In my quest to reduce the amount of plastic that we consume as a family, I have finally succeeded in making my own toothpaste. After collecting the simple recipes for a couple of months, I played with the ingredients to make a paste that is to my liking.
Alabama Toothpaste
6 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
5 teaspoons vegetable glycerin
1/2 teaspoon peppermint flavoring
Mix ingredients thoroughly and store in a sterilized glass jar.
Makes about enough for one person for one month.
The beauty of homemade paste is that it is much (much) cheaper than commercial paste, is surprisingly refreshing and can be made with products that you have (or can use) in your own kitchen. (Aside from the fact that Maggie was very impressed that Mama knew how to make her own toothpaste. Nothing like being a hero for a moment.)
If you have other great tips for reducing plastic consumption, please share them with us by commenting below…
This is fabulous! Thanks for the information. I’m inspired. I reduce plastic consumption by making my own household cleaning products. It’s easy and very inexpensive. And, with a few drops of my favorite essential oils, I can smell lavender and lemon whenever I clean. I learned them from a wonderful little book called, “Clean House, Clean Planet.” Here’s a great all-purpose cleaner along the lines of 409. I use it on kitchen counters, walls, etc. It’s called Alice’s Wonder Spray
Get a 24-oz spray bottle from your local hardware store. (While it may seem like a good idea to re-use a bottle from a commercial cleaner, it’s not recommended b/c of toxic residues in the plastic.)
Dissolve 2 Tbsp. Borax in 16 oz of boiling water in the bottle and let it stand to cool
Pour in 1/4 C vegetable soap (like Dr. Bronner’s or a generic type)
Add 10 to 20 drops of essential oil (I like to use lavender and lemon. Peppermint is nice, too.)
Enjoy!!
Hi Alabama,
I also am always looking for recipes for making my own products. But you should be aware of something the ADA and most dentists either don’t want you to know or are ignorant of. I learned this from friends and then from my own dentist: the gylcerin found in almost all toothpastes acts to keep your teeth from remineralizing by coating the teeth every time you brush. The more you brush the less possible it is for your teeth to fix themselves making cavities that need fillings more of a certain thing. Products like Toothsoap don’t contain glycerin and don’t harm your teeth. Please look into it. In my opinion if you go to the trouble of making your own products, they should definitely not do any harm to you or the environment.
I love your whole business model and hope to emulate it someday soon with a different kind of product line.
Best regards,
Joan
Here’s a great, natural cleaner that really gets the job done at our house. I use it for everything, and it’s works wonders on baseboards. Usually, it takes no elbow grease! It’s simple, safe, and we all have these three ingredients in our kitchens.
Roxanne Cleaner
I c. white vinegar
1/2 c. peroxide
I cap full dish detergent, any kind
Pour these three ingredients into a spray bottle. Shake gently, and use full strength.
This works wonders on pet stains, and does not hurt carpets or upholstery.
If you’re worried about the glycerin in toothpaste there’s a fabulous toothbrush called an ionic toothbrush. You only need to use water, a titatnium rod conducts something that repels plaque & it works. The heads are replaceable and the shaft can go on forever.
Apple cider vinegar is wonderful for health and malt vinegar for cleaning just about anything including using it instead of fabric conditioner. Google them both, they are magical things.
Very interesting article. Thank you for sharing.