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We like it big

and cheap, bright

and brash.

We like it

mega, super, ultra,

but somehow

low, lite, free.

We demand

more for less,

and get it

every time.

“Don’t run on empty”

the sign showing

donuts, hot dogs,

and cheesy nachos

says.

Irony escapes us.

Copyright 2010, Elizabeth May

Green Cleaning Tips and Resources

So, you're interested in natural cleaning? Here's the lowdown: what you'll need to get started, where to get it, and how to find more information.

Supplies

1. Empty Spray Bottles--various sizes (dollar stores are good for this)
2. Baking Soda--the BIG box!
3. Borax (often found in your local grocery's laundry aisle)
4. White vinegar--the MEGA bottle!
5. Distilled water (I've also started using filtered water from my fridge for ease)
6. Various essential oils
7. Liquid castile soap, such as Dr. Bronner's

Sources

The good news is, there are only two kinds of supplies that may take a little hunting for--essential oils and liquid castile soap. I can find a wide selection of both at my local health food store. GNC (yes, the vitamin store) sells both as well. And, of course, there are tons of online retailers like Amazon that offer these supplies. My personal favorite is Lucky Vitamin. I can get Dr. Bronner's, essential oils, and other things I use regularly (like organic and natural skin care products, coconut oil and even organic maple syrup in bulk).

Recommended Books

Better Basics for the Home by Annie Berthold-Bond
Clean House, Clean Planet by Karen Logan

I own both of these books, and would recommend them to anyone starting out. Logan’s book is shorter and focuses just on cleaning, while Berthold-Bond’s is much more comprehensive and includes everything from housekeeping to skin care to gardening, pets, and pest control. Both books include good basic info on the cons of chemical-based cleaning and recipes for natural alternatives.

Tips

Start small. Try one new cleaner at a time. See how easy it is to make. Test it out and see if you like how it works. (You won't necessarily love every green cleaning recipe or technique--what works for one person or situation, might not work for you.)

Take it slow. Gradually phase in more and more green cleaners, while phasing out commercial cleaners.

Learn to adjust your expectations. Green cleaners work differently than harsh commercial cleaners. They don't have harsh foaming agents like sodium laurel sulfate, so you probably won't notice the same kind of foaming action (this doesn't mean they're not working, though). Using vinegar and water or plain club soda for mirrors take a different approach than Windex--wipe and let it dry a bit on its own (it doesn't evaporate as quickly as the blue stuff), then buff it dry and shiny with a clean rag.

Wing it when you can. Sprinkle baking soda anywhere you need something a bit abrasive and scrub with a brush or scrubbie. Add a few drops of castile soap for added cleaning power. Mix vinegar and water and essential oils in a roughly 1 to 3 ratio of vinegar to water and add oils as desired. The more you clean using natural methods, the quicker your routine and the more comfortable you'll be ad-libbing.

Have fun. Realize the benefits of natural cleaning... Less money. Less fumes. Less toxicity. More peace of mind.

(You can also read my posts Making Your Own Cleaning Supplies, Part I and Part 2 for simple green cleaning recipes.)

Image: Francesco Marino / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

All Creatures Great and Small

Monarch caterpillars on butterfly weed bush in my parents' backyard

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,

Each little bird that sings,

He made their glowing colours,

He made their tiny wings.

The purple-headed mountain,

The river running by,

The sunset, and the morning,

That brightens up the sky;

The cold wind in the winter,

The pleasant summer sun,

The ripe fruits in the garden,

He made them every one.

The tall trees in the greenwood,

The meadows where we play,

The rushes by the water,

We gather every day;--

He gave us eyes to see them,

And lips that we might tell,

How great is God Almighty,

Who has made all things well.

Maker of Heaven and Earth (All Things Bright and Beautiful), Cecil Frances Alexander 

Ladybug, left, and ladybug larvae, right

I spent a great deal of time this past weekend staring at a bush outside my parents' house. It was a large butterfly weed, and from the first glance, it didn't appear to be in great shape. The leaves were turning a sickly yellowish color, and it was cloaked in tiny orange aphids. However, it was hosting a fascinating variety of life, all interdependent on each other and/or in the plant in various combinations.

First of all, there were the monarch caterpillars--we counted as many as 12 at once. They're a striking caterpillar to begin with, and we enjoyed seeing them in sizes ranging from two inches long (about ready to make a chrysalis) to tiny (about the size of the tip of my pinkie fingernail). They ate ravenously, especially the larger specimens. I was mesmerized just by the speed at which they devoured the leaves. (Eric Carle had to have been talking about a monarch caterpillar when he wrote "The Very Hungry Caterpillar.")

