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May

25

Cheat Sheet: Safer Cleaning Supplies

Filed Under ** Cheat Sheets!, cleaning products, Eco-Mama, Healthy Home | 8 Comments

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One of the first things that went in my house when we started to green (during the whole BPA boom of ’07) was conventional cleaning products. Since then, we’ve tried many green cleaning products. And of course, what do we SafeMama girls do best? That’s right, my friends, cheat sheets. We’d be remiss if we didn’t put together a cheat sheet of safer cleaning products for your home, too.

Of course, there’s also no better product than making your own. I swear by vinegar and baking soda.

Do It Yourself

Multi Purpose Spray:

Take two parts warm water, to one part vinegar. Put in a spray bottle and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, and viola! You’ve got a multi purpose cleaning spray. It’s even streak free on windows and mirrors.

To clean your tub and shower:

Put half to one cup of baking soda into a bowl. Slowly add vinegar in small increments until you have a semi-crumbly paste. Use on a scrubby sponge to clean. It works wonders.

To clean your toilets:

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar into your toilet tank once a week. Make sure NO ONE uses that toilet for at least 30 minutes. I then add approx. 1/4 cup of baking soda to the toilet bowl and let that sit for a few minutes too. If need you can use a toilet brush to remove tough stains. Then flush! You have naturally disinfected the toilet and refreshed it too! Kills odors!

Toilet Stain Cleaner: 1 cup borax, 1/4 cup lemon or vinegar juice

Mix, then pour into the toilet bowl. Let sit for about 15 minutes, then scrub the stains away.

(toilet cleaning recipes courtesy of dot com women)

Great DIY Ideas and Recipes:

Have any recipes of your own? Do share!

Mar

14

Sunday Morning DIY: Lavender & Sweet Orange Hand Soap

Filed Under Green Mama, Safe Mama Tips | 7 Comments

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My green friends will all nod in agreement that making your own home cleaning products is a cinch… it’s just a matter of having a few items on hand. There are literally thousands of uses for the basics and it’s a worthy investment for those on any kind of a budget because a little will go a long way. Instead of buying expensive hand soaps (that may or may not contain chemicals or contaminants) you can easily whip up your own. Picture spending $6 on a hand soap at Whole Foods and then picture spending about that same amount of money on a few key ingredients that will keep your hand soap dispenser filled for months on end (instead of a few weeks).

This morning I whipped up some Lavender and Sweet Orange hand soap in less than 30 seconds and here’s how to do it. You will need liquid Castille Soap . For this I used Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Pure-Castille Soap which you can buy at Target, Whole Foods, health stores, or online. Target carries tiny 1 ounce bottles, or you can purchase the bigger bottles (I recommend getting the Unscented Castille Soap if you go that route).

Essential Oil – You will also need Sweet Orange essential oil for this particular recipe but just about any essential oil will do, especially if you are using unscented castille soap…. just think of the possible scents you can concoct. You can pick up essential oils at health food stores and online. What’s great is a few drops go a long way so it lasts forever and has many many uses. Other oils I keep handy for DIY recipes include Clary Sage and Tea Tree (have antiseptic and antibacterial qualities), and Lavender.

Water – distilled water seems to be best for this kind of thing but I just use filtered water because hello, I have 2 kids, I don’t have time to distill water, and I would rather not buy it and waste more packaging. I’m just washing my hands not performing surgery.

Foamer Pump – You can easily re-purpose foamer pumps from old hand soaps or you can buy them. I haven’t had a foamer soap in my house in a long time (I said goodbye to dial ages ago) so I bought a 3 pack from Bubble & Bee last time I bought shower gel. You can also buy on Amazon. I hate to buy extra plastic but these get used over and over and it eliminates the need to buy more stuff. You can make any number of things to use in foamer pumps like body wash, shampoo, etc.

Do It Yourself:

6 ounces water
1 Tsp – Tablespoon Lavender Castille Soap (you can adjust this amount to how much soapiness you prefer)
8-10 drops of sweet orange essential oil
Shake gently, the end. (You’ll want to give the bottle a brief shake before each use to remix the oils evenly… nothing crazy just a one, two shake will do it)

This is gentle on skin and smells really fresh. I keep this near the sink in the kitchen… I like orange and citrus scents in the kitchen which is great for after handling fragrant food like garlic or onions. It’s super gentle too which is key for those of us washing their hands all day long. Between diaper changes, nose wiping and cooking I wash my hands 57 times a day. Hi sandpaper hands.

