Make Your Own Moroccan Mint Tea

 The heat of summer has definitely rolled in here and with that comes the need for a great refreshing drink and Moroccan Mint Tea comes quickly to mind.  Although it's a great 4 season tea, it really comes across best iced in the summer (at least to me!)

When you hear the word "Moroccan," images of a busy and crowded open air market amidst hot temperatures immediately comes to mind.  It's no wonder that spearmint is the refreshment factor in this very famous tea.

 

In North Africa, in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia specifically, this tea is served all day.  It is considered a drink of hospitality and is served whenever visitors arrive as well as at mealtimes.  Shop owners will greet you with a cup of this tea when you enter their shop.  

 Best of all, this tea is made from very simple and basic ingredients.  I really enjoy using bulk tea for the Gunpowder, but even a green tea bag will work.  You can also use spearmint fresh or dried, depending on what you have on hand.  Again, a spearmint tea bag will suffice if you want to give this a try.  I like using the best ingredients available to get the best flavor, but feel free to experiment.

 To get to the actual preparation, I will give you a recipe by the glass and for a teapot amount.  You'll probably want the teapot version because this tea will be addictive!

By the Cup:

1 tsp of Gunpowder Green loose tea.  (Use a quality green teabag if you don't have the loose tea)
1-2 nice sized sprigs of fresh spearmint. (Use a teaspoon of loose dried spearmint or a teabag of a quality spearmint tea)
1 tsp of sugar (traditionally it's sugar, but you can use Stevia or honey if you like)
1 to 1/2 cups of boiling water (depends on the size of your mug or glass.)

Steep tea leaves, mint and sugar in boiling hot water for 3 minutes.  Gunpowder is a strong tea so if you oversteep it, it can become bitter.  Save these tea leaves for at least one more steeping as well.

To mix the tea, pour into another glass and then pour back into the original glass.  This also aerates the tea.  

Garnish with a sprig of fresh spearmint to serve.  Drink hot (like they do even in summer) or serve over ice for an amazing refreshing drink.

 By the Teapot (1-1/2 quart):


1 Tbsp of Gunpowder Green loose tea.  (Use a quality green teabag if you don't have the loose tea)
4-5 nice sized sprigs of fresh spearmint. (Use a teaspoon of loose dried spearmint or a teabag of a quality spearmint tea)
3-4 Tbsp of sugar

 Steep tea leaves, mint and sugar in boiling hot water for 3 minutes.  Gunpowder is a strong tea so if you oversteep it can become bitter.  Save these tea leaves for at least one more steeping as well.

Pour your first cup of tea out and then back into the teapot to mix and combine well. 

 (If you're feeling very Moroccan, then when you're ready to serve, pour your tea into tall heat resistant glasses and pour from as high as you can manage with out spilling. (Do not hold the glass and place on a tray to catch spillage.)  This will aerate the tea and create a froth on top...yum.  Not a necessary step, but very North African if you're are daring with your tea experiences.)

Photo Source

Sip, enjoy, repeat.

I make a dry mix for winter use as it's one of our son's favorite teas.  Just a mix of half gunpowder and half spearmint.  Use a tsp and a half or to taste.  Makes a great gift as well.

Two great tastes combine for one amazing refreshing tea.  And of course, this tea is full of health benefits as well.

Thanks for reading...Blessings!



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Rooibos Tea: An Herbal Wonder

Years ago while I was learning about teas and herbals, I decided to look for a tea I could drink on a daily basis.  I am sensitive to caffeine so regular tea wasn't going to work even though I love it.  I tried lots and lots of herbals as well and couldn't find one that gave me the feeling of black/green teas.  I needed to find something that would take the place of regular tea without any caffeine at all in it and that's where rooibos (roy-boss) came in.  

A South African native plant, rooibos has been consumed there for generations by the native people and is served everywhere as the tea of choice. First noticed by Europeans in the late 1700's, it slowly came to other countries as it was considered a black tea alternative as far as taste.  I find rooibos to have a slightly sweet,sometimes fruity, earthy, full bodied flavor.  It's red in color and gives me the sense of drinking a cup of black tea without any of tea's bitter notes.

