good to know

while i was pregnant, {and especially now that i'm nursing} we began to look most closely at what we eat.  to sum up the research i did: the drive these days to increase efficiencies on all fronts has led to some pretty serious side effects for our food.  we certainly can't afford to eat all organic, but we do make sure to select those items for which we get the most delicious bang for our buck. 

the environmental working group published this great chart to help determine which fruits/ veggies are best to buy organic, and which are ok to eat when grown conventionally.  i have found this to be super helpful and i hope you do as well. 

this list covers the infamous "dirty dozen" with a few extras...as explained on the site: "For the second year, we have expanded the Dirty Dozen™ with a Plus category to highlight two crops – domestically-grown summer squash and leafy greens, specifically kale and collards. These crops did not meet traditional Dirty Dozen™ criteria but were commonly contaminated with pesticides exceptionally toxic to the nervous system."  Source: Environmental Working Group


do you eat organic?  why/ why not? 

green veggie wash.

if you haven't gathered already, i am no fan of germs...and i am even less of a fan of chemicals commonly used to get rid of them.  this has lead to some creative solutions when it comes to keeping my home and family healthy.

one of my favorites such fixes is this veggie wash. 

like everyone, we try to buy organic produce when possible, however the money tree in the yard hasn't bloomed yet this year, so generally we buy conventional.  regardless of whether they're organic/ conventional, fruits and veggies are not clean when you bring them home from the store.  from tree to table, they have been handled by a lot of people, and who knows how many of them washed their hands after a sneeze?  {i know, i don't like to think about it either}

washing with water is good, but not great, and i honestly feel like the food tastes better when it's cleaned with a little more effort {don't you feel better after a nice bubble bath?  i thought so}. 

so here you have it: green veggie wash

what you need
castile soap {i recently picked up the citrus variety, and love it - especially for this use}
water
baking soda
small spray bottle
small shaker {i reuse an old spice shaker, which you can refill as needed - works like a charm}

the spray bottle i have is from the target $1 section, and holds about 5 oz.  i use between 1/2 and 1 teaspoon of castile soap for every 5 oz of water...just add the soap and fill up the bottle - give it a little swirl {no need to shake, it will mix when you add the water} and you're good to go!

step 1: spray your produce with the soap solution

step 2: sprinkle with baking soda {baking soda is a mild abrasive, so it will get in there and really clean the skins}

step 3: scrub the fruits & veggies to work in the baking soda {bonus: this will leave your hands super soft too}
step 4: rinse

note: yes, you definitely need to wash hard-skinned veggies, even those whose skin you don't plan to eat -  including squash, carrots, even watermelon.  {remember the listeria scare a few years back?  the actual fruit of the cantaloupes was fine, but the bacteria on the surface was transferred to the fruit when it was cut, making everyone sick...moral of the story?  wash your fruit.}

so there you go!  now go clean some veggies! 

green vase cleaner

i don't usually love showcasing my dirty dishes, but for the sake of a new green clean trick, i will make an exception. 

you know how sometimes vases get a little grungy?  i wash them after my flowers fade, but still there is that little something left in there clouding up the glass.

exhibit A

well, my mom recently told me about the perfect thing to take care of this problem, and all you need is warm water and a little borax {seen below modeled by one of my favorite bowls...have i told you that my mother-in-law makes all of our dishes?  no?  good...now i have a new post idea (: }

i used about a quarter of a cup of borax.

mix this into your vase and add warm water.

scrub your little heart out   let it sit for a bit if you so desire. rinse, dry, and prepare yourself for the upcoming sparkle.

TA-DA!

maybe this is only exciting for me b/c now i have a clean vase, but i think it's a pretty neat trick.

happy green cleaning!

super {green} stain-remover

happy monday!

you can call it nesting, but really i just love to clean.  and when i find a good product, i love to share.

in honor of our much-anticipated little mess-maker, i want to share one of my new favorite tips. 

i found this recipe on one of my favorite family/ DIY blogs, pink pistachio.  i adore missy's blog, not to mention the pics of her sweet little guys.  well, her stain-removal recipe looked awesome, if not a little too good to be true. 

so i scrounged up some dirty bits and gave it a try.  i modified the recipe slightly, using a squirt of castile soap in place of the method dish-soap {keeping it super green, and cheap}...to put it simply: it works.  to gush:  it's just about the most amazing thing to enter my laundry room.  i actually went around hunting for clothes {some of which were already washed, hah} which had stubborn stains on them.  this stain remover will take out grease, set in sweat {from the men, b/c i know you know that we ladies don't sweat}, tomatoes, bbq, grass stains, red wine, you name it. 

here you have it:

2 tablespoons baking soda

3 tablespoons hydrogen peroxide

1 squirt of castile soap {you don't need much}

mix those together, scrub into the stain with a clean toothbrush, let sit for 30-45 minutes, then wash as normal.  no problem to wash the treated items non-treated clothes, and i have tried this on all colors- no fading!  it's quite possibly magic. 

here is an example of a recent blueberry stain...missy took MUCH better pictures than i did {my laundry is clearly not photogenic}, so swing on by to her blog and check out this post.  happy laundry-ing (:

the offending stain

scrub it up!

