As I was boiling the bathroom and house today, (Adam made it from the bathroom floor to the bed and he's been resting there all day) I thought I would post about the natural cleaners I use and am happy with. I don't use all of these every time I clean; I often stick to just baking soda and vinegar. Most commercial cleaners I use are Nature Clean brand. That's because they are some of the lowest cost natural cleaners, they don't use any more ingredients than needed, they're a Canadian company, and they work! (And they're not paying me!) They also have a wide array of products which are difficult to find in an environmentally friendlier form, such as drain cleaner and bleach. I get them at the local health food store, Yarmouth Natural, or at the Superstore. Picture #1 is my bathroom arsenal, which is usually stored in a clementine crate under the bathroom sink. Left to right, back to front:- 5% peroxide bleach (it's Nature Clean brand, decanted into a spray bottle)
- Kitchen and Bathroom Spray Cleaner (I use on counters, sinks, for spot-cleaning spills, etc.)
- Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- Drain Cleaner (enzyme type)
- Household Disinfectant (Thyme oil base - this was a new addition today. You mist it on lightly and leave it there, no need to rinse or wipe off. It smells like thyme, and many surfaces in our house were well doused today)
- Tub & Tile Cream Cleanser (I usually use baking soda and vinegar in the tub, but this smells like almond extract (yum!) and it works very well)
- baking soda in a shaker I found at Frenchy's (I like the President's Choice Green baking soda because it doesn't seem to clump like some other kinds, which means that it shakes easily from my handy dandy shaker)
- vinegar decanted into a spray bottle, perfect for misting over sprinkled baking soda for some fun fizz!
This is the dish liquid I love. Made by Down East (Dartmouth, NS - couldn't find a web site) it has no scent, lathers up beautifully and does a great job on the dishes.And laundry - my favourite! The funny looking blue thing is one of two dryer balls Adam picked up yesterday. We have been using Natura Dryer Cloths from Home Hardware for a long time, and they're finally starting to wear out. I saw these dryer balls advertised at Zellers, and thought that they looked like they were worth trying out. I used them today, and at first, I thought I was going to have to throw them to the neighbour's dog. The noise! Oh, the noise noise noise noise noise! But as the dryer warmed up the balls, they got softer and made much less noise. And clothes and
towels seem nice and fluffy and static-free, so I'm a happy camper. There are two balls in a package which bounce around in the dryer with your clothes. No chemicals, no waste. I like it! And my favourite laundry detergent is also made by Down East. It sits with the clothespins on the shelf above our washer. The giant bottle, which washes 64 loads, costs about 12.00, if I remember correctly. It rinses out well, is safe for baby clothes and sensitive skin, has no scent, and doesn't fade dark colours. Thumbs up!
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8 comments:
My best friend raves about the Nature Clean dishwasher detergent. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, it's been sold out of at the Superstore the last few times I've needed detergent.
Do you find the bathroom cleaner really cuts through soap scum? I have an acrylic tub, so I'm hesitant to use baking soda because I think it might be abrasive.
I like your description of the dryer 'spores', goatmeal! :) I have tried some of the Seventh Generation things, but they're not sold locally. I've picked a few of their products up in Halifax a couple times. I liked them, too, but they were more pricey than the Nature Clean. They make unbleached, biodegradable 'disposable' diapers, which is very cool, if you wanted to get some for baby! (I've seen them online for really cheap - we're going to use primarily cloth, but some of those would be nice to have on hand for when we're out and about.) I've seen the Method stuff at Shoppers, too. I think I might like to check the ingredients and try it out. :)
Anna - I don't find the spray kitchen / bath cleaner works very well on the soap scum. That's why I use the baking soda / vinegar combination. I found this ( http://www.armhammer.ca/pdf/en/tips.pdf ) from Arm & Hammer, which says that baking soda is safe for acrylic. I've also read in several places that it's a very mild abrasive because the particles are so small. If you're still concerned, though, maybe you could try plain vinegar or a vinegar / water blend. Spray it on liberally, leave it for awhile, scrub a bit with a cloth or brush, and rinse. It should cut through the scum, but will take a bit more work than with the baking soda (I love how the fizzing action does the work!) Good luck!
I think I'll try a test patch with the vinegar and soda, thanks for the info. My husband's doing most of the tub cleaning these days, since I'm pregnant and I find leaning over our soaker tub pretty awkward.
FYI, I used cloth diapers with my daughter and was very happy with them. I went with Motherease (www.motherease.com)One Size Diapers and loved the fact that I didn't have to change sizes as she grew. I bought new, but you can get used ones on their website bulletin board sometimes, and I think they have a sample one you can order to try out. They've held up really well, no discernible wear at all, and I'm intending to use them again with this baby. I think we're due about the same time, my due date's June 17.
Congratulations on your pregnancy! And thanks for the diaper info. I've heard good things about Motherease from a few people. We have a few Kushies and some prefolds to try out, and my mother-in-law is planning on sewing some covers. But we'll need more, so I'll definitely check the site out. Thanks again! I've read a bunch of different methods for storing the dirty ones, rinsing and washing, etc. How did you go about storing and washing yours, just out of curiosity? Thanks! :)
I used a diaper pail, filled about 1/2 to 2/3 full with cold water, with a coffee scoop of baking soda in it. Then, I just did a pre-wash with warm water, and a full hot water wash, with vinegar in the rinse cycle. I used about 1/2 cup vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser in my washing machine, then just filled it the rest of the way with water. If you don't have a fabric softener dispenser, I've heard you can use those Downey ball dispensers. Generally, two diaper pails full would make a washing machine load, and I'd run it every other day.
It worked out pretty easy for us, and saved a ton of money in the end. I think I figured out that the diapers paid for themselves in about 3-4 months, and after that it was straight savings. Plus, she only ever had one diaper rash, which I fixed by adding the vinegar to the rinse cycle.
Also, not sure what you're using for wipes, but the nurse in our prenatal class advised just using baby wash cloths with water, and no creams or vaseline unless there was a problem. I hung an Ikea plastic bag dispenser next to the change table and filled it full of wash cloths and it worked great. Very cheap, and we found the wash cloths much more effective (if you know what I mean) than baby wipes.
Sorry, I've written a book here ;)
just wondering what the feedback is on Downeast liquid laundry detergent and cloth diapers. I've been cloth diapering for 4 months and seen the downeast at the coop for such a good price. Any info on this?
Thanks for your question! I love the Downeast and use it on the babe's cloth diapers with no trouble whatsoever. I do a cold rinse first, then wash with a very small amount of detergent (maybe 1/8 of a cup). Clean as a whistle. Good luck!
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