Rooibos Bush (Photo Source)
 

Red rooibos is made by bruising the needle-like leaves and then allowing them to ferment.  Green rooibos is not oxidized and costs a bit more because it's more labor intensive to produce.  Green tea has more of an herbal, grass-like taste.  Both teas are often paired with other flavors to bring out the best of its flavors.  I enjoy red rooibos with vanilla and apple cinnamon, which really brings out the herbs natural fruity flavors.

This is one herb that can be steeped for long periods of time without any bitterness due to rooibos' lack of tannins.  I often leave my tea basket of leaves steep for an hour with no adverse effects of flavor.  I like to extract all of its medicinal benefits but steeping five minutes in boiling water is the normal way to prepare this tea.  Unlike many herbals, red rooibos can be served with cream and sweetened as desired. 

                                           So what are the health benefits of rooibos?

First of all, I like to look at rooibos as a nice tonic type of herb.  In other words, it's okay to use long term and safe for kids. This is important as I was looking for something mild enough to drink on a daily basis.  So, most of its benefits are long term and for helpful for your overall health.

In South Africa it's traditional uses are for colic, allergies, asthma and dermatological conditions.

                                                       Rooibos Tea and Antioxidants

It also contains anti-oxidants. Some articles claim that it contains more than green tea, and others the same. So based off of that information, I would say it's safe to say it's a good alternative to green tea.  Its two comparatively rare antioxidants, aspalathin and nothofagin, each have different benefits. Aspalathin helps to modify hormones in the body, which in turn help to reduce stress and metabolic disorders. Nothofagin demonstrates significant anti-inflammatory activity.  Both antioxidants may help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and are both good for the nerves.

 Helpful against Diabetes?

Both of these antioxidants also help to regulate blood sugar which in turn can help to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and excessive fat production.  This would be an excellent beverage to drink along with a low carb/fat diet to help bring maximum benefits to your body against any sugar problems.

                                                  Helpful against Cardiovascular Problems?

 Rooibos also contains the super-antioxidant compound quercetin, noted for promoting heart health.  Quercetin acts as an anti-inflammatory which helps against heart disease and cancer.

In one study where 6 cups were consumed daily, some of the results were that it lowered levels of LDL (lousy cholesterol) and raised HDL (healthy cholesterol) making it very valuable for overall heart health.

Rooibos is really a great herbal beverage to add to your tea locker.  I have found that red rooibos is generally less expensive (in loose, bulk quantity) and is a great drink to enjoy hot or iced.  You'll often find it in herbal blends with chai or vanilla, both great flavors to drink with rooibos.  Drinking it in a blend is also a great way to get introduced to its unique flavor.  I like to buy plain rooibos and add it to our Summer Tea Blend to boost its already great health qualities.  You can mix plain rooibos with fruity herbal teas to find what flavors you like best.

I drink about 24 oz of rooibos a day.  Usually red but sometimes green in a blend.  I really enjoy it and not only am I getting hydrated but also am receiving its many amazing health attributes. I love the idea of drinking something that I not only enjoy, but it's great for me too.

Hope you were able to learn something new about this fabulous African herbal!  Blessings!

Do you enjoy rooibos?  What's your favorite flavor?

Resources:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/03/27/red-tea-even-better-for-than-green-tea/ 
http://www.healthyfellow.com/230/rooibos-and-diabetes/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooibos
http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/red-rooibos-tea-health-benefits#axzz2OgZDp8eJ

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The Health Benefits of Tea

 What's one beverage that costs pennies per cup and is full of antioxidants and health benefits as well?   You can find it everywhere and tastes great?  Look no further than your simple glass of tea...black, green, or somewhere in between, this centuries old plant has been providing leaves of wholesome goodness for past and present civilizations.  It tends to get lost in our coffee drinking culture (I love coffee myself) but will hopefully be coming into the limelight even more as we discover just what a gem of an herbal this is!

Tea is not a wonder cure-all like many health claims out there try to boast.  It has been said to help everything from a cold to cancer.  And while most studies are very promising about its benefits, you'll find conflicting studies as well.  So I wanted to wade through all the information and get an understanding how tea can be a beneficial tonic, not a miracle cure, but a valuable drink to include in your daily diet. 

