Shadazzle - Product Review and Video

I’ve done a video review of Shadazzle to show you how it will work on your stainless steel pans, your kitchen sink and especially your glass topped stove. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. I’m here to help you!

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Nuts & Lavender For Your Laundry

I just wrote a new article for eHow.com about using bags of nuts and lavender to clean your clothes! Yep, that's right, NUTS! Once the article is posted, I'll add the link here so you can read it. One of the questions I know your going to ask is "where do I get these nuts", so I thought I'd let you know that you can purchase these totally organic soap nuts right at my store. The brand I especially like are Yore Organics. They are packaged  right here in New England by a mom who was trying to solve a family problem and ended up creating a business. http://www.backdoorvac.com/yore-organics-organic-laundry-soap-soap-nuts-1744.html

The other item I talk about in the article is using lavender in a muslin bag to scent your laundry. You do this by putting the lavender bag in the dryer. It makes the entire laundry room smell wonderful while the clothes are drying AND the clothes smell just as nice when they come out! All this and you are avoiding toxic chemicals in those dryer sheets. http://www.backdoorvac.com/just-bee-dryer-bags2.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...

Little Cleaning Box~Review and Giveaway

Brittany from Blabs from a Scam reviewed my Little Cleaning Box and LOVED it! She what she had to say about it here:

Over the last few months I have weeded out all unnatural cleaning products in my house.  No more chemicals or harsh smells in my house now!  I got the chance to try the Little Cleaning Box a few weeks ago.    When I first made the switch I was nervous that they wouldn't actually clean.  This is a perfect way to try out green household products to see if they really do work.  My box included:

• Modern Mermaid-All Purpose and Glass Cleaner
• Mrs. Meyers Dish Soap in Lavender, Basil, Geranium, and Lemon Verbena scents
• Grab Green Laundry Detergent
• Skoy Cloth
• Just Bee Dryer Bag

The Modern Mermaid All Purpose and Glass Cleaner really does what it claims. I cleaned off our end table that is perpetually sticky from our daughter's juice boxes.  I also used it to clean off the windows behind our couch.  Anyone that knows what a dog's nose prints can do to a window knows how hard it is to clean.  It cleaned off the funk with no issues!  This is just as good as any non-green cleaner out there.




Up until recently, I only used the dishwasher to do our dishes.  But lately I have been washing my daughter's cup by hand.  So Mrs. Meyers Dish Soap was the first green dish soap I have tried.  I was curious about the different smells, fearing they might be overpowering.  But I found the scents mild and soothing.  The dish soap really works and it seemed like I didn't have to use that much soap.  

The Grab Green Laundry Detergent smells downright fantastic. I have never used a pod laundry detergent before and I really liked it.  You don't have to measure; just pop one in with the dirty clothes.  Really easy!  It got all our clothes clean with using any harsh chemicals. 






The Skoy cloth was my favorite thing I tried!  They are reuseable paper towels that can last for a full year!  You can throw it in the dishwasher or micromave to clean and disinfect it.  After a few washes they are better used as cleaning cloth or rag.  I absolutely hate using paper towels and this is a great, equally effective alternative.  I plan of buying a lot more of these!


I have never even heard of natural dryer bags before.  But man was I missing something!  These leave your laundry with a light but wonderful scent.  Each bags lasts up to ten loads of laundry.


The box is only $10 and is well worth it.  Unlike other higher priced boxes, this one is really a great value.  You get eight samples and they are samples you can use more then once!  If you find a product that you really love, you can order the full sized products on their website with free shipping.

Leslie Reichert is offering a free PDF copy of her book, The Joy of Green Cleaning, to anyone who purchases their own Little Cleaning Box!  Just let me know in a comment or email(britibee@gmail.com) that you made a purchase and I will have them send you the book!  

You can buy it here.

Also check it out on Facebook and Twitter.

Cleaning in the Outdoors

It's the time of year when you want to be outside, by the pool or eating your corn on the cob on your outdoor patio. But the furniture that gets left out all year or is stored in a shed tends to get kind of grimy. There is a simple way to keep your outdoor equipment nice. Charlie's Indoor Outdoor Cleanser is a highly effective biodegradable non-toxic cleanser that is created from natural washing soda and coconut oil based detergents. When I saw my white picket fence turning an unfortunate shade of green, I decided to give it a try. You can see how much of the algae the cleanser removed on the section I wiped especially when you look at how green the washcloth has become. Not only will it keep your outdoor furniture looking brand new, but it is also cars, bikes, boats, siding, and anything else that may strike your fancy. It's a useful cleaner that will not only save space in your cabinet but keep your outdoor living areas the way you like them.

