Archive for April, 2009
Detoxifying & Disinfecting Your Home
April 12th, 2009
Spring cleaning isn’t just for attics and basements.
We all know how critical it is to detoxify and cleanse ourselves from chemicals, waste and other harmful unwelcome visitors living in our bodies. A great contributor to the detritus that sits in our systems has a lot to do with the chemicals we are exposed to in our everyday lives. Chances are, at some point during your day you will be faced with this exposure; while cleaning, while at a restaurant, or while being in a room that has just been cleaned with a harsh smelling chemical.
When we wrinkle our noses upon smelling some kind of chemical-based solution after entering a room, that’s really the result of those artificial scents tricking us into thinking that’s the way the room ’should’ smell. We have been conditioned to think that smell indicates the job has been done and our health is safe; no flu bug for us. This, coupled with ads shown by big companies reinforcing this strong connection between chemical use and optimized health makes us even more confused about what the right cleaners for our homes should be. Once we see past these ads and feel assured that we can have a clean and healthy home without the use of powerful chemicals, we can start ‘detoxing’ our home and creating a healthier, chemical-free environment under our own roof.
Luckily, there are some very simple ways to create a cleaner, less toxic home environment, just by eliminating cleaning agents and replacing them with natural alternatives.
First things first, start airing out your home. Open windows and let the fresh air in! There are likely a lot of cooped-up toxins and chemicals that need time to migrate out of your home. Second, go to your pantry, your sinks, your laundry room and your garage, placing every single cleaning product in a box. Your township or city should have a depot where you can drop off these old cleaning products that you will no longer want to use. The next time you have to drive somewhere, add this drop off to your route. If you can’t find a depot, you may donate your products to a shelter. Ideally, no one should be cleaning with chemicals, but the least eco-friendly thing we can do is throw them away. The idea is to use them up and start fresh.
Then you’ll need to pick up the basics for making eco-friendly cleaning supplies. All you’ll need is vinegar, baking soda, lemons, essential oils, microfiber cloths and castile soap (plain or scented with essential oils). Try looking for green certifications, such as EcoLogo — which is a standard trademark found on eco-friendly and reduced or no chemical content products.
For general cleaning, there are plenty of options! Try using a vegetable-based all-purpose cleaner (scent-free or natural essential oils only), vinegar, or 2 tablespoons of castile soap mixed with water in a spray bottle. For heavier stains (such as soap scum), place some baking soda on the area and agitate with a scrub brush and the all-purpose cleaner. For glass, try using vinegar and newspaper - it’s an old trick that works very well.
If you don’t fancy the smell of vinegar in your livingroom, try moistening a microfiber cloth for washing and have a dry one on standby. Wipe the glass with the wet cloth, and buff with the dry cloth. The windows will be spotless, streak-free, and shiny! Essential oils and water will do the trick for keeping your space disinfected.
For quick disinfecting or freshening up your home, try using essential oils and water instead of room deodorizers, electrical socket companions or spray cans full of artificial misty mountain air. Simply add 10 drops to a spray bottle filled with water and mist away! It’s a great counter top cleaner, post-bathroom spray, or air refresher, and keeps the germs out. Imagine smelling the real scent of tea tree oil, lavender, lemon, or cinnamon. The oils actually disinfect your home at the same time, so you get natural scents and actual health benefits from doing this.
By opting for chemical free cleaning products, the scents you remember will no longer linger, which means you may have to mist more often to produce the same effect. The extra effort is well worth it when it comes to your health.
Detoxing your home is simple, so why not give it a try!
Melissa Maker on CityTV - Again!
April 11th, 2009
Melissa Maker on CityTV - Again!
Simple Spring Cleaning Tips For About a Buck!
April 11th, 2009
Thanks for checking back! Over the next little bit, we’ll focus on spring cleaning and de–cluttering tips. This is a critical time of the year to get your place refreshed. The best part is, these tasks take between 5-10 minutes of actual work! Sure, spring cleaning is inevitable but often greeted with a frown. Here are some great tips to help you clean up your space and go easy on the coin purse at the same time!
All of these tips are cheap, easy and a great way to freshen up for spring!
