Go Green » Green Cleaning

Clean bird boxes mean healthy chicks

Michelle — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:09:38 +0000

How can you increase the odds of a chick surviving? Why do some make it and others don’t? One of the issues that face young birds is the presence of blowflies.

Long after the birds have left their nest, the pupae of bird blowflies remains. They hatch in the early spring and feed on the young chicks by sucking blood.

Before the snow falls, this is the time to clean your bird boxes. If you can’t take them down then take a ladder with you and clean them with a mild bleach solution (10 parts water, 1 part bleach).

Soap nuts in your laundry

Michelle — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:47:20 +0000

Soap Nut Tree

Did you know that soap grows on trees? Apparently there are soapberry and soapnut trees (known as Sapindus) and and variations of it can be found growing in just about every continent. Their nuts have been re-discovered as a good natural alternative to commercial soaps. Soap nuts can be used several times in your wash and when you’re done you can throw them in your compost. Soap Nuts Pro is a good thorough site. For a good description of how they work, check out the video below:

Recycled hotel soap can Clean The World

Michelle — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:11:32 +0000

Lots of people have shown interest in recycling hotel soaps, and I received a comment from Paul Till of Clean The World, a non-profit organization based in Florida. Living in such a touristy area with a high concentration of hotels, he and Shawn Seipler decided to approach local hotels with a focus on repackaging unused and discarded hotel soaps to give to impoverished communities in the Caribbean, where soap is expensive and hard to come by.

I am including this powerful and moving video from their website – it says it all.

Oxygen Bleach – the new stain remover

Michelle — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:45:36 +0000

I was just watching a video today on cleaning grout and they mentioned oxygen bleach. What’s that? Typically made using hydrogen peroxide as its main ingredient, oxygen bleach contains no chlorine. It turns out that oxygen bleach is typically in a powder form and all you do is mix it with a bit of water, apply to the affected areas and let sit for about an hour then scrub gently. No toxic fumes and it won’t harm the colour of your grout or nearby fabrics such as carpet. I’m going to give it a try!

You can find oxygen bleach powder in your laundry aisle as they usually market it as a laundry bleach.

Home Sweet (Polluted) Home

Michelle — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:43:37 +0000

Did you know your home is one of the worst sources of pollution? It’s hard to believe isn’t it, but all those nasty chemicals are being masked in pleasant smells. According to the Georgia Strait Alliance’s ToxicSmart program, chlorine is one of the worst offenders. Usually found in bleach, chlorine produces dioxins and organochlorines, which cause reproductive, endocrine and immune disorders. Another offender are phosphates, which are found in detergents, add nitrogen to the waterways when thrown out, which in turn diminishes oxygen needed for fish.

Create your own all-purpose cleaner:

125 ml castile soap + 4 L of hot water + 4 tablespoons lemon juice

or try: 60ml of baking soda + 1 L hot water

For more cleaning solutions, try www.georgiastrait.org

How to get your dishwasher sparkling inside

Michelle — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 22:15:52 +0000

Spring Cleaning

Do you have hard water, lime buildup or other stains in your dishwasher? Try using using a cup of vinegar to your empty dishwasher and let it run a full cycle. You will save money and it is easier on your septic or sewage system than using other harmful chemicals. Thanks to the Family Handyman magazine to this tip.

Buffalo Recycled Laundry Soap – alive and well!

Michelle — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:05:43 +0000

I just received a note from Roger Sevigny, head soap miner for Buffalo Recycled Laundry Soap that “our web site is down but soap sales are great. We are still available at Save On Foods as well as Thrifty Foods and we are still diverting thousands of kilos of soap bars from the landfill.”

Wipe a banana peel on your plants

Michelle — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 02:43:05 +0000

Just when I thought I heard the ultimate in do it yourself home tips, I heard an interview with Reena Nerbas who has written two books on the subject. You can check out her website at www.householdsolutions.org to get some idea of her tips.

Some of the more offbeat tips she mentioned include: if you want to get the dust off of your houseplants, wipe the inside of a banana peel on the leaves. And, if you have some loose tea in your cup, consider tossing it in with your houseplants as a natural fertilizer. Or my favourite: save your leftover soap slivers, stick them in a produce bag (the kind with small holes in it) and put it in a drawer to make your clothes smell nice. The ultimate wacky tip was – accumulate your dryer lint and use it as a wood fire starter. Apparently, it works better than crumpled up newspaper. Who would’ve guessed that?

5 star hotel laundry soap – gone the way of the Buffalo

Michelle — Mon, 26 May 2008 23:17:46 +0000

Do you ever wonder what happens to that bar of soap you left in the hotel room? Why not buy it back and close the recycling loop! Buffalo Recycled Laundry Soap is made up of leftover hotel soaps, washing soda and borax. www.buffalorecycled.com.

(note: unfortunately, this company is no longer in business. Originally, this Victoria based company was an initiative of H.I. Landfill Diversion whose objective it was to divert thousands of pounds of discarded soap from the landfill. At one point they were selling their product in Save on Foods and Thrifty’s as a laundry detergent, however, there was a lack of public interest).

Go for a greener clean

Michelle — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 19:49:35 +0000

Green cleaning shouldn’t cost any more than traditional methods. According to Barbara Whitstone of CleanPower based in Wisconsin, green cleaning products have come a long way in just the last three years. Look for seals of approval from organizations like Greenguard Environmental Institute or Green Seal Inc. that provide third party certification.

Another thing to consider is how you apply chemicals. Instead of using a spray bottle that might atomize chemicals and get them airborne, work from a bucket or spray into a cloth.

Recently, I bought an excellent cleaner called Parsley Plus by Earth Friendly Products. It works on everything. I found it in a health food store of all places and I hope other places carry it. If you don’t see it a store near you, try www.ecos.com.