Green Cleaning - or get some vinegar

If you are like me, you haven't given much thought to what you use to clean your house. My thoughts about cleaning were about getting it done, not the latest, greatest product with scrubbing bubbles or teflon or whatever that would help me do it. But the latest and greatest isn't always the greatest for the environment or for us, for that matter. I thought about this as I was washing NR's hair in a bathtub that had recently been coated in cleaning solution. That stuff stays there, even after scrubbing or rinsing. Is that something I want on his skin? No, not really.

But I'm not willing to give up the good fight for clean bathrooms or kitchens in the name of greener cleaning. And I'm not willing to pay six dollars for toilet cleaner (see my rant on Organic prices). But I am willing to put some old favorites to good uses.

I found recipes for natural cleaners on the Discovery Home site. Take a few minutes to exploreSarah Snow's tips on living a greener life. Living Fresh is a good show - I'll be setting my PVR to catch all the episodes - and I like that she isn't hitting viewers over the head with environmentalism. One change at a time is a lot easier to accomplish and more practical too.

So stock up on white vinegar, baking soda, Borax*, and the other familiar ingredients in Sarah's recipes. Our grandmothers would certainly recognize the cleaning power of these simple products and our homes can be a little kinder to environment too. That's my kind of clean.

*Keep Borax away from food, pets, kids.