Greening my Cleaning

I try to do all the "basics" like recycle, grocery shop with reusable totes, use only cloth napkins and generally try to avoid being wasteful or using disposable things. I consider it the least I can do to spare our landfills from filling up any more than they already are. But I would like to do more. For my family. For myself. For the environment. For future generations. Is it just me or has the amount of "disposable" products gotten to be ridiculous? 

So, little by little I've been trying to think of changes I can make in my daily life. Nothing major, but every little thing can help.

Inspired by my mom and sister-in-law, I crocheted a few of these cotton dishcloths. They work great and can be thrown right in the washing machine and used over and over again. Buh-bye disposable dish sponges that harbor bacteria and other yuck.

For this project, I used Lily brand Sugar 'n Cream yarn. Because it's 100% cotton, the cloths absorb and wash up well. The color shown here is Taupe Twists.

This book, A Guide to Green Housekeeping is a wonderful resource if you're interested. Did you know you can clean most of your house with nothing more than baking soda and vinegar? It's true! No nasty, toxic chemicals or irritating dyes and chemical fragrances needed. This book has become my housekeeping bible, and I refer to it time and again.

         

It was written by Christina Strutt, the owner of Cabbages & Roses. On a side note, she's also the author of this book, Decorating Vintage Style. One of my favorites on vintage-style casual decorating and living. No fussiness here, just down-to-Earth decorating with vintage fabrics, furniture and accessories. I like it lots.

 

I'm very interested to hear from anyone who has other book recommendations or tips for "greener" cleaning. It's good to share tips, sources and ideas so we can all learn things from each other. Let me know!

Comments

[Michelle]

I love your crochet hook.....adorable. Now you have me wanting to make a few dishcloths :) I've been doing my best to go green also, now my husband can't make fun of me for saving every little scrap and bottle cap :)

[Karla]

I completely agree. I do still use disposable napkins though! I use reusable bags for all my shopping and recycle everything I can. I hadn't thought of using crocheted dish cloths - do they really work? Definitely want to look into the book recommendation. I use baking soda and vinegar a lot as well as lemons to clean and freshen the garbage disposal. I also use many of the Shaklee line of products - all green and non toxic and very economical. Their all purpose cleaning concentrate gives you literally hundreds of bottles of basic cleaner.
Karla

[gabrielle]

I feel very passionate about living green. No harsh chemicals, detergents or irritating perfumes here. Love vinigar, you really can use it for everything. Add a few drops of castile soap(Dr. Bronner's is heavenly... all scents peppermint, almond and lavender are my favorites)and essential oil(oregano is a natural antifungal...great for bathrooms, lemon is wonderful for the kitchen) And instead or fabric softner buy a set of the dryer balls http://www.seenontv.com/prod-pages/dryer_balls.html?gid=Special (they work) And add a sachet filled with dried lavender to a load of clothes to be dried, drop a few drops of lavender oil into the bag when the scent wears off.
One book I adore is Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano. It's an entire green living book, but living green in style. She covers everything. Also check out: cosmeticdatabase.com for great tips on cosmetics and soaps etc. They have done much research for you. Type in you product to see how it measures up.
ok hope this helps! xoxoxo Gabrielle

[gabrielle]

Forgot to leave ya the links!
http://www.gorgeouslygreen.com/

http://www.drbronner.com/

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/splash.php?URI=%2Findex.php

[karla nathan]

I have cleaned with vinegar and baking soda for over 30 years, long before it was trendy to be green. I started back when I had to be really thrifty and pinch pennies, but stuck with it for a lifetime because it works so well.

[Fleur de Bee]

Hi Andrea!

I guess in a round about way I am lucky. Mainly because I am allergic to most chemicals. I have been using Caldrea products for well over 12 years now and other natural products. It is amazing how some people also get so ill from what they use. Our family seems to be more healthy than most we associate with...maybe something in the air. I have that book and I highly suggest it too! What fun dishcloths and color! Thanks for this post and have a lovely weekend!

x Molly

[Janelle]

I have a dishcloth my MIL crocheted for me, but yours are way prettier! I like the variegated yarn. Maybe I'll pick up some pretty yarn and have her make me a few more. They really are quite handy!

[Andrea Villarreal]

Is there anything you can't make look fabulous?? Crocheted dishcloths!! Come on your killing me!! While I don't have any real tips, although I do LOVE Caldrea and have been using their products for years, I can share my struggle. PAPER TOWLELS. I am in love with them! In fact for Lent I have given them up along with soda and fast food, in particular mini churros from Jack in the Box. And I am more challenged by the stupid paper towels than the junk (although I am only 3 days in:). I guess I will just have to go buy some new dish towels from Williams Sonoma or maybe Anthro. Teresa Sheeley rings a bell!! With the money I save on paper towels I can buy lots;)

[stefanie]

I have that book and love it and have been wanting to make dishcloths like those i have that same yarn too. Do you have a pattern i'm new to chrochet. You always have something lovely to post.

