Cleaning Green

Like many, I want to be green when I can, but caustic chemicals and single-use products must be at an all-time high usage over the past year. I’m adding environmentally friendly products where I feel comfortable. Here’s what I’m doing.

Joining Grove Collaborative recently has brought a collection of home and personal care to my attention I was not aware of before.

Here are few things I’m doing to be as green as I can.

Concentrated Multi-Purpose Cleaner

Two tiny environmentally friendly glass bottles from Grove will fill a spray bottle with multi-purpose cleaner and claims it can be used for surfaces from granite to stainless.  Hmmm, stainless?  Cleaning our giant fridge is the bane of my existence.  An easy cleaning option? Let’s test this out, shall we?

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Picture one is our fridge in its current state, having been cleaned with stainless cleaner four days ago.  Picture two is after using the new Grove Multi-Purpose Cleaner.

Umm, no, that didn’t work.  Undoubtedly, my fridge is cleaner than it was, but it’s streaked and looks awful.  Full transparency, it takes me several times with stainless cleaner to get that surface streak-free, but I wouldn’t recommend this cleaner for stainless.

I have tried the Mrs. Myer’s all-purpose cleaner as well and it streaked just as badly.

Hot Water

I am a big believer in using hot water instead of chemicals when possible.  The Shark steamer mop has with reusable pads and gets floors super clean. We have several pads and use different ones for the wood floors and for bathroom tile.  I use the Scotch-Bright mop instead of disposable Swiffers.  A microfiber cloth with a bit of hot water or a bit of Mrs. Myers (for its wonderful scent, mostly) for dusting works just fine.  I no longer use Pledge.

Reusable Cleaning Rags

I have never been a big paper towel user and I almost always use my paper napkins twice if they’re not heavily soiled.  An assortment of different textures and sizes makes for perfect rags. 

Environmentally Friendly Paper Products

But, when I do use paper towels, I got this fun shipment from DFs Jan and Ted for Christmas and the packaging is fantastic.  No they’re not as absorbent as good ol’ Bounty, but I’m sure they better for the Earth.  Their website is WhoGivesACrap.org.  Hahaha.  My naughty side is all over that. And free shipping for orders over $25.

Ok, enough preaching from me.  I still use Clorox wipes and strong stuff for the cat boxes and toilets.  Do what you can and share the data, right?  Or at least that’s my approach.

What I’m Reading

After the last audio of Martin Clark, I was sworn off for a while.  But, my fav narrator, David Aaron Baker convinced me to try another, Plain Heathen Mischief.  I’m glad I did.  The characters are better and the obscenity is far less.  It’s still really long, with a long time to develop the story with lots of twists and turns and new characters showing up. 

But it’s a fun read and perfect for all the walking I’ve been doing in this lovely spring weather.

The new Jeff Lindsay, Fool Me Twice, finally came in and I’m pretty much savoring it right now.  Lindsay is the author of the Dexter books.  And I miss Dexter.  And this new book is number two in the Riley Wolfe series.  Riley is not as likeable as Dexter, but he’s badass, so I’m sticking with him.

To be honest, spring cleaning probably is not going to be a thing happening in this house this year. But you’re still invited to come visit. I promise I am cleaning – just not deep cleaning.