GREEN CLEAN

Not only do I choose the healthiest foods to cook and to eat, but I also choose the healthiest cleaning supplies for my home. I am not a huge fan of cleaning, I'm not very good at it. My mom, on the other hand, is an excellent cleaner. That woman leaves a bathroom sparkling, not me. Thanks to all my free time this summer, I have been committed to at least trying to really clean and learn how to do it well.

I just got this new fantastic book, NONTOXIC HOUSECLEANING by Amy Kolb Noyes. It's really more of a guide than a book. It cuts right to the chase, starting with natural ingredients for housecleaning, the appropriate sponges and scrubbers and then gives recipes for cleaning concoctions and how and when to use them.

Today, for instance, I made my own soft scrub using castile soap and baking soda. This could not have been any cheaper. The baking soda was about $1.30 and the soap was $11 for a huge bottle of which I used about 10 drops. This mix that I whipped up completely cleaned my bathroom and left it smelling very minty! Hurray!

It's important to use natural or "green" cleaning products, because while the others work, they are toxic. They give off fumes and contain chemicals that are not so good for the body. I generally buy the seventh generation brand and I'm totally committed to only using non toxic cleaning supplies for the health of me and my husband, but also for our two little dogs. My dogs weigh 4 and 7 pounds respectively. They have short little legs and their little bodies are close to the ground. They also will lick anything and everything they come across, so using safe cleaning products is the only option in this house.

I can't wait to tackle the rest of the house using my new all natural homemade cleaning recipes! Next up is the stovetop.