Mindful Momma

SmartKlean Laundry Ball Cleans Clothes Without Detergent

I admit to being a skeptic. A plastic, ceramic pellet-filled ball that would clean my dirty laundry without a drop of detergent? It sounded a bit hoodoo-voodoo to me. Would I have to chant something or say a little prayer each time I dropped it in the wash?

I'm talking about the SmartKlean Laundry Ball - a new laundry product that cleans clothes without detergent.
How does it work? The SmartKlean Laundry Ball cleans clothes using an innovative cleaning technology that is physical rather than chemical. The plastic ball is filled with mineral-based ceramic beads that create oxygenated water that basically allows the water to more deeply penetrate the fabric to release dirt, grime and odors.The minerals are 100% natural (see full ingredient list here) and are completely safe for people and the environment. Simply throw the laundry ball in with a load of wash and let it do it's magic.

Why use it?

• The laundry ball is reusable for up to 365 washes, saving you detergent costs, reducing packaging waste and keeping chemicals out of the environment.
• It is completely non-toxic and hypoallergenic - perfect for babies and people with sensitive skin.
• There is no soap reside left after washing, eliminating the need for a rinse cycle and saving water and electricity.
• Super easy to use - no more drippy liquids or messy powders.
• Works as well in cold water as it does in warm.
• No need for fabric softeners because the natural softness of fabrics is maintained.
• Better for your wardrobe - gentle on fabric, increasing lifespan of clothing.
• Compatible with all washing machines, including front-loaders.
• Cleans the washing machine while it cleans your clothes.

 

 

Are there disadvantages?

• The laundry ball works best with small loads of laundry because it needs space to agitate the clothes. I usually pack my front-loading washer pretty full so this means more loads of laundry for me.
• A monthly sun-bath is recommended to recharge the minerals. This is because they need to be fully dried every 10-30 washes and sun drying is the best way for reducing the moisture content of the components. I'm afraid I might forget to do this.
• If you equate a fresh scent with clean laundry, you will need to add your own essential oils. (I love lavender myself!)
• Heavy stains require pre-treatment - just like they do with conventional detergent washing. (The company recommends adding 1/4 cup each of sea salt and white vinegar to heavily soiled loads.)
• The upfront cost of $45 may seem steep but remember, it is good for 365 washes - that's 12 cents a wash!

What do I think?

I am no longer a skeptic. This thing really works! Admittedly, I find the detergent habit hard to break but after trying the SmartKlean laundry ball, I am ready to ditch the soap for good!

Would you like to try one?

SmartKlean is offering FREE SHIPPING to Mindful Momma readers! Just be sure to place your order through this special ordering page (also available through the advertisement in the right hand sidebar of my website).

(Full disclosure:  I was given a free SmartKlean laundry ball in return for my honest opinion.)

Teach Global Warming to Kids with the Simon Says Let's Stop Climate Change DVD

Climate change might not exactly be a hot conversation topic for your average 4 to 14 year old. But the new Hippo Works DVD Simon Says “Let’s Stop Climate Change” brings this serious topic down to a level that kids can relate to. 

Read more about this fun new DVD on my post over at Inhabitots!

New Sponsor: Mom's Healthy Market (Get 20% Off!)

As a Mom of 4 and a former preschool director, Stephanie Holleman knows how important it is to start kids off on a healthy track. That is exactly why she started Mom's Healthy Market, a website specializing in organic, eco friendly and green products for babies and young children. 

Mom's Healthy Market is a new sponsor of Mindful Momma so I'd like to tell you a little bit more about what they have to offer:

Healthy and organic foods reviewed by a registered dietitian ranging from bulk beans, grains and dried fruits to specialty granola and organic apple sauce:

Educational and eco-friendly toys for children including puzzles, games, books and products to inspire active play and pretend play.  I was happy to see they carry Green Toys like this Green Toys Tea Set - made from 100% recycled milk jugs - it is such a good, high-quality brand!

Organic bedding - from sheets and blankets to pillows and mattresses.  I've got my eye on this organic EcoWool mattress pad as an alternative to getting a whole new mattress for my son:

Baby products like cloth diapers, personal care products and infant clothing.  This Earth Mama Angel Baby kit makes a wonderful shower gift!

