Smelly Kitchen Drain

We do not have a garbage disposal and even though we scrape plates before hand washing, some food pieces slip down the drain.  I feel the kitchen always had a faint but weird smell.  I always thought it was the trash or something else. Last night, I decided that it could be the drain.  Who knows if they cleaned the drain before we moved in or if the past tenants ever attempted it, but it needed to be done.  We have a double sink so I poured a half a cup of baking soda in each and forced it down with the back of a utensil.  Then I poured a half a cup of white vinegar in each drain and let it fizz.  Followed by a pot of boiling water on each side.  It has not smelled yet and hopefully it stays that way.

Lavender Laundry Detergent

Making your own cleaning supplies is easy and cost effective. It washes the same as the other detergent we were using. I do not like clothes that smell like perfume after washing. I just like it to smell clean- free of smells! This powdered laundry detergent will not leave perfumed scents. If you haven't used powder detergent before then it may take some adjustments. If residue is left on your clothes then add a cup of vinegar to the wash to help dissolve the powder until you get the hang of it. I use to use powder laundry in college so I already knew that powder works better in warm/hot water. If you using cold water then just make sure it is fully dissolved.

1 cup borax (20 Mule Team)
1 cup washing soda or soda ash (Arm and Hammer)
1 cup baking soda (Arm and Hammer)
2 cups finely grated Dr. Bronners Lavender Castile Soap (can use any scent)
(Will need two .5 oz bars, but will only use one and a quarter)

2 tablespoons per full load

You can use any kind of soap that is not too perfumed (e.g Dove) otherwise it will leave stains. Could also use Fels-Naptha laundry bar soap, which is used for pre-treating stains. Fels-Naptha is especially good for oil based stains. The other ingredients are natural laundry boosters, which are added to your regular laundry detergent to help with stains.



Other uses for borax:
-Soak baby clothes/diapers
-Laundry stains, conditions hard water during laundry and dish washing
-Clean and deodorize toilet bowls/garbage disposals/drains, remove soap scum and hard water, remove stains from rugs/carpet, cleans ovens/refrigerators/microwaves/outdoor furniture/mattress odors/sinks/tile/grout

Other uses for washing soda:
-Remove tough stains before washing items
-Remove kitchen oils/cooking grease/crayon stains
-Clean kitchen walls, countertops, refrigerators, and appliances
-Clean bathroom tile, sinks, tub/shower, toilet bowls
-Cleans traps and drains but do not use on blocked drains.
- Do not use on aluminum surfaces

Other uses for baking soda:
-Cleaner/fresher laundry
-Scratch free cleaning on sinks/showers/refrigerators/pots and pans/counters/etc..
-Absorbs and eliminates odors in trash cans/litter boxes/carpets/dishwasher/drains/garbage disposals
-Cooking

Will post more homemade cleaning supplies once created.