Fume-free Oven Cleaner

I posted this photo on facebook the other day and people said they wanted me to explain the "how to" about it.  I cleaned the glass on my oven with just rubbing alcohol and baking soda. Sprinkle the baking soda over the glass. Put the rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle and spray it right on the baking soda. I used a sparkle sponge to clean it - so it wouldn't scratch the glass. The greasy build up came right off! Now that was easy!

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...

Making Your Own Laundry Soap Is Easy And Frugal

You've heard about making your own laundry soap, but it really seems like a lot of work. I'm going to show you how easy it is in this video below

With just four simple ingredients you can make enough for 80 loads of laundry. And the price? I'm guessing that it really only costs 3.00 for the entire batch. Watch the video and if you decide you really don't want to do it yourself, you can purchase this beautiful Ball Jar container filled with the recipe here: http://www.backdoorvac.com/great-grandma39s-laundry-so39.html

Homemade Mixtures That Save Money

If you meet someone who is a very dedicated cleaner but hasn't yet discovered green cleaning, you will often meet someone with a different mixture for every surface in the home. The simplicity of green cleaning not only means you won't need as many products but also that you will spend less money. Many of the solutions for green cleaning can be made from common ingredients found in your kitchen.

Counter Cleaner
Vinegar is a powerful natural cleanser that kills many foreign elements you won't want making it into your food like mold and germs. Combine equal amounts of vinegar and water and use that solution to clean your counter. If you can't abide the smell, mixing some oil fragrance with the vinegar before adding the water will improve the smell.

Glass Cleaning Solution
Combine rubbing alcohol and water in equal portions. It will make whatever you wish to clean shiny and works well for appliances as well as windows.

For Copper
If you scrub the bottom of a copper pan with a mixture of lemon juice and salt, your pot will shine with that reddish glow once again and you won't even have to go shopping to get new soap.

Scouring
Baking soda is perfect for this. It is gentler than regular solutions and safer. If you want to increase the power, you can mix it with other household items like sea salt or borax.

Time to "Clean" the Closet

When the weather changes, it is time to "change the closet." Now those of you who live up in the northern parts of the country probably know exactly what I mean and precisely how much it entails. It's that special time of year when you kiss all of your sweaters goodbye and start rummaging in your spare drawers and those boxes in the attic for that clothing you put away because it was too cold. You have to pack away your winter wardrobe and refresh your spring/summer style, and your clothes don't smell any better for being stuck in storage for the last few months. So to help you take just one more step to getting your home ready for spring, I'm going to give you the recipe to my Great Grandma's Laundry soap featured in my book, The Joy of Green Cleaning. This recipe will not only make your clothing clean and fresh but  is perfect for those with sensitive skin who are prone to breakouts.
Start by compiling your ingredients. First you will need 2 cups of soap flakes. You can either order them or you can create your own by grating a dry ivory soap bar. Next you will need 1 cup of baking soda, 1 cup washing soda, 1 cup Borax, and 15 drops of any essential oil for scent.
To make the detergent, simply mix all of these ingredients and store them in an air-tight container. For front loading machines, you can use 1-2 tablespoons of detergent or 1/4 cup for top loading. If you prefer a liquid detergent to a powder, just mix the soap with very hot water before putting it in the washing machine. Mixing these ingredients hardly takes any time and you will be sure to come out with a well washed wardrobe that is better for the skin of you and your family. Once those piles of laundry are cleaned and organized, your home will feel more spacious and you will have the peace of mind of knowing that when the weather changes, you will have precisely what you need.

Scary Stains From Halloween

I don't know about you, but I deal with some pretty scary stains after halloween. My kids come home and dump their candy all over my family room carpet. And every year "someone" gets chocolate on the carpet. Here is a sure fire plan that will help you should your little "goblins" get chocolate on your family room carpet!

1  Rub an ice cube over the stain so that the chocolate becomes hard and won’t smear into the surrounding fabric. Once it is hard scrape as much chocolate off as you can. Use a vacuum to lift the flaked chocolate off the carpet.
2. Wait until the chocolate warms back up to room temperature, and blot it with warm/hot water and a wet cloth. Continue to blot the stain until nothing comes off on the cloth.

