ReUSEful

I am sitting here this evening sipping homemade peppermint iced tea and resting after a very busy weekend.  The boys and I traveled across Michigan to visit my family (in from Arizona) and attend a bridal shower.  Throughout the tip I picked a could green things to share with you this week.  

The first is about reusable bags.  I have mentioned these before.  I am a big fan of Envirosax and take them everywhere with me (via car console).  More and more people are taking the plunge to buy reusable bags and take them grocery shopping, but it's helpful to expand your thinking and really get the most out of the reusable bag.

One way we use them is we always have a few when we travel to put dirty clothes in.  This helps me keep clean and dirty threads (I got that one from my 12 year-old brother this weekend) separate and have an easy way to get them in the wash when we get home.  The Envirosax are particularly great because their slippery fabric makes it perfect for holding wet swimsuits and such.  

What are some other ways you have reused your bags?  Any green traveling tips to share?

Step Away from the Swiffer

You may have noticed that the my Spring cleaning tips did not include disposable products.  This was intentional.   In my pre-green days I was a big fan of Clorox wipes and Swiffer dusters and mops.  In fact, sometimes I still long for my Swiffer duster refills as I stand on chairs to dust high up places with my vinegar/water solution and rag.  But there is no going back.

We have become a disposable society.  I could probably write a whole post on this topic, and probably will someday.  But for now, just think about the cleaning products you may be using that are disposable in some manner.  By reverting to many of the tools mentioned these past two weeks; microfiber cloths, standard mops or washable mop heads, a re-usable toilet brush (there was a day when this was the only kind!) and rags to clean, you can save so much from the landfill.  I know that a small duster refill doesn't seem like much, but multiply that all of the times you clean, and everyone else cleans, and it really adds up.

If this isn't the most convincing argument, consider the money you will save!  I haven't bought cleaning products other than vinegar and baking soda in YEARS and that means a whole lot more green in my wallet.  

A challenge:  

If you feel up to it, I would love if you readers could calculate all you spend each month on cleaning products other than those mentioned this week-your more toxic or disposable products.  It would be fascinating to see what each of us could save by switching and to see what people are spending on their toxic stuff around the world. 

And thanks for spending Spring cleaning week(s) with me!

Fan Friendly

I saw this tip in "Real Simple" magazine. On a side note, "Real Simple" is a great magazine to find some earth friendly tips because being green really is, well, real simple.  Don't get me wrong, it's far from a green magazine, but there are a few gems in there...like this one.  

So the idea is that you use a pillow case to dust your fans.  Just put it over one blade at a time and pull off.  This is great because it keeps the dust in the pillowcase instead of flying down into your face, as happened to me once and I had a sneezing, coughing, runny nose fit for 24 hours straight.  

Has anyone tried this?  Did it work?  Any other great tips for dusting?  Dusting fans?

Don't forget, today is the last day for entering the Shaklee Spring cleaning giveaway!

Toilet tools

That was a fun break for 10 uses Tuesday.  Now back to our regularly scheduled program.  Today, cleaning the toilet.  You will need only 3 things...maybe 4.  First our favorites, vinegar and baking soda.  Then, very similar to cleaning the drain, you dump some baking soda in and then the vinegar to create those cleansing bubbles.  

Then scrub the toilet with a brush.  Mine is just a regular plastic one I brought pre-green freak.  But I found this lovely one for you (can toilet brushes be lovely?) that is made from the fiber of coconut shells.  Scrub away and you are set.  

Unless...you have rust stains.  In which case you can use the grapefruit/citrus juice tip from earlier this week.  Let it sit a while and scrub that too!  

Ok, what am I missing?  Other toilet cleaning tips?

Get Rid of Rust

I know that Spring Cleaning week is officially over, but as this is my blog and I still have tips...let the cleaning continue! Today's tip is on getting rid of rust.

Have I mentioned that I have hard well water? I think so, and I do. This leaves rust stains in my sinks, toilet, etc...Annoying. But I have found what I think is a brilliantly simple and effective way to get rid of this rust. It's called grapefruit juice, perhaps you've heard of it?

All you need is pure, 100% grapefruit juice poured directly onto the rust stain. In the sink I stop the drain and just let it sit for a while. Then wipe it with a cloth or brush (if more scrubbing is needed). Usually this works perfectly. I hear other pure citrus juices work just as well, but I have only used grapefruit. Has anyone tried any others?