The "little cleaning box" Is Big News!

Don’t you just love samples? What about opening presents? And that special excitement when you see a package in the mailbox? Don’t you love trying new products? If you answered “yes” to all of these questions then signing up for the little cleaning box will be just what you should do!

The Little Cleaning Box is a “members-only” subscription website where you can try before you buy the newest and coolest new cleaning products. For $10 a box you get access to the tips, tricks and tutorials on how to make cleaning greener and easier – and who doesn’t want that! You also have access to online shopping with monthly specials and free shipping. The best part is the quarterly brown box that is mailed directly to you - filled with 4-5 full sized samples. These are the highest quality cleaning products available for your home.

As inconceivable as it may seem, there are NO laws protecting you dangerous chemicals that are being used as ingredients in common household cleaners that are more than likely sitting under your sink right now.
And it’s the mission of Leslie Reichert, the idea lady behind the LittleCleaningBox.com,  to protect families and pets from hidden toxins and health risks that are commonly found in household cleaners that are being used EVERY day all over the world.
Which is why she wants to send you the Little Cleaning Box, a collection of green cleaning samples that she has personally used and tested. Everything in the box has Leslie’s “Fast… Green… and Totally Clean” seal of approval.
And you can receive these samples each quarter for less than what you would spend on one full-sized bottle of laundry detergent!
So go check out www.littlecleaningbox.com and get started on a cleaner, greener home right now!

For That Tough Coffee Grime

Recently there's been this commercial that pops up whenever I watch TV. It's the Folgers coffee commercial where the whole story is told in a song about a woman who signs up for a dance class and then the morning of her class, she's groggy and tired. Then Folgers gives her the extra push she needs to go and have the most sunshiny morning possible. And while I'm not personally a Folgers girl, when Saturday morning Zumba class rolls around sometimes there is nothing that will revive me like a cup of coffee. So whether your a Kuerig kid or a Folgers follower, chances are you have relied on your coffee maker as a main fixture in your house, and it works hard. Those Kuerig machines can get temperamental after too much use and not enough TLC. So the best way to enjoy your morning, evening, or afternoon coffee? Keep your coffee machine happy.

As you make batch after batch of coffee, the inner portions of your machine can build up mold that makes your coffee bitter or just start collecting residue from the coffee grinds that can get in the way of the flow of your coffee into the pot. Now cleaning your coffee maker doesn't mean that you have to get down into the creases of the machine. To clean you are essentially going to go through the motions of one of the things you know how to do best, making coffee. Your ultimate weapon against inner coffee grime is Full Circle Coffee Machine Cleaning Powder. This all-natural biodegradable product hits that oily residue hard and will kill any mold that might make your coffee taste bitter. Just mix the powder with some water, pour it into the reserve in the machine, and then run it through as though you were making a nice cleaning brew. The mixture will come out dirty into the coffee pot. This is what it looked like when I used it. The water was completely clear when I put it in the machine. It really proves exactly how much grime your machine starts to accumulate.

After it's emptied you can clean the coffee pot out without even scrubbing it. This coffee pot had a film around it before. After going through one process of the Full Circle Coffee Machine Cleaning powder I didn't even need to scrub.

I recommend cleaning out your coffee machine once a week. It only takes the amount of time it would take you to make a cup of coffee, it requires no attention, and the quality of your coffee and the ease of your machine will be better. In fact, for those of you having difficulty with your Kuerig machines, this is bound to clear up those clogged passages that are inhibiting your machine from working properly. The best way to avoid mechanical problems is maintenance. If you take just a few minutes a week to keep your coffee pot running smoothly, not only will your coffee taste better, but your morning schedule will run better without the hassle of a rebellious coffee pot.

The NEW Bon Ami Products!