Cruddy Cabinets Are So Last Season
Do you find that items, crumbs and other unwanted particles roll around in your bathroom and kitchen cupboards? What about if something spills on the shelf? People notice these things you know. All of a sudden your friends don’t want to come over anymore. It can be a real disaster. Easy solution! After the cupboards have had a thorough cleaning (removing all items, cleaning the surface), line the shelf with a piece of rubber shelf liner (available in a roll from the Dollar Store). You can cut the liner to your specification then promptly replace all items. Finally,, your stuff stays put, your cupboards stay clean, and your liners do the dirty work. You can either change these or clean them every few months. Now you will be eager to show off your spring cleaned cupboards.
The Uncleanly Coffee Experience
If your coffee has been tasting a little less latte and a little more mucky, there is a solution (and no, it’s not running out to Starbucks). Coffee makers and mugs need a spring cleaning too! Easy and cheap, this solution will have you charging $1.75 for a grande in no time – and you’ll make your entire cleaning investment back in the price of half that cup. Simply pour plain white vinegar into your coffee maker (non-diluted) and run through a brew cycle. Dump the vinegar down the drain and rinse the carafe. The next step is to get the drinking vessel just as clean. If your mugs are stained from extreme coffee or tea exposure, we have the perfect solution for you. Rub a slice of lemon on the stained ceramic, toss salt over the lemon juice, and rub stains with the lemon slice. Rinse, dry and admire. Sounds more like a tequila shot, but it’s really a quick and useful cleaning tip. Maybe those Mexicans were on to something…Anyway, now you have cleaned, deodorized, and maintained your coffee maker, shined your mugs to a sparkle and can now proudly brew a delectable morning cup.
Pet Peripherals Need TLC Too
If you are wondering why your cat’s litter box absolutely reeks despite the fact that you have changed the litter as per stated box instructions and fresh spring air is abound, you are in a pretty obvious funk (no pun intended…wait, yes it was). You have to pay special attention to the litter box and this goes above and beyond changing the litter. Easy to do and cheaper than your cat’s lunch, this solution will make your place smell fantastic and your cat ever so grateful. Empty the litter from the box and pour about half an inch of vinegar into the box. Powder this with about a half cup (or eyeball it) of baking soda and allow the mixture to bubble. Fill the container about 2/3 full with water and stir the mixture. Let this soak for several hours, then drain the liquid and scrub it out. Finally, wash with hot soapy water and dry. Before you place litter back in the box, pour about ¼ inch of baking soda on the bottom of the container. Not only have you created a cleaner smelling place, you have done so without placing anything unnatural in your cat’s box. Now just pass your cat the daily news and leave it to its business.
The Benefits of Vinegar: Deodorize in a Snap
April 11th, 2009
Vinegar works very well for removing odors. When cleaning something out (for example, a garbage pail—see the baking soda trick from a few weeks back), wash it with vinegar as opposed to anything else. It will remove any foul smells and neutralize the material. Following that, keep it fresh by using the baking soda trick.
Another thing I love about vinegar is that it can remove cooking odors if you simmer it in a separate pot while you’re cooking. What I do is designate the far burner for the pot with vinegar. I place about a cup of vinegar in the pot, simmer on medium, and voilà! The smell of broccoli and salmon is gone!
And for those looking for an extremely low maintenance trick, simply leave about ½ a cup of vinegar in a small bowl to deodorize while cooking or if there is a smoker in the house.
Melissa
Neat Tricks with Vinegar
April 11th, 2009
You will surely run out of vinegar by the time you have had the chance to use all of these tricks, so stock up on the large containers! Here are some little tricks using vinegar for everyday use around the house. We have found them to be quite useful!
Ants can be warded off if vinegar is sprayed in the infested areas.
The same also goes for cats: simply spray vinegar in places where you want your cat to stay away from and vinegar will deflect your feline friend from that area!
Next is an amazing stain remover trick; this works for teapots, laminate counters, mugs, china, and sinks. Sprinkle salt over the stain and then spray the affected area with vinegar. Let this mixture sit and then use a soft cloth to agitate. The stains will magically disappear! It’s quite exciting to watch stubborn stains go away with simple, eco-friendly ingredients.
Happy cleaning!
Melissa
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