3. Mix up 1 tablespoon borax, 1 tablespoon baking soda and add some club soda together until you have a thin paste and rub it from the outside of the stain to the center. Don’t smear the stain around or work in a circle – just blot and wipe towards the center of the stain.

4. Using a damp white cloth, blot the stain and continue the above process until nothing more comes off onto the white cloth.

5. If the stain is still visible you can use some old fashioned laundry soap and work it into the area.

6. You can also dilute some of the laundry soap in hot water and add a few teaspoons of rubbing alcohol and place over the stain.

7. Continue to blot the stain until it is removed.

8. An enzyme based spot remover such as Unique, which will “eat” the chocolate as long as it remains wet. Place the stain remover directly on the stain and place a wet paper towel over the area. The longer you keep it wet, the longer it will continue to work on the stain.

Green Cleaning Your Grill For The Fourth!

Summer is in full swing which means we have moved most of our cooking to our outdoor kitchens and grills. Dinners become more relaxing and very casual. But you don’t want to be casual about keeping your grill area clean. Even though we are outside we still need to keep the cooking area free from both bacteria and toxins. Here are a few “green cleaning” recipes for you to use.


Grill Cleaner
After cooking on your grill you want to burn off as much of the excess grease that you can. Turn off the heat and let the grill cool down. Sprinkle the grill area with a light coating of baking soda. Fill a spray bottle full of white distilled vinegar and spray the entire cooking area. The baking soda will bubble which will help remove any built up grease. Continue to spray the grill and keep the baking soda moist. Wipe with a wet rag or wash in the sink.

Antibacterial Spray
Keep the areas around the grill free from bacteria by using this spray on any of the surfaces.

½ cup white distilled vinegar
½ cup club soda
½ cup hydrogen peroxide
8 drops Tea Tree oil

Mix the Tea Tree oil with the white vinegar. This will cancel out the vinegar smell. Then add the other two ingredients and place in a dark plastic spray bottle to keep in our outside kitchen.

Stainless Steel Polish

This mixture removes build up grease from stainless steel grills.
1 cup baking soda
½ cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons borax
Club soda to make into a paste

Mix baking soda, borax and lemon juice together. Add enough club soda to make into a paste. Apply the paste to the metal with a soft cloth. Rinse with plain club soda. Finish by polishing with a clean cloth.

For a free recipe from the book The Joy of Green Cleaning go to www.thejoyofgreencleaning.com You will also get a free video on how to use it!

Thrift Culture Now! DIY Green Cleaners

Thrift Culture Now interviewed me for an article about the money you could save by making your own. Check out their article!

Learn How to Clean Anything & Everything with DIY Green Cleaners & Help from The Cleaning Coach


Have you ever looked at the list of ingredients on a bottle of Pine Sol, Pledge, or Windex? What about those commercial cleaning products that are supposed to rid your shower of mildew but require you to put a ‘temporarily out of order’ sign on your bathroom door for fear that one of your family members inhales the napalm-like cleaner within two hours of it being sprayed? It’s scary stuff and yet, week after week, people clean their homes with these dangerous products.

After 20 years of working in the cleaning industry, commercial cleaners started to take their toll on Leslie’s immune system. She had become severely sensitive to certain ingredients in the store-bought cleaning products and decided that enough was enough; she was through with using toxic household cleaners.



Using some old family recipes, those given to her by friends, and creating several originals, Leslie started mixing up natural, green cleaners and testing them in her own home. She found them so effective yet their natural scents and non-abrasive ingredients didn’t leave her gasping for breath and coughing, that she wanted to share her new-found knowledge with others.



“About five years ago, I realized my mission was to teach and encourage people about the dangers of toxic chemicals and to give them alternatives,” Leslie explains. “I decided that people need to know that there is a better way to clean. I started talking to groups of women—mothers and grandmothers—that were looking for a healthier way to clean. I work with organizations and businesses trying to get my message out.”



