3.17.2008

clean green: spring cleaning

many people i conversed with over the holidays told me their new years resolutions were to not only to lose 10 pounds, but also be greener in 08! fast forward 3 months...yeah!! the 5 pounds they gained between halloween + boxing day have been shed (5 more to go sweets). yeah!!! they bought a "green/eco-friendly" cleaning product! not so fast. sadly, they have admitted to reverting back to their old, favorite "clean" smelling cleaner because the house just didn't smell "clean" enough. i think they missed the oprah episode where the world learned that clean does NOT have a smell. listen, i understand how hard it is to lose 2 pounds let alone 10...so congrats on the 5. but if your resolution is to be greener in 08, trying one product 2 times + giving up is just like joining the gym, going for 3 days + giving up because you are not seeing results right away. if you don't like the texture, smell, results of one product, we have so many more to chose from!
so the good news is...you still have plenty of time to lose 5 more pounds + be greener in 08! whether you have been thinking about going green or have already started the process, but can't find the right products to suit your needs - (hopefully) this list below can come as a handy guide to starting your spring cleaning out right. all of the products mentioned have links to the company websites for more information. i also purchased all of these products (except for shaklee) in the napa valley. sunshine foods, whole foods, trader joe's, vallergas + even target have a wide variety of products. try the ones listed below or something new + let me know what you think.

i would love to hear from you, so please feel free to comment or email me with more suggestions/feedback!!


DISHES

LAUNDRY


MULTIPURPOSE

FLOORING

  • BONA® hardwood floor cleaner - my all time favorite wood floor cleaner. nothing compares! waterborne, non-toxic + environmentally responsible cleaner that will not dull your floor's finish or leave an oily residue.

WOOD

TOILET

  • BIOKLEEN soy toilet scrub - for obvious reasons, i am not a fan of toilet cleaning, but it must be done...so this is the best product i have found so far. smells minty fresh!!!
SURFACE SCRUB
  • BON AMI polishing cleanser - works great! earth friendly, biodegradable + does not scratch. use on sinks, tubs, cookware, tile, painted wood, and other hard surfaces around the house. packing contains over 75% recycled material too.
  • ECOVER cream scrub - ecover is an amazing company. their progressive environmental policy is not only demonstrated by the amazing products they produce/sell, it is also an integral part of the company’s business operations.

CLEANING TOOLS

i switched from old school paper towels to 100% recycled unbleached paper towels a couple years back. admittedly between the 100% recycled toilet paper + paper towels those were the two hardest things for me to change in my efforts to go greener. however, i got used to it + actually just this past week used my last roll + am now switching over to cloth towels/microfiber towels in place of paper towels (not toilet paper!).

  • SEVENTH GENERATION 100% recycled paper towels (unbleached) - i love these paper towels...but of course, they seem to be the most expensive available. Trader Joe's also has a good line for almost half the price +bonus, they have hearts embossed on the sheets.
  • CASABELLA - they have a wide range of wonderful microfiber cleaning cloths + dusters + mittens. they also donate 10% of every sale to help stop domestic violence!

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