 "Camellia Sinensis."  Sounds like a character from the Lord of the Rings, but this is the latin name of the tea plant which is primarily grown in the eastern regions of the world including China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka (known for it's Ceylon tea) and Taiwan.  It's also grown in other locations, but these locations are called the "Big Five" because of their exceptional quality.

The tea plant is actually a cultivated evergreen which is usually trimmed to keep it's height below 6 feet.  If left to grow wild, it can reach up to 30 feet.

All forms of tea, black, green, oolong, yellow (not common in the U.S.) and white are all the same leaf.  They are processed differently.  Black tea is made by allowing the leaves to ferment which causes them to turn dark, while oolongs are partially fermented and greens are not fermented at all.  White teas are generally leaves picked at earlier times in the season and therefore have a much lighter flavor and color.  They are not fermented either.  

"Camellia Sinensis" (Photo Source)

You've probably seen some articles out there about the tea plant and the benefits they have for your health.  I've read them too and even though the claims do vary, tea is definitely an undervalued herbal health tool.  It's also economical and delicious...and that makes for a great natural health remedy.

Before we start, let's understand that all tea varieties, black, green, oolong and white, all have tremendous health benefits.  Green tea is supposed to offer a few more of it's own because the tea leaves haven't been oxidized or fermented like black tea.  However, if you only ever drink black tea, know that these health benefits are still very much present in the tea leaves.

1. All forms of tea are rich in flavonoids and  the antioxidant, "polyphenols".  They have been shown to have 10 times the amount of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables. What do these antioxidants do?  Basically, they look for cell-damaging free radicals and detoxify them.
What does this mean for our health?  "These antioxidants block DNA damage associated with tobacco and other toxic chemicals."1  This means that tea can help prevent against certain cancers in our body!  

What else does this mean? They also help protect against cardiovascular disease.  "The detoxifying effect of these antioxidants protects cells from free radicals, the damage that can lead to blood clot formation and atherosclerosis."2

"The bulk of research shows that regular tea drinkers, people who drink two cups or more a day, have less heart disease and stroke, lower total and LDL (often called "bad") cholesterol, and that they recover from heart attacks faster." 3

 This includes both black and green.  This was news for me as green tea is always being touted as the better tea of the two.  But according to an interview by WebMD with John Weisburger, PhD, senior researcher at the Institute for Cancer Prevention in Valhalla, N.Y., "In my lab, we found that green and black tea had identical amounts of polyphenols,"4  Which means drink whichever tea you like, they are all found to have lots of antioxidants.

2. Tea helps you to be  in a state of "calm alertness." 

Because the caffeine in tea is water soluble, the body is able to digest it easily and pass through your system quickly.  This is unlike coffee where the caffeine is not water soluble and stays in your body much longer leading to sleeplessness at night if consumed late.  Yes, there is less caffeine in tea as well so you can drink more of it without too much caffeine consumption if you're trying to avoid it.  (Info from "A Guide To Tea" by Chris Cason)

A good strong cup of English Breakfast or Irish Breakfast black tea in the morning is a good pick-me up if you need to wake up but won't stay too long in your body if coffee gives you "the jitters."

3. Tea is also reputed to help with digestive complaints. 

It seems tea is an old home remedy to help out with some of these mild digestive orders. It's supposed to be helpful in easing Irritable Bowel Syndrome because all teas contain some anti-inflammatory properties.  So, if the digestive disorder has to do with inflammation, tea having some "calming" properties should be of help. 

4. Green tea is found to contain fluoride and is helpful in preventing cavities.  

 "Green tea contains compounds that appear to control inflammation and fight bacterial infection." 5
"Green tea’s anti-inflammatory powers seem to help control periodontal (gum) disease. A Japanese survey of almost 1,000 men found that those who drank green tea regularly had healthier gums than those who didn’t. A German study found similar positive results in people who were asked to chew candies containing green-tea extracts." 6
 So, have your kiddos brush their teeth AFTER they drink their favorite cup of tea...decaf of course!

Some Important Things to Consider: 

1. The health studies for tea seem to be varied and sometimes contradictory.  But all in all, tea has been consumed by the Chinese and Japanese for centuries and the civilizations have acknowledged the benefits of tea through their own usage.  It sometimes takes science to catch up with such years of experience.