Since then, Leslie, also known as The Cleaning Coach, has become a popular figure appearing on television and radio shows, hosting workshops, working as a green consultant and blogging regularly about the new green cleaning solutions she’s created and answering readers’ questions. Leslie is also the author of The Joy of Green Cleaning, a cleaning bible of sorts and a must-read for any frugal living enthusiast. Currently, some of the green cleaning recipes that she has developed are being tested in a research lab at the University of MA, Lowell for their ‘cleanability.’ Leslie says so far they’re proving their merit as great, safe alternatives for toxin-filled commercial cleaners.



Anyone who's interested in making their own homemade green cleaners needs to visit Clean Green Talk (Leslie's blog) where you will find tons of tips for how to tackle common cleaning dilemmas the natural way; how to make your own glass and mirror cleaner to homemade deodorizer for Ugg boots, getting rid of the smell in your front-loading washing machine, to how to keep spiders out of your house with a natural homemade spray.



What's amazing about the green cleaner recipes that you will find in The Joy of Green Cleaning is that a large number of the ingredients are probably already in your kitchen cupboard. Like Leslie says in her book, give just one of these homemade solutions a try and, before you know it, “you'll be going to your pantry for cleaning solutions instead of the cabinet under the sink.” Homemade green cleaners are also significantly cheaper than commercial cleaners.



When you consider that the homemade, natural cleaning solutions won’t damage your health and that making and using them will also save you money, switching over to the do it yourself natural route for cleaning seems like a no-brainer. Using safe products in your home have the great short-term benefits of saving you money but the long-term benefits for you and your family’s health are even more important.



“You can mix up a cleaner for 1/10 the price of a regular ‘over the counter’ cleaner from a grocery store,” Leslie explains. “Just think: a gallon of vinegar costs around $3 and will make two gallons of all purpose cleaner. If I do my math correctly, that’s1 cent an ounce! And will be safe and healthy for your family and pets! Think of what you would save in medical and vet bills.”



While Leslie says there are more and more people who seem open to trying natural cleaning products, she says a lot of people are still skeptical as to whether or not they actually work. It’s like somewhere along the way we were led to believe that nothing can be truly clean if it hasn’t been treated with a bright blue solution or a product that smells so strong your nose and eyes sting and water.



“We have been programmed to ‘kill’ bacteria in our homes and people don’t believe that green cleaners will get rid of the bacteria,” Leslie says. “Actually, they do kill bacteria—you just have to use the correct ingredients and use them in the right proportions. Vinegar kills 98% of bacteria, tea tree oil is a great anti-bacterial product and hydrogen peroxide has been used for years in the medical field. All of these are in my recipes and work great for killing germs.”



Leslie has found, however, that all she needs to do to convince people that you can remove stains, get streak-free glass, spotless counters and white toilet bowls with a natural cleaner, is to get them to try just one of her many green cleaner recipes.



“When I talk to a group, I always mix up samples of a DIY cleaner that everyone can take home and try,” Leslie says. “I also give them directions and ask them to let me know how it works. I always get positive feedback saying that it worked BETTER than their store bought cleaner. The trick is getting them to try it!”



If you want to turn over a new leaf and take a giant leap towards saving money and protecting your health, Leslie recommends you stock your pantry with a few of the green cleaning essentials: vinegar, baking soda, salt, borax, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, club soda and maybe an essential oil to give your homemade cleaners a nice calming scent. She says you should also check out the list of ingredients that Whole Foods created for its customers to show them how many grocery store ingredients can be used in do it yourself green cleaners.



Leslie says she loves the challenge of finding a new, better and safer way to clean, and she hopes that people will continue to give her new cleaning challenges so she can continue to surprise them when she comes up with a natural solution for even the most seemingly impossible cleaning dilemma.



“People need to know that the things we use in our homes affect our families and our pets,” Leslie says. “I have seen huge changes take place for people that make small changes, for example changing to a homemade laundry soap instead of a detergent. Little changes can make a big difference—one spray bottle at a time.”



