The Secret to Softer Skin (and Fur)

Can you believe it's already August? Arlo has been suffering the heat a little worse than me lately. Dry itchy skin, rashes. I tried spritzing him down with apple cider vinegar, and it seemed to help alleviate his conditions somewhat, but I wanted to try something different and, frankly, a little more pleasant smelling.

Plenty of skin products advertise colloidal oatmeal. It soothes skin by bringing the high pH of itchy skin down to normal levels. And here I thought "colloidal" indicated some special scientific process, but apparently it's just another term for "finely powdered"—which makes preparing it a snap.

Just grind a cup of oatmeal in a coffee or spice grinder until it's the consistency of a fine dusting powder. You can sprinkle this in a bath (for people or animals). But I wanted something a little more concentrated and having Arlo lie in a bath just didn't seem practical (or water-efficient). So I added just enough water to the powder to make it into a thick paste (think cake batter) then massaged it into his coat. Let it set for at least 15 minutes and then just towel dry afterward if necessary.

There were still some chunky bits left (I knew I should have ground it longer), so I used a flea comb to gently comb them out. What we were left with was the silkiest coat Arlo has had since he was a puppy. Hurray! I'm thinking of a weekly regimen of oatmeal rinses until his rash clears up. I'll let you know how it goes.

Cleanliness is next to godliness, or All you’ll ever need to clean everything is Vinegar, Lemons and Baking Soda.

Once during college, some Christian yokel managed to cram a skinny pamphlet into my palm. Skimming over it later, I realized it was entirely useful. A how-to-guide for removing every stain imaginable. Unfortunately, I only recall one, how to get out blood stains, but to that, I add my list of non-toxic and vastly cheaper alternatives to packaged “green” cleaning products. Great if you have a dog that likes to lick every crumb and spilt drop off the floor….

Oh, and the punchline for this pamphlet was, How to remove the stain of sin. Of course, the only one who can remove that stain is—you guessed it—Jesus Christ our Savior.

Vinegar: cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up. Dilute with equal part water and use to clean countertops, floors, sinks and tiling. Use full strength for toilet.

Lemons: cuts grease, pleasant smelling.

Baking soda: scours, deodorizes, softens water. Gets stains out of copper. Use with vinegar for tougher stains.

Kosher salt: scours, tougher on stubborn stains. Pour some on a lemon (I like to save the lemon rinds from juiced lemons specifically for this purpose) and cut right through tough stuck-on grease stains on pots, pans and stovetops. Also great for scorched coffee pots.

Remove fresh blood stains with full-strength hydrogen peroxide.

Extensive list of tips for a lot more stains here.