2. Tea is not meant to be a cure-all.  When drinking it for your health, an overall healthful lifestyle needs to be lived.  Think of it as a tonic instead of a cure but a great beverage that contains some vitamins and healthful properties that can be good for your body.  All of teas benefits are not yet understood, so drinking it is a great alternative to the sugar and chemical filled drinks out there, especially when dining out. 

3. Tea is a great beverage to introduce to your children.  In the age of sugar laden sodas and energy drinks, tea is a great alternative.  Our kids drank herbal teas out of the their bottles and sippy cups and soon were introduced to mild green teas as they grew older.  This has helped them to stay away from these other harmful drinks.   With so many different varieties of tea, they each have their own favorites and have introduced their friends to gourmet tea as well. (They will drink soda, but they do a great job in limiting how much they drink and they don't get it very often.)

4. Tea bags contain these aforementioned health benefits but are usually made from what they call "tea dust" in the industry.  If you enjoy tea, you may want to explore the wonderful world of loose leaf tea as the flavors will have you coming back for more! 

5. Tea sold in bottles is usually made from a concentrate and LOTS of syrup.  I've tried them and basically they are (in my own opinion) not tea, but sugar water.  They do NOT have the same health benefits as brewed tea.  Our Subway restaurants carry brewed tea that is unsweetened as well.  This way you can control how much sugar you put in your own tea.

This is just a little bit of information of the benefits of tea.  New studies come out daily showing how helpful they can be.  Tea may not be a wonder cure-all, but it's definitely a great beverage to drink on a daily basis.  Served hot or cold, it's delicious and I know it's helping my body and not harming it.  

What's your favorite tea to drink?  Blessings!


Interested in more posts on tea?  Check out these other links...Three Reasons Why to Buy Bulk Loose Tea and Reviewing My Favorite Tea Steepers

Resources: 

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/antioxidants-in-green-and-black-tea(1,2,3,4)
http://www.teabenefits.com/
http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/plants/theaceae/camellia_sinensis.htm
http://qtradeteas.wordpress.com/2011/08/15/where-does-tea-come-from/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/463257-does-tea-help-digestion/ 
http://www.besthealthmag.ca/get-healthy/oral-health/5-ways-green-tea-is-good-for-your-oral-health  5, 6



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Reviewing My Favorite Tea Steepers for Loose Teas

My last post on Three Reasons to Buy Bulk Tea shared my warm and happy thoughts on loose leaf teas...but when purchasing teas whole leaf, it's easy to get a little overwhelmed at the idea of how to prepare them.  So I hope this post will help take some of the anxiety out of fixing them AND hopefully share some tea steepers that really do a pretty great job of brewing a great cup of tea.  My first foray into whole leaf teas took place many years ago as a newlywed eating at a local Chinese restaurant.  The first sip I had of the prepared tea the waiter brought to the table rocked my liquid world...it was amazing.

 

Of course, I had to buy the tea for myself...it was too delicious to be true.  So, I asked the Chinese waiter what the name of the tea was and he answered me, but for the life of me I had no idea what he was saying.  Poor guy, I think I asked him to say it about three times before I let him get back to work.  I kept repeating the word that I thought he was saying, but I really had no idea.  

Now this Chinese restaurant had a little store attached and I promptly went over to it and looked for the tea.  I found a golden tin on the shelf labeled "Jasmine" and all of a sudden the waiter's voice echoed in my ear...I realized the tea was jasmine!! Yeah!  So, I bought my tin of amazing tea and took it home...well, it sat unused for a long time.  I couldn't figure out how to fix it and what to use and so on.  I am happy to say that my confusion didn't last too long and I soon accumulated a large collection of tea steepers.  Some gifts, some I bought, some I picked up...you name it.  I went through them all and learned what worked for me and what didn't work.

And here's where my review begins:

 

First we have the tea steepers that come with punched out holes in them.  I have them in all sizes and shapes (except I curiously don't have the all too familiar egg-shaped tea ball!?)  These have been the most common ones I 've seen around at the grocery store or local Walmart.  I even found a few vintage ones (like the one in the front.)  Now, I have a problem with these steepers.  The first thing is that some of the steepers are ridiculously small.  This picture doesn't show them true to size, but trust me, many are very small.  A small tea steeper means it's difficult to get a decent cup of tea from them.  They're hard to fill and the leaves certainly don't circulate. 

