Saturday, November 20, 2021
DIY Holiday Spray Recipe for Moldy & Musty Smells
Have that musty, mildew smell on your Christmas tree or other Christmas decorations? Use this DIY deodorizing spray to get rid of them!
My family starts decorating for the holidays right after Thanksgiving. Once the turkey is devoured, it’s time for the tree!
Mildew Smell on Holiday Decorations
Each year, I carefully unpack and clean our ornaments, wreaths, and garlands. This year, I noticed that my holiday decor was smelling a little musty.
I hate waste, so I wasn’t about to throw it away and buy new decorations. That meant I had one choice: find a way to refresh it. I began looking in the supermarket to find a product that would disinfect, clean, and refresh my decorations. Since I was also looking for something to make my decorations smell fresh, I really didn’t want to choose anything artificial smelling. I had no luck in finding anything without fragrance or harsh ingredients.
Instead, I decided that I would make my own DIY holiday cleaner.
DIY Spray for that Musty Mildew Smell
Note: Bonus! You can use this spray to freshen up more than holiday decorations.
White Vinegar
My first goal was to find ingredients that would do the job. I chose a base of white vinegar because it is a great natural cleaner. Next, I decided to add essential oils.
Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil
The first oil I chose is cinnamon leaf essential oil. Who doesn’t think of the holidays when they smell cinnamon? This oil is also antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal. Its spicy and invigorating scent tends to take over, so it’s best to just use a little of this oil.
Clove Essential Oil
Another wonderful holiday scent is clove oil. This essential oil is deeply grounding and gives this cleaner such a balanced aroma. Not to mention clove essential oil is antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-fungal.
Juniper Berry Essential Oil
Next, I chose juniper berry essential oil. It’s one of my favorite oils to use on garlands because it smells like a pine tree. There are subtle sweet notes to this oil that blend very well with cinnamon. Juniper berry essential oil is also antimicrobial and anti-fungal so it kills that musty smell.
Siberian Fir Essential Oil
Lastly, I chose Siberian fir essential oil, one of the best oils for deodorizing mildew smells. It also smells pine-like but helps to eliminate odors and replace them with a fresh, clean scent. Siberian fir essential oil is also an airborne antimicrobial, which makes it perfect for spraying on dusty decorations.
I find the combination of these oils to be light, refreshing, and wonderfully spicy/resonating. They work so well together and I feel glad knowing that my decorations are clean once again!
Please note: Take care when using cinnamon and clove essential oils. They can be quite irritating to the eyes, nose, and skin. They should be also avoided if pregnant, breastfeeding, or around small children. Also, many essential oils are unsafe around pets, so take care to keep this cleaner in a safe area.
Musty Mildew Smell Remover Spray
Ingredients
- 8 ounces distilled water
- 8 ounces white vinegar
- 30 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil (find pure cinnamon leaf EO here)
- 10 drops clove essential oil (find pure clove EO here)
- 20 drops juniper berry essential oil (find pure juniper berry EO here)
- 20 drops Siberian fir essential oil (find pure Siberian fir EO here)
Instructions
- Combine water and vinegar in a 16-ounce spray bottle. (Find dark glass spray bottles here.)
- Add in essential oils.
- Shake well.
- Spray lightly and evenly on decorations or in the air.
More Ways to Use Your Holiday Refresher Spray
Lately, I’ve been using this spray around the house as a multipurpose cleaner and room deodorizer. I find it works really well as a room refreshing spray and I often spray it lightly in my living room before our company arrives. It also helps to mask musty smells and unpleasant odors, so I use it frequently in the bathroom and kitchen/trash can.
If you don’t have one (or more) of these oils, I would encourage you to experiment with any of the following: Nutmeg, Cardamom, Clove, Cinnamon, Pine, Siberian Fir, Cedarwood, Juniper Berry, Ginger, or Sweet Orange. Any combination of these oils is likely to lead to a fabulous holiday scent.
For more holiday cleaning tips see these articles:
Do you have a musty or mildew smell on your Christmas tree and decorations? How do you best get rid of it?
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DIY Holiday Spray Recipe for Moldy & Musty Smells was written by Katie Vance.
