Category Archives: Cleaning Products

Got (more) rust? Think vinegar and lemon!

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200369716-001Not long ago I shared my little trick for removing rust from metal (our daughter’s Razor scooter had taken the brunt of the cold and dampness in the garage over the winter)…

Now, more annoying rust came-a-callin’… on a piece of brand new clothing! (This is the part where I clenched my teeth and let a few “choice” words fly!)

Well, never fear.  When rust spots seem to pop up out of nowhere, you don’t need to add it to the batch of clothes that have been designated for ‘cleaning duty days’ and ‘yard work sessions’.  You can salvage it with a few simple items:  distilled white vinegar & salt or just a simple lemon.

Here’s how:vinegar

  • Saturate the rust stain with distilled white vinegar and pour on a generous amount of salt.  Rub the salt into the stain…. OR….
  • Squeeze the juice from a lemon onto the stain (bottled juice works too).
  • For both options, the best ‘next step’ is to actually put the garment in the sun (Mother Nature will do her magic) until the garment has dried. If Mother Nature isn’t cooperating, no problem… just let it dry on its own.

lemonzYou might want to repeat the process for super stains but then just launder the garment as usual and VOILA!…

Guess what?… no more rust stains! And guess what else?  No chemicals needed! Fantastic…

One fab (chemical-free) soft scrub recipe!

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sft scrubWho doesn’t love a fabulous recipe?!?! This one isn’t even in jeopardy of getting rudely rejected by your family, because it’s not meant to please an appetite… it’s all about chemical-free cleaning.

I’ve shared recipes for a multi-purpose cleaner and a furniture polish so, now… how about when you need a little extra scrubbing action?  Would you be surprised to learn that the main ingredient is amazing baking soda?  Of course you aren’t… so let’s just get to the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups baking soda
  • ½ cup liquid castile soap
  • 5-10 drops essential oil
  • ¼ cup water

Just like with the other cleaners, the essential oil is… well… ESSENTIAL! My recommendations are always lemongrass or tea tree oil. Lemongrass is a natural anti-bacterial (yes, natural… not harsh like commercial anti-bacterials) and the tea tree oil has bking sda box2properties that are both anti-viral and anti-fungal.

DIRECTIONS? Well, those are easy.  Just mix them all together and use it anywhere you’d use a soft scrub cleaner.  Leftovers can be stored in a glass jar you’ve salvaged.  (I’ve also heard that you can add a few tablespoons of vegetable glycerin to act as a preservative.)

As always, you have a new recipe to try for chemical-free cleaning but… you know what that means… yep, it’s time to clean! (BLEH!)

The “Toxic 10”… everyday products you should avoid

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toxcWhen making the decision to “go green” the list of “should nots” is equally as important as the “shoulds”…

I’ve posted this list before, but with the amount of questions I’ve been getting recently, it’s worthy of a refresher course.  This list originally came from Healthy Child Healthy World and includes the top 10 toxic products that you DON’T need in your home. Without further ado, start checking the checklist!:

  • Air fresheners – they’re full of chemicals, synthetic fragrances and even anesthetics that can be inhaled into our lungs! (All you really need is some essential oils & water in a sprayer bottle!)
  • Bottled water – this water is no less contaminated (and sometimes MORE contaminated) than your tap water… add the BPA content of the plastic bottles and they are simply bad news. (Reusable stainless steel bottles are the only choice.)plastic bottle
  • Canned goods – their epoxy resin linings often contain BPA, linked to hormone disruption, heart disease and obesity. (Buy fresh, organic and/or join a CSA.)
  • Couch cushions – avoid anything containing foam that says it meets California TB 117 because they contain toxic fire retardants (like those horrible mattresses!  Remember, there ARE better choices.)  Those chemicals are linked to cancer, birth defects, and thyroid, reproductive and neurological disorders.
  • Drain, oven and toilet bowl cleaners – they contain lye and acids that can burn skins, eyes and internal tissues. (A homemade cleaner of vinegar and a few simple ingredients can do the job just as well.)
  • Dry cleaned clothes – even though the chemical perchloroethylene (or perc) is applied elsewhere, it is linked to a number of cancers and even bringing home those clothes (and wearing them!) dramatically increases your exposure. (Choose a “green” dry cleaner or simply avoid “dry clean only” clothing.)
  • Oil-based paints and finishes – they can contain up to 300 toxic chemicals and 150 carcinogens … enough said. (Okay… a few more words: choose no-VOC paints and finishes only.)pain't cns
  • Perfume and cologne – one formulation can contain literally hundreds of chemicals that can absorb through the skin and accumulate in the bodies. (Again, just an essential oil is fantastic!)
  • Pesticides – these chemical poisons linger and contaminate the air and undoubtedly get dragged into our homes. (Take off those shoes in your house!)
  • Rubber duckies! – okay, more than rubber duckies… ANYTHING that contains PVC or vinyl.  They can leach phthalates (linked to hormone distruption) and lead (a potent neurotoxicant).

