Today I had a chance to do a green cleaning overview for the folks at the Iris Apartments. What a great group. They were a patient and participatory audience. We covered the basics....vinegar. baking soda. herbs. soap berries. My thanks again for their interest. And thanks to the universal creator for using us all to do the work we are here to do.
Blessed is this day....the summer solstice....the longest day of the year. It is a peaceful, gentle night. All is well.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Cleaning With Sun
We already have what we need. yogic saying.
Cleaning the cleaners. Today is a bright, semi-dry, very warm, sparkling clear day, perfect for any activity, including cleaning. Not only do we benefit from being in the sun, but we can utilize it to bleach and disinfect as our ancestors once did.
1st, I put all the scatter rugs and the 'under the table' natural fiber rug, outside. I surface cleaned them using a flat mop, scrubbing them with a mild cleaner, then baked them in the sun. Not only will sun help bleach and fade stains, it will kill undesirable microorganisms that thrive in moisture and shade. When I take them back inside later, they will be ultra-dry and smell wonderful, thanks to their stint in the fresh air and sun.
Then I did the same with the brooms, the whisk boom and dustpan. I spray cleaned them with a mild spray, then left them in the sun to sanitize. When you think of all the nasty things we sweep up, it helps to clean the brooms regularly. Even just exposing them to sun regularly will benefit them.
On the clothesline I hung out a load of newly washed cleaning cloths. This will further sanitize and air dry them. Nice.
I also hung out our pillows, which can always benefit from a sun-bake/ wind blown treatment.
If there are two or more of you willing to do the following, you will be incredibly rewarded the next time you sleep. Place an old sheet on a dry place outdoors. We have a cement pad in the yard where a one-car garage once stood. It works perfect for this. Then bring your mattress outside, placing it on the sheet. Beat it with a heavy stick, or pool stick, or any instrument that can knock the surface debris off it (like you would a hanging rug). The sun will sanitize and help kill dust mites or other microorganisms that routinely collect on upholstered surfaces.
In some cultures that use futons for bedding, this is regularly done. Years ago when I lived in South Korea, we rented an apartment and slept on futons like the locals did. We copied their routine of hanging the futons on the iron rails outside the apartment in the mornings, to get sun and air. Row after row of them on the half-walls facing the street. Looking back, it seems a healthy practice we should adopt here.
Of course we are limited by the size, shape and location of our beds and this is impractical for many people. But if you can at least strip your bed, vacuum it regularly and air dry it with the aid of open windows, it can only help. It is a healthy preventative practice, especially in light of all the drool, perspiration, dust, dead skin cells and other 'human debris' that can otherwise proliferate on never cleaned surfaces. Finally, clean bedding regularly with mild cleanser.
Even if blankets don't need to be washed, they too will benefit from sun-baking and air drying periodically. Spring is a good time to do this, before folding them away for the summer.
Also, I try to do this on a clear, dry, cold mid-winter day, when blankets are in heavy use. They smell great when brought back in.
If you can stand one more practice, I also bring several pairs of footwear outside, to air in the sun. If we all did this more often, the sun could help sanitize our footwear. It can help kill the fungus that exacerbates conditions like Athlete's Feet. Fungus's thrive in warm, moist places. Days like today can kill a fungus among us. Sorry. Couldn't resist.
The sun is an amazing 'solar cleanser.' And it's free.
Cleaning the cleaners. Today is a bright, semi-dry, very warm, sparkling clear day, perfect for any activity, including cleaning. Not only do we benefit from being in the sun, but we can utilize it to bleach and disinfect as our ancestors once did.
1st, I put all the scatter rugs and the 'under the table' natural fiber rug, outside. I surface cleaned them using a flat mop, scrubbing them with a mild cleaner, then baked them in the sun. Not only will sun help bleach and fade stains, it will kill undesirable microorganisms that thrive in moisture and shade. When I take them back inside later, they will be ultra-dry and smell wonderful, thanks to their stint in the fresh air and sun.
Then I did the same with the brooms, the whisk boom and dustpan. I spray cleaned them with a mild spray, then left them in the sun to sanitize. When you think of all the nasty things we sweep up, it helps to clean the brooms regularly. Even just exposing them to sun regularly will benefit them.
On the clothesline I hung out a load of newly washed cleaning cloths. This will further sanitize and air dry them. Nice.
I also hung out our pillows, which can always benefit from a sun-bake/ wind blown treatment.
If there are two or more of you willing to do the following, you will be incredibly rewarded the next time you sleep. Place an old sheet on a dry place outdoors. We have a cement pad in the yard where a one-car garage once stood. It works perfect for this. Then bring your mattress outside, placing it on the sheet. Beat it with a heavy stick, or pool stick, or any instrument that can knock the surface debris off it (like you would a hanging rug). The sun will sanitize and help kill dust mites or other microorganisms that routinely collect on upholstered surfaces.
