Four Tips for Keeping Your Bathroom Cleaner

http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/designer-bathrooms#slide-1

A question I received yesterday was "How can I create a schedule to keep my bathroom cleaner?"  Really what you need are a few routines to cut down your actual cleaning time. Here are a few tips for the bathroom:

• Swish the toilet every morning with your toilet brush. This will keep the bowl cleaner so you don't have to clean as often.
• Use an "eco-sponge" in the shower while you are in it. The sponge uses the technology of friction to clean off soap scum. It's great for glass shower doors too.
• "Dust" your bathroom every day with a dry microfiber cloth. This will keep the buildup to a minimum and make actual cleaning a cinch.
• Keep a small battery operated vacuum in the bathroom and run it every day on the floors. This will keep the hair and lint to a minimum.

Today on Martha Stewart Living Radio...

Make sure you follow my blog and my facebook fan page. The producer said the lines were full and they are going to have me back soon. I'll let you know here and on facebook! www.facebook.com/GreenCleaningCoach

Eco Sponge - works like the eraser sponge but lasts a lot longer because it has a sponge in the middle that keeps if from breaking up. http://www.backdoorvac.com/eco-sponge.html

 A microfiber mop - It's great way to clean hardwood floors AND even dust the walls. Just a little spritz of water and your all set. http://www.backdoorvac.com/microfiber-mop-kit.html 

A Review Of My Book By The Healthful Truth

Here is a review of my book by the Healthful Truth. Thanks Lily!

The Joy of Green Cleaning

Posted on December 2, 2012

I have a dream…that one day my home will be completely free of harsh chemicals! I was raised to use these toxic chemicals. My mother says “If you’re not using Clorox, it’s not clean!”. My mother even uses it in her dish water especially when someone gets sick in the home. I thought this was how it was done! (Sorry Mom!) Now I cringe when I smell bleach. Lysol All Purpose Cleaner gives me a raging headache.

What is my “why” when it comes to green cleaning? I didn’t actually start to make green, non-toxic changes until I became pregnant and started thinking about my daughter’s health. I thought about how she would be crawling on the floors absorbing toxic chemicals through her skin and mouth. They would be present on her clothes and inhaling these chemicals that kill brain cells, cause cancer, and irritate your skin. If you have kids you know that their skin is very sensitive and their guts are very permeable and these chemicals would quickly get in to her blood stream and wreck havoc. Not only did I think about the cleaners but also the baby products like shampoos and lotions. Another reason

why, is that we over do it when it comes to anti-bacterial products. We have been raised to think that killing all bacteria is good for us…WRONG. Most people don’t realize that there are good bacteria and bad bacteria. Antibacterial cleaners kill everything leaving the strongest bacterias to survive and get stronger. This results in the creation of super bacteria that become resistant to the antibacterial agents you use to kill them. You may actually be doing more harm to yourself by using these harsh chemicals to kill them then what the bad bacteria you are trying to kill may do to you.

So all this non-toxic talk brings me to my latest blog post which is really a book review of The Joy of Green Cleaning.  I absolutely love this recipe book! It’s a great handy resource book for green cleaning.  It was written by Leslie Reichert aka Green Cleaning Coach whose mission is to teach and encourage others in the art of home-keeping and green cleaning. In her book, Leslie explains what is the big deal about greening your cleaning. She says that most regular cleaning can be done without any toxic chemicals. It is true that you can clean with non-toxic items already in your pantry such as baking soda, vinegar, sea salt, lemon juice, and hydrogen peroxide.

Read more here...

Bucket-less Mopping

Using a traditional mop and bucket can leave you feeling a little bit like a scurvy pirate mopping the deck of a ship with some dirty sea water. The water in the bucket gets dirty, you have to lug the water wherever you want to clean, and sometimes the floor doesn't even look cleaner after mopping. However, all of the hassle and grind of using a bucket is unnecessary. To learn about a faster, easier way to mop your floors, follow the link below to the third part in my ten video series that will help you achieve a safer, greener, and cleaner home.

http://www.greencleaningcoach.com/ar/bucket-less-mopping

...One Spray Bottle At A Time!

"Your articles have energized me to re-evaluate my own habits and how they affect my family. You keep me motivated and engaged every day to live more eco-consciously by showing me how easy it can be to “green clean” and how effective. I must admit that your tips on vinegar are my favorite!  I never knew it could be so powerful but in “How does your home smell?” you suggested a mixture with borax and vinegar to clean around the toilets and it rocks! 

I never was much of a label reader until I became awakened to the many harmful ingredients we consume without a second thought.  Now I make an effort to check what my family consumes to ensure that I am not ignorant of a hidden threat. That includes what I clean with, which is why I love your site! However, something I ironically never thought too deeply about was the water!  It turns out that our the water we use to cook, clean and shower with exposes us to a number of toxins, one in particular that I have learned about is chlorine.  While in moderation, chlorine is not too dangerous, in larger amounts or absorbed through our skin it can lead to very serious health implications.  I was surprised to come across this disguised danger and feel that others may be as niave as I was which is why I wrote “A Daily Toxin – Uncovering Unnecessary Exposure to Chlorine,” in which I have explained the background of chlorine, how it is used and why we should take more precautions.  I feel it is critical information especially for those raising children who are more susceptible." Renee Bedford

 

Renee has sent me her article and if you are interested in receiving a copy you can email Renee directly at rbedford@christmastreemarketco.com  She would be happy to send you a copy. Thanks Renee - Together we can change the world, one spray bottle at a time! The recipes Renee mentions in her testimony above are found in The Joy of Green Cleaning.