This is just one of a zillion possible combination that can be achieved. Earth friendly, bio-gradable, chemical free, gentle and safe for everyone. Happy Sunday everyone

Feb

15

Review: Sun and Earth Products and Giveaway

Filed Under Giveaways Coupons, Product Reviews | 76 Comments

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If there’s one thing that I love, when it comes to cleaning products, it’s options. If there’s another thing that I love, in regards to cleaning products, it’s local. And I’m lucky enough to have both in my area. I’ve long seen Sun and Earth products on my local store shelves. I had no idea that they were made right here in my area! Sun and Earth has been in the business for more than 20 years, making healthier cleaning products. To me, that’s a testament that they’re doing something right, and were trendy before green was “cool“. They make a huge array of products, from dish soap, to laundry detergent, and they’re all made with vegetable and fruit derived surfactants. All of their products are free from chlorine, dyes, perfumes, petroleum and phosphates.

Sun and Earth was nice enough to provide me with a couple of samples of their cleaning products to try out. One was the dish soap. I feel as if I spend my life washing bottles, so I go through A LOT of dish soap. One of the issues I have with a lot of soaps, even the natural ones, is that they’re scented. This annoys me, because scents do tend to leave residues, no matter how well you rinse. I think I also have very hard water, so this could also be my problem. Anyway, I notice the taste of detergents on my dishes, be it from the dishwasher, or just hand washing, and if I can taste it, I’m sure that my daughter can probably taste it when she drinks a bottle. The dish soap had a very very mild orange smell (they use orange oil), but it wasn’t overly powering. In fact, it was hard for me to tell. It suds up rather nicely and cleaned without leaving a residue. You can get either a regular variety or a concentrated variety. Anything in concentrated form, is a bonus for me. Especially given how fast I go through it.

The other product that I tried was the all purpose cleaner. I have to say, I’m kind of on the fence about this cleaner. And I can’t really say that it’s my favorite. It cleaned well enough. It has a VERY strong orange smell, which I don’t mind, actually. I personally love it, but my husband has a nose like a basset hound and citrus smells aren’t his favorite. I personally liked that it helped get rid of the “stale dog” smell I feel follows me around. Probably doesn’t help that I have stale stinky dogs following me around. The other thing I had a hard time with, was that the spray itself resembles watered down orange juice. I had a hard time getting passed this. Maybe if it was clear. I don’t know. I just felt as if I washing my counters with orange juice. I think that’s my only beef with the all purpose cleaner.

Overall, it’s a great product line, and also very forgiving on the wallet, which right now, given how much laundry I do in a week (it’s kind of sickening, really), is an added bonus.

And now onto your added bonus, the giveaway:

Sun and Earth was kind enough to provide us with a very generous giveaway, which includes:

1 50 oz 2x concentrated laundry detergent

1 50 oz 2x concentrated free and clear laundry detergent

1 box (80 count) unscented fabric softener dryer sheets

1 40 oz ultra fabric softener liquid (for those of you looking for the smell of fresh clean laundry, this would be your product!)

1 50 oz deep cleaning laundry detergent

1 on the spot instant stain remover pen

Also, in addition to this grand prize giveaway, Sun and Earth are offering two $10 gift cards, redeemable at alice.com!!!

To Enter:

Visit SunandEarth.com. Simply leave a comment in the comments section telling us what your favorite product is.

For extra entries to win:

Join our Facebook Group
Follow SafeMama on Twitter: @SafeMama
Tweet this entry: Enter to win Sun and Earth Laundry Products on @SafeMama http://tinyurl.com/yl7utve
Add our button to your website or blog and let us know in a comment below!

Please be sure to leave separate comments for each one, so that we can count your extra entries!

Please leave separate comments for each one, so that we can include them as your additional entries. Contest open to US residents only. Contest ends Feb 22nd at 11:59PM.

Congratulations to the following winners:

Aimee – Winner of the grand prize, laundry detergent galore!