What are your rust ridding tips? If you missed the launch of the Shaklee Spring Cleaning giveaway yesterday, don't forget to go enter!

Draino is a Dirty Word

I am going to tell you a secret, no green cleaner is probably going to work as well on your drains as the eco-evil Draino. But, it's not all doom and gloom, for you or the Earth. With a few simple tools you can get an almost just as good drain clean without the toxic chemicals.

For your mission, if you choose to accept it, you will need vingar (surprise, surprise), baking soda, and a drain snake. I know a lot of people swear by only vinegar and water to clean out their drains. At my house it works great for little clogs, but every once in a while, if we really want to get the water moving, we have to break out the snake.

Ok, tools in hand, here is the plan.

1. Pour a little bit of baking soda into the sink. No, I don't have an exact amount I usually do about 1/5 of a small box. But just use your best judgement.
2. Pour in some vinegar. Again, I am not sure on an exact measurement, but pour it straight out of the bottle and make sure you use enough to wash the baking soda down and really get things fizzing.
3. Wait for the fizzing to stop. It is such a satisying sound and it sounds so clean.
4. Pour in a small pot (there, an almost exact amount!) of boiling water.

And that should do it most of the time! I have even tried out many of the earth-friendly drain cleaners and found they didn't work nearly as well as this simple, much less expensive solution.

If that doesn't work, try the snake. Follow the directions on your particular model, but ours is so easy even I can do it.

Anything I missed? Any other drain cleaning tips? You all have been awful quiet lately.

And I might be awful quiet soon. It seems small children and modem boxes don't mix and I had to learn this lesson the hard way. I am without phone or internet until further notice. Maybe it's a sign I am supposed to get out and enjoy the world more instead of just typing about it. Hopefully I will be back soon!

Get steamed

There are some areas of my house that are extremely difficult to clean.  One is the very small space between the back of my sink and the wall.  Can anyone explain to me why this little crack exists other than to drive me bonkers on a daily basis?  I have found the only way to clean this space is also the one that uses no chemicals or products at all, the steamer.  The steamer takes ordinary tap water and heats it to create a sterilizing blast of water that helps clean cracks and dislodge stuck on food like nobodies business.  

And we need to unstick food around here.  The high chair needs serious help.  Small children have the ability to stick food places you never imagined.  Like the underside of my table.  The steamer goes there too.  

It also goes to my absolutely least favorite place to clean, the toilet Tucker uses.  Now if you have never potty trained a young boy, let me fill you in...they have poor aim...every day...several times a day.  Which means the toilet is surrounded by a moat of...well you get the idea.  And the steamer is great for getting this off my tile and out of the cracks. 

If this is more than you needed to know about my son's bathroom habits, I apologize, but I do hope it makes you realize how special the steamer is.  Sterilized clean with no chemicals and no cost (besides the initial out lay for the steamer)...priceless.

Do you have a steamer?  What do you use it for?

Did I mention that I am having a CLEANING GIVEAWAY at the end of this week?  No?  Well I AM!  So make sure you keep tuning in for all the details!

Window Washing

I have a good number of windows.  Most of the time I love this fact.  The one time I am anything less than in love with my windows is every spring when I clean all of them inside and out, as I am this week.  No matter how many windows you have, you no doubt enjoy them less when they are dirty.  So, let's get them clean the green way and make it as easy as possible.  

First step, erase the word "Windex" from your vocabulary.  The bright blue color, the obnoxious smell, the annoying commercial with talking birds, all of it is a very bad sign.  This stuff is AWFUL for the earth and not so hot for you either...can you imagine your kid drinking this stuff?  It does look an awful lot like kool-aid.  

Instead we use...you guessed it, vinegar.  A 50/50 mixture vinegar and water will help your windows achieve a streak free shine.  I usually use a microfiber cloth specifically designed for glass cleaning.  But this week, at the suggestion of reader Emilie, I finally tried newspaper.  I have been saving up our weekly free newspaper for a couple of weeks and have finally used it on the windows.  Here is what I learned...

• While newspaper will work really well to give you a streak free shine, you have to make sure you don't leave any residue on the window or it will show up.
• This means to spray less and wipe more.
  