Wouldn’t you like the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you don’t have to lock the cupboard under your kitchen sink because your toddler won’t find a stock of potentially deadly cleaners there, that your tub and shower cleaner or the solution you use to clean kitchen counters and the sink aren’t damaging your lungs, or that your laundry detergent won’t cause your children to break out in a rash?



The next time you run out of glass or toilet bowl cleaner, think about how you could green up your cleaning routine. It’s easy and you owe it to your wallet, yourself and your family. Take Leslie’s advice and walk past the grocery aisle that sells the over-priced and harmful commercial cleaners and pick up a jug of white vinegar, a big box of baking soda and a lemon instead. Happy green cleaning!

Do your Uggs smell?

This is the time of year when we wear our Uggs inside and out. I slipped on my daughter's Uggs this morning before walking on the cold tile floor (please don't tell her or she'll kill me) and they were so cozy warm. I did notice that even though they felt wonderful - they were kinda stinky! That's what happens when your feet sweat in sheepskin. I've got a great recipe for an Ugg Boot Deodorizer. You can thank me in the spring!

"Ugg" Boot Deodorizer
1 cup baking soda
1 cup corn starch
10 drops of your favorite essential oil

Mix the powder and then add the essential oil. Place the powder in a shaker container. Shake a small amount into your boots. Leave the powder in the boots over night and remove in the morning before wearing. This combination will absorb moisture and remove smells, leaving your boots fresh for your next wearing.

** This recipe is from The Joy of Green Cleaning available on Amazon.com or at www.shopgreencleaning.com  Make sure your follow my blog as I'll be sharing lots of recipes from the book!

Green Spot Cleaner Beats The Big Guys!

Sandra P from Hyannis said I could share our conversations about her carpet spot and my suggestion for removing it. Maybe this will work for you too!

Sandra P:
I have a very stubborn stain in my den rug. I don't know if I have ruined my chances for getting it out while trying a couple of different cleaners to try to remove it -- Gonzo and a commercial carpet cleaning spray.
Is there anything you would recommend -- will your general cleaner (vinegar, borax, etc.) help or maybe you have another suggestion.

Leslie:
Hey Sandra! You can try a few things but remember using a commercial cleaner can set a stain. One question first- any idea what it could be? Dirt, grease, food- just a general idea would help.

Sandra P:
I have used more than one commercial cleaner on this spot and I was afraid that I have set the stain. I have no idea what originally caused the stain. We enter the house through an outer entryway and then into the den -- and the stain is within the first couple of steps into the den. So, I assume that it is something that was brought in from outside.It really bugs me because it is the first thing I notice when I walk into the house!!!
Hoping you might have a solution.

Leslie:
Okay - let's start simple. Lets combine some borax (3 tbs) in some hot water (heat water in microwave) and get it to dissolve. Then add some club soda and top it off with 2 tbs baking soda. This should not be a paste. Place some on a clean white rag and work from the edge of the stain in. See if you get some of the stain to come off on the rag. Do not pour the mixture on the stain -  it might bleed out into a bigger spot. Keep blotting and let me know if anything comes off. (this recipe is from my book:
The Joy of Green Cleaning)

Sandra P:
Leslie, What can I say? I feel that you have given me a great gift! This solution has removed the stain -- and I had a couple of other little ones in my living room that I have been fighting with for some time -- and IT WORKED ON THEM, TOO.  You are a wealth of information. I am looking forward to receiving my Joy of Cleaning book.  I want to thank you for giving me the time and attention and in such a timely manner.
You are awesome. I will be sure to spread the word to any of my friends who care about a clean house and convince them that there is a safe way.

Just remember, simple things in your pantry really can clean just as well as commercial cleaners. If you want to start greening your cleaning, but don't know how to get started, buy my book. It will giver you over 70 recipes that will help you take the toxins out of your home! And keep your family healthy. Together we can change the world - one spray bottle at a time!