Then, I noticed the ladybugs--not the orangish imported versions that are such pests in some areas of the country, but "real" red ladybugs--the kind I remember from my youth. I also noticed another type of critter or two--a grayish larvae and a red and black larvae. This was ringing a bell from a book I'd read to my 7-year-old. I asked her if these were different stages of ladybug larva (something I'd never seen before in person). She assured me it was--and, trust me, she'd know on this type of thing.

Ladybug, top left, and ladybug larvae, bottom

But that wasn't the only life the plant was hosting. There were bees coming to the plant's orange flowers, flies and gnats buzzing about, and the occasional little spider. Every time I came out of the house, I had to check out the veritable menagerie on the butterfly weed.

It struck me how wonderfully God has created this world and the myriad life forms in it. How everything on this planet has a purpose--even aphid-infested butterfly weed plants that at first glance look like they're destined for the compost heap!

Ladybug pupa

Dear Lord: Help me to see with open eyes the beauty of the world around me. Help me to observe with the wonder of a child and praise your glory to the heavens. Teach me that if you can use something as humble as a weed to bring forth life, you can use me too, as imperfect as I am. 

O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom, hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

Psalm 104: 24-25

An Old Poem: In Season

Here's a poem I wrote for our middle child (now five!) when she was four months old. I hadn't written any poetry in years, but the idea for this poem came to me in the middle of the night, while nursing. I couldn't go back to sleep until I had jotted a few lines down; by the next afternoon, it was finished.

In Season

for Julianne Elizabeth

By the time we discovered you

you were a comma of possibility,

microscopic but mighty,

a miracle of inattention.

By the time we met you

you were wrinkled and wriggling,

a parched bud of need and longing.

Now we know you, lush, plump, fully realized.

A soft, round belly, milky and cool,

perfect as a pitcher of cream.

Hair, a delicate fuzz.

Eyes, a shock of delphinium blue.

She’s a peach, a friend told us.

ripe, melting

ready to be devoured.

Copyright 2010, Elizabeth May

Clean and Green: Making Your Own Cleaning Products, Part 2

My commitment to green cleaning began by chance. I was looking for essential oils to purchase to make a homemade air spray and happened upon a "recipe" for an easy all-purpose spray cleaner. It was made of things I already had around my house. It took two minutes to mix. It worked. It smelled good. I didn’t have to warn my kids: “Don’t touch! It has chemicals on it!”

I was hooked.

It will be a year this fall since I started cleaning naturally,and I'm still going strong! It’s easy to mix up a new batch of All-Purpose Spray Cleaner (see recipe below) if I need to, and takes only a few minutes. But, I also try make things as simple as possible. I clean tubs by sprinkling in some baking soda and a few drops of liquid castile soap  that I keep in a nearby closet, and then lather it up with a scrub brush. I clean and deodorize toilets by sprinkling in a few tablespoons of borax and squirting in a few drops of tea tree oil . I let it sit for a little while--you can even let it “work” overnight--and then scrub with a toilet brush. My mirrors sparkle when I spray on club soda and wipe dry with a clean rag.

I know I’m saving money with DIY cleaning, but, best of all, I feel good about what I’m using in my home. And, I’m discovering another nice side effect of green cleaning too: When your cleaning regimen smells like aromatherapy, you actually clean more!

All-Purpose Cleaning Spray

This is the first cleaning recipe I made. I like it because it only has three ingredients. I use it on my laminate kitchen countertops, bathroom sinks, toilet seats, showers and tubs; it can also be used on stainless steel, mirrors, and glass. That’s a lot for one little cleaner!

12 ounces distilled or filtered water
4 ounces distilled white vinegar
10-20 drops essential oil, or to your preference (I like tea tree oil for my bathrooms and a citrus scent like orange, lemon, or lime for my kitchen.)

Pour all ingredients into an empty spray bottle. Shake before each use to distribute essential oils.

Antiseptic Soap Spray 

This is good for you antibacterial buffs out there. It’s a nice, natural alternative to commercial sanitizers and draws on the naturally antiseptic cleansing qualities of both soap and tea tree oil. Great for bathrooms, wiping down toys and doorknobs to kill germs, and more. 

3 tbsp. Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile soap
20-30 drops tea tree essential oil
16 ounces distilled or filtered water

Fill a 16-ounce spray or squirt bottle almost full of water. Add liquid soap and tea tree oil. Shake to mix.