• Shiny glossy newspaper pages don't work.
  
• Packing paper does work just as well.
• Newspaper is great for big jobs where a cloth would too quickly get dirty/wet.
• Newspaper does not scratch the glass like I was afraid of.
  
• Newspaper works really well on glass, not so well on the rest of the window (frame).  You might want to stick with a cloth on that.
  

While you have the newspaper and vinegar solution out, don't forget to hit your bathroom mirrors, microwave, refrigerator (especially if you have kids), and oven.  

The very best part about using newspaper is that when you are done you can put it right into your compost!

Are you off to clean your windows?  Any other window tips I missed?

Don't forget today is the last day to register for the Spring Fling giveaway!

10 uses Tuesday: Vinegar

After today there is no way you will be able to doubt the power of vinegar ever again.  Read this article on 10 uses for vinegar and find out why it is liquid cleaning gold.  Ok, did you read it?  Are you amazed?  I was!  And I was already a huge fan!

And here is another.  Use vinegar for mopping!  Mix 3 tablespoons vinegar in each gallon water (I don't actually measure, just pour some in there) and that is all you need for completely clean, totally streak free floors.  As always you can throw in a few drops of essential oil if you are looking for a pretty smell while you mop.  I have used this on hardwood and tile with no problems whatsoever.  I use a plastic mop handle with washable microfiber mop pad.   It works well.  But there is also at least one recycled mop out there if you are in the market.

Don't worry, we aren't done with vinegar yet.  You will see it at least a couple more times this week.  What mopping tips did I miss?  

Spring Cleaning! The basics

Yay!  It's Spring!  Ok, not officially but it's close enough that I am saying Spring has sprung.  And in honor of that, all this week I am cleaning and sharing some of my green cleaning tips with you.  Lucky people!

The first step in green cleaning is realizing why it is important.  I know I have mentioned this a couple times before, but your cleaning products go into your bodies (through your lungs and skin) and into the Earth and water all of us share.  And today's cleaning products are filled with bad news for all of us.  If you don't recognize the name of some of some of this stuff, chances are it's bad for you.  And the question is, why would you want to use stuff that makes you and Mama E sick when there are perfectly good (often way less expensive) green alternatives?

So once you get that (you get it right?) it's important to make sure you have the tools to get a good green clean.  Here are a few basics I always have around, and you will need for this week's tips:

• Cleaning Cloths. Remember, we want to be able to reuse things so cloths are great.  You can buy the fancy microfiber sets they have out there or use old clothes.  
  
• White vinegar. It's a disinfectant AND deoderizer.  Tomorrow you will really start to see what a gift from the Gods white vinegar is, but today just trust me, it's a precious tool.
  
• Baking soda. This is another little gem that works wonders on it's own and especially with vinegar.
• Spray bottle.  Reusable, preferably made out of recycled glass or plastic.
  
• Essential oils.  These aren't actually required, but they are fun to have around to spice things up.

That's it!  There will be a few more tools mentioned throughout the week, but 90% of your home can probably be cleaned with only the things mentioned above.  Pretty amazing huh?  

Any basic tools that you use every day that I missed?

Soap duds

I don't know whether it's the desire to rid every evil germ from my home or the spirit of spring cleaning in the air, but I took time this weekend to do another exciting task, refill soap containers.

The focus here is on refilling containers rather than buying new containers each time. There are more and more earth-lovin' suds available today. Method and Mrs. Meyers are two I use right now because they are both somewhat widely available. But I know I need to find something better. They have their downfalls like they both contain fragrance and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Method provides refill bags which use 83% less plastic than the tradition plastic soap container.

Soy is the New Black has a great post about soap this week and a link to Method's defense of SLS usage.

What soap do you use? Who has found the best Mama E lovin' kind? Do you use refills? Is there an even better way?

Clever Clementine

What does the aluminum foil from yesterday have in common with this box of clementines?  Well, not much really.  But the netting covering these clementines can be used as a scrub 'brush" just like I suggested with aluminum foil. 