Green cleaning in a pinch

Sometimes you have to hear if from someone else. This is from Liz R. Thought you might like to hear how simple things do really work!

"I have a funny story for you. Last weekend we ran out of dishwasher detergent and Hubby wanted me to pick some up when I was at the store. Because I'm cheap, I told him we could make our own from the recipe in your book. He was skeptical, as usual. I made the batch as per the recipe in your book (The Joy of Cleaning). We ran it with the load of dishes in the dishwasher and voila! Sparkling clean dishes. The Green Cleaning Diva strikes again in converting a skeptic to use natural ingredients for cleaning! We'll never go back to Cascade dishwashing detergent again! Thanks ;)"

If you want to see how to make the dishwashing soap she's talking about you can watch this video for the directions. Give it a try- it really works!

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.

Autumn tips to keep your indoor air quality at it's best

With autumn rolling in, there’s no better time to cleanse away the summertime pollen, dust bunnies and pet hair that are damaging the indoor air quality of your home. Yet these are only a few of the potential foes, as the greater hazards lie in the very cleaning products that manufacturers sell for helping with those “smelly” chores around the house, such as wall washing and floor stripping. Many commercial cleaning products contain dangerous chemicals known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that have been known to cause skin irritation and lead to cancer under regular exposure. As you prepare your home for the fall and winter ahead, consider these green tips to refresh your surroundings without compromising your indoor air quality.

Grime and waxy residue can build up over time on household floors, leading to discoloration and pollutants in the air. When stripping a floor, always make sure the area has been thoroughly swept and washed with a mild, all-natural cleaning solution, such as The Cleaning Coach’s Green Scrub, to remove as much dirt as possible before applying a green-based floor stripper free of methylene chloride. Howard’s Restor-A-Finish is also a great product for hardwood floors. Use it in just one step to remove scratches, water marks and other blemishes, giving wood its original luster and shine.

Wall washings should always start from the bottom up. Use a paint roller on an extension pole for washing ceilings. Vinegar is a powerful and all-natural resource for killing mold. Add a drop of lemon oil for scent. Tea Tree oil also works wonders on killing mold and spores, and leaves a pleasant aroma after use. When giving your walls a new coat of paint, use a non-toxic formula that is free of benzene and other VOCs.

Improving your home’s indoor air quality can also be achieved through these great tips for freshening up and airing out the rooms of your house:

Tips:

Baking soda mixed with boiling hot water can reduce the presence of odors in kitchen drains and garbage disposals. Pour down ½ cup of baking soda per 16 ounces of water to disinfect and remove food-smelling odors.

Use baking soda with lemon juice to clean and soak smelly toilet bowls and bathtubs that contain a ring of scum or rust on the interior from use and high levels of iron concentrate found in running water.

Always use a fan unit in a bathroom after a shower or bath. You need to run the fan for 20 minutes after the last mist of steam seems to be gone from the air. Steam from hot water can lead to odor-causing mold that forms on walls and ceilings.

Use a dehumidifier in your basement or playroom to remove moisture that attracts mildew and musty smells.

For basements with dry wall or plaster walls and floors, Fresh Wave is a safe and natural product for removing odors.

Invest in an air purifier, such as Summit Storm Air Purifier, to help filter out pollutants such as dust, mites and pet dander, and help you and your loved ones and pets breathe cleaner, more refreshing indoor air.

Peed Off

Imagine my surprise when I got an email from someone saying my "recipe" in the First for Women magazine worked. I wasn't surprised the recipe - an SOS for a pee soaked mattress - actually worked. It was the fact that I didn't know I was quoted in the magazine! I'm not going to repeat poor Carmela Bellocchio's story - you can read about that yourself on page 111 of the October 5 issue. But I will share the recipe! And, as I said to the author- it's guaranteed to work!

Tactic to fight urine stains and smells:

First, flush the area with water. After 5 minutes, use a wet vac or paper towels to soak up the excess liquid. Next, mix up a neutralizing spray of equal parts white vinegar and water to spritz on the mattress. Allow it to dry, then sprinkle baking soda on the spot. Let it sit overnight, then vacuum it up in the morning. The odor will be gone!