NJJ – Winner of a $10 gift certificate to alice.com

Sarah – Winner of a $10 gift certificate to alice.com

please email me statia at safemama dot com with your contact info so that we can get your prizes out to you.

Thanks to Sun and Earth for the giveaway and thanks to all of the SafeMama readers for entering.

Get it: You can purchase Sun and Earth products at Sun and Earth’s website, or at Alice.com

Jul

24

What’s Under Your Sink? (And a Giveaway)

Filed Under cleaning products, Giveaways Coupons | 67 Comments

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7thgen We love Seventh Generation Products. I use their diapers when we have a need for disposables (which has happened with more frequency since baby number two has arrived). So we’re really excited about their Under The Sink makeover contest. What better way to get rid of all of the bad stuff under your sink? With professional help! I know when I was starting out in greening my home products, I was really confused. It was easier for me to rent a dumpster, pitch everything in my house, and start from scratch. We know how overwhelming it is to start this transition, and so do the folks over at Seventh Generation. Here are the details at how to win:

The “Under the Sink Makeover Contest” is seeking nominations on www.SeventhGeneration.com/under-the-sink today through August 14, for under the kitchen sink areas that are in desperate need of organization and detoxification. Submit a photo of the area under a friend’s sink and a 250-word description on why they deserve an under the sink makeover, for a chance to win great prizes.

One lucky grand prize winner will receive a package that includes:

An in-home consultation at the friend’s house with Dr. Alan Greene, practicing pediatrician and specialist in green living

A one year supply of Seventh Generation products for both the entrant and the friend in need

A trip to New York City for the entrant and her friend that includes a one-night stay at the W New York – Times Square hotel

A day of pampering at New York’s Green Spa that will include a Body Polish, Wellness Massage, Ocean Vegan Spa Manicure/Pedicure along with a one hour make-up application and lesson

Four other finalists and their friends will receive a Seventh Generation Living Home Starter Kit containing a variety of home-cleaning products for their own under the kitchen sink makeover, in addition to a luxurious Lavera home spa kit containing Lavera’s customer favorite BODY SPA shower gel, body scrub and bath salts, and premium LAVERÉ Anti-Aging body lotion to pamper themselves.

On top of that, we have a Seventh Generation home starter kit to giveaway to another lucky winner. To win that, here’s what you need to do.

1. Tell us your favorite Seventh Generation product in the comments.

2. For an extra chances to enter, post a link to this entry on your blog and/ or follow us on Twitter. Be sure to let us know in the comments, so that your extra entries get counted.

Contest ends on August 14th at 11:59PM. Winner will be chosen at random. Contest is open to US residents only. Good luck!

Apr

7

Spring Cleaning with Better Life (Exclusive Deal!)

Filed Under cleaning products, Eco-Mama, Giveaways Coupons, Product Safety | Comments Off

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whatever Spring cleaning is never my favorite thing, but in light of the fact that I am pregnant and having severe nesting urges I’ve been dumping out closets left and right and detailing my bathroom floor more times than I care to share. But all that cleaning doesn’t worry me (unless I go into early labor from hunching over) thanks to Better Life’s cleaning products. I’ve been using their stuff since last year and we’ve reviewed them here on SafeMama. They are also recipients of the SafeMama Excellence in Safety Award.

I really can’t say enough about Better Life’s products… All their products are free of sulfates, ethoxylates, fragrances, dyes, petroleum-based ingredients, parabens, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as glycol ethers and alcohols. VOCs vaporize, entering the air we breathe and trigger respiratory problems, nausea, headaches, and skin irritation, and contribute to many more ailments. Not to mention that stuff is all bad for our environment, our waterways and marine life.

Being the mother of a messy 3 year old boy, the what-EVER All Purpose Cleaner is my constant companion. It’s prefect for everything and anything. Even The Kitchen Sink is great for sinks, toilets, … anything grimy. It’s gentle enough to not scratch while doing the job. What I love is there is nothing harmful and no awful fumes. I can mop my kitchen floor with Simply Floored and not stress out about airing out the house.

GET IT CHEAPER!