This steeper is so small, but it's really cute and I'll admit - fun to look at!

My second reason for not liking them is that they let some of the tea leaves escape and that  means a cloudy cup of tea.  Not a drink spoiler but let's face it...it bugs me.  I want my cup of tea "clean" as possible as that enables me to re-steep the leaves again.  So, I pretty much do not use any of these unless I have a large leaf tea that won't come out through the holes.  I still own these because my family, much less particular than I, will use them.

Not all mesh is made alike; look for a nice tight weave which limits the amount of escaping leaves.

Next we have the mesh tea steepers.  Now I am interested.  These make much more sense.  However, most of the ones I have are made to filter the tea leaves and not to steep them.  
Like the next two in the photos...

The one above swings so when you're done using it, it drips into its own little tray.  Clever.  

This is a classic English style... at least I've seen them used in BBC tv productions.  But the vintage ones had holes in theirs and not mesh.  These last two "steepers' are best used with a tea pot as you have to pour the tea from one container to the next.  I actually like these two a lot and have used them, but they're not ideal for a single cup of tea.

Now we come to modern days with this really cool tea stick.  I saw this in a coffee/tea magazine when we were managing a coffee house some years ago.  I wanted one really bad at the time.  My husband heard and promptly bought one for me for my birthday.  I won't say how much he paid for it but trust me it was A LOT.  My heart was touched and it really is the coolest steeper on the block.  It does a better job than the steepers with holes, but is not as good as the mesh.  I tend to use it for large leafed greens and it works fine.  You can see how you slide the punched holed cover to measure your tea, close it, steep and stir your tea with just this stick.  Pretty ingenious...just don't overfill.

Now we come this final steeper...the big "daddy" of them all.  I actually bought this one as a part of a set.  It came in a teapot which arrived broken.  I sent the teapot back but kept the steeper because it fit everything from a regular mug to a 32 oz. teapot! This steeper won my heart.  It's made of steel and no plastic parts (I don't care for plastic in steepers) and is perforated with micro holes so that not even the finest rooibos leaves escape.  Not too mention that it is large enough to allow the tea leaves to happily swim about imparting their delicious flavor to the water.  Three great reasons that make this the steeper I go to every time, whether for my teapot or mug.  It was also a reasonable price and you can find this one here (replacement infuser).

Okay, here are my top three steepers.  Actually the little teapot steeper is not very effective, but every tea collection should have one kitsch-y one... :)

There are also many types of disposable tea bags out there in case you don't want anything bulky to store.  You can find a bunch here.  I've bought and made my own tea bags before but have never used these particular ones.  They make sense that they would work, but I would rather stick with a more economical steeper as we drink many cups.  But these seem pretty practical too. 

I also found this one called the Tuffy Tea Steeper.

 It's collapsible so it's easy to store and made from food grade silicone.  Because this one has holes, I think this could work for larger leaf teas; maybe not rooibos so much.  It looks interesting though and tempting, but I am sticking with my large tea infuser for sure.

Okay, that's what I've found so far in my tea drinking journey...what's your favorite way to steep loose leaf tea?

Blessings!

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Three Reasons Why to Buy Bulk Loose Tea.

When it comes to buying in bulk, it seems natural enough for coffee...but what about tea?  For some reason, it seems like a crazy purchase that makes no sense but I want to show you three great reasons you should consider buying your tea this way.  If you only ever drink a cup of tea every once in a while, then this is probably not for you.  However, if you enjoy drinking it hot or iced all year long like we do, then you'll want to read on to see why it's a great idea to buy lots of tea leaves and step away from the tea bag!

We drink all kinds of teas because they taste great, but also because they're nutritious and medicinal.  Green, white, oolong and black teas all come from Camellia Sinensis plant or bush.  They are all the same leaf but look and taste different based on the way they were dried and processed. White/green being the only non-processed leaf. They all contain antioxidants but green and white contain the most.  Green tea has been researched quite a bit in recent years and is found to be helpful in preventing cancer, stomach conditions, beneficial for the liver and skin (resource.)

