Archive for September, 2007

September 7, 2007 | Bathroom, Kitchen, Vinegar, Cleaning tips

Q: I was wondering what you use on satin finished faucets, etc./ fixtures in kitchen/ bath. I don’t want to ruin the finish (as some other not so natural cleaners have in the past!).

A: Apple cider vinegar will clean and disinfect. But if you have stubborn buildup or something that the vinegar isn’t removing, you’ll want to purchase some Bon Ami. It’s gentle enough for your stainless (and your Calphalon pots too), but it’ll remove any stuck-on ickies. What’s important is that you scrub with the grain of the satin rather than across it, to preserve the life of the finish.

Happy cleaning!

September 6, 2007 | Kids clean, Cleaning tips

To all you parents of toddlers out there, I have some information you’ll want to be aware of. Here it is: Age 3 is most certainly too early for glue sticks, glue, glue-based glitter pens, or anything glue based. Especially when it involves your grandmother’s mahogany table. Should your 3 year old decide to have a glue stick party (complete with blunt child-safe scissors and paper) at your mahogany table, a gentle all-purpose cleaner will become your BFF. We recommend Sun and Earth or Barefoot Home Essentials. You may need to complete the process with a furniture polish - treat that mahogany right after it’s been abused by your 3-yr old’s glue stick and then scrubbed with an all-purpose. While that all-purpose cleaner may become your BFF, your mahogany will never make nice with it. So the best advice is to keep the glue sticks put away, until your child is, say, 16. And then only give it to them under their express promise not to go near your grandmother’s mahogany table.

And in case you were wondering, even the all-purpose cleaner that’s your new BFF won’t remove most markers from your mahogany.

September 5, 2007 | Reviews, Broom Hugged, Cleaning products

This week’s theme for Works for Me Wednesday (hosted by Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer) is brand loyalty. The question is what products and brand could you not live without? And we’ve got a few.

Vacuums: Oreck. Only the best. Fantastic filtration, great functionality, and lightweight too! What could be better? Oreck, we’ll never leave you.

General All-purpose cleaner: (I’m giving away secrets here, so competitors, please close your eyes and scroll on down to another post…) Organic Excellence chemical free Organic Choice concentrated cleaner.

Home fragrance: Barefoot Home Essentials Room Freshening Spray. It’s natural, it’s heavenly, it’s perfection in a bottle.

Other loyalties: Anything that doesn’t fall into the above categories will be governed in our purchasing preferences by the following (in no particular order): locally-owned small businesses, locally-grown produce, fair trade goods of any sort, responsible business (those that make a priority of giving back), eco-friendly businesses, and chemical-free everything.

For more brands you might like, head over to Rocks in My Dryer.

September 2, 2007 | Floors, Vinegar, Essential oils, Cleaning tips

I just had new hardwoods installed in my living room and dining room - and they’re gorgeous. Lush, warm, all nice and shiny… I love ‘em. So naturally I’ve developed a renewed interest in maintaining them. I had a recent post on cleaning hardwoods, but I tried something new this weekend.

A healthy splash of apple cider vinegar (it kills germs and bacteria better than white vinegar) in the mop bucket, fill with water, add 5-7 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil. The tea tree oil serves multiple purposes - it overpowers the vinegar scent, inhibits mold growth, conditions wood, and inhibits bacteria and viruses. After mopping the floors looked great, the rooms smelled awesome, and I know that the tea tree oil is working its magic.

And that little additive is perfect for people who don’t like the way vinegar smells - a few drops of tea tree oil and you don’t smell the vinegar at all.