Homemade Cough Drops

This is the best cough killer that you can imagine. Homemade

When your nose is blocked and the cough sets in, most people are usually at their wit's end. You swallow medicine, gurgle specific solutions, rub ointments into your skin, and simply try everything that advertisements claim as successful. But with this little guide, you won't need to do any of that. These cough drops contain all the important ingredients to kill off any cold or flu. 

We need: 

8 Oz Sugar 
4 Oz water 
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed Lemon juice 
1 Tbsp Honey 
1/2 Tbsp ground Ginger 
1/4 Tbsp ground Cloves 

First, mix all of the ingredients in a pot and let it boil. The honey is an anti-inflammatory, ginger strengthens the immune system, and cloves are an anti-oxidant. Together they provide an all-rounded defense, which these illnesses fear. Once the mixture has come to the boil, allow it to simmer for around 20 minutes, stirring regularly. 

Then sit the pot to the side to cool a little. The sugar should have caramelized, which gives the substance a thick, sticky consistence. 

Use a spoon to distribute small drops onto a sheet of baking paper. Now wait until the drops have set hard. 

Then, sprinkle some icing sugar over the top. This ensures that the cough drops don't stick together. 

Done! Now you have beautiful cough drops at hand for that health emergency. These bonbons can also be dropped into hot water, where they soon turn into a delicious tea. Get well soon! 

The best thing is they're homemade and you can be 100% certain of what's in them. Particularly when you're sick and your body isn't at full strength, that's a comforting thought. 

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DIY Poo Poo Spray Poo Pourri Recipes Printable Labels

It’s the film of oil covering the surface of the water that prevents odors from escaping the bowl. 

• Use distilled water (or bottled water) as the base of your Poo Pourri recipe for best results. Of course, tap water works too, but it contains other minerals that could ever-so-slightly affect your recipe. Fortunately, distilled water is budget-friendly… a gallon jug is just 99 cents at most grocery stores.
• Use rubbing alcohol (or witch hazel or vodka) as a stabilizer. It turns the liquid into a white, milky substance — much like the original Poo Pourri. It also helps the water and oils mix better, although you still need to shake before each use.
• For the best results, use 100% natural Essential Oils, rather than synthetic blends that are made in a lab.
• The exact number of drops and which Essential Oils you use is completely up to you. Each variable you change will change the scent and its strength to some degree. Experiment and find the combination you like best. Below I share my favorites, plus some popular scent combinations from the original Poo Pourri sprays.
• If you want to be able to see the oil barrier of protection in the toilet bowl itself, you can add a few drops of blue food coloring to your DIY Poo Pourri recipe.
• Ideally, you should store your homemade Poo Pourri spray in a small glass spray bottles — because Essential Oils break down and become less effective when exposed to light. However, I’ll be honest, I’m using small plastic spray bottles (like the original Poo Pourri comes in). I like the ones with a trigger sprayer best because they hang nicely on the side of the toilet paper holder that I have on the back each toilet in our home.

Recipe 1

1. Find a clean 2 oz (or 4 oz) spray bottle.
2. Combine 10 (or 20) drops of Essential Oils and 1 (or 2) tablespoons of Rubbing Alcohol in a small spray bottle first.
3. Shake to mix thoroughly.
4. Next, add water to the spray bottle, enough to almost reach the rim.

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Recipe 2

Combine in a 2oz Glass Spray Bottle,
1.75 oz Distilled Water,
15 drops Lemon EO, 
5 drops of Bergamot, 
10 drops Orange EO, 
1/2 teaspoon of Vegetable Glycerin.


Note** EO stands for Essential Oils


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Ingredients:

• 1 – 5 oz spray bottle
• 4 oz distilled water
• 25 drops of Lemon Essential Oil
• 10 drops of Bergamot Essential Oil
• 15 drops of Orange Essential Oil
• 1 teaspoon of NOW Solutions Glycerine Vegetable (I found this is a good thickening agent to help the barrier)

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You can use any mixture of EO's just note how many drops of each in the above recipes as a general rule of thumb.

