Green Clean

I've always been one to think that mopping a kitchen floor is a useless endeavor. In fact, I have been on the mind set that cleaning anything more than twice a year is an utter waste of time. Dust accumulates back onto that trinket you don't really need as you're trying to remove it! It's like Jesus said, "If you're not for me, you're against me." I'd switch it up a little and say, "If it's not functional, it's a useless dust collector."

But the times they are a changin'. Since we moved out of Evelyn's (where cleanliness sometimes rivaled godliness), I have this new zeal for a clean place. Maybe it's maturity. Maybe it's my biological clock, and the nesting instinct is kicking in. Whatever it is, I want the windows sparkling, the kitchen floor spot-less, the gas stove pristine, and the bathtub as slippery and residue free as...well, as a clean bathtub, for lack of a better analogy. Of course the dilemma in all this is that I've never cleaned green. The reason being--I've never really cleaned. Sure, there was the occasional broom show when the dust bunnies had babies that were bigger than the cat, and there was the time we sold the condo in JP and had to mop the hardwood floors with Murphy's Oil Soap every Sunday afternoon, three weeks in a row. But other than that, I'm a novice, a neophyte, a "noob".

Google's great. It hasn't failed me yet. I typed in natural cleaning, and I learned all about the wonders of baking soda and vinegar. I'd heard a thing or two about them, but the myriad testimonies gave me the additional boost of confidence I needed, and I must say, I was not disappointed. My windows actually let the sunlight in (though sometimes dirty windows act nicely as room darkening shades), the fridge doesn't double as an herb (weed? strange mold?) garden, and I almost slipped and knocked out my two front teeth in the shower today!

All I do is wet the surfaces I want to clean, and then sprinkle a little baking soda over them, and scrub with a sponge or paper towel. For the toilet bowl, I add vinegar and watch it bubble, mentally noting that I probably didn't deserve that D in Chemistry after all. And the windows. Whew! 2 cups of water, 1/4 c white vinegar, and some dish soap (I use Method), plus a little rag, and those babies are going to shine! At first I was doubtful, but now, I'm hooked. Saving money and the planet...what more could I ask for? Beware though - some of your normal Saturday activities may take a backseat after you see for yourself the power of green.