We have a special treat for our readers. Better Life is offering SafeMama readers a special introductory price on a Better Life Starter Kit. The kit include:

(1) what-EVER Clary Sage & Citrus all-purpose cleaner
(1) I Can See Clearly, WOW! glass cleaner
(1) Simply Floored! ready-to-use floor cleaner
(1) Even the Kitchen Sink gentle scrubber
(1) Collapsible six-compartment cleaning caddy
(1) Euro Sponge
(1) Loofah Sponge (2 – pack)

Better Life Starter Kit retails for $39.99 but for SafeMama readers they are extending a special price of $29.99! Aren’t they the coolest? They have a limited supply and it’s first come first serve so order your kit as soon as possible to get the great discount. I’ll be taking advantage even though my supply still hasn’t run out from the first batch I received. This stuff lasts forever.

How to Order: Go to the Better Life Website at this link and when you checkout use the code “safemama” for $10 OFF! Remember to hurry because this won’t last forever. Happy Cleaning!

SafeMama Cleaning Tip: Even The Kitchen Sink and an old toothbrush makes grout sparkle!

Mar

18

Dear SafeMama: Earth Friendly Uses for Olive Oil

Filed Under Dear SafeMama, Safe Mama Tips | Comments Off

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This a question that we get from time to time, but not so much recently. I’ve also gotten this from my friends and acquaintances as well and that is, are there any safe products out there to keep stainless clean and streak free?

Can I just say that for one, I’m over the stainless steel popularity? I have it in my own home. I was adamant about buying it when we moved into our house two years ago, because we lived in a rental that had a pretty sweet kitchen. With stainless appliances. I was pretty excited at first, but then I realized how hard it was to keep them clean. They always had streaks and fingerprints, no matter how much I scrubbed them, and that was BEFORE I had kids.

So when we moved to our new house, and went to buy a new refrigerator, I went in, fully intending to order white appliances, when the sales guy showed me the “magic stainless steel cleaner.” And of course, being the sucker that I am, said, “oooh, pretty, I’ll take it.” Of course, I was suckered, but it was either get my new shiny fridge NOW, or wait for the backordered white ones (right, sure, backorder).

Of course, once I started to green my cleaning supplies, I didn’t replace that cleaner, as it didn’t really work that well anyway. My poor appliances suffered, as my son got bigger and more grimy and mobile and nothing I used worked over the long term and everything was streaky.

And then I found a very simple and very safe solution. It’s a little more time consuming and I will tell you, that I am the LAST person to keep up with the fingerprints on my appliances. Being pregnant has made it worse, but I try to make the effort, and one of the things that I have found to help the clean up and prevention easier is something that everyone has in their house: olive oil.

To start, you take a spray bottle of 1 part vinegar, to 2 parts water. Clean the stainless thoroughly. At first, this may take a little time, and it will streak, but don’t worry.

After you’ve cleaned the grime off, take a paper towel and moisten it with some olive oil. You don’t need much, so don’t saturate. Gently wipe the olive oil, making sure to cover the entire area. You may need to reapply some oil to the paper towel a few times to get adequate coverage. Then, get a clean paper towel and buff. I would say to be eco-friendly and use some rags to polish and buff, but I’ve found that it leaves fuzz behind. You really only need to do an olive oil treatment maybe once every three months. So I don’t feel entirely guilty for using 6-8 paper towels a year to clean my appliances.

To keep clean in between olive oil treatments, simply use the water/vinegar solution. The fingerprints will wipe off with ease, you won’t have streaks and you’ve not only used completely safe ingredients, you’ve used stuff that you probably already have and it only cost you a few bucks.

Jan

27

Review: Better Life Floor Cleaner and Scented What-EVER

Filed Under cleaning products, Eco-Mama | Comments Off

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I’ve sung the praises of Better Life’s cleaning products in the past and I am still a loyal user. Since discovering their products and the wonderful things they do I’ve been trying to be creative and figure out ways to apply them to cleaning scenarios they weren’t necessarily designed for. Soon I won’t have to. Better Life’s creators Tim Barklage and Kevin Tibbs are expanding their fantastic line of safe natural cleaning products to include products designed for other uses.. like floors!

First, welcome Simply Floored! to the collection. This citrusy mint scented floor cleaner has out performed my expectations and really does what it says. Cleans and shines your floor… but the best part? No rinsing and no sticky aftermath. This gentle cleaner is great for tile (I use it on the kitchen and bathroom floors all the time) but is also safe and effective on hardwoods, marble, bamboo, vinyl, and laminate (or any sealed surface really). You squirt a little on, wipe it off and you’re done.

