what you put in your body.  And these days we are easily bombarded with an excess of unhealthy chemicals that can affect our health and happiness.

Since WWII, over 80000 chemicals have been introduced into our world.  Did you get that? 80,000 chemicals!! These chemicals are used in industrial products, personal care products, cleaning supplies, furniture, cars, and even your food.

These chemicals are NOT required to be tested for safety.  In fact, for every 1500 chemicals that are introduced, about 10 are tested.  None of them have been tested for synergistic effects, meaning what happens when two different chemicals react when mixed together in a product.

Many of of these chemicals are known or suspected carcinogens (meaning they increase your risk of cancer)
Bree blog picture

Many of these chemicals are known or suspected hormone disruptors, which can result in insulin/glucose imbalance (diabetes), leptin imbalance (resulting in weight gain and difficulty losing excess weight), depression, and higher risk of cancer

Most people believe that some agency somewhere is looking out for our safety and all of these products have been deemed safe.  That’s not the truth!

There is no agency that’s sole responsibility is to test for safety of our personal care and cleaning products.  It is left up to the companies that make the products (and make money selling the product)  to report safety of their products.  So while the companies may know something is potentially not safe, they will say something along the lines of “the amount is too small to affect you” without taking into consideration how much you use, how often you use it, and everything else you use.

On average, a woman puts 215 chemicals in or around her body EVERY MORNING…125 of those are suspected hormone-disregulators or carcinogens!  That’s why it is so important to educate yourself and make better choices for you and your family!

It is impossible to live in our world and avoid all of these chemicals altogether.  But you can make a BIG IMPACT by controlling what you can control.

You may have unknowingly been exposing yourself and your kids to many different cancer- causing, hormone-disrupting chemicals every day.  Now’s the time to clear this junk out of your home and away from your family.  Detoxing your home can save you ALOT of money too.

Begin by paying attention to the labels and not buying products that list the ingredients mentioned in the picture above.  Choose natural products over chemical products.  (Note: this process can easily feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.  Begin by changing out just a few items at a time.)

 

To sign up to receive Bree’s newsletter, visit her at http://www.vitalityhealthcoach.com/ and don’t forget to try her Clean Eating Challenge!

Tags: all natural, chemicals, detox, disinfect, green, healthy, hormone disruptors, natural, safe, skin care .

10 ways a shoe organizer can keep you sane

Posted on October 23, 2013 by Kristin Posted in Cleaning Tips .

I’ve been in an organizing mood lately. I think it is because the weather is changing, so I am changing out my clothes in the closet, switching jackets on the coat rack, and pulling my boots from the dusty underneath of my bed.

Speaking of which, after I organize, I usually deep clean. Mostly because while organizing I notice how filthy everything starts to look. But, that will be a future blog post. Today, I wanted to show your 10 different ways to use the over-the-door organizers. I know I talk about these organizers a lot, but there’s a reason. You can use them to organize practically anything! There is no way you can have too many of these guys. So, let’s jump in!

Let’s start in the kitchen:

Do you have a cabinet full of these travel mugs and bottles? They are great for saving the environment, but do you worry that if you open the cabinet too far they will all come crashing down? Put an over-the-door hanger in your pantry and don’t worry about the leaning tower of travel mugs tumbling on you.

travel mugs and bottle storage

Organize your pantry by storing utensils, snacks, measuring cups, napkins, and more in an organizer.

organize pantry

Use the organizer to store beauty products such as make-up, nail polish, cosmetic tools, jewelry, hair bows, scarves and more! In fact, you can cut the organizers in half to store in cabinet doors, as well.

nail polish

Do you need a place to store medicines and cold relief products? Try storing items like cough drops, kids’ medicine, menthol rub, aloe vera, etc. Make sure you do not store these or prescription meds in the bathroom. The temperature change like steam from a shower can dilute the effects of medicines. I store my medicines on the top shelf of my linen closet in the hallway.

medicine storage

Keep the cleaning products out of your child’s reach by storing them in an organizer in the laundry room. Keep everything from carpet freshener to Windex in one central location.

shoe holder

Are your child’s Barbie dolls getting out of control? Store them all neatly along with accessories! Check that out; a Barbie hub station.

barbie organizer

Maybe your kid is a gamer? These pockets are perfect for storing video games, consoles, dvds, and remote controls.