Herbals, especially "rooibos" are also chock full of antioxidants as well as alpha-hydroxy and I drink this one for my skin on a daily basis. Rooibos comes from a plant in Africa, so even though it has the dark coloring of black tea, it actually is decaffinated and has no tannins.  No tannins = not bitter!  I have a "caffeine-sensitivity" so Rooibos gives me the benefits of green tea without the caffeine.

Of course, all this information makes them a great reason to drink more tea.  So, we drink these in place of sodas and sugared vitamin waters as they do so much more than just taste great. 

Now I still do have and use teabags, but our main teas I buy in bulk.  There's room for both in your tea locker (yes, I do have an actual painted locker I use for herbs and teas!) but buying your tea loose leaf and in larger quantities makes LOTS of sense.

 

  Okay, let's get  on to the reasons...

Reason #1: Taste!  Buying your tea loose leaf is going to naturally result in MUCH better tasting teas.  One reason is that the leaves are much larger and not broken down in order to fit into the bags.  Once a leaf has been broken in pieces, it begins to lose its essential oils which means it loses much of its flavor.  The first time I tasted bulk loose tea leaves that I had steeped myself, it was a tea experience epiphany! It's like comparing a value hamburger to a prime rib...no comparison.  Now, you can get a decent cup of tea from a bag sometimes, but it's never the same as with good quality loose leaf tea.  Cup after cup, I can tell the difference and tea has never been the same since I tasted it this way.  Quality wins, every time.

Reason #2: Value.  Yes, when you see how much a pound of tea costs, it's can be a bit of a shock.  It's almost always much more than a pound of coffee, however, I've found several places that sell great tea at a great price. (Check out Adagio Tea for Rooibos, Mountain Rose Herbs for Green)  I pay only 10 cents a cup for a pound of organic rooibos from Adagio Teas.  Plus, every purchase, review and post on Facebook gives me points towards 100 points for $10  coupon for my next order!  It's a great deal and I've been ordering from them for years. Plus they have the best shipping prices that I've found on the web.  A good gunpowder green tea can be purchased from Mountain Rose Herbs. Only $12 a pound!  Also, if you buy great quality tea, this means you'll end up with leaves that you can steep multiple times.  And that means more $$ for your buck. We usually steep twice and then drink the tea iced the next day. Yes, I know tea bags can be steeped again but we're talking about gourmet high quality tea that taste great.  It's a much better tasting tea,
  Can't drink a pound?  Consider putting in a fun packages and gifting some of it.  Or, find another tea addict, I mean, tea drinker and goes halvies with them.  I have quite a lot of tea here...there are four of us and we drink an assortment of herbals, greens and black tea and it doesn't go to waste!

Reason #3: It's Green!  That's right.  No more tea bags, strings and boxes to go into landfill.  I recycle my boxes and compost the paper tea bags, but they do take awhile to break down.  This also brings me to the new line of teas in the pyramid bags.  They put them in these bags so they don't have to break up the tea leaves and lose its flavor.  Great idea, however, these bags seem to be made of some kind of nylon material.  Definitely NOT going into my compost bin :(.  Now when I'm brewing loose leaf tea and I'm finished with my multiple steepings, I simply compost the tea leaves. Done.  I like this reason...while I do use some tea bags especially when I'm on the go, most of my steeping is done paper free.  

 

  Of course this all touches on what you steep your tea with and that will be for another post.  I have an assortment of tea steepers and I'll show you my favorites and why I like them.  There are some great products to steep with now and it's so easy to use them, you'll wonder why you didn't drink loose tea sooner!

Storage is premium for bulk loose tea.  But it's also simple.  They usually come in a foil bag with a zip closer.  I mostly keep them in these bags, in my tea locker (any pantry or cabinet away from light and moisture will do) or in any kind of air tight container. 

I have quite a few tea tins that I use and re-label to store new teas in as well.  I have one tin of Jasmine that I've stored for a good ten (yikes!) years and it still smells amazing whenever I open it.  Now, the teas should be used faster than that, but it does show you how proper storage can extend their lives!