* This article was originally published here
Friday, November 19, 2021
Thursday, November 18, 2021
November 18 Green Energy News
Headline News:
- “UK-Led COP Aviation Declaration Too Weak To Clean Up Flying” • The UK-led international climate ambition declaration for aviation is too weak to reduce flying’s climate impact, says Transport & Environment. In relying on the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation, the signatories make the same mistakes as earlier efforts. [CleanTechnica]
Future United Airlines electric airplane (United Airlines image)
- “Fires In The Sierra Nevada Likely To Grow In Frequency” • Research from the University of California, Irvine says that by 2040, as humans continue to change the climate, fire-conducive heat waves will become so common that the number of blazes throughout the Sierra stands to increase about 50%. The study appears in the journal Science Advances. [UCI News]
- “Wind Energy Ireland Strives For A Reduction In Energy Prices” • Wind Energy Ireland, the representative body for Irish windpower, called for the reduction of renewable energy prices and overall electricity bills for ratepayers in Ireland. The leader of the organisation said that Ireland has some of the world’s best resources but high energy costs. [Energy Digital]
- “Microgrids Powered By Renewables Will Generate 500,000 Jobs And $72 Billion In GDP Growth By 2030” • Microgrids are a solution for resilience, for both the climate and the economy. A Guidehouse Insights report says that every $1 million invested in renewable energy microgrids will create $500,000 in economic benefits and 3.4 skilled jobs. [CleanTechnica]
- “Maine Voters Reject Renewable Energy Transmission” • The Citizens of Maine voted to pass Maine Question 1 in Tuesday’s election. It called for the revocation of approvals previously issued by Maine regulators for a proposed $1 billion power line called the New England Clean Air Connect. Doing so, they made the energy transition harder in several states. [Forbes]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
November 17 Green Energy News
Headline News:
- “Utility-Scale Solar Reaches LCOE Range Of 2.8¢ To 4.1¢ Per kWh In The USA (Record Low)” • Utility-scale solar has reached another record low in Levelized Cost of Energy, at 2.8¢/kWh to 4.1¢/kWh, according to Lazard’s latest LCOE report, version 15.0. Lazard found that renewables are increasingly outcompeting other forms of energy. [CleanTechnica]
Lazard’s LCOE chart (Lazard image)
- “Nuclear Power Won’t Save the World. It Won’t Even Help” • Putting money into nuclear power goes beyond being a huge waste. It detracts from the vital issue of dealing with climate change now by making money unavailable for dealing with the problem using less expensive, more flexible energy that can be built much more quickly. [Green Energy Times]
- “Germany Suspends Approval For Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline” • Germany suspended its approval process for the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which would double its reliance on Russian gas following growing geopolitical pressure to scrap the project. It is a big setback to Kremlin-backed Gazprom’s plans to extend Russian gas dominance. [The Guardian]
- “This City Had Its Hottest Day On Record This Summer. 140 Days Later, It Had Its Wettest” • Abbotsford, British Columbia, recorded its hottest day ever with a temperature of 109°F during an unprecedented heat wave in June. Just 140 days later, it broke another record with 4 inches of rain in 24 hours. Climate change can bring “weather whiplash.” [CNN]
- “Delhi Smog: Schools And Colleges Shut As Pollution Worsens” • Authorities in Delhi shut all schools and colleges indefinitely amid the worsening air pollution. Construction work has been banned until 21 November, though with specific exceptions. Only five of the eleven coal-based power plants in the city have been allowed to operate. [BBC]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
Natural Homemade Windshield Washer Fluid Recipe
Homemade windshield washer fluid is easy to make, inexpensive, and all-natural. Ditch the commercial stuff, save money, and make your own!
Are you ready for a little disclosure? I have a secret obsession with car washes. Although you wouldn’t know it by looking at my dirty car, I’m always scoping out car wash locations with the best coupons/prices, the best pre-wash, the coolest scrubbies, the friendliest employees, free vacuums, and a guy at the end who buffs your car dry at no extra charge.
My family noticed this obsession long before I was willing to admit I had a problem.
I’m in recovery now, so I try to focus just on my windshield. (Ok, not true, but I had to segue into the windshield issue at some point.)
Lately, we’ve been running out of windshield fluid in our cars every few weeks. In the South, we have a perpetual layer of yellow dust all over our cars.
I’ve recently been informed that the area we moved to has one of the country’s most consistently high pollen counts. True or not, I look like I’m leaving a trail of magic fairy dust behind every time I drive away.
Since I need to be able to see the road when I’m dusting the town with my special fairy blend, I make my windshield washer fluid. It is cheap, non-toxic, and can be used to clean other things.
Homemade Windshield Washer Fluid: Non-Toxic
Ingredients
- 1 empty and clean gallon jug
- 8 ounces 99% isopropyl rubbing alcohol (double this amount in extremely cold weather)
- 1 ounce liquid castile soap
- 4 drops blue food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Pour the rubbing alcohol into the empty jug then fill the jug with water, leaving room for the soap.
- Slowly add the soap and optional food coloring to the jug.
- Cap the jug and gently tip upside down a few times to mix ingredients.
- Pour windshield wiper fluid into the correct compartment under your car hood.
Video
Notes
Homemade Windshield Washer Fluid Tips
- Use this wiper fluid to clean the rest of the windows in your car or your home.
- It also works great to clean countertops and shine faucets!
- Always remember to label your homemade concoctions.
- The alcohol will keep this from freezing, for stronger anti-freeze protection in severe cold weather, add more alcohol.
- Old gallon jugs from vinegar make the perfect container for storing your homemade windshield formula.
A Note on Car Wax
Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol is used to remove car wax at a ratio of 1:1 (1 part water to 1 part alcohol). This homemade windshield washer fluid calls for a dilution of 16:1 (and 8:1 in extreme cold), so it should not have any effects on the wax. That said, we recommend testing this on a small area before pouring solution in washer reservoir and using.Why Make Homemade Windshield Washer Fluid?
- Commercial windshield washer fluid is poisonous – They make it with methanol, which the National Institute of Health lists as poisonous alcohol that can cause significant damage even in small amounts.
- Homemade is much less expensive – Stores in our area list a 16 oz. bottle of rubbing alcohol at $0.88, a 32 oz. bottle of Dr. Bronner’s castile soap at $13.00, and a gallon of commercial windshield washer at $3.16 per gallon. This calculates to a cost per gallon of around $0.90 for our recipe versus $3.16 for the commercial brands, a savings of more than 350%.
- What are your reasons? Don’t limit this to my imagination, leave a comment with other creative reasons to make your own.
After you make this maybe you should try to learn how to make liquid soap.
How did you like making homemade windshield washer fluid?
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References and Resources
- Dangerous methanol in commercial windshield washer fluid on National Library of Medicine.
- Methanol poisoning on National Library of Medicine.
Natural Homemade Windshield Washer Fluid Recipe was written by Betsy Jabs.
* This article was originally published here