...and a wide range of other family and home products ranging from games for the whole family to home air filters and other home safety products to eco-friendly cleaning products and more.  The website is easy to navigate - products are organized by room in your home, making it quick to find what you are looking for. Moms Healthy Market is not only a shopping site, but is also a resource for parenting articles and links to other health related websites. 

I encourage you to check it out!  And while you're at it, get yourself a 20% discount on your first purchase using the code MM20 at checkout.  Thank you for supporting my sponsors! 

Easter EGGsperiments

So I'm on this tear, trying to think of things to do with leftover Easter egg dye.  I already made Confetti Eggs and I'm looking for another little eco-craft that involves dye.  Here's what I came up with:  Colored Egg Carton Easter Baskets!

Here's the HOW TO:  Cut up a cardboard egg carton into individual sections.  Submerge in the dye for a few minutes.  Let dry at least overnight (these things are very soggy and take a long time to dry!)  Punch a hole in the two sides of the cup and insert pipe cleaner as a handle.  Fill with paper grass and jelly beans!  Voila - the perfect little Easter basket to give to friends!

Do you have any favorite Easter eco-crafts?  Please share!

 

Confetti Egg Tutorial

Last year I went all out with the natural egg dyes.  But this year I took the easy way out and grabbed a PAAS artificial color kit to do with the kids because it is just so darned quick and easy.

After the egg-dyeing excitement was over (in a whopping 5 minutes), I was looking for more ways to use the 6 bowls of dye I had sitting around. On a whim, I decided to try to re-create the confetti eggs I discovered on Etsy the other day.  Here's a little tutorial:

Carefully crack some eggs just at the top.  Submerge them in the dye and then let them dry.

Fill the eggs with paper confetti.  I couldn't resist and put in a few jelly beans!

Cover the top of the egg with tissue paper and seal with glue. 

Let your kids take them outside and SMASH them!!

Stay tuned for more Easter EGGsperiments coming in my next post!

NEW S'well Stainless Insulated Bottles are Healthy, Helpful and Happy (Win One!)

Does the world really need another brand of water bottles?  I couldn't help but wonder that when I received the press release about S'well Bottles.  But all it took was one look at these brightly colored stylish bottles and I knew that they were unique!

It got even better when I read about the mission behind the product:  To provide clean water to those in need.  To achieve this goal, S'well has partnered with WaterAid and donates 10% of net sales to support programs that improve access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world's poorest communities.  Every bottle sold provides almost a year supply of water for someone in need.  Every five bottles sold provides a lifetime supply.

S'well bottles were purposefully designed to be elegant and functional at the same time.  Unlike most stainless bottles, these are insulated to keep drinks cold for 24 hours or hot for 12 hours and sweat-free (no drippy bottles!)  I love that the opening is big enough for ice cubes but small enough that you won't get drenched when you take a sip.

At $35 a pop, these insulated bottles are pretty pricey but I look at it like buying a nice pair of sunglasses - when you buy cheap ones, you lose them but when you invest in something nice, you make darned sure you know where they are at all times!

How would you like to win one? Zip on over to the S'well website and let me know what you like best about S'well bottles (and what color you would choose!). Additional entries for liking S'well on Facebook, Mindful Momma on Facebook and on Twitter, and for subscribing to my RSS or email feed (that's 5 total entries per person!) The contest will run through midnight, Central time on Wednesday, April 27th (you must have a U.S. mailing address to enter).

And if you just want to get one of these cool bottles in your hot little hands right away - use the code TONY for a 10% discount at checkout (valid through April 27th).  At the moment, your best bet for finding a S'well bottle is online but expect greater distribution coming soon.

(Full Disclosure:  I was sent a free S'well bottle in return for my honest opinion.)

Writing for Inhabitots!

I've been a big fan of Inhabitots and their modern green design for kids and babies since the website debuted over 2 and a half years ago. Whenever I visit, there's always something beautiful to drool over, something fascinating to learn, some cool new green gadget I think I can't live without...  So, one day I decided to ask if they needed any writers.  Turns out they did.