And if I didn’t already love Better Life’s Wha-EVER! All Purpose Cleaner spray I’d love it now… it will now be available in a scented version for those of us who want a fresh scent… Same great all purpose cleaner just scented with essential oils of clary sage and citrus! Yum! In my last review I waxed poetic about the miracle work this product did on the gross dog stain on the wall where he sits – which is now gone completely thanks to what-EVER! Now it does the same great work but smells great too.

sm-award1 All their products are incredibly safe.. no petrochemicals, no VOC’s, no ethyloxylates, no parabens, no SLS or SLES, no artificial fragrances or dyes… just vegetable based cleansers and essential oils. Love this company! They get the SafeMama thumbs up from us. Better Life gets the SafeMama Excellence in Safety Award for developing such a family and planet friendly line of cleaning products. Thank you Better Life!

Get It: Their new products are coming out this month and will be available online and in some stores… check their website for availability – you can also order the other amazing products they carry on Drugstore.com

Nov

12

Green Your Cleaning with Better Life (Giveaway!)

Filed Under cleaning products, Giveaways Coupons | Comments Off

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Cleaning is a chore. No one likes it. Especially when you have to breathe toxic fumes and expose you, your family, your pets and the earth to toxic chemicals. We’ve reviewed several ready-made alternatives to mainstream cleaning products and here we have another fantastic solution for those of us who don’t make our own. Better Life is a company founded by two long time friends and now dads, Tim Barklage and Kevin Tibbs, who wanted to create cleaning products that were safer for their families and the earth. And they do it with a bit of good humor.

One of the things I adore about this product line is they don’t fool you into thinking you need 47 different products to get your job done. They have 4 products right now and really, that’s all you will ever need to clean your home. The what-EVER™ All Purpose Cleaner is really what it says… all purpose. I’ve cleaned almost every surface of my house with this and it does a great job without the fume headache to prove it. It even got my wall clean where the dog sits. You know how they make a dark stain where they seem to lean? Came off in a snap. You’d never know it was there. (How do they get so dirty? My dog hates being outside and he still needs a bath).

Even The Kitchen Sink™ polished up my actual kitchen sink like a pro. Not that I ever was even inclined to polish it but now… whole new story. That’s not all its great for… it works on any metal surface in the kitchen, and doubles are a toilet cleanser. No fumes, no icky junk to ruin the environment or our waterways. When’s the last time you thought about your t-bowl cleaner? It’s fluorescent blue, smells like a toxic cocktail of chemicals and fake flowers. Ew. How can that be good for anyone?

Better Life has a great glass cleaner I Can See Clearly, Wow™ which works just as well as your trusty ol’ Windex. And it’s not blue… why does glass cleaner need to be blue exactly? The non-ammonia (and non-solvent) formula makes this safe for all glass and acrylic surfaces, and even tile and glass cooktops.

The cutest product, for our cutest family members is the 2am Miracle™ Nursery Cleaner. I think this is perhaps my favorite and choice product for our readers. We are constantly being asked what to do about cleaning childrens toys. Here is your answer in one safe spray bottle. This is good for any surface or material your little ones come in contact with. Cribs, changing tables, diaper pails, walls, floors, toys, high chairs… even clothing (spot treatments!), mattresses, changing pads, you name it.

What makes these so safe? All their products are free of sulfates, ethoxylates, fragrances, dyes, petroleum-based ingredients, parabens, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as glycol ethers and alcohols. VOCs vaporize, entering the air we breathe and trigger respiratory problems, nausea, headaches, and skin irritation, and contribute to many more ailments. Not to mention that stuff is all bad for our environment, our waterways and marine life.

Ask The Experts

Finally having someone who knows about cleaning products the way these guys do was too irresistible. I had to ask them a burning question that we get here at SafeMama.com all the time.

SafeMama Asks: In light of all the “Green Washing” going on in the cleaning product industry, what is it that sets your products apart from the products lining the grocery store shelves that claim to be “safe”?

