How do you Green?

CLEANING
There are times when I am absolutely obsessed with cleaning: sweeping, mopping, cleaning the tub, counters, dusting, etc. I want that clean, fresh smelling and feeling in my home all the time. Despite my busy schedule I try to be this sacred home decorator/house keeper. In recent years I have gotten more and more interested in using more natural or non-toxic cleaners than in the past. Let's face it, buying the local grocery store all purpose cleaner, bleach and other cleansers may at times seem cheaper, but some of the ingredients in the cleaning products we grew up watching our mothers and grandmothers clean with have BIG TIME toxic stuff in them!
Some of us may wonder why we can barely breathe when we clean, or why our children get sick around certain cleaners, or more seriously why we have high occurences of asthma and other allergies in our families? Well, it may have to do with what you're using to clean your home.

As I've gotten older I've become more sensitive to smells, chemicals, dust, etc. It may be allergies or it may be the fact that I try to eat alot of organic foods, and keep myself "clean" on the inside...in any case I'm sensitive. So I started looking for ways to clean my house, bring on the constant smell good/feel good, etc. without using some of the well known cleaners. The result, the house is just as clean as it was when I used the other products, but it smells better, my eyes aren't burning, nor am I coughing or struggling to hold my breath while I clean. I have used vinegar and lemon juice to clean counters and the tub. I have also mixed Dr. Bronner's peppermint oil with orange essential oil and water to clean, and it works wonders--and smells good too!

FRAGRANCE/FRESHENING
Did you know you can really make your own room/linen spray and fresheners. Try reusing a plastic body spray/mist or hair spray bottle. Clean it out real good. Now, add some plain water and mix a few drops of essential oils (ie. rose, orange, geranium, lavendar), then try spraying in the less than fresh areas of your home. I'm not saying mix all of the oils together. But use one or two, maybe experiment and see which fragrances you like. This is a natural and cost effective way to clean your home. Another thing I like to do with these sprays is spray my closet, my dresser drawers and you can put drops of essential oils in the toilet to freshen the bathroom for a while. These things really work. And you don't have to have the most creative of minds, or the biggest pocket book to explore these non-toxic cleaning and freshening options.

BEAUTY
Also consider your beauty products too? Ever wonder why your skin stays so dry? Or perhaps your hair just doesn't get as clean as it used to with the products you've been using for awhile. That's because you may need to switch it up! Use some new products. Try products with more natural ingredients for your skin, hair and body. It becomes a real pampering treat when instead of rushing to pick up your regular products you can go online, or in a specialty store or health food store and really browse to see if you which products for your skin and hair you may want to try. Remember for shampoos, conditioners and other beauty products the first ingredient in them should be water. If it's not, most likely these products are weighed down with alot of ingredients some of which may be harmful or at least allergen producers. The same goes for body sprays, oils and creams. Lines such as Carol's Daughter, EO, Heritage Products, and Aura Cacia make some really nice smelling non-toxic products for your body. Some of the products may be considered aromatherapy, soothing to your sense of smell and for your mind, and you can use them in a bath or after bathing.

I won't preach about this, but when I was a kid, my mother used to become very irritated when my sister and I left a room and left the lights or appliances on in that room. Of course when you're a kid and you don't pay the bills, you may not know why your parents are always on your case about turning off the lights, TV's, radios, computers, etc. But as an adult, you should more than understand! Why? Besides the need to be practical and save money on monthly bills becomes important for most people. Turning off lights when they are not needed or unplugging certain appliances actually saves energy, which in turn helps our environment. Some of you may be millionaires, if you are - great! Maybe you don't care about having high energy bills, but it you knew how it will ultimately affect our planet in the long run you just may think twice.

My disclaimer for all of these suggestions I'm giving: I am a work in progress. I may be passionate about these subjects but I am by no means an expert as I am learning new things right along with you! Ha!

So I've given you some tidbits on "green" living, I hope they were beneficial to you. I've also included an informative weblink below which you can check out. There's a whole host of things on this topic that we can talk about, but I'd rather wait to hear from you on it! So Go...GO DO SOMETHING GREEN...(smile)

6 Household Chemicals to Avoid
http://www.greenlivingonline.com/HomeGarden/six-household-chemicals-to-avoid/