The uplifting fragrance of citrus vinegar never fails to improve my mood. The aromatherapy of using citrus couldn’t be more different from the artificial fragrances that so many commercial products are laced with. “Added fragrance” is cunningly created out of artificial chemicals to fool the senses, and comes laden with health risks. But the sweet, […]
Toothsome Toothpaste – why try it?
I’ve been working on some new toothpastes, and I realised I had so much to say about them that I needed to devote a whole post to the topic! I use the Spotless toothpaste as my base recipe. I wrote quite a bit about the benefits of the main ingredients of that recipe when I […]
Homemade softening hair conditioner
This year’s birthday post is a little gift to your hair. Several weeks ago I shared my story of washing my hair with rye flour and promised to follow up by telling you about my two favourite conditioners. Well, here is the first. Before I begin, I must apologise that I have no nice pictures […]
Travelling light
Have you noticed the sweet little collections of tiny packages of personal care products, marketed as convenient, pint-sized travel packs? They seem more like a waste of excessive packaging to me, but there is definitely something appealing about having everything you need, ready to use, and not taking up a lot of space, when you […]
Chocolate spread
I know, chocolate spread has nothing to do with either household cleaning or personal care. But… I have to share this recipe! I have no other excuse for this post (though it is cheap, simple and wholesome, just like everything else on Spotless). Perhaps you could indulge in eating it after some household cleaning, or […]
The dirt on soap, part 1
The history of soap is long and fascinating. Soap has been made and used for thousands of years in various forms and by various people and much has been written about them all. However, it was really only from the 1800s onwards, as people began to understand the link between cleanliness and health, that the […]
Citrus cleaner, part one: How to make it
As anyone who has looked around this website will know, I use a lot of vinegar in my household cleaning, and also in personal care, and you may too if you’re implementing the spotless approach in your home. I often mention infusing the vinegar with citrus peels to boost its cleaning powers and improve its […]
Rooibos: Solar tea
I’ve been using a lot of (and writing a lot about) Rooibos tea lately – at nappy changes, for rinsing my hair, on my skin, not to mention to drink. So I thought I’d share with you a very simple spotless way of making it (or any tea). It isn’t instant, but you can do […]
Protecting your strawberries, naturally
Strawberries must surely be one of the most beloved of fruits. Delicious heart- shaped pockets of sweet pinky-red juiciness… Yum! Like little exposed hearts, they are also very fragile, and as inviting to every passing insect as they are to us. It is still certainly worth the effort of growing them yourself though. Apart from […]
The aisles
Every now and then, out of morbid curiosity, I take a wander down the two aisles I otherwise avoid in the supermarket: you guessed it, household cleaning and personal care. In both, I am overwhelmed by a couple of impressions. First, and especially in the cleaning aisle, is the air, laden with artificial fragrances that […]