Day 3 Use our green scrub in the Bathroom

I hope you got to take a look at the first episode of Green Clean TV yesterday. In that video I made a green scrub that is the basis for lots of different cleaners for your home. With just four simple ingredients we can clean the counters and sink in our kitchen and also clean our bathrooms. Today we are going to use that same scrub in the bathroom our guests will be using. Since we have been keeping up with it, we should only need to use the scrub in the sink and inside the toilet. That's right - this scrub is great for cleaning the toilet - instead of using a cleaner filled with acid. This is safer for you and also the water system. So in case you didn't see yesterday's blog, scroll down and watch how we make up the "green scrub" then with a sparkle sponge or skoy cloth, scrub out the bathroom sink and then sprinkle the scrub in the toilet and swish with a brush. You are going to be really surprised! If you enjoy this recipe you'll love my book The Joy of Green Cleaning. It is also a great idea for Christmas!

Day 6 How does your home smell?

My kids swear that every house has a smell. They love going over to my one friends' home because is smells "homey". I want my home to smell homey too. What I don't want is my home to smell like dog, cat or any other stale smell or to smell like I just cleaned it. And you would be surprised at the number of people that are sensitive to candles and other scents, so we want to be very careful about adding smells to cover others. Here are some different tips to make your home smell fresh without using chemicals.

Start with your garbage and recycling containers. Take them outside and rinse them with vinegar and water. After they are dry, sprinkle baking soda in the bottom before putting in the bag.

Clean out your drain in the kitchen sink with a recipe from my book: The Joy of Green Cleaning. Start with two tablespoons of baking soda sprinkled down the drain, then heat up a cup of white vinegar and pour that down the drain. The mixture will foam. Let this sit while you warm up hot water in your tea pot. Once it is boiling, pour that down the drain to flush out anything that may leave a smell.

Mix up a bottle of half vinegar and half water with a teaspoon of borax and spray around the base of your toilets. Let the mixture sit for awhile and then wipe with a microfiber cloth. This prevents any smells coming from underneath the toilet.

Avoid decorating with cut pines unless you check with your guests first. Many people are finding they are allergic to real pine and may have a reaction while visiting you. Try to use the artificial stuff for your guest's sake. I'm using the real stuff to decorate the outside of my entryway.

If you have a pet, consider trying a new product called FreshWave. This product neutralizes smells instead of covering them up. You can use it as a spray or it comes in a jar that you just leave open in the room. The jar of gel will last you all the way through New Years if you open it now. It really is amazing how it works. And you home won't smell like your pet.

Green Alternative to Bleach

One product that really scares me is clorine bleach. Bleach can be very dangerous both for the person using it and for others in the home where it's being used. I recommend trying some great green alternatives first.

Last night I was lucky enough to speak to a group at the Whitinsville Social Library and I mentioned a green alternative to bleach.

I told them to try hydrogen peroxide- It is a great whitener that you can use in the laundry or the bathroom. You can add a 1/4 cup to your laundry to brighten up your whites. And if your battling mold or mildew in the bathroom, you can put a tooth brush in the bottle and give the moldy area a scrub. I told them it really will work.

One gentleman listening to me last night had an "unbelieving" look on his face while I was talking about this.... But guess who showed up at my store this morning! That's right, Mr. Unbelieving. He said he went right home and gave the hydrogen peroxide a try- And it worked great! No More Mold!!

So you see, there are great green alternatives to bleach!! And it's okay to not believe me. All I ask you to do is try it.... You may become a believer like my friend from last night.

The worst job in the bathroom!

It's true, cleaning the inside of a toilet is the worst job in the entire house. But somebody has to do it! If it is you, I have a few suggestions to make it easier.

First, I insist you use gloves. There is no better way to keep yourself save from bacteria than using a pair of gloves. Then turn off the water going to the toilet. Look for the silver handle behind the bowl that controls the water to the top of the toilet. Turn the water all the way off, then flush. Now the bowl is empty and you can clean it directly. Try to use a gentle cleaner, since you're not diluting it in the water. You can try baking soda, a powder cleanser or an all natural scrub like Mrs. Meyers. Use a brush or even a scrubby sponge and your hands (inside those gloves!). Once the bowl is nice and clean, you turn the supply line water back on, let the reserve tank fill up, then flush. And there you have it! A nice clean toilet bowl.

Happy Cleaning!

Multi-tasking

What a waste of time waiting those three minutes in the shower for the conditioner to work in your hair. I have an idea. What if you could clean the shower without chemicals in those wasted three minutes. Now you can. Try our Xtreme sponge to get rid of all the soap scum in your shower and don't worry about any chemicals! It doesn't use ANY chemicals. Its magic. Just rub the shower clean. And stop wasting precious time!