I was visiting a friends for a BBQ last weekend & our lovely host had a strange mark on her skirt. “What is that”, I ask. “Bleach” she said. “Bleach” I shriek, what the hell are you using bleach for? “Cleaning” she said – “I use about 2 litres a fortnight”. I tried to tell her about how bleach is the worse thing anyone can put in the water. She said that she won’t be around in 50 years! What do other people think?
Submitted by Enviroguy on 14 December 2007 14:51:15
Comments
Unfortunately your lovely host is still in the majority in her disregard for sustainabilty. We have changed our cleaning products to eco friendly here at www.fernbirds.co.nz We use baking soda, vinegar and sunlight soap for the dishes. Sunlight soap uses palm oil as an ingredient which is not grown sustainably but you can't win all the time.
We tell everyone who stays here about our efforts to keep our imprint low.
Submitted by bushy point on 15 December 2007 06:31:10
Eek! I can't even imagine *how* you would go through two litres of bleach a fortnight :S
bushy point, that's great that you are commited to keeping your imprint low!
I try to buy eco-friendly laundry powder and dishwashing liquid, but realistically, baking soda, warm water and vinegar seem to clean most things.
Does anyone else have any thoughts?
Submitted by Sarah on 20 December 2007 09:42:44
I have an extremely dirty oven that I need to get clean! What's the deal with the baking soda option? I mixed a tablespoon with about a cup of water, sponged it on and then started scrubbing. It worked a little but I'm not sure it made much more of a difference than elbow grease would have made anyway. Does anyone know what proportions to use and if you need to use vinegar as well? Also are you suppose to leave it on for a while before scrubbing?
Also has anyone had success with window cleaning cloths? Do they work as well as using spray?
Submitted by mady on 9 January 2008 13:08:53
Have a look at these websites:
http://www.vinegartips.com/
http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/vinegar
http://frugalliving.about.com/od/cleaningtipsandrecipes/a/Clean_Vinegar.htm
they have great tips for cleaning with vinegar and other natural products around the house...
Submitted by Annie on 10 January 2008 15:02:33
OK please don't beat me up for this... I recently used a bleach solution to clean mildew off my ceiling!
What other remedies can I use to get rid of mould and mildew that are less offensive to the environment? I tried sponging the ceiling with detergent mixed with vinegar and water, but it just left a big grey smear on the white paint. Chlorine bleach in a spray bottle was so much more effective!
Submitted by Lindis on 15 January 2008 15:48:45
My Nana will only use cleaning products from ecostore, they are really good. They're made of only plant-based products and they have no 'nasty' chemicals that are bad for your health and the environment. The website is www.ecostore.co.nz. I think you can buy some of their stuff from the supermarket too.
Submitted by pea308 on 31 January 2008 18:25:44
I absolutely adore ecostore products. We use a lot of their products and I swear by their diswashing liquid, laundry powder and oxygen whitener. I would love to use their flowing soap, but at $10 for a 250ml refill I'm afraid I can't justify the price. Also their shampoo and conditioner doesn't seem right for my hair type. (Ooooh I can feel a new topic coming on....)
Submitted by Lindis on 5 February 2008 11:06:56