A little slice of heaven

This little slice of heaven came to my door today, and I had to smile.

(This is the 6 half bar sampler set from Sweet Sally's Soaps)  Pin It


Have you tried handmade soaps?? They are my new addiction and guilty pleasure. I don't mind paying more for all natural hand crafted goodness that smells divine. It's one of those "me" things (and now the rest of the house goes along).

When I started eliminating toxins from our home, soap was one that had quite a few questionable ingredients, and is one habit that's easy to change (see here for information on ingredients in your own products). Plus, if you suffer from allergies, going with essential oils versus artificial fragrance can be a benefit. If you suffer from eczema, a goat's milk soap can be beneficial. We also switched to shampoo bars, but that's a whole other topic :)  Give handmade soaps a try - my guess is you won't go back!

Polishing silver without toxic chemicals

If you're lucky enough to have some real silver pieces, you know that they do have to be polished from time to time. The commercial silver polishes contain harsh chemicals, but you can clean them without exposing yourself and your family to them.
I found this article (look for "make your own silver dip") which explains how to do it with simple household ingredients, and I'm happy to say it worked! I had two piggy banks that needed the tarnish removed, and after sitting for about 5 minutes in the solution plus some rubbing, most of it came off! I will say it may not have gotten off all of it, but it's definitely shiny, and I'm glad it was natural!

Green your clean: air fresheners

Fragrances and perfumes can cause adverse reactions (allergic reactions, asthma triggers, headaches, etc). They may not be toxic in the small quantity introduced by commercial cleaners, but the fact remains that many people are sensitive to synthetic fragrances. Given that fact, I have to assume they probably aren't that great for the rest of us (plus they don't really smell that great compared to their natural counterpart).

Personally, I get an instant headache from perfumes and some cleaners. I'd much rather smell a real lemon than lemon-scented cleaner, how about you?

Safer Substitutes

• Remove the source of the odor
• Simmer cloves and cinnamon in water to freshen the air, or simply open the windows.
• Baking soda!  It can absorb smells on carpets, in garbage cans, in the refrigerator, or in the disposal.
• Invest in some Essential Oils - they are all natural and provide a pretty potent fragrance! Use them on a cloth laid on your bathroom counter, or put a couple of drops on a light bulb (not sure how this works with CFLs - anyone know?)
• Burn soy candles with all natural wicks (clean burning)
• As an alternative to hot flames near children, check out Scentsy wickless candles - it melts the wax using a low voltage light bulb and the smell radiates through you house, and is long lasting! (my friend Emily just started selling these, and I am hooked!)

What are your other suggestions for natural odor removal and control in your home?

Green your clean: oven cleaners

Post 3 in my series on getting toxic cleaners out of your home!

Oven cleaners could be one of the most toxic cleaners in your home. They are very hazardous to inhale and corrosive to the skin, especially those containing lye or marked DANGER or POISON. Even the residual fumes can be harmful to your (and your children's) respiratory system.

Safer Substitutes

• Use non-lye products like Bon Ami (or try sea salt and baking soda), then use a damp cloth or wet cleaner to soak and soften baked spills.
• To prevent build-up, use a tray or foil liner to catch spills and wipe up spills promptly.
• If you have a self-cleaning oven, USE IT! Or for small spills, clean them up as they happen so you don't have to use resources to run your oven at high temps.

My personal preference: 
I'll admit, cleaning my oven is not something at the top of my priority list. I recently found a product though that helps me do it and not run out of the room from the fumes.  It's the "Scour Off" product by Shaklee - I really like it! Here's my before and after shots (using that product and some elbow grease, it wasn't actually too difficult). 

BEFORE


AFTER

Green your clean: toilet bowl cleaners

Post 2 in my series on getting toxic chemicals out of your home! Scouring powders and toilet bowl cleaners are laden with chemicals and bleach....find something more natural, and get the same results!

Toilet bowl cleaners are potentially hazardous!

They may contain hydrochloric acid or hypochlorite bleach. They vary in their danger level, read labels carefully - remember to look for words like: DANGER and POISON.

Alternate solutions:
- Baking soda
- Baking soda and vinegar
- Oxygen cleaner

My personal preference:
My new routine is to grab my baking powder and vinegar and head to each bathroom - I pour a scoop of baking powder, and a dollop of vinegar to the toilet bowl and the sink, then head to the next bathroom. While I'm gone, it makes a fizzy solution that's great for cleaning! Then I return to the first to do the scrubbing.

I use a rag to swish around the mixture in the sink, wipe down the counters and sink handles, and then scrub the sink. Then rinse with clean water. I use the same rag to wipe down the outside of the toilet. I use a toilet brush for the mixture in the toilet bowl itself, and then I'm done! I use a different rag for each bathroom. You can also add a few drops of essential oil if you like a different scent. (The vinegar smell dissipates very quickly though).

Do you have any other alternative cleaning methods for the toilet bowl and surrounding areas? One of my followers has a toilet bowl cleaner listed on her blog - check it out!

Clean up your window washing routine!

As a first part in the series on getting poisons out of your home - here are some tips on avoiding harsh chemicals to clean windows and mirrors. Afterall - do your mirrors need to be disinfected -- or do they just need to shine? Save some money - and save yourself risk from toxins!

Window and Mirror Cleaners - Potentially Hazardous Products:

Ammonia-based cleaners are harmful if inhaled - they can irritate the sinuses and lungs. Mixing ammonia with chlorine-based products creates hazardous gases.

Windex contains: detergents, solvents, fragrance, Ammonia-D®, and alcohol

Safer Substitutes

• Mix 1 cup vinegar with 3 cups water. Wipe on or spray. Dry with newspaper or clean cloth.
• Use a spray bottle half filled with club soda, or sprinkle on a cloth. Spray or wipe on and then dry with a clean cloth.
• Outdoor windows: Wash with a sponge and warm water mixed with few drops of soap. Rinse and squeegee dry

Keep in mind that too much soap will actually not rinse well and will attract more dirt once dried. The key really is to rinse it with a tiny bit of something to cut the dirt/grease and then wipe/buff it with your cloth of choice. Well-loved prefold diapers work great for this! (If you get streaks using vinegar/water only, try adding a few drops of dish soap).


My personal preference: I use Shaklee's Basic H2 (2 drops per squirt bottle), and wipe with a StarFiber microfiber towel. The StarFiber towel is really awesome! I use it with plain water actually a lot of the time, and also to clean soap scum off the shower door.  (There are also some "glass cleaning" specific microfiber towels which also work well. Some microfiber towels -- for example the ones I use to stuff pocket diapers -- leave behind tiny bits of lint.)