Free printable labels just right click and save image then print from saved image.

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9 Stove Top Potpourri Recipes

Citrus

• 1 Orange, Sliced
• 1 Lemon, Sliced

Cranberry Bliss

• 1 orange
• ½ lemon
• 1 cup cranberries
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon cloves

Apple Pie

• 2 Apples, sliced
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 lemon slice
• dash of vanilla extract

Vanilla Spice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extrat
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves

Holiday Love

• 2 cinnamon stick
• 2 sprigs pine
• 2 drops peppermint extract

Gingerbread Man

• 10 slices ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Rich Spice

• 2 Cinnamon Sticks
• ½ tablespoon Whole Cloves
• 1 Whole Nutmeg

Lemon Rosemary

• 1 Lemon Sliced
• 3 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
• 1 Cinnamon Stick

Minted Lime

• 2 Limes, Sliced
• 2 Sprigs Fresh Mint
• ½ teaspoon Peppermint extract (optional)

Instructions

Stove Top

1. Add 2-3 cups of water to a small sauce pan and desired ingredients.
2. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Do not let water evaporate (you can add more if needed).

Slow Cooker

1. Many readers have suggested using a small slow cooker for this! Just place the same ingredients into your slow cooker and let it sit on low all day!

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DIY Fall Freshener for Wax Warmers

Love the smell of Fall, but don't like filling your home with artificial fragrances? Try this...

3 tablespoons coconut oil
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Put in your wax burner and enjoy! 

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FLEA & TICK REMEDY

FLEA & TICK REMEDY heart emoticon

8 oz apple cider vinegar
4 oz warm water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
Spray Bottle

Mix dry ingredients first, then slowly add to wet as the vinegar and baking soda will react slightly. Put into spray bottle and spray pets down. Be careful not to get in pets eyes!

★★★When fleas infest your home, they can get everywhere; in fact, any place your dog or cat frequents, fleas will be present. Carpets, rugs and upholstered furniture are especially vulnerable to infestation. Adult fleas jump from animals to these surfaces and lay eggs. These eggs hatch as larvae that can get caught in carpet fibers, creating an on-going problem.
Vacuuming and steam cleaning carpets and rugs will help, but there are natural treatments that can be even more effective. One of these treatments is safe and uses a common everyday substance – salt. Yes, you can get rid of fleas with salt! The salt acts as a dehydration agent and dries out the bodies of the fleas.

How to kill fleas using salt: Obtain some highly refined household salt or sea salt. Make sure it is as finely ground as possible, almost to a powder consistency. Sprinkle it lightly but evenly over your carpet. Brush or rake it in. Leave this in your carpet for 12 to 48 hours, then vacuum thoroughly.
Salt can attract moisture, so do not leave it in for very long in very hot or humid conditions. This should kill all the fleas and ticks in your home and on your pets.

Eat that salt, flea! Die Flea Die!! (Manic laughter)

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Natural Homemade Deodorizing Carpet Powder

You can use about a cup of baking soda and just 5 or 6 drops of essential oils. Orange is a good choice but really, you can use whatever you want to get the scent that you prefer.

Just mix them together and place them in a shaker – an empty Parmesan cheese container works great for this. If you have pets inside and are prone to have flea problems, you can add about 2 tablespoons of borax to the mix and it will take care of those little pests. Tea tree oil works just as well as borax and eliminates flea issues perfectly.

Just sprinkle your carpet powder on carpets and let it set for about 15 minutes before you vacuum it.

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Folded Paper Plate Basket

Just cut along the dotted lines in the first photo, fold along the dotted lines in the second photo, tape up the ends, and fill the basket with cookies! Add tissue paper or wax paper to the inside before adding cookies or what ever your sweet treat may be, the paper will soak up any of the butter or moisture from the cookies. Decorate the outside with ribbons or lace, tags, or what ever goes along with your theme. Great for weddings and birthday parties to send slices of cakes home.

