Natural DIY All Purpose Cleaner | Home with Willow | Katie Emmitt

     Looking for an easy to make DIY natural all purpose cleaner for your home? Look no further! This is my go-to cleaner for nearly everything in my home! With just a few simple ingredients, you can easily make enough cleaner to last years. Plus, its easily customized with essential oils or infused vinegars.

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Citrus Infused Cleaning Vinegar | Home with Willow | Katie Emmitt

 You will be happy to know that it is extremely easy to make your own infused vinegar for cleaning with! You just need two things: food scraps & vinegar!

 

In this blog post, you will learn how to make infused vinegar for cleaning with! This mixture is great to add to a DIY All Purpose Cleaner, to use straight up in a spray for deep cleaning on areas like the tub or shower, or to mix in with an oil on a DIY Wood Cleaner!

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Kitchen Sponge Alternatives | Home with Willow | Katie Emmitt

hOW I WAS ABLE TO GIVE UP BUYING SPONGES:

My Journey to Finding the best Kitchen Sponge Alternatives
     As I’ve been on this journey to having a more eco-friendly existence, I’ve been trying to find replacements for every day items – especially in the kitchen. I was sick of buying these synthetic sponges and then tossing them out as they got gross. About two years ago, I started getting the ‘natural’ sponges at the grocery store. Brands like ‘Twist’ and the brown ‘Scotch Brite’ ones that were supposed to be more environmentally friendly. And to be honest – they were horrible. Take my recommendation and don’t buy the ‘Twist’ sponges!
     
Spring of 2018, I became completely fed up with even the ‘natural’ or ‘eco friendly’ sponges I was finding at the grocery store. They weren’t cutting it, and I was STILL throwing away a sponge every few weeks as it wore out. I went on a mission to find the best kitchen sponge alternatives I could find. My goal was to find something plant based, without plastic, that was going to last me at least a few months.
Best Eco Friendly Kitchen Products | Home with Willow | Katie Emmitt

     Over the past two years, I have been working diligently to make my kitchen more eco friendly. Some things were easy fixes – like switching from paper towels to reusable cloth rags. Other things I really struggled to find good options for – like dishwasher detergent that actually worked! In these last two years, I have tried a lot of products. I wanted to share with you my absolute favorites – so you can try them too! Here are the Best Eco Friendly Kitchen Products I’ve found and come to love!

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Simple Coconut Rice | Home with Willow | Katie Emmitt

Simple Coconut Rice – easy to make, delicious, and the perfect pair for Thai, Indian, Hawaiian, and several other  cuisines! 

 

 

 

 

Simple Coconut Rice | Home with Willow | Katie Emmitt

What kind of coconut milk should I use?

     My personal favorite, is homemade coconut milk. Homemade coconut milk is a little bit lighter and has a fresher flavor than canned. Additionally, its less expensive, has no additives or thickeners, and you don’t have to worry about cans with BPA (something I am sensitive to). Also, if you shop bulk, you can cut down on waste too! Check out our easy recipe for DIY homemade coconut milk. If you do decide to make your own coconut milk, you don’t need to strain it for this particular recipe! So you can very quickly add hot water to your flaked coconut, blend, and add it right to your rice to cook in less than five minutes.

     However, you can easily use canned coconut milk with this recipe, too. If I am going to buy canned coconut milk, I like to buy this Native Forest brand. Its organic, BPA free, and well priced. 

How to Make Your Own Coconut Milk | Home with Willow | Katie Emmitt

How to Make your own coconut milk at home –
DIY Kitchen Basics

How to Make Your Own Coconut Milk | Home with Willow | Katie Emmitt

Making your own coconut milk might seem like a daunting task, but it is actually surprisingly easy, and only requires two ingredients – hot water, and unsweetened shredded coconut! Additionally, you can make 2 cups of coconut milk for about $1.20 (or even less if purchased in bulk at the grocery store). Compare that to a can of organic coconut milk for $3+ and you can really rack up the savings!

Another great benefit to making your own – no additives, preservatives, thickeners, or worrying about BPA lining in cans (something I have a sensitivity to)! Continue reading “HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN COCONUT MILK”