Gaming organizing

Teachers can use these organizers in the classroom to keep things like scissors, colored pencils, markers, crayons and more in one area. This also gives easy visibility to see what crafts need to be replaced.

teachers to store crafts organize

Do you have a mess in your garage? For example, are there cans of spray paint, tools, nuts and bolts laying on various surfaces?

gargage shoe organizer

 

And finally, you could always use them to store shoes.

shoe organizer

Did we miss something? Let us know your organizing tips at www.facebook.com/Miraclean

Also, check out our organizing board at www.pinterest.com/miracleangreen Don’t forget to FOLLOW us!

 

 

 

 

Tags: barbie, clean, garage, green, healthy, homemade, kids games, medicine, miraclean, nail polish, organize, pantry, shoe organizer, shoes, teachers, travel mugs .

9 Ways to Decorate Your Pad For Fall

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Kristin Posted in General Announcement .

Happy Fall, everyone! This is my favorite time of the year. The cool, crisp  weather, scarves, boots, hoodies, falling leaves, and decorating, I love it all.

 

This past week, I posted a few fall decorating ideas for our Tackle It Tuesday forum. We received a lot of positive feedback. (Thanks, guys!) We wanted to help you decorate your house this season, so here are some tips we have gathered to make your home is fall festive.

 

Let’s start with the front door. A simple wreath can help set the mood of your home before you walk in the door. Wreaths can be made from nuts and hot-glued to a frame, as seen here.

nut wreath

Twigs, leaves, and berries can also be added to wreaths to give them a fall feel. Mums also go along with the fall theme. They are cheap and they come in assorted colors. Do you absolutely love pumpkins? Try using gold and black acrylic paint to design vertical stripes on pumpkins or etch your address in a pumpkin.

address etched-pumpkins-l

 

Scents like cinnamon and oranges help bring in the fall theme to your home. Make your own air fresheners by storing coffee beans in a glass jar on a table near the entry way of your home. Another easy way to scent your home is to wrap cinnamon sticks around candles while they burn. Also, try changing out an area rug or welcome mat for one that has a lot of bright green, orange and yellows, all colors that represent fall.

cinnamon wrap candle

 

Does your living room need some fall TLC? Try making a bouquet of flowers for a coffee table or on top of the mantle. Firey red maples, sunflowers, and dried grass can be used to bring color to any area. Another idea is to create a terrarium using glass jars, pumpkins, berries and moss. You can change out curtains, furniture covers, and throw pillows. Velvet is a great way to bring in the season.

terrarium

 

Speaking of centerpieces, no dining room table is complete without one. A centerpiece can be as simple as spray painting candlesticks (bought from the dollar store), add mini white pumpkins where the candles should go, and surround the candlesticks with berries. Gourds, pumpkins, pinecones, nuts, and antlers can all be used to create a seasonal centerpiece.

gourd and pumpkin centerpieces

 

The kitchen is one of my favorite places to decorate. By simply changing out a tablecloth, window treatments, and hand towels, you can change the whole feel of an area. Gold and glass dinnerware, paired with white flatware, thin silverware and orange napkins can go a long way to giving your home that harvest feeling. Hosting a dinner party? Check out this cute acorn name tag idea.

acorn place tags

 

Another easy way to change an area is to switch the duvet cover in the bedroom. Usually cooler weather means warmer bed sheets and extra blankets. Choose dark, heavy colors to make certain areas pop out. Try piling various sized pumpkins on nightstands or you can make custom candle holders from mini pumpkins.

pumpkins on nightstand

 

Last, but certainly not least is the bathroom. I love the idea of adding a broom door badge to the bathroom door. These are easy to make and you can add dried hydrangeas, salvia and rose hips to bring in extra color.

broom door badge

Do you have smelly bathroom syndrome? Try making your own pomanders by placing oranges studded with dried white cloves in a serving tray on your bathroom counter. Not only will it give the room a festival feel, it also serves as an air freshener. Another way to bring color into a room is to create a pumpkin stack. Use a footed pot and three different colored mini pumpkins. Stack the pumpkins by placing dry sphagnum moss in between each pumpkin.

pumpkin stack

 

Want more ideas? Check out our Facebook page. Did we miss something or do you have more decorating ideas? Tell us at www.facebook.com/Miraclean

Tags: candles, centerpieces, cinnamon, decorate, fall decor, gourds, home, leaves, miraclean, pumpkins, terrarium, wreath .

The number 1 cause of house fires: it’s not what you think

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Kristin Posted in General Announcement .

I’ve lived in my house for seven years and had no idea about this easy step I can take to protect my house.

 

We’ve all heard that the dryer is the number one cause of house fires. But, this isn’t what you think. Did you know the most common reason for the heating element going out is because of your dryer’s filter? Yep, that little mesh area that we all clean out after each load. It’s actually a fire starter, waiting to happen. Try this simple trick.