I first saw this tip in "Real Simple" and because I love reusing (oh, you know how I love reusing!), I had to try it.  So I took the netting off three different boxes of clementines (we love these sweet treats) and gave it a shot.  My version is made with three nets, but I think you could do more or less depending on your taste.  I tried tucking two nets into one creating a kind of ball.  I then took the twist tie off an old bread bag (reusing again!!!) and tied the edges together.  When I was finished I had this orange ball of a scrub brush.  

I have to say it worked pretty well!  I would recommend more then one twist tie to prevent the "brush" from coming apart with vigorous scrubbing.  This is a gentle scrubber which works wonderfully for getting leftover food out of containers to be recycled or reused.  

What do you think?  Are you going to give it a shot?  Do you have other clever ideas?   And it seems like y'all aren't digging 10 uses Tuesday.   Feedback?  Should we stop it?  

The dish soap that didn't pan out

When I ran out of dish soap last month, I decided to branch out and try a brand offered at my health food store.  The Earth Friendly Products Ultra Dishmate was at least $1 more than I usually spend, but I thought that might be because it lasts longer, like other green things I have tried.  No such luck.  In fact the Ultra Dishmate did the exact opposite.  I had to use approximately 2 spoonfuls every time just to get enough suds to cover my dishes.  The entire 25 oz. bottle lasted me 3 weeks, compared to about 2 months for the less expensive and more readily available Method brand.   And to add insult to injury, it smelled nothing like pears, nothing like anything really.

So I am switching back to that and thinking twice before I try anything more expensive again.

Does anyone still hand-wash dishes like us?  What earth-friendly soaps have you used and loved?  What would you warn us against?  And if anyone has a "green" dishwasher soap recommendation, I know fellow-reader Debbie is looking for one.  Any suggestions?

Freshness on wheels

It's about this time of the year when every time I get in my car I think, "Ugh, I have got to do something about this smell."  The combination of wet floor mats, stinky kids, and unopened windows for months at a time creates an aroma that is a far cry from pleasing.  

But using some quick tips from earlier this week can help you freshen up your wheels and make driving a more pleasurable experience.

First, if you have time, dry out your mats.  If you are going to be out of the car for a while, hang them up to dry out.  I often don't have time for this, so I just skip to the next step, which is sprinkling the mats (and wets seats if you have 'em) with baking soda.  You might try mixing in some essential oils with the baking soda for an even sweeter smell as Stephanie suggested earlier this week.  Then just leave that sit for a spell (15-30 minutes) and vacuum up.  This is great because it rids the car of smell and crumbs at the same time.  And anyone with kids knows that crumbs accumulate at an alarming rate in your vehicle.  

Next, dish the smelly cardboard thing you probably have hanging in there.  Why?  Because it's toxic, and cardboard, and disposable, which makes it a Mama E nemesis.  Besides, inhaling toxic fragrance in a small enclosed space is a super bad idea. 

Instead make yourself a small spray bottle (if you have one of the little travel versions laying around, these work great) of air freshener to keep in your console or glove compartment.  Just use yesterday's recipe in the smaller bottle.  Use about 5 drops of a subtle smelling oil, you don't want to overdo it in such a small space.  

If you still must have your store bought air freshener, that's ok, just choose one that's safe for breathing!  I like this Method aroma ring that comes in a variety of scents and looks kind of cute sitting in my car (in case cuteness is an important factor in a smelly agent).   You can also sort of adjust your level or aroma with this, which is nice.   

I've got a very busy day ahead and have to hit the road.  What are your tips for a great (green) smelling car?  

10 Uses Tuesday: Baking Soda

photo source

I have a secret love...and my husband isn't at all threatened because my secret love is not another man but a small box of beautiful white powder...no, not that white powder. I love baking soda. I LOVE it! It is clean and green and there are a ton of things you can do with it! Don't believe me, check out this list of ten clever uses.

I could probably add 10 more all on my own, but I know not everyone shares my love of bicarbonate (yet!) so I will just give you one keeping with our theme of freshness this week. Your baking soda box doesn't just eliminate odors in your fridge, it can help in the rest of your home as well. Just sprinkle it directly onto your carpets and/or furniture (I find it helps get pet hair off more easily) and let it sit between 15 minutes and 24 hours (for a really unfresh home) then vacuum up and VOILA! Odors gone, freshness in!

Have you tried this? How did it work? Do you love baking soda as much as me? What else do you use it for?

