Arrowroot Toothpaste

I have been using my homemade toothpaste and loving it, but a few months ago a friend of mine suggested finding an alternative to coconut oil. He didn't think it was necessarily bad, but wondered if there was something different I could use both because he wasn't convinced he wanted to brush his teeth with an oil and because of the cost of coconut oil.

After some searching I discovered this Sage Mint Toothpaste Recipe. The recipe called for arrowroot powder and orris root powder, two ingredients I had never heard of. After some more Internet searching I learned that arrowroot powder is a thickening agent, kind of like corn starch, and orris root is a fixative. Feeling that I didn't need both of these ingredients, I decided to only purchase arrowroot. I was also unhappy with the Sage Mint Toothpaste recipe, because while mint is great for your breath and sage is great for your gums, it didn't really have a cleaning agent. My previous recipe used baking soda, which is known both as a teeth whitener and cleaner.

With that information in mind, I created the following recipe. While I liked the coconut oil recipe and also used just baking soda, sage and mint, I think the arrowroot cuts the salty taste of the baking soda which makes this one my favorite so far.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tbsp sage
peppermint oil
1/4 cup water

Directions:
Mix arrowroot, baking soda and sage. Then add peppermint oil drop by drop. I added 20 drops because I like my toothpaste strong, but I recommend starting with 10 and adding more until you find a balance you like.

If you have a large family or will be using the toothpaste frequently, mix in the water while stirring. The mixture will become a paste, which should be stored in an airtight container.

While the recipe calls for 1/4 cup of water, mix the water in slowly and stop when the toothpaste has reached a consistency that you like. If you put too much water, it will separate as it sits, but it can easily be stirred back together. [You can also omit the water and just leave the mixture in powder form and just dip your clean, wet toothbrush into it before brushing].

That's it! Just stick your clean toothpaste in whenever you need some or have a spoon or scoop next to the bottle that you can use to apply the toothpaste to your toothbrush.

If you're like me and live in a small family and don't need as much toothpaste, you can take 1/4 cup of the mixture you've just created and mix it with 1-2 tablespoons of water (depending on how thick you want the paste). Store the remaining 1/4 cup of powder in a container and mix with 2 tablespoon of water whenever you need more toothpaste.

If you're like my husband and you're not yet convinced about using homemade toothpaste, check back in a month. I have a dentist appointment at the end of April and will let you know what he has to say about my teeth and my new brushing regimen!

Update April 2012: The Dentist Visit
I just had my dentist appointment and it was the quickest, most painless visit ever! 
Of course the hygienist did tell me I should floss more often, but that is because in an effort to really compare my home made toothpaste to the store-bought kind, I chose not to change anything else, which included my less-than-perfect flossing routine. Nonetheless, she actually told me my teeth and gums look great and the dentist said the same thing! My husband's still sticking to Tom's, but I love this toothpaste! 

Homemade Cleaning Products

There are really only 3 ingredients you need to clean your entire house: white vinegar, castile soap and baking soda. Add to that list borax, citric acid and vegetable glycerin and you've got all the ingredients you need to make the 4 recipes below, and my homemade dishwasher detergent and dishwashing liquid.

Many of the recipes I found online use essential oils. These products are mostly added for their scent. If you're like me and you don't want to buy a lot of new products, you can use products you already have at home such as lemon juice, orange peels (and dried lavender).

Counter Cleaner:
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup vinegar
2 tsp citrus castile soap
3 tbsp lemon juice

To reduce the smell of vinegar, I actually ended up using a 1/2 cup vinegar and a 1/2 cup citrus infused vodka (Taken from Soap Making Essentials, although they just use plain vodka). The infused vodka is made by placing orange slices into vodka and letting it sit in a cool dark place for ~ 2 weeks (if you sterilize your container before using it, you can actually drink it -although I'm not sure how long you should let it stand, some places say 3 days, some say a few weeks- or you can make extracts).

Next time I make this, I'll probably just infuse the vinegar (and keep the vodka for drinking!) and I want to try to use thyme infused water next time as thyme is supposed to disinfect (see Tipnut and Livestrong).

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Floor Cleaner:
1/2 cup vinegar
2 cups lavender infused water

I used to clean with just vinegar and water, but since that has a really strong smell I've started adding lavender. You can use a few drop of lavender oil or just boil water and add fresh lavender to create lavender infused water.

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Bathroom Cleaner:
I used the same ingredients as the floor cleaner to wipe the counters (You can also use the Counter Cleaner, I just prefer citrus in the kitchen and lavender in the bathroom). Then when I clean the sink and bathtub, I just sprinkle some baking soda, then scrub with the vinegar/water/lavender.


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Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tbsp baking soda (or borax).

Make sure you mix the ingredients right before you pour them into the toilet and be aware that baking soda and vinegar foam when mixed. Clean with a toilet brush and flush. For hard stains, use more baking soda.

DIY Tooth Powder & Toothpaste

About two months ago I started using a baking soda tooth powder instead of store bought toothpaste. I found the recipe in my new favorite DIY book, Making It- Radical Home Ec for a Post-consumer World.  I'm going to admit that the taste of baking soda takes some getting used to and it's not for everyone.