Bon Ami or when translated from the French, “good friend”, is exactly what Bon Ami is – a good old friend. A simple cleaner that has been manufactured for over 120 years, Bon Ami powdered cleaner was “green before it was a product category”. Bon Ami was developed as a true act of recycling. In New England during the 1880's, mines were bringing up quartz to be ground and used in the new commercial cleansers. Feldspar was separated from the quartz and discarded. TJ Robertson found that the softer feldspar was gentler than quartz so he ground it up, added soap and created the first bar of Bon Ami soap. Since then, Bon Ami has been a favorite “old fashioned” cleaner that can be used for gentle scouring without allergic reactions or sensitivities.

Bon Ami has now developed a full line of cleaners for your home. After testing these products I have found the dish soap to be my favorite. It cuts through grease and grime on the dishes and left my hands feeling soft and clean. I especially loved the citrus scent.

I also tried the new Bon Ami liquid cleanser. I probably didn’t use it correctly. I used it as a “soft scrub” type of cleaner, but after reading the instructions, I should have used it in my shower. I’m going to try it there as I wasn’t that impressed with it on my counters.

I’ve always been a fan of the 1886 powdered cleanser made by Bon Ami. This is their original formula and really only has two ingredients. It is so gentle you can use it to clean acid rain off glass windows. It leaves behind a slight invisible film that protects the glass from salt spray, which makes it a favorite for boat owners and vacation homes. I was excited to try the 5 ingredient formula and used it on my glass topped stove with a gentle sponge. By working in a circle it removed most of the burnt on crud that was stuck to my stove top. It did take a little elbow grease and some patience but the powdered cleansser got it off.

The Bon Ami All-purpose cleaner worked great on tile. I used it to clean tile floors and it left them clean and streak free. It wasn’t as good on stainless steel or black fronted appliances. It removed the grease and dirt but left some streaks and smears. It had a nice citrus scent and was easy to use. I’d recommend using it with a larger looped microfiber cloth to get the best performance.

The best way to realize how committed Bon Ami is to being green is to read about their environmental stewardship. One example is in their development of their new line of products. They decided to not add synthetic fragrances and instead ask their customers to shake the products so that the essential oils are mixed into the cleaner. This example shows how committed they are to keeping their products simple and green. With this kind of commitment Bon Ami will continue to be "a good old friend"!

Green Cleaning goes "Full Circle"

Did you know that if one scrub brush per household gets thrown out every year, there is about 120 million brushes ending up in the garbage. —120 million! And most of those brushes are made from plastics that take 1000 years to break down in our land fills. --- 1000 years. These are some really big numbers and we are only talking about scrub brushes!

Speaking of scrub brushes, a company called Full Circle is trying to make an impact on your home with out making an impact on the environment. Full Circle makes the coolest tools that work great, are sustainable AND look good. Full Circle makes my favorite brush called "Suds Up"  which is made from bamboo, recycled plastic bristles and a plant-based plastic. Along with the fact that it's made up of these very sustainable materials, it's also beautiful and very functional. You fill the end of the Suds Up brush with your favorite diluted dish soap and away you go. It stands up on it's end so that the bristles air dry.  Someone was definitely thinking (of me) when they designed this brush!

Full Circle has an entire line of sustainable cleaning tools. You can see more about them at http://www.fullcirclehome.com/ or to purchase them go to http://www.shopgreencleaning.com/
Make sure to enter the give-away we have! http://happycleaninggiveaway.blogspot.com/

What is a "Skoy"?

I just uploaded a video about my favorite item for my kitchen. No it's now a sauce pan or even a cool new appliance - it's a Skoy Cloth! If you haven't tried one yet, you need to contact me and I'll find a way to get you one!

A Skoy Cloth is imported from Europe and it's so funny that when I talk about the Skoy with anyone from overseas, they all know exactly what I'm talking about. A Skoy is a cross between a paper towel and a sponge. It's biodegradable and very economical. I ran the numbers and one Skoy is the equivalent to 15 rolls of paper towels. Since most paper towels are running about two bucks a roll, we are talking about $30.00. One Skoy costs around 2 bucks.

A Skoy Cloth really lasts a long time. On the back of the package, it says 6 weeks but I think I'm going on 6 months or more on some of mine! Watch the video and you can learn some other ways to disinfect a Skoy and how to make it last much longer!

If you want to buy a pack of 4 Skoy Cloths, you can go here and place an order. If you use the word "skoy" in the checkout, you will get free shipping!

Happy Cleaning!

Be Fantastic...use less plastic!

