Earth Friendly Cleaning Products

I love the Methode brand of cleaning products that is sold at Target. They are supposed to be environment friendly.

Method is pretty good with most of their products. Their laundry detergent is really intended for an HE machine though, so be weary if you don't have one. Seventh generation has not been useful for us, for really any of their products...particularly laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent. I've been using a variety of Meijer's green chemicals lately and have no complaints.
Good luck and stay at it!!

sclb.net

Go to ewg.org (environmental working group)
Excellent group who rates many products (like cleaners, makeup, baby products), earth friendly and otherwise, for toxic/pesticides etc. 7th Generation products are good. I use their diapers, wipes. Better yet, google "earth friendly cleaners" and you will find many suggestions, mostly costing pennies, as well as being earth/people friendly/responsible, i.e. vinegar, salt, baking soda, washing soda (for clothes), etc. Not sure about the dishwasher as far as homemade. I think you will need to buy that. Use to be a book called "Cheaper & Better", homemade alternatives to store bought.......although you can now get this info online for free.

Hi J.,
I have also wanted to start using more earth (and people) friendly cleaning products. Shaklee makes an awesome automatic dishwashing detergent that cleans our dishes very well, and has no nauseating odors.
I've got their Basic H that works on everything with no harsh chemicals. My friend just started a Shaklee business as a SAHM if you'd like her info, just email me. :-)

Here's some god info i've been looking into as well, since not all "greeen" product are really safe: http://www.ewg.org/news/story.php?id=5794
http://www.ewg.org/news/story.php?id=5140

I just ordered Greening the Cleaning products http://www.imusranchfoods.com/index3.aspx?categoryid=121

Supposedly Simple Green is not really safe. http://www.ewg.org/news/story.php?id=5140 "A key ingredient of Simple Green is butyl cellosolve, a substance considered toxic by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. In lab tests, the liquid has destroyed red blood cells and caused minor birth defects in animals. When absorbed through the skin or inhaled, it has caused irritation around the eyes and noses of humans and headaches."

I just found this: http://www.cleanersolutions.org/ CleanerSolutions Database
From the testing performed at the TURI Laboratory, a wealth of data have been accumulated on the performances of industrial and institutional cleaning products. Use the on-line database to search for an alternative-cleaning product based on your specific needs.

Hi ,
Try Allens Naturally, it is a great line of natural products, that really work. check it out on the internet. The laundry soap is awesome, as is the dishwasher soap and other products, they are also super concentrated so you don't need so much. Highly recommended!

I'm trying to do this as well.
One thing that I have used for a long time when I've run out of Ajax is to use baking soda for scouring. I'll be doing this all the time now! Vinegar is good for cleaning windows and glass (I use a 1:10 ratio with vinegar and water,) and lemons make great cleaners too- you can put a little lemon juice in a bowl in the microwave for a minute and leave the door closed for 5 minutes or so and then the lemony steam will have softened all the crud.
Lemons in water simmered on the stove make a great air freshener, and half a lemon with salt on it is good for scouring too!
Whole Foods had a dishwasher det. I liked, but can't recall the brand. Also, some of the health food/vitamin stores are selling green brands of concentrated cleaner now too I've noticed, but I'm not out of my chemical ones yet and haven't purchased anything. I bet Trader Joes might sell some as well.

Here is an online forum for natural home/body products like oven cleaners, natural deoderant and toothpaste, etc. if you are interested:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?f=11

Thank you for doing your part to keep our home (the planet) a little "greener" :)
Amanda

I sell a product line with the company Melaleuca. I love their products and they all work EXCELLENT. They don't have toxic fumes, they are all natural, chemical free, bleach free, and very effective at cleaning. The detergent comes fragrance free as well or with a scent. The soaps and cleansing products are also all natural and I love them all. We too are very health conscious and use only organic fruits and veggies, cleaning products etc. and I see the difference. I get a headache every time I go into my friends homes when the cleaning lady has been there. I do not EVER in my home. If you are interested I can tell you more about what they offer or you can look on their website. You need a consultant to get the products so if you need them you can drop me a line at ____@____.com

Dear J.,

Oprah just did a show on earth friendly products from a company named Shaklee. You can check out Shaklee at www.myshaklee.com or call me and I can talk to you or send you some materials.
B.

I shop with Melaleuca, an international wellness company here in US. They have all household products that are safe, and less expensive. They are highly concentrated.

If you want more info, please feel free to call me ###-###-####. Here is a website you can look at:
www.saferforyourhome.com

A.

I joined Melaleuca.com All the products are non-tozxin and safe for your family. Email me if you would like some more information. ____@____.com They also work great. They have over 400 products.

