Non-Alcoholic Hand Sanitizer Alternative

Why didn't I think of this before? As you may have noticed from my Products page, I don't use Dr. Bronner's Almond, Unscented, or Lavender Castile Soaps. I found them too drying for my hair or skin. I did continue using the leftover for hand soap, which, in combination with toothpaste recipe experimenting, lead me to reach out and try the peppermint one. I really like that one and can even use it for hair and body without drying effects. Maybe the peppermint oils made the difference? Not sure, because the rest of the ingredients in each scent seem to be consistent.

To make my hand soap, I simply fill a foaming soap bottle about 3/4th full and squeeze in some Peppermint Dr. Bronner's soap. One day in a rush, I grabbed the foamer soap bottle and a towel because I knew the kids would need to clean their hands to eat later and I didn't know where the hand sanitizer was. Then it dawned on me...with enough water, you can actually dilute and apply the soap and water foam to your hands in the same manner as hand sanitizer. Or you could just lather up a little and just dry your hands on a napkin or towel.

Now, I don't know if it kills 99.9% of germs, flu virus and blah blah blah like the sanitizers claim, but what really has ever been better for cleaning your hands than soap and water? Maybe to add antibacterial properties, you could use the Tea Tree Dr. Bronner's Soap, but I have not tried that soap yet. Honestly either way, I don't know if hand sanitizer really kills all those germs other than all the claims made but I do know that you usually don't get sick as often with good hand washing habits.

So, my conclusion...

Grab the following materials to make your on-the-go hand cleanser...

Small foamer bottle
Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap (Scent of choice)
Water (The more water, the less lather)

Shake well to mix.

To use:
Pump a few squirts into your hands
Create a small lather of foam
And dry with a towel or napkin.

Now enjoy your meal with clean, non-alcoholic hands! Finally take a bite into those finger foods while on-the-go without it tasting like the alcohol from commercial hand sanitizers...Yuk!

Get of Rid of Those Banana Guests!

The Gibberish

Anyone love fresh bananas? Personally, I like to eat them when they are perfect and yellow, but from my reading, they are fully ripe once they begin having those browns spots (not brown bruises). Eating the bananas ripe are supposed to easier on your digestive system, plus they are sweeter. Ripe bananas do have a place in my kitchen though...The freezer for my yummy green smoothies and homemade ice creams! ;-) Just peel them, put them in a freezer bag, and freeze. I must say, though, that just throwing unpeeled bananas in the freezer tastes much better, but I decided I got tired of freezing my fingertips as I scooped the frozen banana peel from the frozen banana with a spoon once I was ready to use them. 

The problem

But any-who...If you love organic bananas like my daughter and I, you also know you may not be the only ones hanging around the banana hanger...Gnats/fruit flies are too! (I'm no bug expert, so I'm not sure which one it is or if they are even two different species, but you're more than welcome to research it if interested.) Well, I found a quick solution to this annoying issue....

The solution

Once you bring your bananas home from the store, immediately wash/rinse and dry them before storage. From my reading, gnats/fruit flies lay eggs onto the peels of the bananas and once the bananas ripen, they hatch and you're annoying little friends begin swarming around your house, your bananas, and your diaper pail (which I initially thought was the issue). I keep a spray bottle mixed with water, dr.bronner's and/or biokleen all purpose cleaner, and vinegar for wiping surfaces, so I usually just spray that onto the peels, rinse and dry...Problem solved! Thank goodness!!!!

Hope this helps my banana lovers out there! ;-)