Halloween or Christmas themes would look awesome too! 

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Homemade FEBREZE

1. Get some GAIN, DOWNY, PUREX laundry scent booster beads and an empty spray bottle, and water.
2. Put just a little of the beads in the empty spray bottle and then add a little lukewarm water.
3. Shake it up and let it sit for 5 to 10 Minutes and spray away ..... 

And unlike FEBREZE ..... The smell last a lot longer and have ya house smelling fresh .... Hope this lil tip help out in your household......
* Feel free to tag and share who house may need this tip *

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Homemade Mosquito Repellent

Combine in a 16 oz bottle:
15 drops lavender oil
3-4 Tbsp of vanilla extract
1/4 Cup lemon juice.
Fill bottle with water. Shake.Ready to use.

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45 USES FOR VINEGAR

1. Freshen up the fridge. Clean the shelves and walls with a solution of half water and half vinegar.
2. Brighten coffee cups and teacups. Gently scrub stains with equal parts vinegar and salt (or baking soda).
3. Eliminate odors. Swab plastic containers with a cloth dampened with vinegar.
4. Kill bathroom germs. Spray full-strength vinegar around the sink and tub. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
5. Save a garment. To remove light scorch marks on fabrics, rub gently with vinegar. Wipe with a clean cloth. This technique also works on antiperspirant stains.
6. Tidy up a toilet. Pour a cup or more of diluted white distilled vinegar into the bowl. Let sit several hours or overnight. Scrub well with a toilet brush and flush.
7. Lose the carpet stain. Make a paste of 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar and ¼ cup salt or baking soda. Rub into the stain and let dry. Vacuum the residue the next day. (Always test an out-of-sight part of the carpet first.)
8. Renew paint brushes. To remove old paint, place brushes in a pot with vinegar. Soak for an hour, then turn on the stove and bring the vinegar to a simmer. Drain and rinse clean.
9. Wipe off a dirty faucet. To get rid of lime buildup, make a paste of 1 teaspoon vinegar and 2 tablespoons salt. Apply to sink fixtures and rub with a cloth.
10. Stop static cling. Add ½ cup of white distilled vinegar to your wash cycle. The acid reduces static and keeps dryer lint from sticking to your clothes.
11. Make old socks look new. Get the stains out of old socks and sweaty gym clothes by soaking them in a vinegar solution. Add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to a large pot of water, bring to a boil and drop in the stained clothes. Let them soak overnight, and in the morning stained clothes are fresh and bright.
12. Restore handbags and shoes. Wipe white distilled vinegar on scuffed leather bags and shoes. It will restore their shine and help hide the marks.
13. Banish weeds. Pour white distilled vinegar on the weeds growing in the cracks of your walkway and driveway. Saturate the plant so the vinegar reaches the roots.
14. Liven droopy flowers. Don’t throw out cut flowers once they start to wilt. Instead, add two tablespoons of white vinegar and one teaspoon of sugar to a quart of water. Pour the solution into your vase, and the flowers will perk up.
15. Put an end to itching. Dab a cotton ball soaked in white vinegar on mosquito bites and insect stings. It will stop them from itching and help disinfect the area so they heal faster.
16. Whiten your teeth. Brush your teeth once a week with white distilled vinegar. Dip your toothbrush into the vinegar and brush thoroughly. It will help prevent bad breath, too.
17. Make nail polish last longer. Before you apply your favorite polish, wipe your nails with a cotton ball soaked in white distilled vinegar. The clean surface will help your manicure last.
18. Keep car windows frost-free. Prevent windows from frosting over in a storm by coating them with a solution of three parts white distilled vinegar to one part water. The acidity hinders ice, so you won’t have to wake up early to scrape off your car.
19. Let your dog shine. Spray your dog with one cup white distilled vinegar mixed with one quart water. The solution is a cheap alternative to expensive pet-care products, plus the vinegar will help repel pests like fleas and ticks.
20. Battle litter-box odor. Cat litter can leave behind an unwelcome smell. Eliminate it by pouring a half-inch of white distilled vinegar into the empty litter box. Let stand for 20 minutes, then rinse with cold water.
21. Kill bacteria in meat. Marinating in vinegar knocks out bacteria and tenderizes the meat. Create a marinade by adding ¼ cup balsamic vinegar for every 2 pounds of meat to your own blend of herbs and spices. Let the meat sit anywhere from 20 minutes to 24 hours, depending on how strong you want the flavor, then cook it in the morning without rinsing.