Our family's caregiver brought over Melaleuca products when my son and daughter were getting little colds all the time. I was blown away. I absolutely loved all of the ecosense products and so did my neighbor who just started to try them in her home. My sister, who is a breast cancer survivor, also started to use them and is also continuing to incorporate more products in her home as well. We all really love how they clean, not to mention how they keep us safe. We are so impressed by Melaleuca, that I had to share when you asked. In five months, I have little by little, transformed my home into a healthier and safer place to live.

The best part, the products are cheaper to use per use, they are all natural, they really do a fantastic job, and they are delivered to your door. All ordering is done through catalog shopping. Email me and I will share the details. ____@____.com

I use vinegar/water solution and baking soda for almost everything. I put a 1:10 solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. It's good for counters/sinks/fridge, I also use it for dusting and floors (slightly less water for floors). I have not found a cleaner for the dishwasher or laundry that I like very well.
Good luck!

I just started going "green" myself. Go to the Oprah website and they have a lot of information. But I started using Method and love it. The products are sold at Target, so it is easy access and then you don't have to purchase online. They have everything from hand soap, laudry detergent to all purposes cleaners. They also have soy candles. I have not used their candles because I distribute my own product line. www.tamaramicciche.scent-team.com. The only thing that they don't have is toliet bowl cleaner, but on their website they state that they are working on coming out with that. Good luck!

I use Simple Green. It can be found at any hardware store. It is non-toxic and biodegradeable. It can be used for laundry, floors, windows, bathrooms etc.. and is inexpensive compared to other earth friendly products.

Cheryl

Hi J.,
Good for you for thinking about being greeen!! I also use Shaklee. They are great products, earth friendly and work unbelievably well. I have 2 boys and keep "testing" the products on different stains thinking that it won't work, but they continue to amaze me! The dishwash and household cleaners are excellent cleaners as well!

Shaklee's prodcuts were also seen on Oprah for her Earth Day show. I would be more than happy to share more with you if you are interested.
Best of Luck in your green search!
B.

I highly recommend Shaklee's Get Clean products...a full line of cleaning products that are "green" and also non-toxic. Great for a home with little ones! You can buy online at Shaklee.com, though you may need to sign up with a distributor. If so, I buy through Anne Whitcomb in Winfield. The products may seem expensive at first, but they are all super concentrated and a little bit of product goes a long way!

I have a friend who is into being "green" and she uses seventh generation. She really likes it. But I can say I have never used it. www.seventhgeneration.com
Good Luck!

I saw it recommended already, but just to second Method cleaners. THey are earth friendly and work really well. I always get them at Target. They smell good, too. Also have good hand soaps that are not anti-bac, which is really hard to find!

J.:

"Your Residental Resource": ###-###-#### specialists in eco-friendly home products.


P., RLC, IBCLC
Pres. Lactation Support Group, Inc
www.lactationsupportgroup.com

I try to be a "green" cleaner, too. I really like the Method products, not just because they're better for the environment and are cruelty-free, but because they're non-toxic and I'm not so afraid of fumes for son and me. They used to make dishwasher cubes but they've stopped - I don't know why and it disappoints me. For the dishwasher, I've switched to Cascade, unfortunately, because of the same reason you mentioned. I just want my dishes to be clean. For laundry detergent, I use the "Cleanliness is next to..." Trader Joe's brand. It's safe for babies, low-sudsing and biodegradable. It comes in a liquid but I prefer the powder. I think it lasts longer.

There is also a product called "Simple Green". It comes concentrated in a bottle and if you can't find it at Target, I'd try Home Depot or a hardware store. It tells you all the different ratios of product to water to use to clean just about anything. One bottle can go so far, it saves a lot of money. I really like the way it smells, too - kind of like licorice.

You can also do a lot of cleaning with just plain old vinegar and baking soda. I have a book called the "Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean" by Linda Cobb and it has a lot of do-it-yourself cleaning product recipes. Have fun cleaning ;)

Hi J.,
My family and I've been shopping with Melaleuca for the past 3 years. The Ecosense cleaning products are what stopped my migraines so yes, they are truly safer. I conduct a live presentation on Melaleuca's products at my Plainfield home on Mondays @ 7:30pm - 8:15pm. I'm not a distributor but following the presentation, I can share with you how you can become a preferred customer, shop wholesale and enjoy the same PC discount, rewards and other customer benefits just like I do. Their products are cheaper than Shaklee and cheaper per use when you compare them to retail products. They come with a 100% money back guarantee as well.

Visit www.melalueca.com, www.saferforyourhome.com

Contact: M. @ ###-###-####

I just recieved a big box of Shaklee products -- my stepmom saw it featured on Oprah and she ordered it for everyone in the family. I've used Shaklee in the past -- shampoo, vitamins, laundry det. and was very pleased with the results. I don't know the site or prices, but you could do a search.

After the birth of my son, I'm much more concerned about what's being used in my home that will affect him, not to mention the environ.

I know Method is another one sold at Target that's "green". Haven't used them, but am a total sucker for packaging.