Freshen Up

Happy Monday!  The sunrise was glorious outside our window again today and it sparked me with Spring Fever.  But, the groundhog saw his shadow, and even if he didn't I have never heard of Winter ending in February in Michigan, so we are in for a few more weeks of cold, sludge, and snow here.  

It's getting to be that time of year where everyone's house and cars smell...well...bad.  The water, the mud, the people and animals all stuck inside, it makes for a less than present experience for the nose.  So, I am going to dedicate most of this week to freshening up our spaces.  And because I hate delaying indulgence (yes, I eat dessert before dinner...and after dinner...and sometimes for dinner) I am giving you my very favorite tip first.  

Why is this tip my favorite?  Because it combines something I have to do with something I want done and is a super inexpensive and Earth-friendly way to freshen up.  How do you feel when you see this?

I KNOW!  I used to feel that way too (awful, tired, unwilling)!  But vacuuming is a necessary evil in most of our lives.  And it's one I feel a lot better about since I stumbled over this tip to make your house smell better while you vacuum.  Here's how it works; before vacuuming, you douse a cotton ball in a few drops of your favorite essential oil.  My personal favorite is geranium because it fills the whole house, but feel free to experiment and find your own favorite.

Then you suck the cotton ball into the vacuum and have at your house with Hoover.  As you vacuum, the essential oils will continue to release and by they time you are done, your whole house will not only be dust bunny free, but smell terrific too!  Go on now, I know you want to try it!!!  

Laundry List

That's a picture of my clothes on my drying rack in my house.  I have found that the months in which I can "line" (or in this case rack) dry my clothes, I save at least 20% on my electric bill.  20%!!!!  There are a number of ways to dry your clothes without using a dryer.  

Most people have heard of a clothesline and in the summer months or if you live in a place that is warm and sunny year round this is a great option for a number of reasons.  It gets you outside (and gives your arm muscles a great workout) and the sun helps to take stains out of clothes.  If you are in a colder climate or if you can't always make it to the line, these racks are great because they you can hang your clothes inside and then place your rack outside or keep it inside under a heating vent or near the fire.  The rack I use is made out of reclaimed wood and fits up to 32 square feet of laundry.  One of my favorite earth-friendly websites, Gaiam also has a couple different racks and clotheslines as well as a number of other eco clothes cleaning alternatives.  

And just in case you are looking for more, here is a laundry list of my favorite laundry products and tips:

1. I swear by Charlie's Soap.  I have been using it for over 3 years to clean our laundry.  That's 3 boys (including babies) and me, a dog, cloth diapers and the woods, and still nothing works better.  Not only that but I have also used it to actually clean the dog, my car, and this spring I am going to use it to power wash the house.  The best thing about Charlie's?  I buy the 5 gallon bucket of laundry powder, use it for all these things, and it lasts me over 2 1/2 years!  That's less than $5 a month people!!!

2. I confess, I used to use bleach on everything, most especially my whites.  But if this toxic chemical can actually eat through things, imagine what it was doing to our skin, our airways, and our ground.  What was I thinking?  Well, probably that I didn't know any better.  Then I found oxo-brite, and seriously, a few scoops in with the wash is just as good!

3. Make it cold baby!  Washing your clothes in warm or hot water (unless maybe they are whites) isn't getting them any cleaner and is just making your bills higher and the planet more polluted.  Wash your clothes in cold whenever you can.

4. Can someone tell that I am wearing my jeans for the third day in a row?  Probably not.  Besides, they always fit better then anyway!  So unless your clothes are stained or stinky, try putting them back in the drawer to wear again.   And when you do throw the laundry in, make sure you have a full load.  Do you really need more laundry to do?

5.  If you do have an extra stinky load, try throwing a few drops of your favorite essential oil in the wash with them.  One of my favorite things to do is throw a few drops of lavender oil on my reusable dryer sheet with my bed sheets.

6. Speaking of dryer sheets...most f them have traces of lead in them.  LEAD!  So opt for a reusable option like dryer balls, static Eliminator Re-Usable Dryer Sheet, or even just vinegar in the rinse cycle to help soften your clothes.

7. Keep your lint filter clean (on the inside and outside of your house) so that when you do use your dryer, it is as effective as possible.

Leave a comment and help others, what do you do to make laundry a better experience (is that possible)?