Practically Green Book Launch Party: Day #1 The Non-Toxic Home

Welcome to the party!! I'm SO excited about giving away all these prizes.  This is just the first of 5 days of giveaways so be sure to keep checking back each day to see what's new!

Today I want to focus on the importance of eliminating toxins from your home.  With the Million Baby Crawl campaign going on (and the Crawl to Action events coming up on Wednesday!), there has been a lot of focus on toxins lately - and that's a good thing.  Many people don't realize that the indoor air in a typical home has chemical contamination levels 2 to 5 times greater than outdoor air. 

One of the biggest sources of those toxic chemicals in homes is cleaning products.  Yes - the very products we are using to clean our homes can be extremely bad for us and for the earth as well.  There's a whole chapter on cleaning products in Practically Green with info on the types of chemicals you'll want to avoid as well as helpful tips for how to scrub your home the healthy way!

To help me celebrate the book launch, a couple of great cleaning product companies have donated prizes to get you started on your way to a non-toxic home:

Seventh Generation is giving away a Healthy Home gift bag that contains 7 full sized cleaning products in a reusable tote bag.  Pretty much everything you need to give your home a green, clean makeover!

EcoStore has generously donated a $25 gift certificate to their web store.  Check out their eco-friendly, plant-based household cleaning products as well as some really nice bath soaps (I can vouch for them - I've reviewed their products in the past).

For a chance to win, just leave a comment letting me know your practically green tips for cleaning house.  The giveaway runs today only - ending at midnight, central time on Monday, November 16th.  (only one entry per person please and you must have a US shipping address)

And the lucky winners are....Andie - for the Seventh Generation gift bag and Amalia for the $25 EcoStore gift certificate.  I will notify the winners directly via email.

Comments

[aimee c.]

after my child got diagnosed with asthma, i got rid of all fragrance in my house. we use earth-friendly product to clean our house. thanks!

[Keri]

I simply use vinegar for cleaning EVERYTHING. The other day I got frustrated with my dirty vinyl shower which is IMPOSSIBLE to clean...until I found out that dish soap (natural, of course!) really cuts through the sticky grime like it does for grease. Voila! I have a clean shower! =)

[Krista]

I'm always looking for green cleaning supplies.

[miss muffet]

i open the windows in the bathrooms after i clean them, even in the dead of winter. i close the door and let fresh air in. i do this in my kids' rooms as well, especially after they've been sick. They are in school all day, so I just open the windows, close the heating vents and the door and let nature work for a couple of hours.

[John for Recycling]

I read an article that overusing disinfectant is bad for our health. That is a knowledge for someone like me who is into using such products before.

Good thing is, a lot of organic products are everywhere now.

[Andie]

I gave up on conventional products five years ago, I just felt so sick when I used them. I don't get the head-aches I used to, and the non-toxic products work just as well. To help streamline cleaning, I tackle one room a day. I don't feel as overwhelmed this way, and I can free up my weekends for family time and bigger projects.

[Lisa @ Retro Housewife Goes Green]

Since this post is on cleaning my tip is to make your own carpet fresh. I use a plastic contain I saved from sugar for mine but a glass jar with holes in the top (use a nail to make them) works as well. Just mix baking soda with any of the following- few drops of essential oils (just let dry before using.), dried lavender (or other herbs), or cinnamon. I like cinnamon with peppermint oil for the holidays and dried lavender with a few drops of lavender oil for normal times. All you have to is mix and sprinkle on the carpets, let sit for 15-30 minutes and vacuum normally.

[melissa]

I try to use the most basic ingredients possible and find that I don't really need a product for each type of task like i used to have when I used conventional products!

[Christy]

I use vinegar & baking soda for cleaning as much as I can... and when I just *need* to have a little fragrance (like the diaper pail!) I use a few drops of essential oils... my favs are lavendar, sweet orange, grapefruit, tea tree... Michaela - LOVE your blog!!! And so excited to read your book - it's on my Christmas list :)

[Logan Johnson]

I use vinegar and baking soda for everything, even the dishes. Nothing cuts through old food like some baking soda and vinegar. I'm really hardcore about it. But if I won, then I would give it to my pregnant cousin, who I don't think would love to use vinegar like I do, but would totally appreciate some products that are safe for little Coleman.

[Erin]

I use vinegar/baking soda/essential oils for homemade cleaners like many of you do. What I prefer not to make, I do buy. Like Ecover tablets for the dishwasher (although no rinse, I use vinegar for that, too. Good thing the smell doesn't last, huh?).

[Jennifer Taggart, TheSmartMama]

My favorite green cleaning tip is to mix baking soda and castile soap in an old squirt bottle (like catsup), and then squirt that under the toilet rim. After 5 minutes, follow with squirts of white vinegar - it makes the remaining baking soda fizz and remove grime. Then flush. Voila! A clean toilet without any scrubbing or harsh chemicals.

Jennifer Taggart
TheSmartMama
http://www.thesmartmama.com

[Heather @ Marine Corps Nomads]

I made a paste with baking soda and water for those hard to clean items. I usually follow with a vinegar rinse. It works, plus, my daughter loves seeing all of the bubbles. lol! We've found that now that we've been away from traditional cleaning products, we feel ill when we're exposed to them. Thanks for the giveaway!

[Kim]

Nothing cleans like vinegar! Use it everywhere and thank God it's cheap :)

[Lizz]

Steam cleaning (all H2O, no chemicals) as much as possible. Otherwise, watching the ingredient labels on dish soap and using the old vinegar and baking soda trick to shine and clean-up the sinks!

[kelly]

I converted from the typical cleaners to the 'green' cleaners when I was pregnant with my son over five years ago.

[tara]

I really like plain old club soda for mirrors and windows.

[Condo Blues]

I cut up kitchen and bath towels into 4ths that are too worn to pass down to the dog or to donate and use them for cleaning instead of paper towels. I haven't purchased paper towels in years. I wash them with my regular laundry, so while I am using resources to clean them for another reuse, I'm not using any extra resources to clean them for another reuse.

[kristen]

I use old socks for cleaning rags and lots of baking soda and vinegar.

[Andi]

Hi Micaela! I just wanted to stop by and wish you a Happy Book Launch Party Day. I hope it's going well for you. I absolutely love to use olive oil on my cabinets and other wood work. It completely renews them and gives them a beautiful shine. Take care!

Andi Winterfield
Good Things Green Things
http://www.goodthingsgreenthings.com

[The Raven]

Like pretty much everyone else, I use a lot of vinegar and baking soda. But most of all? I just under-clean. A little dirt is good for the soul.

[Robin White]

When I can I open windows and let the sun do it's work when that's not possible vinegar or the more earth friendly cleaning products work great.

[Alicia [The Soft Landing]]

Happy Book Launch! My sister Joanie is a mad scientist at heart and she makes laundry detergent to share with me - borax, baking soda and castille soap with a dash of essential oil. I'm so spoiled!

[Kimberly]

I make a lot of my home cleaners from simple ingredients, I was inspired by Karen Logan who wrote "Clean House, Clean Planet." I entered the giveaway, because while I do make most of my own cleaning supplies sometimes it's nice to use something different and that I didn't have to make :)

[Patty]

like many others, I use vinegar for cleaning just about everything! I wish we would go green at work, the cleaning products that are used give me headaches, etc.