Tim Barklage Says, “First a little background on us – my business partner and co-founder of Better Life, Kevin Tibbs, spent his career as a formulation chemist and we have developed and own our entire line of product formulations. When we created the company we had three very simple yet powerful criteria that had to be met in all of our products:

First they have to be the safest product for people and pets. Both Kevin and I have young children and dogs. When doing the initial research on the idea of Better Life, Kevin came back to the table almost angry when he discovered what was really in the bottles of many of these products that are marketed as natural. This turned into a mission for Kevin to create a line or products which are made only from plants, vegetables, and water. Our products are free of petroleum, fragrances, dyes, alcohols, solvents and other nasty things that we did not want around our kids and pets.
Second they had to be the safest for the environment. Many of the other products marketed as natural contain something called an ethoxylate (often disguised as a vegetable surfactant on the label). This is a substance that is damaging to fish and other marine life. Our products are ethoxylate free. The real proof however is a biodegradability test. When independently tested against other leading natural brands, our products biodegrade at least twice the rate of the competitor after five days.
Lastly we felt confident that we could create a product that met our stringent safety and environmental standards that could perform better than the conventional products on the market. It was not easy, but after much trial and error we were able to create truly green products that truly perform. Luckily with houses full of kids and pets we have a pretty good environment to do our real world testing! Most importantly, we could not be more happy with the response we have been getting from people who have purchased our products. Time and time again we hear that our products knock the socks of brand “X” that they have used their entire life.

SM: What’s next for Better Life?

TB: “We’re in the midst of launching several products. The first two will be launched in November of 2008:

An essential oil scented version of our all purpose cleaner, whatEVER. We do not cut or blend our essential oils with any synthetic fragrances or other respiratory irritants.
A “squirt and go” floor cleaner. It is a ready to use product that is great on all types of hard floor surfaces such as wood, tile, stone, vinyl, bamboo, etc.

We’re also near production on several more products:

A stainless steel appliance cleaner and polish
A granite and marble countertop spray (Kathy says “yay!”)
A furniture cleaner and polish
A hardwood floor concentrate cleaner

A line of hand soaps is also in the works.”

Where to get it: These are a REALLY great value… for less than $7 each you get a huge bottle that will seriously last you an eternity. I’ve had them for 3-4 weeks and have barely put a dent in them… and I have a 3 year old boy who thinks painting with his food is hilarious. Find them online at Drugstore.com, or at some Whole Foods and Ace Hardware locations.

Also, please check out their interview on Food Interviews – great article if you want to know bmore about how Better Life came to be and what kind of expertise they bring to the table.

Win Some!

Better Life is giving away TWO sets of their fabulous cleaning products, each containing a reusable tote filled with What-EVER™ All-Purpose Cleaner, I Can See Clearly WOW™ Glass Cleaner, Even The Kitchen Sink™ Gentle Scrubber, and 2am Miracle™ Nursery Cleaner to two lucky SafeMama readers.

To enter: 1. Send an email to safemama (at) gmail.com with the subject “Green Clean with Better Life” along with your name and mailing address. Please also include #2 in your email.

2. Visit their website and tell us which product your house desperately needs… we want to know about your messes!

(You must do both to be eligible. Incomplete submissions will be disqualified. Open to U.S. Residents only.)

(Your info will not be saved, only used to notify you if you win) We’ll select two winners at random and announce the winners here and via PrizeyFetch. Enter by midnight EST on November 26, 2008. Good luck!

Contest Closed. Thanks to all who entered!

Aug

1

SafeMama Review: Simply Neutral

Filed Under Award Winning, cleaning products, Product Reviews | Comments Off

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One of the subjects we get a lot of questions on here at SafeMama™, is about non-toxic, earth friendly cleaning products. And I’ll admit, I’m always on the lookout for these products too. The majority of the stuff that I’ve used, doesn’t work, or it still smells funny and I have to wonder exactly what’s in it. Because of this, I usually fall back to my old standby, vinegar, water and baking soda, which works great, but there are times, that I don’t want my house to smell like a salad bar, and I still need a glass cleaner that cuts through toddler finger prints, dog drool and water stains, to name a few. We have a kid, we have dogs, which means this house never stays clean for more than 3 nanoseconds.

