Over the past few years we’ve made some little changes in our lifestyle to be a bit more eco-friendly. We recycle every possible thing, use reusable grocery bags, re-use plastic bags for doggie poo, and pack Matt’s lunch in one of a few cute little reusable bags that my sister made for me. Recently we’ve made the switch over to cloth napkins seeing as I have so many beautiful ones that have been gifted to me over the years, and you know what? We don’t even miss paper napkins. Since I’ll be using cloth diapers, I’ll be switching over exclusively to all-natural biodegradable laundry soap, and while I’m at it I’ve decided to go whole hog and only use non-toxic plant-based cleaning products throughout the whole house.
Some of the products I’m already using are Sweet Grass Farm’s all-purpose cleaner (which I got last week and love btw!) for my kitchen and bathroom, Method’s Wood for Good wood surface cleaner for dusting our wood furniture, the Shark Steam Mop for our floors which requires nothing other than water and reusable microfiber cloths, and rags or reusable microfiber cloths for cleaning and dusting instead of paper towels. (Although don’t dust with paper towels. That’s a bad idea.)
I’ve found that it’s well worth the additional cost for some of these “green” cleaning products because I’m not spending nearly as much on paper goods. And with a high efficiency washer, I haven’t seen a bump in our water or electricity bills at all even with all the extra laundry.
So here’s where you come in. I feel like I still need to hang on to my bottle of bleach for the tough scrubbing of outdoor items. Does anyone have a better/greener solution? Maybe rent a power washer once a year? I’m also looking for something akin to dryer sheets that might not have as many chemicals, and a dishwasher tablet that works effectively. I’ve heard Method Smarty and Simplicity tabs are both good options. And who knows of a carpet cleaner that works well to remove pet messes? I’m currently using Arm & Hammer, but would like to try something else.
While we’re at it, what are some of your favorite ways to go green?
February 23rd, 2010 at 9:26 pm
One word: vinegar. We use it in our laundry (some people use it as a fabric softener); we clean nearly everything with it; we use it to kill weeds; we use it with baking soda to get a good fizzy clean on tougher stuff; and it’s cheap! Let me know if you want more details or links.
February 23rd, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Try using lemon juice and baking soda as a bleach alternative for outdoor stuff. You could also try hydrogen peroxide and some baking soda (it works on skunk stinks!). Vinegar is also a good alternative. There are a ton of sites that will give you good ideas for green alternatives. BioKleen makes great products. We use dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. It is better for kiddo skin and makes no waste. We use Nature’s Miracle products for pet stuff.
February 24th, 2010 at 9:43 am
my favorite way to go green …definitely biking to work!
February 24th, 2010 at 9:46 am
Here in the UK there is an amazing range of cleaning products called Ecover… I love them so much. They all smell amazing. They’re a few pence more than the others but I have to say that when I moved here I had no idea what the other brands were like (ie, what is the Tide equivalent?) and I have pretty sensitive skin so I just went straight to organic and I’ve never turned back. My clothes are super clean, smell good, and their household cleaning products are amazing. I love their handwash – aloe and lavendar. Scent is amazing and apparently its all organically anti-bacterial. Swoon.
February 24th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
I love Ecover! You can get it up by us at the Fruitful Yield.
February 24th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
you guys rock. guess i should break out the vinegar and see what damage i can do with it. i gotta see if there’s a place around here that sells ecover.
and adam, matt’s selling me on his 30th b’day motorcycle by saying the same exact thing. squirrely.
February 25th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
You can find a million and one uses for vinegar online. I love it, but don’t believe the hype that you don’t smell it. My bathroom definitely still smalls for a few hours after cleaning.
Do you know this site? http://safemama.com/ It’s wonderful!
February 26th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
i’ll check it out right now. thanks, cathy!