I hope this inspires you to try bulk loose teas or to as least consider them.  If you've never tried quality tea, then well, this could be the time to drink it...it will revolutionize your taste buds!!

Blessings!!

What's your favorite tea? 

Are you a fan of tea?  You may want to check out these posts...Vintage Tea Room Fun
Tea Chat at the Open Door Coffee House  Mother's Day Tea Party


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Do These Green Cleaners Really Work?

I have been noticing quite a few postings on Pinterest of recipes to make your own "Green" cleaners.  So, I thought I would share what I have experienced from using them personally.  After all, reviews are an excellent way to make a decision about a purchase or a recipe.  I know I always check out reviews...and to be honest, they are pretty legit.  I have yet to be steered wrong from them.  I make sure I read a lot of reviews.  I read the best and I read the worst and make my decision based on how bad is the worst and why it's so bad.  

So with all that being said, let's return to the cleaners.  I found a Pinterest recipe for a Citrus Vinegar Cleaner.  It's pretty basic and super easy, which automatically is a pro for this cleaner.
   

Get your lemon/orange peels and place them in a jar.  I used quite a few lemons, but oranges are great too.

Grab your vinegar, the white stuff, at pennies an ounce, is perfect for this recipe.

Pour and...

That's it.  Now you just let it steep until the vinegar turns yellow or orange or a mix of the two since I put both lemon and orange peels in together.  It may take a few weeks, but I get one started and keep one going so I don't run out.  Then you strain through a simple strainer and put in a spray bottle to use.  You can dilute this recipe too if you want.  I did on the second batch, and it's up to you how much you dilute it.  I didn't too much as I wanted it to be pretty potent. 

I used this cleaner in the bathroom to disinfect the sink and the toilet area.  It cleaned it as well.  It was hard to tell if it worked as I mainly was using it to kill germs which vinegar does do. Check out some more info here about how vinegar at 5% strength (undiluted) is a great germ killer.  Here's another site that gives you ten ways to use vinegar around your house.

The Results: Vinegar works!  It really does.  I've used it for years as a floor cleaner too.  Be aware that it's acidic and will rust the metal parts in a mop.  But, it works.  It's a great window cleaner and best of all, it has kept the bottom of my toothbrush holder clean from mildew.  That's worth every penny there.  You couldn't use a regular chemical cleaner for that!

The Drawbacks: It has that lovely vinegar aroma, but the smell will go away and at least you know the aroma won't kill you.  It didn't clean the mildew as well as I would have liked in the shower.  You do have to spray it a lot and make sure you start out with a clean surface to begin with.  It's also not as quick to clean as a heavy duty chemical cleaner...but I'm willing to wait.  I also don't know if you really need the citrus.  It may help with degreasing, but for general cleaning, straight vinegar is good enough for me.

Overall, it's worth using for sure and I find I am cleaning more because I don't have issues with the highly toxic odors from the chemical cleaners.  In other words, I'm stocking up on vinegar!  (Oh, and I do use it for laundry too!)  The lemon/orange peels are optional, but their essential oils probably add a little to the cleaner.  I just don't think they are super necessary.

Baking soda is in a class all of it's own and I've only begun to scratch the surface all of its cleaning uses.  Not bad considering you use this vital ingredient in quick breads and cookies.  My one use that I love is simply this...it's great at scouring the tub.  Yep, no more Comet cleaner for me.  It works well and yes, I do have to use some elbow grease but that's the way it goes with certain types of cleaning. 

But this cleanser is a win-win.  You can cook with it, you can clean with it...you've got to love that.  My mother used to use it as an antacid.  Good to know, but I think I would have to be desperate for that one!  She also used it as toothpaste.  I've used it for that too.  It's abrasive but gentle on your teeth.  Here's a great link for 51 uses for baking soda.

So, my final verdict is that these two pantry staples not only stay in my kitchen, but I'm going out to buy more.  Hopefully in the largest sizes I can find!  

So add my review to others you may find.  It's worth a read and maybe will help you decide about using these two wonders as cleaners.  The best thing about vinegar and baking soda is there is NO recipe to try to remember.  Just use them the way they are...perfect.

What are some of your favorite uses for vinegar and/or baking soda?  Blessings!


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