Alternatives for commercial cleaners are growing in popularity, as more people realize how easy they are to make, and how much safer they are to use around the house!  I still use vinegar and baking soda a lot as a basic cleaner, but I also really like this simple, all-purpose cleaner recipe. It includes a number of bacteria-killers, including castile soap, tea tree oil, and vinegar.  Tea tree oil demonstrates antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal qualities, including against staph and ecoli, among other things.   I did find a medical report that said bacteria can develop resistance to tea tree oil if it’s used in concentrations below 4%.  My bottle is a 25%…

Fluoride can be a controversial topic.  As with so many things with life, many of us will have varying opinions.  I’m great with that.  My goal is to challenge us to ask questions and not simply accept the status quo, so we make informed decisions for our families. After that digression, back to fluoride.  🙂 In our society, we’re told by a number of dentists and water authorities that fluoride is a helpful and necessary part of our diet.   While it *might* prevent a couple of cavities when used topically, the negative effects of fluoride are so overwhelming that it’s far better to utilize other methods for cavity prevention…