Green Cleaning

Going Green with Your Laundry

Typical laundry habits have been passed down from generation to generation.  It's time we rethought and revised our laundry habits.  The average load of laundry is packed full of negative effects on our planet.  The sooner you achieve green laundry habits the better for the planet we live in.  Everybody should be aware of the fact that the higher impact comes from the washing and drying.  These processes always require a lot of energy in order for your clothes to be cleaned.  In this case the energy is translated in terms of water use, personal energy and power supply.  And that’s what a simple dry cycle needs to be run and for the water to be heated.  A green habit would imply a reduction in the water use and personal energy.  Thus, one would be able to contribute to the planet wellness and also reduce one’s environmental footprint.  The green laundry habits will help one preserve the natural resources of our planet we all love and benefit from the positive consequences that result from such an eco-friendly laundry regime.  For instance, one can start by switching to the Energy Star-qualified top-loading machine. What is so very special about this washing machine ...

Make Your Very Own: Earth friendly Cleaning Kit

Detergents, degreasers, and solvents are the common chemical cleaners used at home.  Ordinary detergents contain phosphates, which cause oxygen depletion and localized suffocation of aquatic life.  Cleaning products that contain chlorine, potassium hydroxide, solvents and ammonia are equally hazardous to the aquatic life.  Degreasers such as those regularly used on boats tend dry out the natural oil needed by fishes' gills to take in oxygen.  When safer, chemical-free and cheaper forms of cleaners can be found in our kitchen counters and cabinets, why must you continue to use hazardous toxic cleaning kits? Using simple ingredients like water, baking soda, white vinegar, and tea tree oil, you can keep your home stain-free, dust-free, mold-free, and sparkly clean. Replace your bottles of commercial window cleaners with a mixture of vinegar and water.  Put it in your spray bottle and scrub the glass off using old newspapers.  For cleaning up your oven, use baking soda instead of your usual powdered cleansers.  Wipe up the grease with this white powder and flush it off with water to leave your oven stain-free, grease-free and without traces of dish smell. Polishing your furniture with homemade solutions is a little bit tricky.  Still, try some of these simple recipes to ...

Handy Borax Tips

Borax is a substance commonly found as a component in cosmetics, detergents, pesticides, enamel glazes and other household cleaners.  It is also known as sodium borate or sodium tetra borate.  It appears as a soft white powdery substance which is colorless and can easily be dissolved in water.  Borax is naturally produced mineral sediments as a result of evaporation.  They can be found in Turkey, Chile, Tibet, Romania, Boron, California and other Southwestern regions of the United States.  Borax can be produced synthetically using boron compounds. Many people question if borax is really safe for the environment.  The answer is “YES”.  Since borax is a naturally produced mineral that is comprised of water, sodium, oxygen and boron.  This is even recommended by the FDA as a safe kind of pesticide, fungicide and cleaner but still classified as dangerous because of its level of toxicity.  This product must not be ingested or inhaled for it can give out severe symptoms of death.  It can cause respiratory problems, gastrointestinal distress or serious skin rashes.  It is highly recommended for borax users to wear gloves as to protect their skin from any irritation. As an insecticide, it is known as a repellent for fleas, ants, ...

Green Car Washing

Preserving and maintaining a clean and healthy environment to live on is an investment we can make for ourselves and the future generations to come.  There are so many methods wherein we can contribute to a cleaner and greener world.  Recycling, waste management, or energy conservation is just some ways wherein we can protect our environment. Cars can spell convenience for many or can also be an extra luxury.  Maintaining it can be a bit of a predicament especially for some who just doesn’t have the time.  This would mean trips to the car wash or for the man- on- the- go; this would mean hosing down that car immediately to get rid of all the dust and dirt on it.  This could be a serious problem.  You are not only wasting water, this can also cause harmful wash water that contains dirt, grime, oil, soap and other car wash residuals to enter the drainage system.  The water flows to the storm drain system directly to the lakes, rivers or oceans.  This is a harmful pollutant for wildlife and for our own drinking water supplies.  There is a safer and more environment- friendly alternative for this that we can consider, Green ...

Get a Front-Loading Washing Machine

If you're in the market for a new washing machine, the one you get could have a big influence on your environmental impact.  That's because front loading machines use much less heat, detergent, and washers than standard types.  The significantly more efficient and effective designs have been working at Laundromats for ages, but they're only recently becoming popular for homes. You can find great front loading washers from all the major brands, from Frigidaire to GE to Kenmore, offering efficient cleaning power, electronic features and attractive design.  Look for an Energy Star certification to let you know the machine's energy efficiency level.  Your appliances will pay for themselves in a relatively short period of time, just through the energy savings. Ordinary top loading washing machines use anywhere up to forty gallons of water per load, versus about twenty five even for top loading Energy Star models.  A forty percent water savings translates into a fifty percent energy savings.  Front loaders save even more, since the horizontal axis on which their drums rotate saves energy and water.  Unlike a top loader, the tub doesn't have to be filled completely to do its job. The spin cycle on a front loader helps you reduce drying ...