Showing posts with label cloth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cloth. Show all posts

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Excuses of an addict

We all know that addicts make an excuse for their behavior right?  If you do not know this, maybe you have not come to accept your addiction.  I am well aware that I have an addiction to cloth diapers. But it was pointed out again over the phone with a friend the other day.  My friend is currently pregnant with her first child.  I have been trying to sway her toward cloth but nothing I have said has sunk in yet.

I was talking to her about a particular diaper when I got the response, "Girl, you do not need any more diapers!"  I kind of chuckled and responded "but look how cute this print is!" I kept going, to which she called me an addict and laughed at all the excuses I was coming up with.



Excuses of a cloth diaper addict:

  1. I need a variety of colors to match her dresses
  2. I have to have a few of each color so she has a matching diaper all day long
  3. But look how cute this print is
  4. Bum Genius just released a new LE, I have to buy them all! 
  5. I am saving money by not using disposables
  6. I have to save the environment
  7. I have an irrational fear of running out of clean diapers
  8. I need to have at least one diaper for every holiday
  9. There was an awesome price for these diapers in a B/S/T group on Facebook (realistically I am in 17 groups and follow 84 different cloth diaper related pages, and the urge is constant)
  10. Kelly's Closet just posted an awesome coupon code and I just could not pass it up.  

How to tell you are a true addict, you have caught yourself saying things and can think of many more.  



What other excuses do you use to defend your stash?   

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Buncha Farmer's Stain stick



I got to try this little magic stick a few months ago.  Buncha Farmers Stain Remover.  Normally I am willing to try everything that is recommended to me.  I first heard of this stain stick about a year ago.  I was not at all interested.  I rinse my diapers right after messes and typically do not have any stains on them.  Several months ago one of my friends and I were talking and she recommended the stain stick to me.  I was skeptical and ignored it.  Then again in June she recommended this stain remover to me.  She also told me where I could get some.  While skeptical, I figured I had to at least try it.  If it didn't work I would not be out much money and could just give my supply to my friend since she loved it so much.  

After I got these in the mail I must admit, they sat on the shelf for at least a week.  Then I got a grass stain on my khaki pants.  When I first noticed the mark was while we were getting family pictures taken, outside, at a park.  I told myself I would rinse it as soon as I got home so it would not stain.  Well, later that night I had put the children to bed and remembered I forgot to treat the stain.  I was worried I would forever have this grass stain on my pants.  Visions of my pants from my childhood all stained up continued to flash through my head.  And then, I remembered I had the Buncha Farmers Stain Stick.   

I stared at the box reading and re-reading the directions.  I wanted to be absolutely sure of what I was doing.  I put a small splash of water on the grass stain then rubbed the stick over the spot.  To my surprise, the stain quickly vanished!   I could not believe it.  

I soon found myself searching my house for different things to try this out on.  I "Googled" uses and watched several Youtube videos.  One video I came across said to mix the stick with hot water and use it as a carpet cleaner.  I own a carpet scrubber, but I have to be honest.  I have not turned it on in about a year.  My carpet has accumulated stains from the past year and also had stains from 6 years ago when we first got out dogs and they tracked a bunch of mud on the carpet.  The mud around here has that red clay tint to it, staining everything.  

So, I grated half a stick and mixed it with hot water, stirred it until it dissolved, then added it to my carpet scrubber.  It took a few hours to scrub my carpet, but the results were absolutely amazing!  

                                      
(seriously, I did not realize how yucky my carpet looked before) 


Amazing right?  

Want to see it in action?  I made a video, just for you!  

(Note, I am not at all a videographer and do not know how to edit these, so there are two parts to the video, the before and the after.) 


After:

After washing
I keep a spray bottle filled with the stain remover to treat any stains before washing.  I keep a stick and an old toothbrush by the sink.  After I am doing spraying diapers I simply spray some of the stain remover on to the diaper, rub the diaper together, rinse, and toss into the diaper pail.  It only takes about a minute and ensures stain free diapers.  Any stains that do not come out right away will fade with every wash.  

The instructions state to wet the stick and rub on the stain.  I find it easier to wet the stained area and rub the stick on it. Either way, it works.  Also, a little goes a LONG way.  It only takes a quick rub from the stick and then a little scrub to get a nice lather on the diaper (or other material).  After lathering rinse and enjoy your stain-free item.  Toss in the wash and check to see if the stain is gone.  If it is not (which may happen) treat the stain again and let sit for a couple hours before rinsing.  

This stuff is seriously amazing!  It is also made of natural ingredients with no harsh chemicals.  It contains eucalyptus oil too, which I absolutely love the smell of.  

BUT, Don't take my word for it, try it out for yourself!   Kelly's Closet sells these wonderful stain removers.    


Enter to win your own stain sticks!  



Monday, August 11, 2014

Birthday Give away!

 Be prepared, starting September first I will be having a giveaway for some awesome prizes.  Next month is my birthday, September 17th.  In honor of my birthday I will be having a giveaway of over $100 worth of prizes.  September 1st I will post a link for you to enter for the prizes.  On September 17th I will close for new entries and announce the winners.




Comment below, what kind of prizes are you hoping to see?

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Friday, May 2, 2014

All About Cloth: Update

Back in January I challenged myself to create less waste by using more cloth.  Here is an update to the switch. 

First, cloth nursing pads.  I still use some disposables, but I mostly use these cloth pads.  


Cloth wipes:  They are not just for baby butts.  I use a designated stack of wipes for Charlotte's bottoms.  We also use a stack of wipes as tissues.  In addition we have family cloth and will use mama cloth when the time comes.  



Next on the cloth switch was switching to cloth bags for grocery shopping.  I keep some in the car and the bulk of them stay in the house and I grab them on my way to the store.  I do keep some disposable ones for miscellaneous things.  The rest were dropped off at the recycling box at the grocery store.



The object that started this whole switch, kitchen towels.  I keep a stack of towels and wash clothes in the drawer by the sink.  I also have a stack of microfiber diaper inserts that I use for cleaning blinds, fans, etc.

Which brings up the question of is this wasting water and electricity?  Yes, and no.  The water goes back to the waste water plant and is treated and reused.  I do try to wash as much in one load as my washer can handle and still clean. This reduces the need for multiple loads and excessive water and electricity usage. The laundry is either hung outside to dry or in the bathroom.  


Sunday, January 12, 2014

{52 weeks} Week 3: all about cloth

When thinking of things I can change in my life to be greener and healthier I also think about the changes I have already made. Switching to cloth diapers and using cloth wipes, and cloth nursing pads for starters are all great steps. I then see the huge stash of paper towels that I have. As I finished off a roll today I realized how much we waste using paper towels, not to mention the money we spend on them. I then realized I do not own any kitchen towels and I only have one kitchen wash rag. I do have "rags" from torn shirts or bath towels in addition to a few microfiber towels, but we never use them.  So this week I will be buying some kitchen towels and making the switch. I will still have my stash of paper towels for the really dirty messes, but for regular cleaning and doing dishes, we will be switching to cloth.