I had a little household glitch this week: I ran out of my geranium-scented Mrs. Meyers all purpose cleaner and my Dr. Bronner's lavender liquid soap. I think both of these are fabulous cleaners and I love the scents. I've been using them forever. However, running out of them made me wonder what other green cleaners I could try.
I prefer using environmentally-friendly cleaning products. Keeping a clean home is important to my health, so whatever cleaning products I use have to actually work. Beyond that, though, I try to limit my exposure to harsh chemicals and toxins. It just makes sense.
So what else works? I have used the tried-and-true vinegar and baking soda (mix one part to one part). The baking soda really does neutralizes the vinegar smell. National Geographic has a great guide to do-it-yourself green cleaners if you are up for the challenge.
I admire that kind of ingenuity, but I am extremely busy these days and need to simplify! I loved Domino Magazine's review of several green cleaners to find out which ones worked best. Their report includes tools as well as specific-purpose cleaners, like Timothy Corrigan "Restore" for polishing wood. Their favorite all-purpose cleaner is Solay Simple All Purpose Cleaner.
Retailer Green Home reviewed the cleaning products that they carry, and they were very honest about the results even when they were not great. I like that they recommend buying the products locally whenever possible.
EcoSalon has a few articles on green cleaning, like this post on Easy, Eco-Friendly Bathroom Cleaning. EcoSalon also compiled several articles into their Green Your Laundry guide.
Apartment Therapy compiled a list of best gentler, less toxic household cleaners based on readers' comments. Co-founder Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan prefers green cleaners himself, as you can see from his spring cleaning tips.
Now I have my list of non-toxic, yet effective, cleaning products. So... anyone want to come over and help me clean?
I had a little household glitch this week: I ran out of my geranium-scented Mrs. Meyers all purpose cleaner and my Dr. Bronner's lavender liquid soap. I think both of these are fabulous cleaners and I love the scents. I've been using them forever. However, running out of them made me wonder what other green cleaners I could try.
I prefer using environmentally-friendly cleaning products. Keeping a clean home is important to my health, so whatever cleaning products I use have to actually work. Beyond that, though, I try to limit my exposure to harsh chemicals and toxins. It just makes sense.
So what else works? I have used the tried-and-true vinegar and baking soda (mix one part to one part). The baking soda really does neutralizes the vinegar smell. National Geographic has a great guide to do-it-yourself green cleaners if you are up for the challenge.
I admire that kind of ingenuity, but I am extremely busy these days and need to simplify! I loved Domino Magazine's review of several green cleaners to find out which ones worked best. Their report includes tools as well as specific-purpose cleaners, like Timothy Corrigan "Restore" for polishing wood. Their favorite all-purpose cleaner is Solay Simple All Purpose Cleaner.
Retailer Green Home reviewed the cleaning products that they carry, and they were very honest about the results even when they were not great. I like that they recommend buying the products locally whenever possible.
EcoSalon has a few articles on green cleaning, like this post on Easy, Eco-Friendly Bathroom Cleaning. EcoSalon also compiled several articles into their Green Your Laundry guide.
Apartment Therapy compiled a list of best gentler, less toxic household cleaners based on readers' comments. Co-founder Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan prefers green cleaners himself, as you can see from his spring cleaning tips. Now I have my list of non-toxic, yet effective, cleaning products. So... anyone want to come over and help me clean?