I use to be a cleaning product junkie. Anything new that came on the market I had to try it. The cabinet that used to house my cleaning supplies began to look like a graveyard for partly used cleaning products. I knew something had to give. Not only was I overwhelmed by toxic fumes on cleaning day, but when times got tough, and the budget got lean, I knew I needed to change my ways.
Boy, am I glad I did. My house has never been cleaner and healthier, and my pocketbook has never been happier.
What I did:
Laundry soap: we started using more eco friendly detergents. We have members of our family with allergies (including myself), so we need either gently scented or preferably unscented products. And with the use of cloth diapers, I needed an all natural laundry soap that wouldn’t leave a residue on the diapers, thus making them waterproof. I tried all kinds. My favorite: Country Save. I use this primarily for the cloth diapers. For all other laundry I have found that Ecos Magnolia and Lily is my favorite hands down. It smells heavenly without being overpowering. And the fact that it’s available in a huge bottle (200+ loads) and available at Costco, makes it a real winner.
Dishwasher detergent: I’ve tried a lot, and my favorite is Bio Kleen Automatic Dish Powder Grapefruit and Orange. It’s hard to find locally and I usually have to order it, but it’s worth it. A little goes a long way, and my dishes come out sparkling.
All purpose cleaner: I use a lot of baking soda and vinegar. I use it for everything from scouring the sinks, and cleaning the windows, to unclogging drains. Just dump a couple of scoops down a lazy drain, top it off with some vinegar and “Viola”, you have your very own indoor volcano. (Think Jr. High science experiment) My boys love this. And trust me, it works. I try to do it once a week for maintenance. For shiny floors, I use about ¼ cup vinegar to 2 gallons of hot water when I mop my floors, using a regular old fashioned cotton rag mop. Sometimes for variety I might add a few drops of lavender oil to the water to make it smell good while I mop. And lemons are great for cleaning your cutting boards. Just cut a lemon in half and rub it over your cutting boards. It works to sanitize and deodorize. I also use Mrs. Meyers Clean Day all purpose cleaner. It’s great for cleaning a variety of things including dumping a capful into the toilet for a refreshing scrub-down. All Mrs. Meyers products are earth friendly and smell delicious. My favorites are the Lavender and the Lemon Verbena, but they also are available in other yummy scents. And make sure you have some microfiber cleaning cloths on hand. They are a great alternative to paper towels. They make cleaning a breeze and are re-usable.
All natural flea control: I hate fleas. Here at the funny farm, we have lots of pets inside and flea control is of the utmost importance. It’s no secret that fleas looooove carpeting. You can have just one flea come in on one of your furry friends, and a week later you have an infestation. Trust me, I know. And I refuse to fill my home with toxic fumes. If it’s toxic enough to kill the fleas, chances are it’s toxic enough to eventually kill us as well. And with a baby crawling all over the carpet, toxic, topical treatments are not an option. What works for us? Epsom salts. Just scatter some Epsom salts over your carpets, let it sit half a day, then vacuum. The salt dehydrates and kills the fleas. Of course when you vacuum the first time it sounds like you’re sucking up bits of shrapnel, but it absolutely works. I do a treatment every 4 months, and I have not found one flea on the carpeting in almost 2 years. Proof enough for me.
There are so many other tips and ideas out there. These are just some of my favorites. For more great ideas you can visit http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm
So until next time….
Happy housecleaning J
No comments:
Post a Comment