Please check out Healthy Child Healthy World’s original post for more great information on all of these “toxic 10”, as well as other important suggestions for substituting better options…

So, how many are still in or around your home?… I’ll bet you’re about to change that, aren’t you?!?

A little “Laundry Room Love” for method (+ giveaway too!)

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mthd laund(This giveaway is now closed for entries.)

I made a confession quite some time ago declaring that I’m a “method head”… yes, I am clearly addicted to method products.  And I’ve talked about them again, and again, aaaaand again.

I just happen to love pure products that are committed to a healthy environment and a safe “us”.  Since I started using their products they just get better and better.  They’re constantly improving them and I happen to like that too.

I’ve been using their laundry detergent forever (okay, not really, but for quite a long time). Now they’re super concentrated, so just one bottle tackles 50 loads of laundry, and the pump makes sure you don’t overuse.  Add to that the fact that the ingredients are 95% natural and renewable, in a recyclable bottle, and oh yea… you guessed it… the love and addiction continues.

Now they’re making a “Laundry Room Love” music video where YOU can be one of their stars!  Just visit their Facebook page to get the details and learn how to submit your award-winning performance.  As an extra reward, you’ll get a $2 off coupon at the end of the how-to video.  Savings… nice!mthd clean

They’re also hosting a little giveaway here at Mom Goes Green.  Would you like to see why I love method and score a bottle of your own?  Well, just leave a comment here saying you’d like to win, or send a Twitter message that includes a reply to @momgoesgreen and a link to this blog. Facebook friends can also leave a comment to be entered. The winners will be randomly selected on April 22!

Now, join me in some “Laundry Room Love”… grab your video camera, perform your heart out, submit your entry, become a star, earn a coupon and enter to win my giveaway!  Phew!… (and you wondered what you were going to do today)… get to lovin’!

Free giveaway time: Kiss My Face Peace Collection!

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(ThKMF castis giveaway is now closed for entries… see “comments” for the winner!)

I’ve been a huuuge fan of Kiss My Face products for the longest time. I love their story, their mission and their commitment. All of their products focus on a healthy you and a healthy environment and those qualities always get a big Mom Goes Green thumbs-up!

I’ve given away tons of great stuff from Kiss My Face… cleansers, toner, soaps, moisturizers, lip tints and shines… but now let me introduce their Peace Collection.

The goodies included? Well, there’s a fabulous 100% natural all-purpose castile soap that can be used from head to toe, ceiling to floor (nKMF cast fmo kidding! You can use it on you OR your home!) and a terrific foaming hand soap too! Both of these products are biodegradable, and contain no parabens, SLS, phthalates, artificial fragrances or animal ingredients. (Got your attention now, didn’t I?!?) The collection also includes a yummy soy candle scented with essential oils. It has an unbleached cotton wick and no petroleum paraffin or carbon soot, PLUS the glass and packaging is 100% recycled…

Oh, I knew I loved Kiss My Face for a reason!!!

KMF cndlI can already hear you yelling “Me, Me, ME!!!” If you’re interested just leave a comment here saying you’d like to win, or send a Twitter message that includes a reply to @momgoesgreen and a link to this blog. Facebook friends can also leave a comment to be entered. The winner of this $40 collection will be randomly selected on February 7! (U.S. entries only… sorry!)

Yes, I love Kiss My Face and oh, friend, if you win… you’re gonna wanna kiss my face too!