Make scrubbing your bathroom easier with the help of a homemade toilet bowl cleaner that really works. And this commode cleanser leaves your powder room nice and fresh and costs just about nothing to make. Vinegar and baking soda mix together creating serious bubbling action, which does all the dirty work for you. Sans harsh chemicals, this eco-friendly natural toilet bowl cleaner will keep your bathroom sparkling.

Read on for the ingredients.

Have you ever noticed there isn't an actual list of ingredients on your dish soap? Instead of tossing down the cash to pick up the top grease-fighting brand, try your hand at making your own eco-friendly liquid soap for just pennies per bottle. And you can personalize this dish soap with your favorite scent, turning washing dishes into a new favorite activity. Repurpose an old container for a fun and cute sink-side cleaning companion.

Read on for the directions.

If you find that you're still clutching your phone at the end of the day checking for emails and texts, then it's time to take a deep breath and get grounded. When you're overly preoccupied with work or social networking, you are more apt to miss out on what really matters: friends, family, and taking care of yourself. Here are a few simple ways to stay grounded even when you have a stacked schedule.

• Walk to work: Head outdoors and spend time with nature. Walk to work or park a little farther than usual and enjoy a brisk stroll. Even if you're walking on a busy city street, being outdoors helps keep you grounded. Listen to the sounds around you, smile at strangers, and take a few deep, cleansing breaths.
• Observe your thoughts: Spend a few moments sitting quietly with your eyes closed, and observe your thoughts. Focus on what you're thinking about, and remind yourself that it's OK to take a few minutes for yourself. Staying in tune with yourself keeps you on top of negative emotions and stress.
• Eat healthy: Picking up meals on the run seems like the best way to sneak in a bite to eat during a busy day, but fast food doesn't do your body good. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables keeps you connected to the Earth and nature and in tip-top shape mentally and physically.
• Enjoy a long foot soak: At the end of a busy day, put down your phone and soak your feet in a hot bath. A few moments of silent relaxation will help you stay in touch with yourself.

Keep reading for more ideas.

There's nothing worse than a carpet that doesn't smell fresh, especially when it's a wall-to-wall rug. You can't pick it up and give it a shake or a quick shampoo. Instead of investing in a steam cleaner, sprinkle homemade dry carpet cleaner around your abode, which will clean and freshen your carpets. And this eco-friendly cleaning concoction is made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, is safe to use around children and pets, and leaves carpets clean, soft, and refreshed.

Read on for the directions.

Instead of tossing those strawberries and blueberries that aren't so fresh, use them to naturally dye your Easter eggs. And if you've got a pair of nylons that have a run, they can help create eggs that will look amazing on your holiday table. You might be surprised at how various odds and ends, like onion skins and used tea bags, create eco-friendly colorings that give your leftovers a second use — and cost basically nothing to make. Set color with a splash of vinegar, soak hard-boiled eggs for a few hours, and you're on your way to the prettiest Easter eggs on the block.

Keep reading for the directions.

It's hard to wait, and being patient can be a practice that takes effort. From waiting for an important call to remaining calm when making decisions, staying composed is a practice that shows intelligence and self-control. Here are a few tips for having more patience the next time you find yourself feeling a bit too eager:

• Deep, slow breaths: When you're in the moment and can't seem to get a grip, take five slow, deep breaths. While breathing, imagine yourself calming down until you feel in control.
• Timetable: The best way to create a composed demeanor is to learn how to keep your emotions in check. Take note of the times of day you seem impatient, what is happening, and how the elevated mood could be avoided. Sometimes simply being aware of times that are challenging helps keep your emotions in check.
• Practice active listening: Whether at the office or out with your besties, active listening encourages you to really listen and respond to what you hear, encouraging patience. Active listening engages the listener to re-state or rephrase the information heard back to the speaker. This creates greater understanding and reduces tensions, building a calm atmosphere for all participating in the conversation.

Keep reading for more tips.

Hydrogen peroxide can be found at just about any grocery store for only a few dollars, and there are so many smart uses for this fizzy oxidizer. What actually is hydrogen peroxide? It's the simplest peroxide, a compound with an oxygen-oxygen bond, and it helps reduce oxidization. You can find hydrogen peroxide in fresh fruit and vegetables and in the body's immune system. But the commercial concoction that you can pick up at the store is a serious powerhouse around the home — and in a few other ways that might surprise you.

• Clean wounds: Most of us know to reach for hydrogen peroxide when we see blood to help clean wounds. This home remedy really works by helping to stop capillary bleeding and safely disinfecting the cut.
• Dissolve ear wax: When ears are feeling a bit plugged, safely clear them up by adding a few drops of olive oil to the ear canal followed with a few drops of hydrogen peroxide. Let sit and then tilt head and allow to release.
• Deskunk your pup: The next time your dog gets in a tussle with a skunk, mix together one-quart hydrogen peroxide, one-teaspoon liquid dish detergent, and two quarts warm water in a big bucket. Use for soaping up your dog and then rinse with water.

• Clean cutting board: Spritz your cutting board with hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for several minutes before wiping clean. And it's safe to use on plastic or wood boards.

Keep reading for more smart uses for hydrogen peroxide.

Instead of reaching for one cleaner for this and another for that, this homemade and eco-friendly all purpose cleaner does a great job on just about anything. From dirty sinks to messy countertops, this homemade cleaner will leave things spotless with Borax and deodorizing lemon juice.

Borax is a natural grease-buster that also does double-duty as a disinfectant. The addition of vinegar breaks down bacteria, while hydrogen peroxide naturally cleans and shines. And this squeaky-clean concoction only costs pennies per bottle.

Keep reading for the ingredients.

A big pile of laundry waiting to hit the washing machine doesn't just inspire dread; doing all those loads starts to add up on the pocketbook, as well. With some premium liquid laundry detergents topping out around $10 for 12 ounces, tossing down the cash to keep those jugs full gets expensive. For the same cost of one container of store-purchased detergent, you can pick up the all-natural ingredients needed to make gallons and gallons of laundry detergent that costs pennies per load. And you can personalize this eco cleaning concoction with essential oils, leaving your clothes fresh and wonderfully clean.

Keep reading for the ingredients.

Sometimes it seems the minute you finish dusting your house, it's time to start all over again. Dust finds its way under, around, and on top of just about everything, creating a fine layer of mess that doesn't seem to stop. Whether you're using fancy dusters or homemade solutions, dust always seems to find a way to accumulate over and over again. Keep reading for a few interesting facts and helpful tips for banishing dust from your home.

What is dust? Ever wondered what the heck dust actually is? Well, you might not want to know. Dust is a fine, dry particle comprised of earth or waste matter that finds its way to the ground or any surface area. It's often moved and carried through the air until it finds a sticking point. Pollen, human skin cells, pet dander, textile fibers, and human and animal hairs are major components of common dust particles.

Read on for ways to banish dust from your home.

If you've got wood furniture that needs a bit of buffing, then instead of reaching for that sticky stuff in the spray bottle, make your own homemade furniture polish with ingredients you probably have in your pantry. It's like making a special salad dressing for your beloved wood furnishings. This helpful concoction cleans while nourishing tables and chairs, and it doesn't include waxy ingredients that create unwanted buildup.

Keep reading for the furniture polish ingredients.