ta-da!

keeping it green

new green cleaning addition!

check out this article by national geographic...includes some good info and good recipes.

also, that article clued me into tea tree oil...
this stuff has natural anti-microbial properties, which i jumped on right away...why use chemicals when something natural can give you the same results?  i recommend reading up on it, however...you only want to use a little bit, and while some people will tell you they put it on scraps and cuts, i wouldn't advise that- once you get a whiff you'll know why - this is strong stuff.  {also, it goes without saying: not for ingestion, so keep this away from kids and pets...as with any cleaning supplies, green or not}

for my local friends, i price checked between trader joe's and the heritage market and tj's was the best deal by far: about $6.50 for an ounce.

i know it sounds like a lot for a little, but you seriously only need a tiny bit for this to work.  i use a straw and drop 1 or 2 drops into my cleaning solutions for an extra boost.  also, it makes sheets smell oh so nice if you add a bit to your laundry.   

let me know how this works for you!

green clean update

just added another resource to the green cleaning post ...this one on the many uses of baking soda...enjoy!!

{link also found here}

green cleaning

i don't know about you, but the thought that i need to wear rubber gloves to handle the stuff i use to keep our house clean does not sit well with me.  right now i'm not 100% without chemicals, but i'm working in that direction.

i'm lucky in that my mom has long been an advocate of chemical-free {or low chemical} cleaning, so i've been able to learn a whole lot from her...and now i want to share some of my favorite tips with you for a brighter, less toxic clean.


some of the main products you'll want to keep around for any and all cleaning are:

borax

you will be amazed all the uses you find for 

this product...their website has some great ideas too

vinegar

your average, distilled white variety will do

kosher salt

this one will surprise you (:

castile soap

you can find this at target in more scents, but 

i found that trader joe's has better prices {just fewer varieties}
this can be used for cleaning
the home, as well as the people in it!
works well as a soap/ shampoo

 

some other products to keep on hand:

hydrogen peroxide {3%}

baking soda {buy the big box} 

various spray bottles {look for the kind with ounce markings 

on the bottle...makes for easy measuring}

bleach & ammonia {this is where i still fail at being sans-chemicals} 

so, here are some typical cleaning issues, and how to deal with them with less toxicity:

issue #1: ants
ingredients: borax, powdered sugar
directions: mix equal parts, leave in a line where you see the ants usually {perhaps against the back of a counter-top or at the bottom of your back door}...they will come for the sugar, but end up taking the borax back with them to their nest.  NOTE: this isn't toxic to animals, but it might make them sick if they eat it...don't leave where your pups/ kitties can get into it; that goes for kids too, of course ;)

issue #2: tub cleaning
ingredients: a solution of 2 parts water to 1 part hydrogen peroxide; baking soda
directions:  make your water-hydrogen peroxide solution; keep this handy in a spray bottle.  sprinkle baking soda on the tub {it helps if the tub is slightly wet}; scrub your little heart out.  make sure to rinse well when you're done scrubbing.  you will be amazed at how clean it gets. now, here's a tip i stumbled on by accident:  the hydrogen solution can be sprayed on the walls of your tub to get the grout clean, and just keep things fresh {rinse after about 1 hour} ...i sprayed this while i was scrubbing the floor of the tub and the combo of the solution and the baking soda seemed to {in my mind at least} get things even more sparkling...give it a try, let me know what you think (:

issue #3: all-purpose cleaner
i swiped the following tip from this article {also where i found the water-hydrogen peroxide solution}, and i have since tweaked it a bit
 from the article:
Heather's Helper (all-purpose cleaner)
directions: mix 2 teaspoons of vinegar, one teaspoon of borax and water into a 24-ounce spray bottle until it's nearly full, then add a quarter cup of castile soap.  {i upped the vinegar to three teaspoons and the borax to two teaspoons, otherwise, this one is great}
uses: takes on most surfaces in your house, from counters to mirrors, walls to toilet seats.

issue #4: copper cleaning

ingredients: lemons and kosher salt

AFTER

BEFORE

directions:  cut your lemon in half, cross-wise...dip into a bowl of kosher salt, and scrub your copper pots

i cleaned one side of my copper tea kettle so you could see the difference

issue #5: floors
ingredients: vinegar, water
directions: mix a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of warm water...great for linoleum floors 

issue #6: toilets & windows
confession: i need my toilets to be clean.  you know it, i know it: there is nothing grosser than a dirty toilet.  so, yes: i do wipe down the toilet with a 10% bleach solution, then use these handy-dandy scrubbers to get the bowl nice and clean.  but i did just read that borax works well in toilets, so who knows, i might be turning over a new leaf soon ;)  as for windows, i'm looking for a new solution, but nothing beats the price of ammonia and warm water to clean that glass.  just wipe down with a dry lint-free rag after you've washed the windows and you'll be left with clear, clean windows at a much lower price than windex. 
 

i will make sure to add to this list when i think of more ideas...
in the meantime, let me know how these work for you!


resources

Virginian-Pilot article tips and tricks using just a few ingredients

Queen of Clean this book has great tips on inexpensive, and environmentally friendly cleaning
Vinegar  your new best friend
Baking Soda *new*