That said, it is definitely for me. I switched back to toothpaste for a few days to do a comparison and I can definitely tell you that my breath is fresher and stays fresher longer when I use the homemade tooth powder. In general I also feel like my teeth are cleaner, although I would have to follow-up with the dentist to verify that one. (Last time I switched from to Tom's my dentist definitely noticed a difference in my teeth, so I wonder if he'll notice a difference now).

Ingredients:
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tablespoon powdered sage
Peppermint oil

You can make the recipe without sage.
I used sage because it is good for the gums.


Directions:
Mix the baking powder with the sage powder in a small container. Add drops of peppermint oil. I used approximately 25-30, but I like mine fairly strong. I recommend starting with about 10-15 drops and seeing how it smells and tastes. Once you are ready to use it, just dip you wet toothbrush into the bowl and brush as usual.

As Coyne & Knutzen recommend in Making It, it's best to mix the powder in small batches, because essential oil fades over time.

Making the tooth powder into toothpaste:
As I explored ways to make the tooth powder into a toothpaste, I discovered SimpleMom's homemade toothpaste recipe. The basics recipe is listed below or you can just use 1-2 tablespoon of the tooth powder and mix it with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. I have found that the toothpaste tastes saltier than the tooth powder, so you may want to add a few more drops of peppermint oil.


Ingredients:
2-3 tablespoons baking soda
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Peppermint oil

Directions:
Mix the ingredients with a fork until it becomes smooth paste. To use, just dip you toothbrush in or use a teaspoon to put some on your toothbrush. Brush as usual.


I was skeptical about using coconut oil, but multiple websites state that coconut oil helps stop tooth decay and keeps your gums healthy. One thing to note is that coconut oil has a melting point of 76 degrees so the thickness of your toothpaste will depend on your bathroom's temperature. Since your using coconut oil, SimpleMom also recommends cleaning your sink with hot water to avoid oil build-up.

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

About a year ago we stopped purchasing dishwasher detergent, opting instead for an cheap and easy to make home made version (modified from Love to Know Organic).

Ingredients:
1 cup baking soda
1 cup Borax
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup citric acid (use more if you have very hard water)
(white vinegar)


Directions:
Mix all the ingredients (except the vinegar) together in a bowl. Decide how you are going to store the mixture. We currently have ours in a used baking soda box. You can also store it in a Ziploc bag or a jar with a lid. If you store it like we do where it's open to air, make sure to stir it a few times a day after you've mixed it, to avoid clumping. Or you can break it apart with a fork if it starts to clump.
Use approximately 2-3 tablespoons per load (this depends on your dishwasher, so experiment a little).

We haven't been doing this, but Flitterbugs recommends that you add some white vinegar to the rinse aid compartment to avoid the cloudy look you might get on your glasses and plastic. I'll be trying this the next time we use our dishwasher.

If you're not convinced that it's cheaper than buying detergent, check out diyNatural's cost analysis where they compare the cost of the home made detergent to some store-bought detergents.

If you're not convinced it will work, check out Stacy Makes Cents who had 3 of her friends test the recipe. (Note that she didn't use citric acid in her recipe, which you can totally do, but Citric Acid is a plant-based surfactant that helps remove film).

Alternative Shampoo

I never would have thought I would be replacing shampoo with a simple baking soda mixture, but here I am doing it thanks to Coyne & Knutzen's Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 cup water
Spray Bottle

Directions:
Mix the water and baking soda in the spray bottle.
Never use more than the 1:1 ratio. Less baking soda is actually better, because baking soda is apparently a  strong buildup remover. Note that it is too strong for daily use and should only be used when your hair needs a deep cleaning. For other days Coyne & Knutzen have 3 other recipes, but personally I only shampoo ever 2-3 washes, especially now that I am using less product, so this works just fine for me.
Add the mixture to your hair and work it through. I love giving myself a scalp massage and really getting all that buildup out. Rinse and follow with the Hair Rinse.

Face Exfoliator

Another easy-recipe from Coyne & Knutzen's Making It - Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World: Baking Soda Facial Exfoliator

Ingredients:
Baking Soda
Water

Directions:
Put a nickel-size amount of baking soda in your hand.
Add enough water to make a paste.
Use your fingertips to work the paste into your face and neck. Don't scrub vigorously.
Rinse, pat dry and apply a moisturizer.

It's so simple, yet it works great! I found an alternate recipe where you use honey instead of water, which I'll be trying next time.

But the search continues for a daily option.....

While baking soda is a gentle exfoliator and I definitely plan on using it a few times a week, I've been searching around for a daily home made face wash. I want it to be affordable, easy to make and I want the ingredients to be items I typically have at home.

A few of the choices I'm considering:

• Honey and milk  - 2 teaspoon honey, 2 tablespoons of milk
• Yogurt and oatmeal (and honey) - 1/4 cup oatmeal with enough yogurt to form a paste
• Oatmeal and milk - 2 teaspoon of oatmeal with enough milk to dampen the oatmeal
• Jojoba & Castor oil - This is the only recipe where I'd have to purchase the items, but it's also the only recipe that will keep indefinitely, which makes it an attractive option...

Suggestions?