Furniture Polish Spray

There are two options for this simple furniture cleaner. Both use nearly the same ingredients, but in different proportions. I use spray #1 for my vintage and antique furniture—these older pieces with a more porous finish just “drink” up the oil. Spray #2 is great for painted furniture or pieces with a harder finish.

Olive oil
Distilled white vinegar
Lemon essential oil or fresh lemon juice
Distilled or filtered water (for spray #1)

For spray #1, put ¾ cup olive oil, ¼ cup vinegar, and 40 or so drops lemon oil or ¼ tsp. fresh lemon juice in bottle. (This only makes about 8 ounces, so you may want to get a smaller bottle. Since it’s largely oil-based, you don’t need to use a lot; I usually squirt a little on a clean rag and buff it in.)

For spray #2, put two tsp. olive oil in 16-ounce bottle, add 20 or more drops lemon essential oil (or 1 to 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice) and ¼ cup vinegar. Fill the rest of the bottle with water. Shake well before each use.

If you are using fresh lemon juice, most experts recommending keeping your spray in the fridge so the lemon juice doesn’t go rancid.

Soft Scrubber

I use this when I need some extra scrubbing power; to scour my kitchen sink, to get at the bathtub and the texturized bottom of my shower. One note: Baking soda will leave a residue, so try not to use it on glass shower doors or metal fixtures, unless you don’t mind following with a vinegar spray cleaner to make things shine.

Baking soda
Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile soap

Homemade soft scrubbers can tend to dry out, so I mix this on the fly. I put baking soda in a shaker container (dollar-store confectioner’s sugar shakers work well), shake out as needed on the surface to be cleaned, and add a few drops of Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile soap. I then lather it up with a wet scrub brush, rinse, and repeat as needed.




Image: graur codrin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Clean and Green: Making Your Own Cleaning Products, Part 1

Everyone’s “going green” these days. Recycling bins show up in nearly every business and home; schools and workplaces go “paperless”; hip boutiques carry purses and accessories made of everything from old license plates to juice boxes to recycled newspapers; and, families everywhere toss their harsh commercial cleaners in favor of natural, homemade concoctions that save the planet--and their pocketbook.

Well, I may be stretching it a bit with the last one, but we could all benefit from considering how we can “green” up our cleanup. If you’re like I was, you probably haven’t thought too much about what’s lurking under your kitchen sink or in your bathroom cupboard. But what if you could replace the plethora of commercial cleaning products—many harboring caustic, or even potentially toxic, chemicals—with a few simple, time-tested basic cleaning supplies that are all-natural?

Think pantry staples like baking soda, lemon juice, olive oil, and white distilled vinegar. Add in the aromatic world of essential oils for heavenly scents and extra disinfecting power. Mix. Repeat.

That’s just about how complex homemade, green cleaners are. In fact, for earlier generations this won’t be big news. Just ask your grandma. She probably didn’t buy a different cleaner for every day of the week; many of today’s products weren’t even on the market when she was young. She knows that mildly-abrasive baking soda is safe enough to eat but also can clean your oven, tub, and more. No doubt, she could tell you that vinegar and water mixed in a spray bottle (or club soda) will make your glass, mirrors, and metal shine like never before.

I began making my own cleaning products nearly 10 months ago, and haven't looked back. Tune in for Part 2 tomorrow when I share my tried and tested tips and homemade cleaning recipes.

Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Create An Herbal Bouquet

One of my favorite things to do this time of year is  create a bouquet of herbs.

It's pretty, smells fragrant, and inspires you to pluck a few leaves or stems to enliven your meals.

The bouquet pictured here includes herbs from my own garden (rosemary, dill, oregano, parsley, and chives), though you could certainly purchase the herbs at your local farmer's market or grocery.

I simply wash the herbs, so they're ready to use, and put them on my kitchen countertop where I can't miss them come mealtime.

Here are some of my favorite, quick and easy uses for fresh herbs:

1. Chop fresh chives and use them to top baked potatoes, or toss boiled potato chunks with real butter and chives.

2. Place a fresh tomato slice on a piece of bread and sprinkle with fresh minced basil. Top with a slice of cheese and broil for a delicious and easy sandwich or snack.

3. Slice fresh cucumbers and toss with yogurt, sour cream or mayo, and season with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, and fresh dill weed.

4. Make a homemade herb vinagrette by mixing two parts olive oil to one part balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. Season with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, fresh garlic (pressed through a garlic press or minced) and a variety of fresh herbs, finely chopped.