Stove Top Cleaner

I have been experimenting with homemade cleaners for my glass stove top and have finally found a winner! The best part about this cleaner is it uses supplies I already had in my pantry. Here's the recipe:

1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds
20 drops of tea tree oil

Combine the ingredients into a paste. Store in an airtight jar.

You can't beat how easy it is to make and it works great! A note about Sal Suds - it is a cruelty-free biodegradable cleaner and is super concentrated so it lasts forever. I buy mine locally at a herb store, but it is also available on Amazon (is there anything you can't get on Amazon?)

Earth Friendly Soft Scrub

Looking for a non-toxic scrub for your bathtub, sinks, and kitchen countertops? Check out this simple recipe from Healthy Child, Healthy World.

1/2 cup baking soda
1/8 cup of castile soap (I prefer Dr. Bronner's Peppermint)
1 tsp. vegetable glycerin

Combine well and store in a repurposed squeeze bottle like a mustard bottle. Squeeze onto the surface to be cleaned and scrub with a damp rag and wipe clean.

http://healthychild.org

Loofah Kitchen Scrubber

For Mother's Day I got a great new eco-friendly gift - a natural loofah kitchen scrubber from Loofah-Art. The loofah scrubber is made from 100% naturally grown loofah and natural dye. The scrubbers are 100% non-toxic and bio-degradable and resist wearing.

The kitchen scrubber is gentle enough to scrub fruits and veggies, but tough enough to clean dirty dishes. I love it for scrubbing pots! The scrubbers are made from non-scratch fibers and are safe to use on a variety of surfaces including delicate non-stick surfaces.

You may wonder what exactly is loofah? Loofah is a vegetable closely related to the cucumber family. It originated in Asia and is grown in sub-tropical temperatures. Once the plant naturally dries on the vine, it is harvested and the outer skin is peeled off to expose the inner fibers, which form the natural loofah sponge.

Want more info, check out www.loofah-art.com

Thanks for the awesome green gift Mom!

5 uses for hydrogen peroxide

Who knew that little inexpensive brown bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide could do so much?

1. Dip your toothbrushes in peroxide after brushing to keep them germ-free.

2. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs.

3. After cleaning your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.

4. Fill a dark colored spray bottle, since peroxide breaks down quickly when exposed to light, with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and use it to disinfect the toilet and bathroom surfaces without harming your septic system.

5. Add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to your white laundry.

Clean up...

When it comes time to clean up your little ones messy hands, steer clear of antibacterial soaps. Scientists say they are no more effective at cleaning than regular soap and can make germs more resistant in the long run. Most antibacterials kill germs with triclosan, a chemical which can reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics. Instead choose natural soaps, such as glcerin-based soaps or organic shea or cocoa butter soaps. What about when your on the run? Avoid hand sanitizers with triclosan and ethyl alcohol. Ethyl alcohol is a highly flammable skin irritant which can be deadly if ingested by children. My favorite product for cleaning hands on the go is CleanWell Hand Sanitizer Spray which kills 99.99% of germs with kid safe, non toxic, biodegradable, and renewable ingredients.

Non-toxic Toilet Cleaners

Acid-based toilet bowl cleaners are in the top three of the most toxic household products available because they contain caustic ingredients that burn eyes, skin and internal tissues. They can also contain chlorine or ammonia and pesticides. Of course you're concerned about bacteria and germs in the bathroom, but with regular cleaning those harsh chemicals are not necessary. A good rule of thumb to help green your cleaning is to start as mild as possible and go from there. Here’s some advice for the toilet.

Regular toilet cleaning:
1. Brush bowl and flush.
2. Pour a tablespoon of Sal Suds from Dr. Bronners to help clean and fight bacteria and ½ cup baking soda to help scrub and deodorize into the bowl
3. Brush the whole bowl.

To clean the exterior of the toilet try this minty fresh antibacterial spray:

2 cups water
2 Tbsp. Dr. Bronners Sal Suds
25 drops tea tree oil
10 drops peppermint essential oil

Green Window Cleaning

An easy step you can take to green your cleaning is to replace your neon blue conventional glass cleaners with a mixture of vinegar and water in a reusable spray bottle. This will reduce your household’s impact on the environment by reducing packaging and will keep your indoor air clean and free of toxins. Conventional glass cleaners can contain a number of different toxins including ammonia - an irritant to eyes, noses, throats and lungs.

Some people get turned off by using vinegar and water because when they first use it to clean windows they have streaking. The streaking is caused by the residue left over from conventional cleaners, not the vinegar. When first making the switch to vinegar cleaners, start with a mix of about 1/3 white vinegar, 1 tsp. of Dr. Bronner's soap, and 2/3 water. The next time you mix the cleaner, omit the soap and you will continue to have sparkling clean windows.

To be extra green, use microfiber cloths to clean your windows instead of paper towels.