Mission: Cleaning Without Chemicals

"My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance."

- Author Unknown

Cleaning has become a booming business, but its roots are connected with just a few ingredients. Pulling the plug on all the bottles and gimmicks that swarm the supermarket aisles we can see just how easy it is to make our own versions at home. The best part about this is that our friends and family will soon learn to associate "clean" with certain essential oils, herbs, or three of those ever versatile 'basics' that are always used when cleaning. Not just the generic smell of certain products (although if you do like this smell there are herbs created naturally that they based the smell on) will fool them anymore.

" The Whys?"

• Safer for the environment. Doing your part to help keep harmful chemicals from leaking into the environment.
  




• Keeps you breathing easier. Products can expose children and adults to unnatural toxins that can lead to respiratory issues and other illnesses inside the home.
  




• Saves money. Most of these ingredients are already found in your home.
  




• Less packaging. Can buy the basics in bulk & reuse your spray bottle over again.
  




• Peace of mind to know what's in your clean "recipes" with a few, simple ingredients. Kids can help clean or just be in the same room as you clean.
  
  
• Can change your product to suit your tastes by choosing your own essential oils or products. There are many sooooo many variations on the different ways to clean a certain area. I based most of mine on the book Better Basics For the Home.
  

The "Whats"

1. Toilet Cleaner- Spray toilet bowls with straight white distilled vinegar, sprinkle with baking soda, & scrub OR 2 teaspoons tea tree oil & two cups water (leave for thirty minutes then scrub OR just use your disinfectant spray & scrub. Man, I wish there was a way to leave out the scrubbing!




2. Sink & Tub- Baking soda/water mix & sponge to scour OR use disinfectant spray.




3. Disinfectant- This is tricky, because there are so many different recipes out there. I use 2 cups water, 1/4 cup vinegar, & 3 drops tea tree oil & 3 lavender. I've heard mixed reports about borax, so I have stayed clear. Yet, I will try it one day. Also, soap & water do wonders for a little dirt!




4. Furniture Polish- 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap, few drops olive oil, 3 to 5 drops of essential oils




5. Window Cleaner- 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon soap, 2 cups water, few drops of essential oils for scent.

Air Fresheners- I love trying different ways to make a house smell inviting. Here are some different things to experiment with, besides grabbing a smell out of a can.

• In the winter heat cloves, Cinnamon, or oranges to get a cozy Christmas smell.




• In the summer try cutting lemons, adding them to cold water and maybe adding mint or another herb from the garden.




• Plants are the ultimate air purifiers. Ones like English Ivy, Peace Lily, or Boston Fern are thought to be some of the best.




• Vacuum Deodorizer- Moisten 3 cotton balls with essential oils & put them in your vacuum cleaner bag. This will freshen up the room as you clean.




• Refrigerator- If your fridge smells try putting 2-3 pieces of white bread to absorb your unwanted nose guests, baking soda works as well.




• If you happen to have some of the Oil Plug Ins in your home I have heard that removing the top & filling it with vegetable oil and about 30 essential oil drops will give you a natural scent to enjoy.
  



• But if guests are arriving soon & you want the room to smell fresh & sassy, then put a little bit of your fav essential oil on a rag, then wipe it under the bottom of the furniture like a table, mantle, or tv stand (test first to make sure it is not making your furniture too sassy aka ruining it!)
  

Even if don't do all of these you should at least try one, because just one will clear the air for a healthier more simple space.

images twobloggers

Mission: Cloth in the Kitchen

Using paper towels in the kitchen are one of those disposables that can be a drain on your budget and your trash. Yet, with a little forethought and planning you can have your big messes and clean them up with cloth too!

Here is a complete look at my cloth system. It is constantly evolving just like any organizational system, tweaking and changing with the seasons and needs of our family. So, what are the basics that come with having a cloth system?

- Initial Start Up Investment. You might have to spend some cash to complete this mission (unless everyone at your wedding got you kitchen towels, like they did me :)). The key is to make it easy for you, or it won't work. That means you need a few days worth of towels so that you aren't doing laundry after every spill.

-The categories you could use are Good, Dish, & Clean Up. Now that you know your mission you must decide your choice of weapons against the messes.

- "Good" doesn't mean these towels behave better than the others. It simply means these are the towels that hang out for us to dry our hands on. No spills or floor for these guys, they have the easy life.