22. Prevent cracked eggs. Prevent eggs from cracking as they hard-boil by adding two tablespoons of white vinegar to the water. The eggs will stay intact, and the shells will peel off more easily when you’re ready to eat them.
23. Steam away a microwave mess. Fill a small bowl with equal parts hot water and vinegar, and place it in the microwave on high for 5 minutes. As the steam fills the microwave, it loosens the mess, making clean up a breeze.
24. Repair DVDs. If you have a worn DVD that skips or freezes, wipe it down with white distilled vinegar applied to a soft cloth. Make sure the DVD is completely dry before reinserting it into the player.
25. Get those last drops. If you can’t get that final bit of mayonnaise or salad dressing out of the jar, dribble in a few drops of vinegar. Put the cap on tightly and shake. The remaining condiments will slide out.
26. Rinse fruits and vegetables. Add 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar to one pint water. Use the mixture to wash fresh fruits and vegetables, then rinse thoroughly. The solution kills more pesticide residue than does pure water.
27. Brighter Easter eggs. Before your kids dye Easter eggs, mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar with ½ cup of hot water, then add food coloring. The vinegar keeps the dye bright and prevents the color from streaking.
28. Loosen a rusted screw. Pour vinegar onto the screw, and it will easily unstick.
29. Remove gum. To remove gum from fabric or hair, heat a small bowl of vinegar in the microwave. Pour the warm vinegar over the gum, saturating the area. The gum will dissolve.
30. Keep cheese from molding. Wrap cheese in a vinegar-soaked cloth, then place in an airtight container and refrigerate.
31. Renew a loofah. Soak your loofah in equal parts vinegar and water for 24 hours to dissolve soap residue, then rinse in cold water.
32. Remove wax. If you get melted candle wax on your wood furniture or floors, gently wipe it away with a cloth soaked in a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water.
33. Take a relaxing bath. Add ½ cup of vinegar to warm bath water for a cheap spa session at home. The vinegar removes dead skin, leaving you feeling soft and smooth.
34. Brighten your hair. Remove hair product buildup by rinsing a tablespoon of vinegar through your hair once a month.
35. Freshen fabrics. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spritz your home to neutralize odors in fabrics, carpets, shoes or any sprayable surface.
36. Erase crayon. If your kids get crayon marks on the walls or floor, dip a toothbrush in white vinegar and gently scrub. The vinegar breaks down the wax, making for an inexpensive, nontoxic way to clean up after children.
37. Sticky stickers. Don’t scratch at the residue left by stickers or price tags. Instead, apply vinegar to the gunk, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe the glue away.
38. Clean the dishwasher and coffee pot. Reduce soap buildup and food residue by pouring a cup of vinegar into your empty dishwasher or coffee pot once a month and letting it run a full cycle.
39. Sanitize pet accidents. You can remove the stain―and smell―of your pet’s accident by mixing ¼ cup vinegar with a quart of water and blotting the mixture onto the mess with a washcloth. Continue dabbing until the spot is gone.
40. Prep for summer grilling. To remove charcoal buildup from your grill, spray white distilled vinegar on balled up aluminum foil and scrub the grate thoroughly.
41. Restore shower head pressure. If your shower head gets clogged with mineral deposits, soak it for 15 minutes in a mixture of ½ cup vinegar and 1 quart water.
42. Clean your scissors. When your scissor blades get sticky, wipe them down with a cloth dipped in full-strength white vinegar. Unlike soap and water, vinegar won’t ruin the blades or rust the metal.
43. Unclog drains. For a natural, nontoxic way to clean clogged pipes, pour one cup of baking soda, followed by one cup of white vinegar, down the drain. Let the products bubble and foam, then flush the pipes with a pot of boiling water.
44. Eliminate dandruff. If your scalp is feeling dry or flaky, vinegar can be a simple at-home remedy. Once a week, pour one cup of apple cider vinegar over your scalp, and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with cool water.
45. Soften your feet. Summer sandals leaving you with cracked heals and calluses? Soak your feet for 20 minutes a day in one part vinegar to two parts warm water. The vinegar removes dead skin, leaving your feet soft and smooth.

