All-Purpose Cleaner.

Green thing #10-

Making an All-Purpose cleaner is easier then I thought.  All you need is a spray bottle (an old Windex bottle would work, or the spray bottles in the dollar section of Target), vinegar, and water.  Fill half the bottle with water and half the bottle with vinegar. Done.

Too easy!

There is other ways to make it if you want to be harder on yourself.  I personally like to add freshly squeezed lemon juice because it makes it smell good and helps clean. 

I use this on my counters, tub, kitchen/bathroom floor, sinks, toilet, stove, fridge and pretty much anything in the kitchen.  It works just as good, if not better, then any store bought product.

Green Thing #9 Making things! (Part 2)

If you buy the Swiffer Sweeper Wet Refills you will spend about 50 cents each (if you shop at Sam's Club).  If you only use one a week, you will spend about $25 in a year.  The bigger your house, the more often you use it, the more you spend. It can add up fast!  Also you have to consider the implications it has on the environment.  I am not sure what cleansers they use or the amount that goes in the landfills, but I don't want to add to the problem.

To be a part of the solution and to save some green, I have started making swiffer sweeper cloths.  My mom, who is not green at all, even loves them.

I crochet my swiffer cloths without a pattern but here is a website that has patterns for knitting, sewing or crochet if you need one. 
http://tipnut.com/make-your-own-swiffer-cloths/

All I did for my mom's and mine was...
1.  Measure the swiffer. Plan for an extra inch because cotton shrinks.
2.  F hook and Cotton yarn (Number 4) found at Wal-Mart.
3. 54 ch. to equal 13 inches.
4. I use half double Crochet stitch (or hdc) through both loops
5. Continue until it is about 6 inches wide.
6. I put velcro on mine to keep it secure.

If you do not crochet, knit, or sew you can buy them online.  If you Google "swiffer sweeper reusable" you will see a ton of options.  Or you can talk to me ;)

The only downside to using reusable swiffers is you have to take some time to make them or plan ahead because they are not sold in stores.

My next post will be on floor cleansers since I did not cover that here:)
Thanks for reading!

Making things is green too!

Green thing #8- Making Stuff!

Greg and I both like to make our own stuff and presents for others.  I am currently making dish clothes.  If you know how to knit or crochet they are super easy and fast. 

But don't forget to buy yarn that is locally grown cotton (at least in the USA), and it is more green if it is organic, non bleached and non dyed.  This is a little harder to find but it is out there.  You can also buy the material or the finished product from green websites. I do not use a pattern for my rags since it is just a square or rectangle. 

These also make great gifts.  With Christmas right around the corner this is perfect when you don't have the money but still want to show someone that you care. 

Remember... Use these instead of paper towels =)

Cloth Napkins

Green Thing #7- Cloth Napkins

I know I already wrote about paper towels, however I believe napkins deserve a post of their own. This is the first green step I took after Greg and I got married.  People had bought us so many cloth napkins that we decided we did not need to waste our money on paper.  They are easy to use, clean, and require almost no effort.  Since I do not use bleach (I will explain that in another blog), I have learned to use black or darker colored napkins when we have messy foods such as BBQ sause, ketchup, and basically anything red, or with potential to stain.
For the ones that DO get stained, I don't throw them away because that is not green at all, they still work just fine.  I simply don't use them when we have company.

Don't forget to hang dry your napkins with the rest of your clothes.  =)

If you are a crafty person, you can make your own napkins-  http://thingshomespun.blogspot.com/2011/10/cloth-napkins.html

"A family of four can save $130 annually by switching from paper napkins to reusable napkins, according to Sierra Club." http://www.reuseit.com/take-action/lifestyle-guides/reduce-reuse-and-save

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