Using Bananas to Fix DVD's

My husband brought a Backyardigans video home from the video store. At the video store he goes to, kids videos are free.  This one kept getting stuck, to the point that it was unwatchable.

He had read a while back that if you rub banana on the DVD and then wipe it off, it will stop the DVD from sticking.  It surprisingly worked really well.  The episode that kept sticking so bad there was no way to watch it, played almost all the way through without getting stuck.  And when it did get stuck it was only for a few seconds and it restarted itself.

Is it just me or are the Backyardigans one of the best children's cartoons?  The music is so fun.

My walk on the green side of life is no walk in the park

I have slipped into old habits. 

• I use 3 or 4 little plastic baggies to pack my daughter's and husband's lunches.  I had planned to use reusable containers and baggies.  Not happening.
• We go through around 4 - 6 cans of pop a day.  (I know its horrible.)  And we don't recycle them.  I just don't know where to take them.  Our city has a recycling program where people leave items at the curb for pick up but because I live in a condo and we can't leave stuff at the curb, we can't partake in the program.
• I've been taking 2 showers a day.  One in the morning before work and one in the evening after putting in an hour on the bike.
• I've bought lots of pre-packaged goodies for lunches and snacks.
• Went back to buying cleaning spray instead of using vinegar and water.

I don't know why I've switched back to the old ways of doing some things.  It just costs me more money and is harmful on the environment. 

The Fruit Fly Challenge

We had fruit flies or gnats in our kitchen and our upstairs bathroom, so I looked up online how to get rid of them.  I found lots of ways that were easy and included ingredients I had on hand so I decided to try a few different ones to see which worked best.

The Best Solution:  A small bowl of Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with a few drops of dish soap.  This by far won and caught the most fruit flies.

Some of the other things I tried:

Put a mixture of Apple cider vinegar and sugar in a plastic container.  Poked holes in the lid to the container and put the lid on it.  The idea is that the fruit flies will go in through the holes but not be able to get back out.  When I first set this out, a few flies sat on the outside of the container but not one got stuck inside. I eventually took the lid of and did end up catching one fly.

Red Wine:  I put a small bowl of red wine on the kitchen counter and another bowl in the bathroom.  Not one fly perished in the wine although I could tell they were attracted by it.  They just didn't seem to get stuck in it.  I noticed the flies in the bathroom looked redder the next day.  I wonder if they had a party that night.

I also poured baking soda down the bathroom sink and then followed that with white vinegar.  It seemed like the flies kept coming back and I read they could live in the drains.

Hopefully they are gone for good now.

Another Spring Cleaning Update

I decided to try to clean my stove top naturally.  This is what it looked like before:

I mixed some baking soda, salt and water to make a paste and spread it on the stove top.  I let it sit for a few hours and then used a damp wash cloth to wipe it off.  When it dried it left a white residue so I sprayed it with my vinegar/water/dish soap mixture and wiped it down one more time.  It came out nice and shiny.  Here's the after photo.

Adventures with Apple Cider Vinegar

In my effort to live more green I would like to start using natural cleaning supplies and less chemicals.  When Baby Ripples had a fever and couldn't go to daycare, I decided I wanted to do some spring cleaning and it was a good time to try out some natural cleaning solutions.


All Purpose Vinegar Spray:  I mixed 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar with 2 cups of water and added a couple drops of dish soap.

Results:

• Windows: Worked as good as the blue stuff but not better.  Pass
• Counters: Worked as good as the chemical all purpose spray.  Pass

Cleaning Paste: Mixed Baking Soda and Vinegar to make a paste to put on the caulking in the bathroom that was looking molding.

Results:  Worked Really well.  I was very impressed how white this looked.  Total PASS
See before and after photos in my post about Spring Cleaning Problems and Solutions.


Dishes: I've only done one load in the dishwasher adding vinegar to the rinse aid compartment.  I still used my little soap packet but I do think there is less of a chalky residue inside the cups and bowls.  I'll have to do a few more loads before I'm ready to say for sure that this passes.

After trying out some cleaning solutions with apple cider vinegar I have to say I am impressed.  I thought it would smell bad but it just had a slight vinegar smell that dissipated after a bit and it was much better than the harsh feeling in my eyes and throat when I would accidentally breathe while using the chemical cleaners.  I'm actually excited to try out some more all natural cleaning.

Home Made Anti-Frizz Hair Serum

So my first experiment in green living was to start making my own hair serum.  I found a recipe, but can't remember where I found it as it was a few months ago.  The recipe only had 2 ingredients so I knew I couldn't mess this up.  Jojoba Oil and Olive Oil.  I even bought a cute little blue glass spray bottle to put it in. 

The serum made my hair super soft but didn't due much to claim the crazy mass of curls on my head.  So now I'm back to use Garnier Fructise until I can find a better recipe.

First attempt at being one of those Green Mommas:  Fail

The Beginning of My Walk on the Green Side

I really really really want to be that mom.  The one that has all natural organic snacks on hand with home made healthy baked goods for breakfast.  The one that doesn't use any harmful chemicals to clean and makes their own all natural lotions and gels.  The one that recycles and doesn't use 3 or 4 little plastic baggies to pack one lunch. The one that has home remedies for colds, coughs, fevers and other minor ailments.

I've read a lot about it.  I even have carried a list in my purse for months of all the items I need to buy to make my own household cleaners and even home made mouth wash.  I've researched herbal remedies and almost bought supplies a couple times.  I've spent hours reading and reading but none doing, until recently.  Hey, its a start.

This is where I will be recording my triumphs and failures in My Walk on the Green Side of life.

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