Growers and Grocers

I read a lot of books, magazines and websites about going green. But none have had the effect on me that A Guide to Green Housekeeping by Christina Strutt of Cabbages & Roses did.

Besides the beautifully staged photographs, I was immediately pulled in by Christina’s heartfelt and passionate writing. After only the first page, I suddenly wanted to live a more simple, green, clutter- and chemical-free life.

I saw myself in a cotton apron cleaning the floor, a la Cinderella, with my metal bucket and heavy wood brush just scrubbing away the grime of the house. I saw clutter fly off the shelves (except all my books, of course) leaving bright and airy space in front of me. And I saw myself with a home that smelled of fresh air instead of “Fresh Air” by Glade.

I wanted this life for myself so badly that I started decluttering immediately… and the decluttering included my brain and its ideas of what a clean house should entail. And, because of that, I made improvements to two of the rules on my Green To Do Listl:

• Do not buy anymore paper towels. I usually buy a huge pack from Costco, but now I’m going to use the ones I have left, and then only use cloth napkins, hand towels, and cloth rags for what I would normally use a paper towel for.

• Try to only use completely natural products for cleaning. I’m either going to find products that are naturally green or use Christina’s recommended natural solutions of baking soda, vinegar, and lemon. While I’ve been using Mrs. Meyer’s products for awhile now, I’m realizing how many chemicals I still use outside of that… especially when it comes to cleaning the bathroom. Bleach is a regular participant when cleaning out our shower and toilets.

And speaking of using only natural products to clean with, I want to share some of my favorite hints that I’ve gotten from A Guide to Green Housekeeping so that you can start cleaning green TODAY!

Baking Soda:

Soak dishcloths and washcloths in a strong solution of baking soda and water to freshen them.

To reduce the amount of detergent powder used for each laundry load and to make it more effective, it’s a good idea to substitute baking soda for half the normal dose. (Detergent powder contains far fewer chemicals than liquid.)

Vinegar:

To freshen up the toilet and remove stains, spray vinegar around the bowl and brush clean.

To remove stale odors lurking in cookie tins or lunch boxes, dip a slice of fresh bread in vinegar and leave in the tin or box overnight.

In addition to green cleaning materials, A Guide to Green Housekeeping teaches us about :

• Saving Energy at home and in travel
• Composting
• Gardening
• A Healthy Pantry
• Herbs
• Green Gifts

So, needless to say, my next trip to Costco will not be to purchase large amounts of paper towels, but instead to pick up a couple dozen pounds of baking soda and bottles and bottles of vinegar.