Home Remedies You Can't Live Without

November 08, 2018

Greetings, earthlings! We were quoted in a Men’s Health article recently about cures for smelly feet. In that article, we mentioned that you can kill bacteria in anything (cough cough, gym bags and shoes) using some good ol’ fashioned Vodka. This eliminates the source of the odor so you can start fresh.

It got us thinking, what other home remedies do we rely on? After a few months of noodling about our curious behaviors, here’s what we came up with.

1. Vodka + Essential Oils + Water = A great room and fabric spray.

Seriously! It’s cheap, natural, and simple. Our favorite is lavender + tea tree—it’s just like a spa! About 20 drops of each oil, 1/2 cup vodka, and 1 cup water in a spray bottle, shake it up, and you’ll have a spray that’s great for fresh laundry, freshening up your bed (or pillow) to slip into a deep slumber.

2. Hemorrhoid Cream for dark circles.

Note: we are not doctors. But when we use a little too much vodka for drink making rather than room spray making and wake up feeling less than sexy, a little Preparation H under the eyes and we’re good to go. The ingredients constrict blood vessels and lighten and depuff those tired circles.

3. Use an old toothbrush to clean the grout in your shower.

Now I have subway tile in my shower which is lovely for that urban-chic look but TERRIBLE for keeping the grout clean. After I’ve swapped my Oral-B for a new model (every 3 months of course) I slip it in my shower and do a little scrubbing with a bleach spray while I let my conditioner soak in. It’s killing two birds with one stone!

4. Lemon rinds in your garbage disposal.

After you turn lemons into lemonade turn them into a natural dish drain freshener! Toss a few rinds down the disposal and let ‘er whirl for a natural cleaning. Seriously, the citric acid helps kill bacteria that might be growing down there AND you get a lemony fresh scent.

5. Use old yogurt and hummus tubs as to-go containers.

We love the Mediterranean Hummus from Trader Joe’s. What we love more is packing a lunch and putting part of it in the empty tub. Because we’re always losing containers, hate to take them home or wash them at the office, or any other frivolous reason, these little tubs eliminate the remorse from losing something you purchased just to put leftovers in. And it’s good for the environment!

6. Use a magic eraser to clean white shoes.

We love our white sneakers. We hate what they look like after a week of wear on the city streets. A Mr. Clean magic eraser works wonders on them to make them look (close to) new! Also great for eliminating wall marks.

7. Yogurt + Honey/Jam

Regular yogurts have SO MUCH sugar in them. Seriously—some have more than your daily recommended value. To keep our sugar consumption in check, we take plain yogurt and add a little honey or jam to it. It’s a more natural, preservative-free flavor AND it’s healthier and cheaper. A win win!

8. Put Zorpads in your diaper pails.

While they’re great for shoes they’re even better for keeping diaper smells in check. Just stick a couple in the lid of your diaper pail and let your house smell like it used to smell.

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