Quick Tips

Use household ingredients to clean carpet stains:

• Club soda removes red wine stains.
• Use an ice cube to harden gum and candle wax, then scrape off.
• Sprinkle greasy stains with baking soda, corn starch or corn meal. Let stand six hours or overnight. Then vacuum.
• Mix 1/3 cup vinegar with 2/3 cup warm water and apply to the stain. Then blot with a clean towel and repeat until the stain comes clean.

For more cleaning tips, see How to Clean with 5 Basic Tools and Recipes for Safer Cleaners.

Read more: http://www.healthychild.org/live-healthy/checklist/clean_carpets_without_dangerous_chemicals/#ixzz2HaEXXAkd

Clean up spills on carpets immediately to prevent stains:

1. Soak up liquid spills by covering them with clean white (or light-colored) towels or paper towels. Scrape sticky substances off carpets with a spatula or spoon. Don’t rub the spill. That will damage carpet fibers and make the stain spread.
2. To clean the stain, mix 1 cup warm water and 1/2 teaspoon mild liquid soap, such as dishwashing liquid or fine fabric detergent. Apply a small amount, blot by pressing a clean white towel into the carpet and lift. Then repeat the process until the stain is removed. Don’t scrub. Be patient.
3. After stain is removed, rinse the area with a solution a few teaspoons of white vinegar to one cup water and blot with another clean towel.

Read more: http://www.healthychild.org/live-healthy/checklist/clean_carpets_without_dangerous_chemicals/#ixzz2HaEXXAkd

Make your HVAC system more efficient and the air in your house healthier by performing this simple maintenance task: change your air filter!  Dirty filters make the equipment work harder and can reduce efficiency. A completely clogged filter can make the coil freeze up, causing water problems and reducing the life of the system. Regular cleaning and changing of filters ensures the best filtration, enhances the unit’s efficiency and longevity, and provides healthier, cleaner air for the home environment.  Most 1 inch filters should be changed once every three months, but as often as once a month if you have several animals and/or allergies.

Tired of standing at the sink watching water run down the drain as you wait for it to warm up?  Try installing a retrofit pump which will help eliminate the wait-and conserve water. We recommend the D’Mand pump by TACO. Determining proper equipment sizing will depend on your home’s water tank type, or if your home has a tankless water heater, so discuss this with your contractor first, but don’t be deterred-the long term savings from water and energy related costs almost always far outweigh any short term, upfront expenses.

Did you know that average indoor water use in a typical single-family home is 70 gallons per person per day?  In addition to taking shorter showers and turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth and washing your hands, you can make these simple upgrades to easily help conserve water in your home and reduce your water bill:

• Swap standard bathroom sink faucets which typically flow in excess of 2 gpm (gallons per minute) for “WaterSense” versions that lower the flow to 1.5 gpm-a reduction of over 30%.
• Change out existing showerheads which tend to flow at 2.2 gpm or more, to a “WaterSense” showerhead which flows at just 1.75 gpm or less.  An average family of four using a low flow showerhead can save approx. 29,900 gallons of water each year.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. population has doubled over the past 50 years, our thirst for water has more than tripled, and by the year 2013, at least 36 states will have faced water shortages.  Help conserve water at home AND save money by replacing old 3.5 gpf (gallon per flush) toilets, or 1.6 gpf toilets with a 1.28 gpf, 1 gpf or dual flush version.  Be sure to shop for toilets with the EPA’s “WaterSense” label.  We recommend low flow or dual flush toilets from TOTO.

The average homeowner can see savings of $180 each year on utility bills by upgrading to a programmable thermostat. During cooler months, the Department of Energy (DOE) recommends lowering the thermostat by 7 degrees at nighttime and during the day, if no one is home.

Many contaminants can be tracked into our homes on the soles of our shoes. Consider becoming a shoe-free household by removing shoes upon entering the house, & placing them in a designated shoe basket. This can help prevent toxins and germs from entering into your home, and also help keep indoor air cleaner.

We often think, “surely this makeup (or other personal care product) is safe to use, my drug store wouldn’t have put it on the shelf otherwise.” Sadly, many personal care products come with a false sense of security. To find a solid list of specific ingredients in more than 74,000 personal care products, check out cosmeticdatabase.com. Find out which ingredients to avoid (such as triclosan, BHA, Fragrance, & oxybenzone) and learn about safer cosmetics, sunscreens and many other personal care products.

• Baking soda is a fantastic scouring powder, and comes in a cardboard box (score-no plastic!).
• Use powdered dishwasher detergent instead of liquid-it too comes in a cardboard box.
• Hand wash dishes without using a plastic scrubbing brush or sponge made from plastic. Try a natural fiber dish cloth instead, or a  Chore Boy copper scrubber, which (woohoo!) comes in a cardboard box with no plastic.

For more great all-natural cleaning tips and recipes, check out: Spring Cleaning: The All Natural Way

For an all-purpose, chemical free cleaning solution, there’s no better combination than vinegar and water. Combine a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water and store in a reused spray bottle. This can also be used as a great produce wash!

For more great all-natural cleaning tips and recipes, check out: Spring Cleaning: The All Natural Way

Re- purposing some old clothing and make your own draft stopper to prevent cold air from seeping into your house through a window or door. Simply take an old wool scarf, sew the seams together along the sides and the bottom to make a tube. Stuff it with cotton, sand, or even beans, and sew the top side closed. Place it along the bottom of a door or window jam, and enjoy your draft free home! This can also be done using old knee socks or even a sweater.