-"Dish Rags" are only for use in the sink.

-"Clean-up" towels fall into two categories. The left-side ones are for the heavy duty messes. These messes are the ones that would usually have me reaching for the paper towels. Instead having designated heavy duty towels to turn to is key for me. The right-side ones are for my little ones. After they eat they use them to wipe their hands. You can't tell, but they are half the size of the "good" towels. They are like napkins for us.

Another tip is to hide the paper towels. If they are out in plain sight then it is going to be harder to say no. For guests when they ask I can redirect them and suggest they just use a towel or point them under the sink.

And lastly, always have a bucket or way to keep the towels till they are ready for the washer. Having them draped over something or spread out is key to not letting mildew or germs breed on them. Then when they are dry you can easily put them in a sack or bucket for the journey to the laundry room!

Now, nothing may happen over night, but by using a few towels here and there I really picked up the habit. I hope seeing my humble system in place inspires your own or keeps you motivated to keep up your own good work!

Paper or Plastic

I'm sure most of you already know and/or do this, but taking your own bags into a grocery store is a great idea for a few reasons.

For one thing, you no longer end up with dozens of paper or plastic bags at the end of each trip. Also, many stores now give you a discount for every bag you bring in. I know that Target and Marsh definitely do this, and many others offer it as well. If you aren't sure, just ask your local stare manager. Usually it's only about 5 cents a bag, but that adds up with weekly trips.

Also, you can take any bag in, not just the store's own branded bag. I've found a lot of old tote bags that I hadn't used in awhile. Now I keep them in my car, ready for a quick trip into a store at any moment.

Photo by moi.

The Why of Green & Frugal Living

"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those that cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn."

- Alvin Toffler

The most ironic thing to me about the "Green" movement is that older generations practiced it, without much practice at all. They simply didn't have the luxury not to, they didn't have a choice. Most were just trying to live & save money, not trying to save the planet. This reasoning resonates with me the most because it passes up the fad and hype of the movement, and goes back to its roots. The green movement was begot out of the just using wisely what God gave you from the earth and surroundings.

One of the fundamental questions to ask when being a manager of the home is "why". The women of the last generation were mostly brought up in the age of convenience, as is this one and the next will be. No one has stopped to question our current methods. There now is a product for everything! The latest gadget is always behind the next curtain. Why do it yourself when there is a store down the road?


The answer is that most of the things that everyone is telling me I need, are subtly harmful for me and I can do it better myself and cheaper, thankyouverymuch.

Maybe store bought products can save me time, but what am I saving that time for? To watch tv? To make more money to buy more things? What am I sacrificing (iffy ingredient-wise)?And how much time am I really saving? My priorities need to be in check.



Chemicals and pesticides, to plastics and BPA. Almost no companies these days care where the item is made or where it was shipped from. Just as long as you are dependent on them. Unilever, the company, is a prime example that shows just how uncaring today's product promotions have become. Dove soap is a branch of Unilever, and is working hard to give women a positive body image. Shouting to women everywhere to be comfortable in their own skin. While in the same breath promoting Axe brand to men. Which shows women as only skin. Something to be lusted after, not much more. Now, I understand that money makes the world go round. But just knowing that they have no real loyalty to the consumer also makes me wonder about their ingredients. It makes me want to be more informed about my choices. It just makes me want to ask "why".

So, I would say that the most enlightening thing that I have learned is that I have a choice! I had no idea how easy it was to make bread. Seriously simple, like just a few ingredients simple. Why had no one told me it was in my reach to do this? I don't have to buy it? I honestly didn't even think I had a choice. I had no idea that making your own cleaning products is so easy a caveman could do it. It also saves me a ton of money! Gardening brings your food to your backdoor. How much more local can you get? Ok, I'm starting to understand now that it is up to me to teach myself these "basics".

Now, I am systematically going through my house and looking at each task/product in a new light. Could I make that easily? What's in that product? How could I use that item again or differently? Is it cheaper to repurpose or produce it at home?




Making some bread the other night my husband came into the kitchen with his plate and said, and I quote, "May, I have some more of your delicious warm homemade bread?" Looking beyond the sarcasm- he really did want more & he told me it was better than the store. If you know him that is a small step for me, but a HUGE leap for greenkind! :)

Being green and being frugal almost always go hand in hand. As does questioning and learning & maybe even unlearning some ways of living.