[Jeannette Stauffer]

I've been making these same dishcloths for a few years and love them. I found that pattern on the back of Sugar-N-Cream cotton yarn. If you are looking for other patterns, I have a few on my blog.

[Amy Galluch]

Hi Andrea! Glad you're enjoying the dishcloths; I can't stop knitting them! Sam and I hate the smell of vinegar, so I put a few drops of lemon essential oil in the spray bottle of vinegar and water, and yummy! Amazing how just a few drops can cover up the vinegar smell. Lavender oil works great with vinegar in the fabric softener ball too!

[Mimi]

The Beehive cottage makes her own clothes washing soap that I'm going to try when I run out of my stash. It seems like it would have less chemicals in it. Mimi

[pamq]

I love the handmade dishcloths! My Grandma used to knit them years & years ago. We had such a terrible time finding Sugar 'N Cream yarn back then---had to run all over the place looking & then settle for whatever color we could find. She would use up every inch of that yarn---tying all the "left overs" together---we had some wild rainbow dishcloths, let me tell you! Such pretty colors are available now---she would have loved it. I still have some of her dishcloths & use them all the time---they really wear well. Now my Mom (she is 87) is knitting dishcloths---she puts a crocheted edge around hers.

[Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife]

I've been crocheting cotton dishcloths for a long time. Originally it was for the older generation of women in my family who love to use them, and then I got to appreciate them also. I use very, very few paper towels and I make my own laundry soap. It's easy and it doesn't contain any dyes or fragrances. I store it in gallon milk jugs and save the landfills from all those plastic laundry soap containers. Suzanne at Chickens in the Road has a great laundry soap recipe on her blog. Check it out.

- Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

[Jackie]

Great book recommendations! It's funny because everything old is new again - my grammy has always cleaned with baking soda and white vinegar, etc. and crocheted her own dishcloths and washcloths - it's funny to think she's been "green" all of her 95 years!! I'll have to start using more of her helpful hints!

[kasey]

i need to get on the band wagon and be more "green" myself. I've already switched over to cleaning supplies, but really need to step it up.
everything looks wonderful Andrea.
xoxo

[Nancy]

Thanks for being an inspiration. I really need to do more! I'll have to check that book out. I'm always up for learning new things. I love your crochet hook! So very you!

[lori]

Both my Mom and Grandmother made dishcloths, today they are still tucked in my drawer and used. Not only good products but wonderful treasured memories made with lots of love.

[Elise]

oh thanx for the tips!!!

[Mary]

Hi Andrea:
It's wonderful to see you share my passion for being green! Like one of your other readers mentioned, Gorgeously Green is a fabulous, girly, cutting edge, but serious book on becoming green. I love it and refer to it often. Sometimes I think I could have written most of it! I plan to do a post on it and some online sources when I get my photos organized.
Love the dishcloths!
Cheers,
Mary

[Angela Harris]

Thank you for including a photo of this book.. I am going to go check it out. I had printed some info on it off from the comp but I'd love to read into a bit more. Always love coming by to see what beauties you have up.
~Angela Harris

[Maryjane]

Wonderful post, delightful blog! I think I would love the books you have featured here! For the last couple years I have crocheted my own dishclothes also and have given many away. Just a couple weeks ago I made my own laundry soap and use vinegar in the rinse cycle. I am so excited and will never buy store bought ever again! Posted on my blog about it. Thanks for your inspiration!! Hugs, Maryjane

[Rosalyn-Sue]

Absolutely loved your post on being more "green"! I had to make some serious adjustments to my lifestyle after Coe came into this world, due to his health issues. It's amazing to see how chemicals, preservatives, etc. significantly impact his life. Imagine what they are doing to the rest of us, as well!? In response to your comment about green advice, I thought I would share a product I've fallen in love with -- bamboo sporks! They are half spoon and half fork -- oh so portable. Coe loves them. Just be sure to not let them sit in water. In addition, we use bamboo cutting boards and cooking utensils often. They don't harbour germs like wood and a much better alternative to plastic. Hope this helps. I don't know how you do it all -- I'm amazed with every new post you write :)

Hugs,

Rosalyn-Sue

Link to Sporks: http://www.amazon.com/Kids-Spork-Bamboo-Spoon-Bambu/dp/B0016BP5CK/ref=pd_bxgy_k_img_b

[Amy]

I bought the Green Housekeeping book after reading about it on your blog. I really enjoy it - some great tips! Thanks for sharing!