Green Cleaning

Laundry Balls - Your new Going Green Best Friend and Why

Laundry balls come in different models.  Some resemble a small ball that bounces around in your washing machine and provides extra agitation.  Some other models act as detergent dispensers that are one time use and need to be repurchased continually.  There are still others that contain other materials that are supposed to allow for the release of ionized oxygen during the wash cycle.  This ionized oxygen is supposed to raise pH levels in the water, thus softening it and the fabrics being washed.  This allows water to penetrate easily the fabric and lift out dirt and grime. The effectiveness of these laundry balls is in dispute from people who swear they work to those who see no appreciable difference and consider them a waste of money.  The balls also come in a ceramic disk form; however, the way the work remains pretty much identical to the ball types. Laundry balls are not a new product and can be traced back to 1991 when they were sold via a multi-level marketing outfit.  This was done through recruitment of distributors and their subsequent sales of the product.  As with many of the earlier MLM businesses, emphasis was put more on the recruiting of distributors ...

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Green Washing Machines

The way you wash your clothes could have a big effect on the environment.  There's a lot of power and water used in doing the laundry, but the amount you absolutely have to use can be reduced.  You don't have to go back to a washboard and bucket, either.  There are green washing machines out there that use less water, get clothes cleaner, do less damage, and use less power to do it, too.  Which kind of washing machine is the greenest?  Let's take a look at the options. Wringer machines and twin tub machines tend to be pretty inefficient, plus they're hard to find.  That means that top loaders and front loaders are the big contenders.  The biggest factor in whether or not a machine is truly green is how much water is used and how much energy is required.  Front loaders tend to win out in both cases, using about ten gallons of water in a full load versus a top loader's forty gallons. Most of the energy used by the machine is used heating the water.  More water needs more power to heat it.  ...

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Natural Cleaning Products

The majorities of the cleaning products we use are heavy on caustic and toxic chemicals, aren't great for our health, and do some serious damage to the environment.  It's time to say no to these unnecessarily harsh products, and to wearing gloves and worrying about ventilation while we clean.  Until you've tried an ecologically friendly equivalent product, don't buy another conventional type of cleaner.  You'll be surprised at what green cleaners can do, and how well they work. If more of us are willing to do this, we'll have cleaner water.  Almost seventy percent of US waterways contain high concentrations of detergents, and those detergents come from our household cleaning.  These products are also responsible for a tenth of children's toxic exposures.  If you don't have them in the house, there's a lot less reason to be worried about little ones getting into places where they shouldn't be. You can smell the difference when you use natural cleaning products, too.  There are no eye watering smells to make you light headed.  Most of these cleaners are based on essential oils, which can be strong, but won't give ...

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Making Your Own Cleaning Supplies

Contaminants are released into the air when using the conventional cleaning products that are more toxic and dangerous for your overall health. You have to understand that the poor air quality is likely to affect your overall health sooner or later. Therefore, you should go for the green products because you will reduce the exposure to toxic contaminants. You can also protect your family by using such green products. Try producing these cleaning products by yourself and in the comfort of your own home. Not only can it make for a fun family activity, it will also help your family go green. For instance, try using white vinegar to soft your fabrics. Even if you have very sensitive skin, you will be pleased with the final results. This natural cleaning product will not affect your skin at all. The vinegar should stay undiluted. The only thing that you will have to do is to add a half cup to the rinse cycle. You can also use common baking soda in order to clean and absorb unpleasant odors. You can also use it in order to clean ...

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Green Tips for Mold Removal

Removing mold from our homes can be a frustrating and ongoing task.  Most of us just run down to the supermarket and grab a bottle of a chlorine-based mold cleaner, which is sure to be quick and easy- and unfortunately terrible for the environment.  If you have a mold problem around your home, use some of the green tips for mold removal in this article. Tea Tree Oil Tree tree oil can be on the expensive side, but as they say, "a little goes a long way."  It can be found readily online or in your nearest health food store.  Tee Tree oil is a natural antiseptic and fungicide. It does have a strong camphor-like odor, but is much more pleasant than chlorine fumes.  To make a tea tree oil mixture to treat mold, combine the following in a clean spray bottle, shake, and spray on affected area: 1-2 teaspoons tea tree oil 2 cups water For best results, don’t rinse.  In a few days, clean up the dead mold with soap and water. Vinegar Distilled white vinegar can clean just about anything (a definite must for your green-home cleaning needs), including mold.  The Heinz Company, one producer of distilled white vinegar, claims that straight vinegar can kill ...

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