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How To Create Your Own Produce Cleanser – Three Easy Steps

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As times rapidly accelerate, we have become a generation of fast results with minimal exertion. Social medias have exploded; making communication mouse-clicks away. With this robust technology, we have created a generation of impatience, which has trickled into nearly every aspect of our lives. Instead of dicing up our veggies we have machines that spit them out perfectly minced. 

We have dishwashers that take care of the mess after the storm, and microwaves to “zap” our food into warm, leftover delight. In the same lazy fashion, many of us aren’t taking the appropriate amount of time in preparing our meals. The result is bacteria-ridden food, glazed with germs and harmful pesticides; which are generally used to banish pests from crops and to extend product shelf life.

These toxic chemicals can be detrimental to your family’s health and have been linked to:

  • Nervous system toxicity
  • Hormone system disruption
  • IQ deficits in children
  • Cancers

With this knowledge at hand, I suggest shopping locally. Not only will you help your community’s economy, but you’ll be consuming foods that are locally sourced and fresh. Many of these farms will promise organic produce, which will be pesticide free. Regardless of where you purchase your food, it is imperative to properly cleanse all of your fruits and veggies.

It has been proven that even rinsing your produce in water alone is beneficial in removing dirt, germs, bacteria and chemicals. When compared side-by-side with a store-bought “vegetable cleaner,” the results were very similar. With this said, it seems like a complete waste of money in investing in one of these “miracle” washes.

There are some things in the produce aisle that have higher levels of pesticide residues than others. Some of the most harmful levels can be found on:

  • Strawberries
  • Peppers
  • Spinach/lettuce/greens
  • Cherries
  • Peaches/nectarines
  • Blueberries
  • Celery
  • Apples
  • Apricots
  • Green beans
  • Grapes
  • Cucumbers
  • Pears
  • Squash
  • Potatoes

Instead, make your own eco friendly cleaning products with a natural wash.

You will need:

  • A large spray bottle and large container
  • White vinegar
  • Lemon Juice
  • Distilled water

Cleansing Your Produce

  1. In a large spray-bottle, combine 1/6 white vinegar, 1/6 lemon juice and 2/3 distilled water. Shake violently and store in the refrigerator.
  2. After you have purchased the produce, thoroughly wash your hands. The “happy-birthday” song in hot water with antibacterial soap works well. Make sure to extend the soap all the way up the wrists, and in the crevices of fingernails and hand-jewelry. After you have washed your hands, dry them on a clean towel.
  3. Go ahead and pull out the fruits and veggies. Place them in the large container and mist them thoroughly. Let them sit for approximately 30 seconds and rinse in cold water. Pat dry. If you are cleansing a leafy vegetable like lettuce, you will want to use the large container as a “bath” with the same ratios of vinegar/lemon juice/water.

You will want it to sit for 30 seconds to one minute before removing for the final cold rinse. Take note of any bruises or dark markings, as these areas tend to harbor more bacteria. If you spot a blemish, cut it off. If your cleansing a fruit or veggie with a texture, like a peach, use a small brush and lightly brush under a bath for the same duration. Don’t forget to pat dry, because the inconsistency of the texture can also harvest airborne bacteria. In addition, any area near the stem or which opens into the actual fruit or veggie should be discarded. These tend to be the most bacteria-prone areas.

Anytime that my family takes a trip to our local grocery, we go crazy filling our baskets with fresh fruits and veggies for salads, stews and quiches. What we fail to consider are the many hands that touch their surfaces, the nasty mists of pesticides and the natural bacteria that grow in the temperate conditions of the store. Cleansing your food of these harmful invaders doesn’t have to be extremely time consuming or expensive. With a pre-mixed bottle, and a flick of your wrist, you can sanitize your produce and give your family a safer and healthier meal.

Alexa Mehan, self-confessed day-time-TV junkie, works in the comfort of her apartment with her partner and dog Pekoe. She loves creepy artwork and surrealist paintings. Active traveler and hiker, Alexa loves the freedom of the outdoors. When she isn’t writing about the importance of going green, she is checking updates on sites like www.ecohomeinspired.com for ideas. Alexa finds herself creating various works of art when she isn’t freelancing.






