Time to Green Your Clean

First I would like to say Congratulations to Geri Pentz, our winner of the Great Green Give-A-Way!!  And a great big woof and thank you goes to all who subscribed to the blog, liked our Facebook page and followed us on Twitter - we really appreciate the support!


So cleaning, ugh!  Who likes to clean?  Not me!  But I just can't seem to train Conner to do it no matter how hard I try (see lazy boy below)!!  So, it's left for me to do.

Lately, I have been considering the fact that most of the household cleaners I use could be doing more harm than good (to me, the environment and my wallet).  Even though they may not have a warning label, many household cleaners contain toxic chemicals and harmful ingredients to us, our pets, and the earth.  Cleaning products with ingredients such as bleach, ammonia, chlorine, gycol ethers or formaldehyde can cause many problems in adults and children, but young children and pets are particularly at risk for things such as cancer, anemia, liver and kidney damage. Many toxic cleaners are also carcinogenic.  There have been several studies on the effects of some common cleaning products and have shown that they not only effect us, but our pets too.  One study concentrated on measuring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in cleaning products. In it, the vapor pressure of various chemical compounds in cleaners was measured. Three cleaners, Pledge, Clorox Wipes and Lysol Disinfecting Spray, registered close to a thousand times more vapor pressure than a natural cleaner. This means that even when the toxic cleaners are put away and closed, the vapors left behind can continue to harm both us and our pets.  


Gee, I really, really hate cleaning now.  Since it is so dangerous, I guess I'll just have to stop - right?  Not that easy!  No, what we need to do is Green our Clean and switch to natural, non-toxic cleaners.  I have found and tested  some DIY cleaners and have been pretty impressed, PLUS, they really save you money!!!


Here are two excellent websites I found that give a ton of recipes, suggestions and recommendations for cleaners, laundry detergent, fabric softener, stain remover, carpet cleaner, drain cleaner, and much more!  

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/

http://www.stain-removal-101.com

These two websites are definitely worth your time and will save you money!

Here are some simple homemade recipes that I have tried and love:

1. Homemade All Purpose Cleaner: Equal parts vinegar and water, put in squirt bottle.  Simple and effective.  Don't like the smell of vinegar? Phew, me neither.  I added some drops of Lemon Essential Oil which also adds benefits.  Lemon Essential Oil has antiseptic effects, has been studied for its effects on immune function - bonus! (if you want more info on where to purchase Lemon Essential Oil, contact me at heather@hipgreendogs.com).
2. Homemade Drain Cleaner: Pour 3/4 to 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by 1 cup of vinegar, cover immediately (I use a plate).   Let it sit and do its thing for 30 minutes and then run hot water through for about 2-3 minutes.  

I am getting ready to try homemade laundry soap and softener, I don't know about you but I am tired of "washing my money down the drain".  These are expensive!

With a little effort, we can Green our Clean and make our homes safer and healthier for us, our kids and our pets as well as save money and be good to our Earth - which we need to do since Earth's are hard to come by these 
days :-)

Happy Cleaning!

Did you ever notice when you blow in a dog's face he gets mad at you? But when you take him in a car he sticks his head out the window. - Steve Bluestone