 

Take out your dryer filter and run it under hot water. Does the water to through your filter or does it bead up and sit on top?

dryer-tune-up-2

As we all know, you should clean out the lint from your filter after every load. But, did you know that dryer sheets produce a film over your filter that can cause your heating element to burn out? This is one of the most common causes of house fires.

 

Dryer sheets make your laundry smell good and helps prevent static cling, but it is doing more harm than good to your dryer’s filter. You can’t see the film, but think about it. A brand-new, fresh out the box dryer sheet feels a bit waxy, right? After the load is finished, the dryer sheet has a totally different feel to it. The wax is what ends up covering the filter. You can’t see it.

 

Try the water test on your filter today.

 

There is a simple solution. A few simple solutions, actually.

 

First, if you notice the water is not running through the filter, take an old toothbrush and soapy hot water and wash the filter. It takes minutes and will save you money on your electric bill and make your dryer last twice as long!

scrub+dryer+lint+trap

 

Second, try switching to a more natural way of drying clothes. You can use wadded up pieces of aluminum foil (that foil attracts the static cling, so your clothes won’t stick when you’re ready to fold them).

aluminum foil attracts static cling from the dryer

 

Third, make your own wool dryer balls and scent them with your favorite essential oils for that long-lasting, fresh, clean smell. Check out my blog post on how to make these guys. They are cute, easy to do, and last for years!

multiple wool dryer balls

 

Double check your dryer filter and save yourself time and money!

 

Did you know about washing your dryer filter to prevent fires? Tell us at www.facebook.com/Miraclean

Tags: build-up, dryer, dryer filter, dryer sheets, fire, lint trap, natural dryer sheets, prevention, safe alternative, wax .

Quick and easy way to make your own dryer sheets and save money!

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Kristin Posted in Cleaning Tips .

I wash a lot of laundry.

 

A  lot.

 

My clothes, the dog’s stuff, towels that I use while cleaning homes, everything. The towels are probably the toughest because I have some that can’t go in the dryer and others that require certain attention. Terry cloth towels are tough, but they can get crazy static cling!

 

Once I decided to take the green plunge in my own house, dryer sheets were a big no-no. I started using balls of aluminum foil.

 

The problem was that they require a lot of aluminum foil to get the right size and they shrink in the dryer. (The girls would make fun of me as they started finding little aluminum balls in the clean towel piles.)

aluminum foil attracts static cling from the dryer

 

I needed something that would last, something I wouldn’t have to buy a ton of throughout the year, and something that would eliminate the static cling. And of course, the wonderful folks at Pinterest were ahead of me.

 

This is my easy-to-make, easy-to-use tip to saving you money in the laundry room!

 

Today we are going to show you how to make and use wool dryer balls.

multiple wool dryer balls

 

These little guys are easy to make, they last for years, and they take static cling out of your clothes just as good as a dryer sheet. (of course they are natural and most dryer sheets are not). All you need is some Fishermen’s Wool.

fishermen wool

 

Once you’ve got your felting Fishermen’s Wool, wind the wool around your fingers, and then pull off and wind around itself. Keep going in circles, winding and flipping the ball every now again. This should take about an hour, but you’ll never have to do it again.

 

Plus, here is your result, a 4 oz. wool dryer ball. Isn’t that rewarding?!

dryer ball

 

Almost finished! Tie the loose end of your wool dryer ball to another piece of yarn to prevent it from untangling because now comes the washing part.

 

The more dryer balls you have, the better it works. Six to eight is a good number. Put three balls in one nylon stocking, tying them off each individually. Then, put both sets of nylons in a pillowcase and tie the pillowcase shut.

wool dryer balls in nylon

 

 

Place in washing machine on HOT water. Wash whatever else you can with the pillowcase. Note: it may take more than one washing, but you really want to get the dryer balls felting.

 

LAST STEP! Gently remove the pillowcase and nylon from the wool dryer balls. Be careful because the wool fibers will work their way out of the nylon.

 

At this point, you can use a few drops of your favorite essential oil on the wool. The more dryer balls you have, the less static cling and they bounce around separating clothes which dries clothes faster.

EssentialOils

 

How cute are these guys?!

multiple wool dryer balls

 

I’ve only started using them, but they seem to work pretty well. Of course I’ll update you with my results after using them for a few weeks. Have you ever tried this trick? What are your laundry tips? Tell us at www.facebook.com/Miraclean.

Tags: all natural, clean, dryer, dryer sheets, easy to make, miraclean, safe, save money, static cling, wool dryer balls .

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