The Vodka Variations
Vodka’s not just for drinking anymore.
Spicy Sweet Homemade Mouthwash
On November 4, I wrote that I had finished up my last bottle of Act fluoride rinse and had decided not to replace it. Several dentists told me they didn’t think I needed it. However, I wasn’t just using the rinse for the fluoride; it had also served as my mouthwash for the last couple of years, leaving my breath minty fresh. Without it, I needed to find a plastic-free alternative, and since there are apparently no mouthwashes sold plastic-free these days, I decided to make my own.
I found the following recipe on Mother Earth Living and tried it:
Spicy Sweet Mouthwash
This mouthwash requires a couple of weeks for the spices to steep in the alcohol.
1 cup vodka
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon cinnamon chips (I used ground cinnamon)
1 teaspoon fennel seed (ommited because I didn’t have)
1 teaspoon anise seed
1 teaspoon licorice root (also ommitted — didn’t have)
I also added 1/16 tsp of stevia powder for sweetness.
Place vodka and spices into a small glass jar, tightly lidded. Steep for two weeks, giving the jar a shake daily to keep spices from settling. Strain and pour into a glass bottle. To use, dilute 1 tablespoon mouthwash in 1 cup of water. Use as a gargle and mouth rinse and do not swallow.
Actually, I added one cup of water to the vodka mixture for a 50/50 dilution since that’s what the guys did on Mythbusters.
The results? I’m not crazy about the taste. Cinnamon is not my favorite flavor. But I do think it works well. Burns at first. Next time, I’m going to try a mint infusion instead of cinnamon. I think I might like it better.
Homemade Lemon-Fresh Hair Spray
This week, I also used up my last bottle of hairspray and needed a plastic-free alternative. Once again, I turned to vodka for help. From the web site Food.com, I tried:
Lemon-fresh Hair Spray
2 cups water
2 lemons
1 tablespoon vodka
1. Boil the water in a saucepan.
2. While the water is boiling, peel and finely chop the lemons.
3. Add the lemons to the boiling water, and simmer over low heat until the lemons are soft.
4. Cool, strain, and pour into a spray bottle.
5. Add the vodka, and shake well.
6. If the hair spray is too sticky, dilute it with a little water.
So far, this one doesn’t work at all. I mean, not at all. My hair’s not even sticky, much less held in place. Don’t know what I did wrong. Maybe I didn’t cook the lemons long enough. Maybe the lemons were not big enough. Maybe this recipe is a joke just to see if anyone will try it. Who knows? Will keep trying until I find something that works.
In the meantime, there are quite a few other uses for vodka to test. 21 of them, in fact, according to the web page, 21 Uses For Vodka. No, boys and girls. Vodka’s not just for drinking anymore. Check it out.
Hi there, I’m a qualified dentist trained in Australia from The University of Melbourne. Please do not use spirits as a mouthwash. It is highly associated with an increased risk of oral cancer. Alcohol and tobacco are a huge no-no for oral/pharyngeal/laryngeal cancer risk. Please use an essential oil washwash instead.
You do not even need a mouth wash – good oral hygiene (brushing twice daily, flossing at least once daily, and brushing your tongue) is really all you need. Remove the plaque, remove the odour.
Foods can cause oral malodor of course. Stick to breath mints after a meal if this is the case and you already have excellent oral hygiene.
Cheerio.
Australian DDS.
Yes, it did a search of all of google. I did find that I could go to google and put in your website name and the word mouthwash and get a few hits.
I’ve heard of several people who use baking soda and water for toothpaste.
I’m curious if you tried making a mint version or if you switched to a different mouthwash. I can’t seem to search your blog to find out.
I switched to baking soda and water with a drop of peppermint essential oil. I mix it up each morning. Sorry — this website is slow tonight. Did you try the search bar at the top?
Hi Beth, i may try this but don’t like alcohol, did find another herbal recipe that sounds good: https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/diy-patchouli-mouth-rinse There WAS a wonderful mouthwash from http://www.avogel.com/ that came in a glass bottle. It was made from herbs and just a few drops in water made our mouths feel fresh and natural. Perhaps you could get your readers to all contact the company and ask for it to go back on the market? i have tried many sources and they all say it is off the market, here is a link to what it is https://www.amazon.com/VOGEL-HOMEOPATHIC-DENTAFORCE-MTHWASH-3-4/dp/B0014ARAI0/ref=pd_sxp_redirect/167-1300569-2820868
I really like this one, which comes in a glass bottle.
https://www.dentalherb.com
I used 50/50 water & vodka as you suggested and a few drops organic peppermint essence (from a glass bottle;)
Can be used immediately, gargled and swallowed, and has a nice long shelf life. I’m not going to miss the blue stuff in the obnoxious plastic bottle!
FYI on the hairspray….
After reading that this didn’t work for you…. I went ahead and tried it anyway but with some tweaking. I used 1 1/2 cups of water to make the mixture more concentrated. Also- when I cut/peeled the lemons- I did this over-top of the pan I was going to cook them in… instead of on the cutting board. This ensured that all of the lemon juice got into the pan instead of pooling on my cutting board. This turned out well and DOES hold my hair in place. I just spray a couple times more pumps than I would have had to do with store-bought spray.
My only concern with this- is that after a while this starts to mold (afterall it is made from lemons). Does someone know a natural preservative I could use for this (and maybe also for the mouth wash should I choose to make it) so that I can make larger batches??
Hi, April. Well, the vodka is supposed to kill everything, but maybe it’s not enough. Maybe increase the vodka or use a stronger alcohol like Everclear? Where are you keeping it? I think you have to keep it in the refrigerator, for sure… if only because of the ants. Read my next post about that particular problem here:
http://myplasticfreelife.com/2008/02/giving-up-struggle-stories-of-ants-and/
Oh, wait… that was a different sugar water hairspray. But still, I think the lemon spray could attract ants too.
Maybe I’ll try the hairspray again with your adjustments and see how it works.
Maybe you could also add some shea butter to the spray. I use shea butter without nothing to style my hair Really just need a little bit and it holds it really good and is flexible and also it will feed your hair so is a win win. Not sure how but if you can get it blended in your spray it might make it even better. And for sure better for your hair too.
Hi Sunny. Thanks for the recipe. You can check the box at the bottom to subscribe to comments for a post and be notified if anyone else responds to that particular post. You do have to have a Google account with an email address, I believe, although it doesn’t have to be a Google email address. I think if you add an email address to your Blogger profile, it should work.
Deb G and Sunny, comments like yours are the reason for blogging! It’s so great to get advice. I am totally going to try adding a little vodka to my baking soda tooth powder. What proportions do you use? And Deb G, what is your hairspray recipe?