If I had a dime for every time I had to clean dog snot off the windows, I’d be independently wealthy, posting this from a white sandy beach in Tahiti, drinking something exotic from a coconut shell with a little paper umbrella in it.

I’ll admit that I’ve gone through a lot of commercial window cleaner in my time.  It’s funny how we tend to believe that if it’s not dyed, scented, doesn’t lather or produce suds, it can’t possibly work. But about four years ago I discovered that not only do some homemade cleaners work, they may actually work better, without using harsh chemicals.

Making your own window cleaner is economical and easy, using four ingredients that you already have on hand.  Honest.  You need just;

• 1 cup of rubbing alcohol
• 1 cup of water
• 1 Tbsp of white vinegar
• 2 or 3 drops of liquid dish soap

Just pour these four ingredients into a clean spray bottle and give it a quick shake.  See.  I told you it was easy.  And you made it for mere pennies.

This works great on windows, mirrors, chrome, even ceramic tile.  For a streak free shine on windows and mirrors, spray it on, then wipe it dry with crumpled newspaper.

Tags: glass cleaner, homemade

Okay, so we all saw that segment on Primetime (or was it 20/20?) about the nasties they found when they tested the lemon wedges that are served in restaurants all over the country. (If you didn’t see it, let’s just say they discovered a cauldron of bacteria, including…… gasp …… fecal bacteria.)

Next to coffee, a glass of ice water with lemon is my beverage of choice. To be honest, I was perfectly content not knowing that I was quite possibly consuming enough bacteria to kill a pony. But after watching that segment I just couldn’t lose the mental image of a turd floating in my glass.

Then, somewhere in my online travels, I came upon an offer for a sample of True Lemon Crystallized Lemon. It comes in single packets that can be carried in your pocket or purse. This stuff is pure citrus heaven. Not only does it taste like a genuine lemon, it has zero calories and zero carbs. And If you like variety, they make True Lime and True Orange too.

I’ve had no luck finding it locally, but you can look for it in the baking aisle of your local grocers. Sometimes, just to keep you on your toes, it’ll be in the powered drink mix section.

Tags: lemon, lime