Another WREX Segment!! Clean and Green

I was' 'green' long before it was trendy and cool. Call it Yankee Ingenuity or general frugality - doesn't matter which. The producer of the WREX morning show asked me to stop in for a quick segment about green cleaning today. Of course I was thrilled to talk about something I am so passionate about.

Here's a summary of what Laura Gibbs-Green and I spoke about:

Clean and Green

As seen on WREX TV
Keep your home "Fresh as a Daisy" with some inexpensive and simple tips.
Fact: The average home has at least 60 synthetic chemical cleansing products. That’s roughly 10 gallons of the stuff.

Go To Ingredients:
1. FREE: SUNLIGHT!
2. Good Old Soap and Water
3. Baking Soda ($.79)
4. Vinegar ($.66)
5. Lemons ($.33)

Optional:
6. Borax ($2.69)
7. Washing Soda ($2.69)

Tools:
1. Sponge ($.50)
2. Clean Spray Bottle ($.99)
3. Newspaper (free if you subscribe)

Room by Room:

Living Room & Bedrooms:
Air out pillows, heavy winter blankets, area rugs in bright, hot sunlight. A day or two will leave them smelling really fresh! This gives me time to clear clutter. My motto is still 2 things a day! My four options are: Donate, Recycle, Sell or Trash. Old magazines and accumulation of ‘stuff’ over the winter makes this 2 a day goal a cinch.

Wall to Wall carpet: Since it's not practical to put your carpet outside, the next best thing is to sprinkle baking soda on carpets. Let sit for 15 minutes or so, then Vacuum clean.

Still Need an air freshener? 10-20 drops of Essential Oils like mint, citrus or lavender in a quart of water - spray around. I have found that 1/4 cup of Vodka in 1 quart of water helps to spread the fragrance around more fully. Use the bottom shelf, cheap vodka.

Need a quick scent? Try clear Vanilla with spray bottle top. The scent is inexpensive and delicious, though people may look for the fresh baked cookies! If you don't have clear vanilla, then try pouring a few drops of the regular kind onto a square of aluminum foil and heat in the oven at 170 degrees F for a minute or two.

Windows & Mirrors: (house and car)
¼ teaspoon grated soap or dish detergent
2 cups hot water
3-4 tablespoons vinegar
Mix well in spray bottle. Spray on wipe off with newspaper. Newspaper goes right in the compost heap.

KITCHEN:
General Cleaning-Solid Surfaces
Old fashioned Soap and Water applied with a sponge. Dish detergent in a pinch.
Scum/greasy deposits/burnt on crud: baking soda paste on sponge. Wipe around to remove.
Vinegar and water rinse to shine it all up.
(Don’t want your house to smell like a salad? 1/4 c VODKA in a quart of water (I use distilled). Add a few drops of Spearmint and Orange essential oils for added freshness!)

Microwave: Heat a mug of water with lemon wedge for 2 minutes. Steam works on cooked on stuff. Wipe clean with sponge. OR - just microwave your damp sponge for 1 minute. Wipe steamed walls clean. This also kills bacteria on your sponge allowing you many, many days of cleaning.

Garbage Disposal Freshener:
Use that microwaved lemon wedge to freshen it up. Oranges and limes work just as well. Once a week is usually enough to keep odors at bay. Baking soda and vinegar are powerful deodorizers that clean the source of the bad odor.

Slow Drains: Pour 1 cup baking soda chased by 3 cups hot water (boiling if your sink can withstand it). Is the drain still slow? This is more fun – 1 cup baking soda followed by 1 cup vinegar, then once the bubbles stop, pour hot (if possible boiling) water.

Rust Stains? Try vinegar. Spray on. Let sit. Rinse off. - OR - Borax on cut lemon half. Rub around a bit and rinse. I was AMAZED how well this worked on my tub and shower when the softener went on the fritz.

Mildew? Straight up vinegar. Spray on. Let sit a while. Rinse off. Not strong enough – Tea Tree Oil. Can't stand the smell of Tea Tree oil? Spritz on some peroxide. Use a toothbrush to finish the job.

Dishwasher: Many Ordinary dish detergents contain phosphates which end up in waterways causing algae blooms – suffocating fish. Use ordinary baking soda or washing soda with borax instead.
Recipes:
A)mix one part borax, one part baking soda and 1/4 part salt. Add white vinegar to the rinse cycle to get them squeaky clean!
B) I use a teaspoon each of liquid soap and baking soda in the cup of my dishwasher.”
C) Mix equal parts of borax and washing soda, but increase the washing soda if your water is hard.

Does your Dishwasher have unsightly stains or odor? Dump a package of unsweetened lemonade mix into the powder dispenser. Run a short wash cycle. The citric acid in the mix helps wash away stains and odors.

Furniture Polish
1/2 tsp olive Oil
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Apply with soft cloth. Buff lightly to a shine that smells divine.

Stay tuned for more suggestions...

Make your day wonderful!
Shannon