Money Maters: Clean Green and Save Some Green

I stopped cleaning with "regular" household cleaners when I had my first baby. Suddenly that 409 I was spraying every where didn't seem like such a good idea.

For a while I went with the less toxic offerings in the cleaning supply isles that were beginning to come into fashion. But after some reading and experimenting, I found my favorite cleaner: vinegar.

I use it for most everything. It is great for cleaning windows and mirrors. It gives a shine that is much better than Windex. It is also perfect for wood floors. Even Martha says so.I use it to clean counters and the bathroom. It meets all my cleaning needs.

Here's how I use it. 1 cup vinegar to 2 cups water.

I then add a few drops of essential oil for a nice scent, pour it into my spray bottle and that's all there is to it.

The vinegar is very inexpensive and since you are mixing it with water, it lasts a long time. The essential oil will set yo back about $10, but since you only use a few drops, it will last you a very long time, too.

You really can't beat it.

I do use other concoctions for cleaning also. Baking soda and Borax make excellent scrubbing agents that won't ruin your surfaces. I love to combine baking soda with Dr. Bronner's castile soap to scrub my tub. He's pretty much a whack job, but he makes great soap.

When I really want to disinfect something (which doesn't happen that often--our country is Clorox wipe obsessed) I use a plant based disinfectant from this company and I like it very much. I only use it on the toilet and after I have cut up raw meat. Cause both of those things pretty much gross me out.

I have really enjoyed detoxing my cleaning supplies. Now I feel perfectly safe letting the kids help me clean anything. And when I have babies crawling on the floor, and eating off the floor, it doesn't worry me one bit.

Do you have any green and/or frugal cleaning tips to share with me? I'd love to hear them.

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Now for the fun link I promised you.

My Milk Toof. Oh my gosh is it ever fun! Spend a few minutes and look around her blog. The photography is lovely, the sets are amazingly creative and adorable and the stories will have you smiling.

But probably my favorite part of this blog is the story behind it. Inhae, the creator, was unemployed and needed a project. She started doing this and it has blossomed. When you do the thing you love, amazing things happen. So inspiring!

I can't wait to show these to James and William. I know they will get a kick out of the adventures of these 2 little buddies. Here's one of my favorites.

Hope this post was a bright spot in your Wednesday. Something practical and something fun. What could be better?

Greta