If you think buying plastic products labeled BPA free puts you in the clear, think again. A 2011 study in Environmental Health Perspectives shows the majority of plastic products still capable of leaching health hazardous chemicals-even those advertised as being BPA free. To stay on the safer side, avoid exposing your plastics to heat (reheating leftovers in the microwave) and storing food in plastic that has significant wear and tear (scratches or bubbeling). Alternatively, consider nixing plastic containers altogether and replace them with more Eco-friendly options, such as glass or stainless steel.

For a more natural approach to stain removal for clothing, keep your laundry room stocked with some simple, non-toxic household products.

• Cornstarch or baking soda can be applied to grease stains, gasoline, and even foods such as salsa, to help quickly absorb stain and odors.
• Lemon juice or white vinegar work as natural bleaching agents and can be added to a wash cycle to help brighten whites.
• To remove dark colored stains such as ink or chocolate, soak the clothing in a bowel of glycerin for 30 minutes.
• Mild dishwashing liquid can also be used as an all-purpose stain remover, apply a small amount directly to a stain and gently rub, or mix into with water and use for soaking stained items.

For more great all-natural cleaning tips and recipes, check out: Spring Cleaning: The All Natural Way

While a wide selection of all natural cleaning products are lining more supermarket shelves then ever before, you might be impressed to find one of the most natural cleaners right in your refrigerator. Lemons have long been known for their fresh scent, but most people are unaware that their high acid content makes them a powerful antibacterial cleaning agent. Here are some great ways to use lemon while cleaning:

• Clean and sanitize your microwave by heating a combination of several thin slices of lemon and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe bowl for about one minute. Any lingering bacteria will be killed by the citric acid’s antibacterial properties. Additionally, the fresh lemon scent will help rid your microwave of any lingering odors.
• Rid your shower or tub of soap scum by spraying their walls with pure lemon juice. The citric acid will help break down the tough soap scum, and work to sanitize the overall environment.
• Watch the dirt and grime on your windows quickly dissolve like never before when you apply a mixture of four tablespoons of lemon juice and a half-gallon of water.

For more great all-natural cleaning tips and recipes, check out: Spring Cleaning: The All Natural Way

Avoid harsh pest control in your garden with a variety of all natural methods. Hand picking beetles or leaf munching caterpillars from your vegetables may seem like a lot of work, but there’s no doubt that it gets the job done. You can also apply a mixture of dish soap with water to the leaves of your plants to help kill any pests. However, make sure to do early in the day, rinsing the leaves with water soon after or the sun may burn the leaves of your plants.  Garlic oil and hot pepper spray are also well known for getting a handle on pest problems in the garden.

Companion planting works to combine plants that have a higher tendency to attract pests with those that pests tend to avoid. This works to benefit certain plants by providing them with pest control-without the use of harsh chemicals. The following are some examples of plants that work well for companion planting:

• Lettuce with strawberry/cucumber
• asparagus with tomato/basil/parsley
• onions with beets/lettuce/carrots
• cucumber with beans/sunflower/peas
• roses with chives
• spinach with strawberry/faba beans
• tomato with parsley/marigold/onion

When out for a walk, keep your pet on a leash to help protect the surrounding natural environment. This can also prevent possible harm to smaller animals who might be nearby in their own natural habitat. Additionally, using biodegradable bags to clean up your pet’s waste will help prevent it from becoming immortalized six feet under in the local landfill.

If you want to take it one step further however, try composting your dog or cat’s waste. Not every one has a yard that can accommodate this process, but doing so can help protect our waterways from being contaminated by run off containing pet waste.

To better green your feline’s zone, begin by nixing the clay-based kitty litter, which takes several decades to decompose. Produced by strip-mining, clay-based kitty litter is created through a process that causes irreversible damage to the environment. Reduce your cat’s carbon paw print by switching to biodegradable brand of litter, or consider making your own. This can be done by mixing a ¼ cup of baking soda into a litter box filled with shredded newspaper or chicken scratch (a combination of ground corn and seeds). Adding cedar chips will provide a fresh scent, but is completely optional. Scoop and dispose the litter as you normally would, or compost it to create a great fertilizer for trees and shrubs.

We love and treat our pets like family, so why not choose a greener lifestyle for them as well? Instead of picking up toys you know your pet will shred within a few days, opt for products made  from stronger, more durable materials such as hemp. When picking out fun toys play toys for  your pooch, choose toys made from nontoxic substances, such as Zogoflex, a tough rubber-like material designed to be recycled.

You can also provide your pet with a greener lifestyle in regard to its bedding. Avoid purchasing a new pet bed in the first place-they’re usually pricey anyhow, and tend to be made with cheap, low grade fabric and fillers that easily fall apart over a short amount of time. Instead make your own pet bedding by giving new life to some household materials you probably already have on hand. Making a re-purposed pet bed can be done in little time, and only requires minimal sewing skills. To create the outer case of the bed simply find  two old bath towels, lay one over the other, and after aligning them sew the towels together, leaving about a six inch hole for stuffing. Turn the case inside out so that the stitching is on the inside, and stuff with whatever soft materials you have available, such as old pillows, socks, or blankets. Presto, you now have a fabulous re-purposed pet bed!

When it comes to feeding our families we do our best to choose healthy, all natural ingredients, so why not choose the same when it comes to feeding our pets? Make the switch by swapping out the low-grade pet food (junk food) for pet food that consists of natural and organic ingredients. Most conventional pet foods come from contents that are otherwise unfit for human consumption. Although these products might sustain your pooch, they also tend to include pesticides, hormones, and artificial preservatives and ingredients-all of which do nothing to promote and healthy lifestyle. Feeding your pet all natural foods that contain nutrients and vitamins, and have been preserved with natural substances help deter illness and disease, while also increasing Fido’s longevity.  Also, look for an all natural and organic pet food that has been minimally processed, created within humane conditions, and produced with sustainability in mind. Recommended: Blue Buffalo.