A Review and Giveaway

Could you use $10,000? Do you have an awesome cupcake recipe? You need to enter the Jelly Belly Cupcake Contest. Just click on picture and it will take you there.

I love having a clean home. I think most people do. There are so many products on the market that will help you keep a clean home. My dilemma is that while I want a clean home, I don’t want a house full of harsh , funky smelling chemicals. So what do you do if you’d like to have a clean green home? Here are my top ten tips for that question.

1. Use vinegar and baking soda to clean just about everything. Baking soda is slightly abrasive and can be used on counter tops, sinks, toilets, showers, bathtubs and more. All you have to do is sprinkle baking soda on the surface and then use a damp rag soaked in vinegar to scrub. Afterwords you can rinse with a clean wet washcloth if there is any residue.
2. What if you don’t think using vinegar and baking soda is clean enough. I’ll confess, I don’t use it on my toilets. I know theoretically I can, but I like knowing that I’m using a product that is really going to get it clean. It’s pretty easy to pick up a green product like Mrs. Meyers products when you are out shopping. Then you know for sure it’s clean.
3. Switch light bulbs. It’s pretty simple. You can do it all at once or as each light bulb burns out make sure you are replacing it with an environmentally friendly one. The house we live in had light bulbs burning out every other week when we first moved in. As they burnt out I switched them over to the 5 year bulbs. We’ve been here for three years and I think I’ve got every one of them updated now.
4. Have you ever thought about what you walked in during the day? If you walked across a lawn on city property it was probably chemically treated with fertilizers and pesticides. If you went to the store the asphalt has spit and all kinds of other gross things on it. What do you do when you get home? If you take off your shoes before you enter the house you aren’t bringing it inside! You can wear slippers or have a dedicated indoor pair of shoes for when you are inside.
5. Recycle. Does this even need an explanation? It’s fairly simple and not really time consuming. It’s a matter of conditioning yourself to do it.
6. Replace your old appliances. Do you own a refrigerator older than ten years old? If you do you should consider replacing it with an energy star efficient one. It will save you money on your energy bill and be easier to keep clean. The new designs are more energy efficient, have a better layout and can save you money on your groceries as well.
7. Use natural air fresheners. Plants can naturally clean the air in your home. If you don’t have a green thumb, boil some water with cinnamon sticks and cloves in it on your stove. It smells wonderful. Consider adding tea tree or lavender oil to the water for a different scent.
8. Use regular soap and water and not antibacterial soaps. Sounds counter productive doesn’t it? Using antibacterial soaps can actually put you at risk for super bug infection. Germs that are resistant to antibiotics are on the rise and the people who research things like that believe there is a direct link between the rise of antibacterial soaps and super bug strains. Good old fashioned soap and water and some time scrubbing your hands is still the best way to stay clean.
9. If you live in a rainy area and have problems with mold and mildew you can keep a spray bottle filled with 1 cup water and 1 to 10 drops of tea tree oil in your home. Spray the moldy spots and they should disappear quickly.
10. I know summer is wrapping up and in some areas snow isn’t that far away but there is still time to hang your clothes outside on a clothes line. It will keep your house cooler, cut down on your energy costs and be some of the best smelling clothes you’ve ever worn.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Mrs. Meyer’s blogging program, making me eligible to get a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.