Happy Earth Day 2009

Happy Earth Day!! And what a wonderful day it is!

In honor of the great day, why don't you try mixing up your own green cleaner.

Here is the recipe for a great green scrub. And it's made from natural items from the Earth.

Happy Earth Day and Happy Green Cleaning! They do go hand in hand.

The Cleaning Coach's Green Scrub

Use in place of any of your regular scrub cleaners

The one like S*** S*** or the other that begins with C****

This is great to mix with a small amount of water and scrub out the sink, the shower or even the toilet!!

Add your choice of essential oil and think of it as aromatherapy. You may actually like cleaning today!

1/2 cup baking soda

1/2 cup salt (use sea salt for more power)

1/2 cup borax

6-8 drops essential oil (my favorite is lemon grass)

Mix up and put into a shaker container. Use on your counters, in your sink and try a little in the toilet. It's safe and it really works!

Who needs Teflon anyway?

A green solution to the Teflon issue!
One of my favorite pans had a coating of Teflon on it. I never really thought much about it, and I even heard the comments and discussions about it being dangerous. I just thought it was just another "problem" we were too concerned about. But then the coating started to crack and now it's peeling. Maybe this isn't just another false alarm. So I threw away my favorite pan and went to stainless steel. But I definitely don't want to spend my time scrubbing these new pots. I just want to wash and go. So I worked on a "green" solution.

Here is my green alternative to Teflon:
To remove stuck-on food from pots and pans, just put a few teaspoons of baking soda and some warm water in the pot. Place it on a warm burner and leave for 30 minutes. The grime will come right off! I did this today with burnt egg on my stainless steel pot. Without any effort, the pot is sparkling clean! This also works great for crock pots that have that "burn" line from a day of cooking. You can add a little white vinegar if things are really bad. Who needs Teflon anyway!

Another Friday Night!
What a wonderful week. I was lucky enough to be invited back to Whole Foods for another hands-on workshop. I love doing them, because they always turn into mastermind groups. This workshop was a real treat. We had a mom that is a Ovarian Cancer survivor, along with a brand new mom who brought her little one in a back pack. (It’s never too early to start teaching them to clean!). I had a great time and even learned a few more things you can do with baking soda. Did you know if you mixed up baking soda and water into a paste it will clean the burnt on spots on your iron. Another great tip!

Non toxic oven cleaner!

If you have been cooking all week, your oven may be in need of a spot clean. Whether you need to clean a small spill or the entire oven- there is a "green" way to clean it. Sprinkle the area you need to clean with baking soda. Spread it around so the entire area is covered with the thick powder. Now take a spray bottle of water and spray the baking soda until it is moist. Let is sit-overnight if you can. Respray the area before you go to bed, to keep it moist. In the morning take a microfiber cloth and wipe up the powder. The oven will be nice and clean- and free from any toxic fumes so you can keep cooking all weekend! Happy Cleaning and Happy Thanksgiving!

Ways to clean with Baking Soda!

Baking Soda--As a cleaner?

A paste from baking soda can be very effective for cleaning and scrubbing.

• You can mix it with lemon juice to have a little "bleach scrub".

A solution in warm water will remove the tarnish from silver when the silver is in contact with a piece of aluminum foil.

With water, it cleans the impurities on contact lenses. Rinse completely before wearing contacts to avoid stinging residue.

Clean your brushes and combs in a mixture of water and baking soda to prevent residues.

You can use a mixture to clean juice, wine, and coffee stains.

Or you can pour 1 cup of baking soda down the drain and following with 1/2 gallon of vinegar to degrease the drain.

For some other great tips for using baking soda around the house you can go to www.baking-soda.com/basics/ for more! Would you rather have a scrub that has a great scent? Try the Mrs. Meyers natural scrub in Lemon Verbenia, Geranium or Lavender. This gets out stains as well as leaves the room smelling lovely! You can buy it at our favorite store... http://www.vacuumlady.com/.