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Things you didn't know Coca Cola could do!

1. Use Coke as an easy and very effective insect repellent.

Put some Coke in a bowl about an hour before your outdoor party and place it away from where you and your guests will be. Any unwanted insects and bugs will be too busy drinking the sweet and acidic soda to bother you and your guests.

2. Coca-Cola can be used to remove blood stains from clothes

3. Clean all the burnt stuff stuck at the bottom of a pan

Burnt on food can ruin a good pan if you can’t get it off. To save your good cookware, pour some Coke in the pan and let it soak overnight. The next morning, all that burnt food should come right off.

4. Make your car battery last longer

Corrosion on a car battery can cause problems with your vehicle, however if you simply pour some coke over the battery terminals you can clean it up in a flash.

5. Marker stains can be removed from carpet using Coke

If someone accidentally got marker on your carpet, pour some coke over it and then scrub with a soapy solution. The marker stains should come out easily.

6. Stained china can be cleaned using Coke

You can soak your vitreous China in Coke for a few hours, and those set in stains should come out easily.

7. Eliminate grease stains detergent alone just can't take care of

If you ever get grease or oil on your clothes while cooking, simply pour some Coke in the washer with the clothes. (And maybe wear an apron next time.)

8. Fix a bad dye job with Diet Coke

If you ever find yourself with a horrible dye job, soak your hair in Diet Coke and remove any permanent hair dye with ease.

9. Gum stuck in your hair? Use Coke to get it unstuck

Soak the gum and the hair in Coke for 15 minutes and then the gum will wipe out easily.

10. If you're looking to strip the paint from a metal surface, use Coke

If you soak a towel in Coke and then lay it over the paint for a few hours, the paint will come off when you remove the towel.

11. You can use Coca-Cola to clean oil stains off a garage floor

All you have to do is pour the coke on the stains, let it soak and then rinse it all off, including the oil stains with some water.

12. Clean pennies that have gotten filthy over time

After a while, pennies can become pretty gross. To clean them up, simply put them in a bowl with some Coke and in a few hours, they will come out looking like new.

13. Snails and slugs can be killed using Coca-Cola

The high acidity of the soda makes it incredibly effective when trying to kill the pests.

14. Clean the tile grout quick and easily

Tile grout can be one of the most difficult places to clean, but a can of Coke makes it easy. Simply pour the Coke on the floor, let it sit for a few minutes and then wipe the coke and dirt away.

15. Clean chrome with Coke and aluminum foil

Simply pour the Coke onto the dirty chrome and wipe with the aluminum foil to make that chrome shine like new.

16. Make a toilet bowl sparkling clean

Cleaning the toilet is easily one of the least desirable chores there is, so this quick tip makes it incredibly easy. Simply pour a can of Coke into the bowl and let it soak over night. The next morning, scrub the toilet with a brush and it all away.

17. A tooth can be dissolved in Coke

If a tooth is placed in a sealed container of Coke, it will eventually dissolve completely.

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