My first post just came out!  Read all about 5 Phases unique glass and BPA-free baby bottles over at Inhabitots today!

P.S.  In case you didn't know:  Inhabitots is the baby sister site of Inhabitat, an uber-popular and super cool green design website.  If you haven't checked it out yet, you should!

Marie Veronique Donating Earth Day Proceeds (+ a Giveaway!)

Marie Veronique is recognized by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) as one of the safest skin care lines available - with most products rated 1-2 or low hazard on the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database.  In honor of Earth Day, the company is showing their commitment to personal safety and the environment by donating 25% of purchase proceeds on Earth Day to the Center for Environmental Health (CEH). 

Are you in need of sunscreen for the upcoming outdoor season?  Marie Veronique's Kid Safe Screen (SPF 25) is listed on Skin Deep as one of the top sunscreens for both safety and UVA/UVB protection.  It is made with 16 "intelligent ingredients" including non-nano zinc oxide, avocado oil, vitamin E and mango butter.  It absorbs nicely into the skin and has a to-die-for ylang ylang essential oil scent that I'll take over fake coconut any day.

The folks at Marie Veronique are kindly  giving away a bottle of Kid Safe Screen to one lucky Mindful Momma reader!  Now's your chance to try this wonderful (but pricey) product for free!  To enter the giveaway, take a peek at the Marie Veronique website and let me know what products you might like to try.  Additional entries for following Mindful Momma on Facebook and on Twitter, and for subscribing to my RSS or email feed.  The contest will run through midnight, Central time on Thursday, April 21st (you must have a U.S. mailing address to enter).

Meanwhile, if there's anything from the Marie Veronique line you're planning to buy, make your purchase on Earth Day and help protect your family and community from toxic chemicals!

(Full disclosure:  I received a free sample of Kid Safe Screen - in return for my honest opinion)

The winner is:  NW Homesteader!  Congratulations!

Sugar-Free Easter Gifts for Kids

Don't get me wrong, the Easter bunny always brings plenty of chocolate and other sugary treats to the little boys in this house.  But Easter doesn't have to be all about the candy.  Check out these sugar-free ideas:

Confetti Eggs - These clever, hand-crafted eggs made with repurposed egg shells are filled with colorful confetti and sealed with tissue paper.  All ingredients are 100% biodegradable - even the glue and glitter are homemade from natural ingredients.  Perfect for an eco-friendly Easter party!

Dinosaur Bath Egg - What better way to encourage a kid to jump in the bath than to give them a fizzy dinosaur egg to play with?  This extra large bath egg is handmade with natural ingredients including moisturizing Emu oil from Kaylala's family farm of free-range Emus, french green clay and organic vanilla.  Best of all, there's a dinosaur sponge surprise inside!

High Flying Easter Bunny - Support handmade with a plush Easter Bunny from Etsy!  This one is sewn out of cotton and anti-pill fleece (not organic - but still handmade!) with no removable parts, making it safe for infants.  If he doesn't suit your fancy, check out Inhabitot's list of 7 Best Eco-Friendly Easter Bunnies from Etsy.  There are some cute ones for sure!

More sweet but sugar-free ideas:

• Books:  chapter books, comic books, coloring books
• Eco-friendly craft supplies (Inhabitots has a nice list)
• Felted Easter eggs (here's a little round-up I did last year)
• Wooden Easter eggs - available on Etsy of course!

What sugar-free treats does the Easter Bunny leave at your house?

(Full disclosure:  I received a free dinosaur bath egg from Kaylala....in exchange for my honest opinion.)

Please Vote for Mindful Momma as a Top Eco-Friendly Mom Blog!

Someone was kind enough to nominate me as a Top Eco-Friendly Mom Blog on Circle of Moms - what an honor!!  There isn't a prize or anything - but it sure would be nice to end up in the final Top 25 list that they publish on Earth Day. 

Could you spare a sec to vote for me by clicking the thumbs up symbol?  You can vote once a day through next Sunday, April 17th.  Thanks so much for reading Mindful Momma.  I love sharing my adventures in living a green & healthy life with you!