I’ve had a couple of emails this week asking me what I use to clean around the house.
I have to tell you, I am pretty new at this stuff so I don’t consider myself an expert. AND – I’m learning and changing over as I go.
Here’s the what’s what:
In the kitchen I use an all-purpose kind of spray for counter tops and the stove-top called Citra-Solve. The main ingredient is orange peel. I’ve also used vinegar and baking soda when I need something a little more abrasive. When the microwave gets grimy I nuke a small bowl of vinegar/water/lemon juice until the inside gets all hot and steamy and softens all the grease and splatters. Works like a charm.
For dishes I use an unscented clear dish soap, President’s Choice Sensitive Skin. I pour it into a glass container with a metal stopper (I don’t know what it’s called). It’s a little more decorative this way (I hate displaying the plastic bottle beside the sink) and it comes out slower so I tend to use less of it. I’ve tried natural dish soap but it’s hard to get used to the lack of bubble action. Suggestions are welcome!
We have a dishwasher, which we run only when it’s totally packed full of dishes. (Basically once a day.) We use powdered Cascade, but I’m willing to wager there is a better alternative out there.
We discovered the miracle of orange oil about 10-12 years ago when we bought our cross-country skis. We were sold a container of it to strip the wax off the skis. It’s 100% orange peel (!). It smells amazing, and we use it to remove residue from stickers and price tags etc. ANYWAY, it is good stuff. I bought a different container at the Superstore a few months ago and have been using it (diluted as per instructions on the label) to wash the kitchen and bathroom floors, and sinks etc.
For laundry, we use scent-free Tide for everything, and PC-brand delicate stuff for my delicates. It is very lightly scented so I don’t mind. I gave up dryer sheets a long time ago, but I have to admit, I do miss the nice “clean laundry” smell. I’ve read that I could dab a drop of essential oil on a hanky and toss it in the dryer with everything. I wonder if this’ll work, and if I could find a smell that isn’t lavender or rose. Hmm.
In the bathroom/restroom/washroom whatever you call it
The best invention, like, ever, has been the invention of the microfibre cloth. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I sweartagod this one small thing has cut down on a lot of my need for cleaning supplies. I keep it under the sink, and just wash it when I do the towels. If you spend 20 seconds and wipe your sink down after you brush your teeth in the morning it will be just as shiny and clean as if you had sprayed it with a “regular” cleaner like Comet (which, btw, I blame for corroding my faucets!). When I’m feeling like it needs a particularly good wipedown (i.e. it’s cold season) I use diluted orange oil (as mentioned above).
You already know what I use for the toilet.
The tub needs a little more of a scrub. I’ll use the orange oil, but have also used baking soda with a splash of vinegar in it. This does a great job. Last time I used the bathtub I realized I didn’t actually flush away all the baking soda. I was just getting into the tub for a bath (it’s white), and I didn’t realize what a lousy rinsing job I did. “Craaaaaap!” I thought with some alarm. “I didn’t rinse it!!!!” And then, as I sank into the hot water, I realized it didn’t matter. It was just baking soda, not powdered Comet (like I used to use).
I wipe the bathroom mirrors down with the microfibre cloth (as above) as well. It seems to work okay. We have been known to get out the Windex to polish windows, but I use a lot less of the stuff than I did before.
TMI? We use the PC green recycled toilet paper around here. I held off on trying this FOREVER. I was afraid it would be like the sandpapery one-ply they used to get at the office, but I was pleasantly surprised. (I WILL SAY NO MORE.)
My friend Kristina recently emailed me about a recent cleaning spree. She got to thinking about the nasty chemicals in everything from baby bottles to shower curtains, and so she tossed her old PVC shower curtain liner and replaced it with one from Ikea. Great idea huh?
Here’s something interesting:
“Regular vinyl shower curtains release chemical gases and odors from their ingredients and are manufactured with non-renewable and chemical resources. They are difficult to clean and end up in a landfill where they don’t decompose and could release dangerous substances into the ground.” (via)
Ew. We used these things for years and hit a breaking point. This was a few years ago, before the fuss about the offgassing of all those toxic chemicals. We were tired of buying them and throwing them out when they got dirty. So Mark came home with a fabric liner. I was doubtful at first, but we’ve had it for a couple of years now and I’m not disappointed. It doesn’t have that terrible plastic stink, it does the job just fine, and it’s totally washable too. Bonus!
What else? We don’t use air fresheners. Or anti-bacterial soaps.
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Also worth mentioning, I use Murphy’s on the hardwood floor, and I sweep and vacuum. Swiffer hasn’t sold me. Spend the money and get yourself a good vacuum with a good filter and you’ll get the same result AND you won’t be throwing part of it every time you use it. When I dust (and I should dust more often) I use a soft cloth (an old cloth diaper actually!) and a bit of furniture oil on the wooden stuff. Otherwise, I just use the brush attachment on the vacuum.
I guess that’s it. I know I’m preaching to the choir here (a lot of you are green, and that’s great) but I would also like to point out that there are a couple of women here in Ottawa who have taken on this quest as their very own. Have you heard of Pure Know How? They have tested a LOT of products and post the results on their website. Check it out.
It’s important to educate ourselves. We can’t continue poisoning our living and breathing space just for the sake of “clean.”
Any other suggestions, do add ’em.
