Two Green Cleaning Books: A Review.

Working at a library certainly has its benefits, and one of my favorite parts is how often I hear about interesting books, from patrons and other librarians alike. Librarians, generally speaking, seem to be pretty green people, which is awesome, because I get to hear about books such as these:








I love the idea of green cleaning, and if you do, too, then you may enjoy these books. However, these books are helpful for different things.

Green This! is not only informative, but also an interesting read. All profits of this book go to Imus Ranch, which helps and empowers kids with cancer, which is pretty awesome in itself. If you are on the fence about whether or not to switch to green cleaning methods, reading this book will almost certainly convince you to go green. Reading about all the chemicals used gave me an eerie feeling, and I am more ready than ever to switch pretty much everything for a more green alternative. However, if you want recipes for homemade cleaners, this is not the book for you. The author makes a lot of recommendations for eco-friendly and non-toxic products, but does not give recipes. Some of the information regarding essential oils is interesting, but often unclear of how much to use. Over all, I would say this book is more informative and convincing--definitely worth reading, and especially helpful if you are looking for where to buy eco-friendly cleaners.

Green Cleaning for Dummies is full of green alternatives to the toxic ways we are used to cleaning. Not only does it give several recipes, but it also gives short, sweet, easy to understand alternatives to how you may be cleaning your home. Here is an example recipe:

Minty Fresh All-Purpose Cleaner

2 tbs peppermint liquid castile soap

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup vinegar

water to fill 1 quart spray bottle

*mix all ingredients in bottle. Spray on cloth, mop, or directly on surface

It is not only incredibly informative on how to clean, but it also delves into an equally important issue of keeping your home free of dust mites, stress, etc., as opposed to just getting rid of the toxins.

Both of these books have been interesting to read, and I look forward to utilizing their tips and tricks.

All-Natural Disinfectant.

I love all the recipes I find on Pinterest for natural cleaning solutions! I've been using infused vinegar for some time now (I even got my skeptical boyfriend to love the stuff!). Now I am finding myself branching out a little with the homemade cleaners. This recipe is a little more in-depth than some you'll find, but it really works well!

You will need:

A spray bottle (I got the one pictured at Big Lots for a few bucks, and I love it)
1/2 cup lavender-infused vinegar--see below (or, alternatively, use white vinegar and 10 - 20 drops of lavender essential oil)
1 tsp washing soda
2 cups hot, distilled water
10 drops tea tree oil (or more!)

To do:

If you choose to infuse the vinegar with lavender, simply combine a tablespoon of lavender buds with hot vinegar in a jar, and let sit for a week or so. Strain. Easy as that!

Combine the vinegar and washing soda together (there will be some fizzing/bubbling), next add the castile soap and hot water (not boiling). Let cool, and if desired, add a few more drops of essential oils of your choice (I'd recommend tea tree or lavender).

This disinfectant works well on most surfaces, but due to the vinegar, do not use it on granite or marble. The washing soda makes it very effective against grease, so I especially like to use it on my stove top. Enjoy your homemade disinfectant!

Natural dishwashing.

Maybe it's weird, but I love to wash dishes. A huge pile of dishes may be daunting at first, but it really isn't that bad. My family has never used a dishwasher, ever. As in, I am 20 years old, and I had never used one until I met my boyfriend a year ago. Yes, our house has a dishwasher. Growing up, it was used as a second pantry! We stored food in it instead of using it. We always hand wash, and I have played a role in the dish washing process since I was very young. As I've gotten older, I've found myself truly enjoying washing dishes. It's relaxing! However, when I move out this August, I will have a dishwasher in my apartment (with a roommate who will probably want to use it!), so who knows if I'll change up my routine. But as for now, this is what I like to use to wash my dishes.

Castile Dish Soap.

There are several tutorials online for turning a bar of soap into liquid soap. Just type it into a search engine and you are sure to find something. I personally take half a bar of Kirk's Castile Soap, grate it up, add it to 10 cups or so of hot water on the stovetop, and add about a tablespoon of glycerin. Once it is mostly cooled and thickened, I mix it really well with my stand-up mixer as I add about half a cup of vinegar and several drops of lemongrass essential oil. It smells lovely for dish washing! It can be added to a pump, a squeeze bottle--whatever you desire for your kitchen. So far it has worked well and gotten the dishes plenty clean.

Natural Sponges.

Sponges suck. Buying them sucks, too. My newest idea is buying one of those big (6 inches or so) natural loofahs, and cutting them into five or six sponges! I have found these at Big Lots for only $1.50--which is great, considering I'll get several sponges out of it. The best part is that I can compost it when I'm finished (assuming I used only natural cleaning solutions with it).

Cutting it into pieces can be tricky. The best method I've found is to get the entire sponge drenched, place it on a cutting board, and use my sharpest knife to cut through it. 

The sponge does not scratch non-stick surfaces, and it works really well for cleaning stainless steel. So far I'm super impressed, and I plan to continue using it. And of course, when it just isn't right for the job, I use a washcloth or rag.