DIY carpet cleaner for a house with dogs

We left the house for the weekend - closed up all the windows and turned off the Air. When we arrived back home it was as if we could see the fleas jumping across the carpet and feel them jumping up our legs. I guess the dogs had tracked them in before we left and the warm house for a few days perked the fleas right up.

Now if there is one thing I hate, it is fleas. I lose sleep when I know I share my house with them. The "old" me would have immediately gone to the store to buy as many bug bombs as I could find. We have, however, worked in the past few months to rid our house of as many chemicals as possible. It seemed like a lot of backward motion to bring the chemicals we worked so hard to rid ourselves of back into our home and our bodies.

Light bulb went off.

I quickly dug through my sources for how I could use my essential oils and other items I had in my cabinets for a way I could remove the fleas without adding the harsh chemicals.

I regularly make my own vacuum carpet powder using baking soda and essential oils. I discovered that if you use salt instead, not only does it help to kill the fleas but it also the flea larvae. Fleas also are deterred by the smell of lavender, tea tree, and lemongrass (just to name a few). These oils also possess so many other antibacterial, calming, and purifying benefits so I knew if the salt trick failed, we would at least wake up to a clean smelling house.
So I gave it a shot.
For every cup of salt, I used 1/4 cup of baking soda (for good measure), 20 drops of lavender, 15 drops of tea tree, and 10 drops of lemongrass. I like to be liberal with my oils!

I mixed it all together in the container I had available. To cover the carpets in our house I filled the container 3 times with the mixture. I let it sit on the carpets overnight, for about 12 hours. 

It was successful! I went through the house twice with the vacuum. When I vacuumed up the mixture I placed all the dirt in an airtight bag and sealed it shut. I wanted to be sure that if I had gotten fleas, they would not escape. Not only did my mixture attach itself to the fleas but they were all dead in the bag. Plus 1 for me!

To be safe with my flea-ridding measures, I then mixed together my go-to household cleaner using some of the same oils. In my cleaner I used 1 part water and 1 part apple cider vinegar. Vinegar is another item that not only provides health benefits but also deters fleas. I have found great success cleaning with it, it gives an extra sparkle without the chemicals. I also make this cleaner using only water and the EOs, but the vinegar gives it an extra kick of power. 

I used approximately the same amount of oils in the cleaner as I did in the carpet powder.

I sprayed liberally around all the door frames to outside and all of the window sills. I also used this to clean the tile floors and the walls. 

In addition to the bath our dogs received, I also sprayed them down with this cleaner. I decided none of the ingredients were harmful and it would help protect them from those nasty bugs while they played outside.

I am happy to say that our home is now flea-free! Happy Cleaning! 

It Is Well

"Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger"

I, along with countless other Christians, went through a phase where this popular song was proclaimed, wept, and featured at every gathering. It became cliche, and I never heard anyone mention the gravity of what the words were asking. There was no warning that God will indeed take our trust to places it has never been before. He will allow us to be stretched to the end of our rope so that He can rebirth us into strong and powerful beings. And as He urges our feet deeper than we've wandered before, somewhere in the clamor He will whisper oh-so-quietly, "Do you trust me? Do you still have your eyes on me, when it hurts so deeply and the waves are crashing in around you? Do you really trust me?" Suddenly we'll be in the new territory, a place of trust we've never been before. It is alarming yet it is exactly what we prayed for.
But, there was little warning that the simple line of the song might actually happen.

Because then the terrifying prayer came true. In the blink of an eye, my trust was taken to a place where it had no borders. The heart that had declared through many choruses that it would walk on the water sank in doubt. I hadn't been warned to listen carefully for the small voice asking for my deep and true trust. Being taken to a place where trust is without borders is uncomfortable. For me it came in the form of Heartbreak. Hurt. Stress. Uncertainty. Grief. Doubt. I allowed the Enemy in, to steal my faith, kill my joy, and destroy the strength I possessed to keep my eyes above the waves.

Time has now diminished the intensity of the circumstances and I realize the trust that Christ was trying to work into the core of my soul. Time does not have to heal all wounds. I waited on time; Christ did not come so that I could wait on time, or allow the sadness to run its course. He came so that I might have abundant LIFE and healing. The permeating healing that my heart desperately needed comes only through victory in Christ.

And today I am victorious. My victory does not mean I did not feel sadness. Rather, I remained in that place for far too long. I learned the sweet comfort of knowing that the One who brings me to victory also sympathizes with my weakness, he bears my sadness. I had to endure the grief to understand how deeply the Father cares for me. He who carries my burdens, who stretches my trust and faith, is faithful to carry me to victory.

When I was dead in my sin, He made it well with my soul.
When I doubted, when I was chained in sadness, He made it well with my soul.
When I did not trust, He made it well with my soul.
When I did not listen to the small voice, He made it well with my soul.
When I allowed the Wicked One to use lies to drown out His promises, He made it well with my soul.
When I went to the Enemy's camp to reclaim all he stole from me, He made it well with my soul.

Today as I stand in victory, it IS well with my soul.
Today as I choose to embrace healing, joy, and peace, it IS well with my soul.
This is my reason to sing: Through it all, IT IS WELL.