We have all started trying to avoid the plastic bags at the grocery stores, but what about the plastic bags that comes with our dry cleaning? New York alone discards more than 45 million plastic dry cleaning bags every year. Some say there are 300 million pounds of single use plastic dry cleaning bags clogging up the US landfills and threatening marine and wildlife.

Want to make a difference? Ask for your cloths to be "naked" the next time you visit the dry cleaner. Instead of covering them with plastic - bring along your own garment bag. I just found "The Green Garmento". This eco-friendly cover is a hamper, duffel and garment bag! I saw the reviews on it and had to try one. It is the most versatile thing I have ever seen. It holds 10-14 garments and has a shoulder strap and handles to make getting your clothes to the cleaner easier than ever. I have fought with nylon bags and collapsible containers for years. Now I have a system to hold the dirty laundry, get it to the dry cleaner and cover the clean clothes when I pick them up! Want to win one? I have one to give away on my give-away site.

Thanksgiving Laundry

That's really an oxymoron- Giving thanks for laundry! Never! But this year we have found some great green laundry detergents to help keep the laundry clean and green. Here are some of the new detergents now available.

Charlie's Soap

Charlie's Soap comes in a powder and a liquid. You only use a teaspoon for an entire load. This bag does 80 loads of laundry! The other neat thing is that you don't see a lot of bubbles. I know this can really make you feel like it's not cleaning, but it does a great job and rinses totally out of you clothes. It's great for people with skin allergies and sensitivities. This bag retails for $14.99

Mrs. Meyers

Mrs. Meyers Laundry Soap is nice if you like a scent. This bottle does 64 loads in an HE machine. I personally like the smell of the Lemon, but they tell me the Basil is the best selling scent. Another great green alternative. This bottle is also $14.99

Persil

This box of Persil is very familiar to anyone that lives in Europe. Persil is the European choice for front-loading washing machines. This box does 80 loads and I love the way it leaves your clothes smelling fresh and clean. This box retails around $65.00

Soap Flakes

These soap flakes are the main ingredient in my Great-Grandmother's laundry soap recipe. If you want to try to make your own laundry soap just go to my book site for the free recipe and then buy a bag of this soap. You will be very surprised how well it works- and to make it a liquid, all you need to do is add some boiling water. This bag is only $9.95

Day 2 Can Green Cleaners remove bacteria from your counters?

You have got to watch this video!



For today only you can buy one bottle of Better Life- Whatever All Purpose Cleaner and get one free! This special is only good for today! And you can feel good about cleaning up after that Turkey on Thanksgiving!! And if you sign up for their newsletter you have a chance to win an ipod!! Go to http://www.cleanhappens.com/ to sign up!

Good Bye Detergent in Body and Soul

Our newest product was just highlighted in Martha Stewart's Body and Soul magazine. These scrubs are perfect for cleaning baked on, dried on or just tough food stains and grease. They are perfect for cleaning your Pampered Chef stoneware - that recommends not using any soap on the baking dishes and pizza stones. Now you can get them really clean - and "goodbye detergent".

E-cloth - a chemically free super "hero"

When I was introduced to the E-Cloth over a year ago, I was already familiar with microfiber. But this cloth from Europe is absolutely wonderful. I have been testing it for over a year along with a group of professionals we call "the green team". This group of testers take on evaluating any new product before it comes into our store. And everyone on the "team" loves the E-cloth.

The Back Door specializes in green cleaning products and the E-cloth is now the cornerstone of our inventory. E-cloth has a number of different products that are specialized for different cleaning jobs. The kitchen pack is my personal favorite. It comes with both a glass cloth and an all purpose cleaning cloth.

E-cloth is a very high quality microfiber engineered with a finer weave and has more cleaning edges than typical microfiber cloths. This makes it more effective on things like glass windows, stainless steel and even grease.

I do a lot of speaking around the country and during one of my talks a lady in the back of the room told us that she worked in the lab that tested the E-cloth. She saw personally that the E-cloth removed more bacteria from a counter top than typical antibacterial products. This is because the E-cloth picks up the bacteria and holds onto it until you wash it in hot water. It also breaks up and holds onto the grease that a typical rag or sponge would leave behind.

The cost savings with an E-cloth are incredible. You can reduce the amount of paper towels and harsh cleaners you are using AND save money! Say good bye to traditional cleaning and enter the new age of technology!