5 Ways To Give Your Garden A Shabby Chic Twist

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Using old items in the house at a new location does require some amount of expertise and artistic attitude. Benefits are manifold, but the most obvious is establishing a lived-in look. Similar logic applies when attempting to give the garden a unique look. The simplest way to go about it is to opt for garden equipment hire services. However, some amount of preparation is needed. Here are five ways to give your garden a shabby chic twist.

  • Use old earthenware to store plants. Order of containers can always be changed at a later date. Give sufficient thought to finding right colors blending with the overall landscape. For example, use large containers lying idle in the home. Opt for makeshift arrangements. Different colors are used to create a bright look. Make a deliberate attempt to store your favourite plants in the best earthenware pots.
  • Cane and stone furniture blend naturally outdoors. Weathering does not have drastic effect on usage. Staining does take place, which is actually required for creating the vintage look. Consistency is the key here. If bright colors are chosen at one end, similar combinations are adapted at the other. A shabby chic look encourages some amount of disorder in the overall design.
  • Garden waste is bound to occur. Areas to be cleaned with equipment like portable chippers and shredders often need a professional touch simply because you need garden equipment hire staff over the long term. Nevertheless, these are areas offering maximum flexibility to incorporate new chic designs. Special attention is paid to keep costly garden design elements clean and free from weathering.
  • Winding paths leading to definite areas can be dispersed with antique lampposts or other such vintage material deliberately made to look older. The ideal look blends with overall atmosphere created within an entire locality. Practical aspects must be considered. Certain items are easily available simply because they sell in volume. Overall cost does come down by adapting such gardening strategies.
  • Give every plant its due. For instance, making more lawn space available for easy maintenance makes sense. Creating vintage value is achieved in steps. A claw foot tub holds herbs while a series of pots hold precious roses and other flowers. Movable containers give more options. As and when chic designs become available, a new landscape is created without much difficulty.
  • Traditional ways of gardening did not encourage use of new materials. Concepts have changed. Pay constant attention to what is released in the market. Find attractive containers promoting plant growth, allowing better usage of water and other resources. Cast iron and other materials last for a long time. Place an antique bird feeder made of cast iron at a vintage position.
  • Experimenting with what is freely available in the house is a good start. Allow your imagination to go wild with painting ideas. Rustic garden furniture and shade garden plants easily create the shabby chic garden look. Opt for garden equipment hire services until you are happy with the overall look. Maintaining artistic value is then a simple task.

Cormac Reynolds writes for a wide range of DIY and home design blogs and loves to take part in some home work at the weekends. This article is for Best at Hire

Make Your Neighbours Green With Envy

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When was the last time you stared out of your bedroom window, eyeing up your next door neighbour’s back garden?

Admit it, we all do it.

Mentally measuring the length of the grass, critiquing their taste in gnomes, wondering how much that conservatory cost; you know you do it.

Make your neighbours green with envy with these tips to getting your garden looking beautiful.

 

Grass

The foundation of most gardens is the grass – a beautiful green lawn can make any garden look good.

When you look up and down the road, everyone’s grass is a different colour, this is because everybody cuts, waters and fertilizes it differently, not to mention the fact that there are a variety of common grass types.

You may think your lawn needs cutting, however the longer you leave it the better.

When the grass is longer, it traps more moisture and shades the roots and soil from the sun, which means it won’t dry out and will stay green.

When you do mow it, put your mower on the highest setting and it will look neatly trimmed and greener.

To maintain your green grass, water it at around the same time every morning with regular fertilizing in early and late spring, as well as early and late fall.

 

Flowers

When picking flowers, most people tend to focus on colour. Instead, focus more on texture and size contrasts in order to achieve a diverse, inviting outdoors space, as opposed to an area that has been purposely co-ordinated and looks unnatural.

 

Veg patch

Growing your own may take a lot of setting up, but it can be really worthwhile, money-saving and look great! With your own personal allotment you can grow anything you like, from potatoes to pole beans, radishes to rhubarb. Stick a scarecrow in there for good measure too! Why not?! A vegetable patch can really make a garden look like a practical and delicious haven.

 

Accessories

Move away from the traditional gnomes and terracotta and find some unique garden ware that will have your neighbours saying ’Where can I get one of those?’. But be careful, don’t overcrowd your garden with accessories so much that it takes the attention away from the prettiest accessories… the flowers.

Making your garden look fabulous is a lot of fun, but make sure you regularly maintain it for all year round fabulousness!

Becky is a keen gardener who loves styling her garden with unique garden ware from http://www.nutscene.com/.

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