Green Cleaning

I mentioned green cleaning months ago, and have been putting off the post to see how I felt about what I'm using, and I have found I am very happy with my cleaning process/ingredients. 

It's funny because we have always used the Clorox or Lysol wipes, or Costco brand to clean  counter tops, sticky spots on the floor, table, and at first Sky's tray on the highchair.  But, it bothered me that I was using the wipes and then putting her food on the tray or counter.  I didn't love the idea of her ingesting even a small amount of cleaner.

Then I found a pin on Pinterest about using white vinegar to make your own cleaner.  (I spend a lot of time on Pinterest and actually find great stuff that I am able to use!)  I made the cleaner and used it to clean the house before everyone came over for Sky's birthday.  We were both really happy with how well it worked!

I was then led to this book...Clean House, Clean Planet.  It's basically a recipe book for home made cleaners, using normal kitchen items like vinegar, baking soda, club soda etc.  I'm so very happy with how well everything works and how clean the house is.  Plus, I love knowing that if Sky somehow managed to climb on top of the washer to the very top shelf, that even I can't reach, and ate any of it, she won't die.  It won't taste good, and it may clean her out, but it's non-toxic and won't kill her.

The other change made is using an antibacterial micro fiber cloth to wipe down the counters and Sky's tray.  Jodi turned me on to this line: http://www.norwex.com/norwex.php?lng=7&cnt=223  I'm building up my Norwex supply slowly.  It's not the least expensive option, but over time once I have enough to do what I need to on a weekly basis it eliminates the need for the wipes, and will drastically cut down on paper towel use as well.  And, Jodi shared a great idea....use one as a towel to dry Sky's hands with.  Kid's don't always do a great job of washing their hands, so drying with an antibacterial cloth assures their hands are clean!  My next purchase is the travel pack so we can have some in the trailer for camping. 

I also found micro fiber cloths on the auto isle at Target I think they were $5.99 for 4.  They aren't antibacterial, but they work great for scrubbing the bathroom and floors with. 

I'm still using up the last of the purchased cleaners but once they are gone I will strictly use the cleaners I make from the book. 

Another great bonus is that it's pennies on the dollar to make my own cleaner.  With me not working outside the house I feel like it's my job to save money anyway I can.  We don't have a lot of big options for saving money, we are pretty darn responsible already, but little things like this add up over time.  And, I love knowing our house is a healthy house and as chemical free as possible!