So when I stumbled upon Simply Neutral cleaning products during my research, I was excited. Simply Neutral was created by Maggie, who has very sensitive skin and started reacting to the chemicals in conventional cleaning products, which she was using to clean homes. She set out to make up her own and after much trial and error, created the Simply Neutral line. The ingredients that are used in Simply Neutral are derived from corn sugar, palm kernel oil and have the pH equivalent of clean water, making them quick to biodegrade. This line is great for anyone, especially for those who have asthma, allergies or skin sensitivities.

But how does it work? It works fantastically!! I rarely find a cleaning product line that I’m in love with. And I say that with complete honesty . I put it through my “stainless steel” test. And it passed with flying colors. The only other thing that works on my fridge is vinegar. Simply Neutral’s no VOC (volitale organic compounds) glass cleaner made my fridge sparkle with no streaks. My husband loved the green tea and citrus all purpose cleaner (what, you don’t have a husband that cleans?), especially the scent, which is big, because he’s really picky about scents. The non-abrasive cleaner cuts through the toughest grease without scratching. Not only do I feel clean, but I don’t feel worried that the products I’m using might still be unsafe.

The best part is, when you buy their Go Green Starter Pack, you get FOUR great bags, including two of the produce bags, which I absolutely love. They’re very well made, and large enough to hold quite a bit of produce, which helps to avoid using more unnecessary harmful plastic bags into the house.

Award Winner: We’re gearing up to start recommending products that get the new SafeMama™ “Seal of Approval” rating, which we’ll post more about soon, but I’m going give Simply Neutral the first official SafeMama™ Seal of Approval.

Where to get it: You can order Simply Neutral right from their website. And enjoy 10% off your purchase by using the code “simplyonline.”

Jun

25

Product Review: Shaklee Get Clean

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I’ve been kicking this review around for a while and not because I haven’t had a chance to try the products, which I have. It’s because for some reason I feel a little bit overly skeptical about them. Sure, Oprah picked Shaklee as one of her favorite things last year and yes, they tout to be non-toxic, eco-friendly and safe. But are they really? What I can say is that there are definitely a lot of pros to using these products… but there are a few cons too. You can read off the list of things they promise on each product on their website Natural Green and Clean as well as view the ingredients labels in PDF form. (Not all products disclose ingredients though) But basically Shaklee promises them to be non-toxic, natural, completely biodegradable, in some cases organic and concentrated which cuts back on packaging or the need for frequent refills. They also say they are free of chlorine, ammonia, phosphates and formaldehyde according to their information. I’m not 100% sure what some of the ingredients are to be exact but the line boasts its biodegradability with gusto.

I definitely can see and feel how the cleaning products are a much safer alternative than those fume laden toxic cleaners we’re all used to like 409. They are used in concentrations and diluted heavily with water. Their popular product Basic H2 Organic Concentrate is one of the best of the line. Their starter kit provides you with refillable spray bottles. A few drops of Basic H2 and 16oz of water later you have a household cleaner safe for almost every surface. No harsh smells… in fact its pretty odorless, and it does clean just as well as a bottle of Windex. One of my favorite items is their Organic Germ Off Wipes which I took on a trip to Disney with us. Travelling with some germ off wipes was great for high chairs, hotel bathrooms, and wiping off the stroller.

BUT… I’m not sure I’d recommend all their products. The non-organic ones such as the Get Clean Handwash Concentrate contains PEG’s, ammonium laureth sulfates, Fragrance and Phenoxyethanol. So on that basis I can’t really stand behind it as a product I’d choose for myself.

I do appreciate the biodegradable nature of the cleaning products, and believe Shaklee is a very decent alternative to traditional cleaners. They are safer… but I can’t say with total confidence that they are the safest. I can’t help it, I’m a huge skeptic when it comes to this stuff. Any chemist will tell you the safest way to clean is with plain water or with baking soda and lemon. Shaklee does offer a better solution in an enviromentally friendly way. I would recommend reading the product labels, for the ones that are available, and choosing the ones you’re comfortable with if Shaklee is the way forward for you.

Get it: If you are interested in trying out Shaklee you can get your mits on a Shaklee Get Clean Kit or a Healthy Home Pack… once the order is processed, Shaklee Independent Distributor, Nicole Alo will contact you with an added perk.

Also, if you want a shot at tryiong out Basic H2 you can try to win a full size Basic H2 with spray bottles at BigGreenGiveAway.com

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