In some cultures that use futons for bedding, this is regularly done. Years ago when I lived in South Korea, we rented an apartment and slept on futons like the locals did. We copied their routine of hanging the futons on the iron rails outside the apartment in the mornings, to get sun and air. Row after row of them on the half-walls facing the street. Looking back, it seems a healthy practice we should adopt here.
Of course we are limited by the size, shape and location of our beds and this is impractical for many people. But if you can at least strip your bed, vacuum it regularly and air dry it with the aid of open windows, it can only help. It is a healthy preventative practice, especially in light of all the drool, perspiration, dust, dead skin cells and other 'human debris' that can otherwise proliferate on never cleaned surfaces. Finally, clean bedding regularly with mild cleanser.
Even if blankets don't need to be washed, they too will benefit from sun-baking and air drying periodically. Spring is a good time to do this, before folding them away for the summer.
Also, I try to do this on a clear, dry, cold mid-winter day, when blankets are in heavy use. They smell great when brought back in.
If you can stand one more practice, I also bring several pairs of footwear outside, to air in the sun. If we all did this more often, the sun could help sanitize our footwear. It can help kill the fungus that exacerbates conditions like Athlete's Feet. Fungus's thrive in warm, moist places. Days like today can kill a fungus among us. Sorry. Couldn't resist.
The sun is an amazing 'solar cleanser.' And it's free.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Extended Shelf Life
Nearly everything we set out to buy has been altered with the goal of readying the product for transport, then extended shelf life. Food, drink, clothing, furniture..... it is all preserved so it can sit on a shelf for weeks, months, even years (bottled/canned goods) and not 'go bad.' It's an attempt to delay decay. Everything, from fruit to flesh, is biodegradable.
Living Sans Shampoo & Conditioner
Green cleaning applies to our homes and to ourselves. My green cleaning journey started with personal care processes and using natural ingredients to care for my skin and hair. I didn't want to put synthetic chemicals on me and especially not on my child. I began to question everything, and every product- to determine if need or greed was involved. Do I really need this item? Or is it greed-whether mine or a manufacturers. I try to screen everything through the filter of that question.
______________________________
People look surprised when I tell them I don't buy liquid shampoo and/or conditioner. Then they inevitably stare at my hair, to determine if it looks clean or not.
If something comes in a one-time use, disposable plastic container, it better be something I need, because I try not to buy it otherwise. Of course I have wants that I sometimes am too weak to resist and buy the item anyway. But I try to be disciplined and conscientious, even if I don't always make it.
____________________________
I haven't bought shampoo and conditioner for my hair in a long time. The market is flooded with brands, types and claims that one product is better than another. One of my philosophies is: the more heavily advertised and promoted a product is, the less likely it is that we actually need it. You don't have to advertise things people need. They are going to go out and buy what they need, if they can't make it themselves. Advertisements try to lure you into buying one brand over another. The more money spent on advertising, the more that product is probably a 'want' rather than a need.
________________________
All conventional shampoos and conditioners contain petro-synthetic-chemicals, including plastics, stabilizers, thickeners, emulsifiers and artificial scents.
There are many cultures where shampoo and conditioner do not exist. That is telling.
The products are actually damaging to our body's natural potentials to cleanse itself. FMI on shampoos and conditioners and their drawbacks, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_care
___________________________
My NATURAL SUGGESTIONS to cleanse and maintain hair:
~Brush your hair often. Stimulates the scalp. Distributes the natural oils from the follicles to the ends of each strand.
~Change pillowcases often, to provide a clean place to rest your head each night.
~Protect your head and hair from lengthy bouts of strong sunlight, smog and humidity.
~Try washing hair using one of the following: a mild bar of pure castile hand soap; a mild liquid soap from a green company (dr. bronner's for example); a shampoo bar - which is a hard soap, packaged in environmentally preferred paper (v/s disposable plastic that liquid shampoos come in). I have also used baking soda to clean my hair, making a paste, massaging it into my scalp, then rinsing thoroughly.
I do a final rinse with vinegar, which is good for your hair and scalp. What I do is pour a cup into a quart container and add warm water, then pour it over my scalp and head. (take care not to get it in eyes, which tends to sting). I prefer apple cider vinegar, but white vinegar works too. It dries scentless, so no worries about smelling like a salad ingredient.
Alternatively, (in a prior blog post) I covered horsetail as a cleaner. Because it contains plant silica, it is beneficial to restore luster and shine to your hair. Gently simmer a handful of horsetail 20 min. in a cup of non-chlorinated water. Add it to a cup of apple cider vinegar. Use this to rinse your hair after shampooing. The scent of vinegar disappears once your hair dries.
Vinegar is one of my all-purpose, all-time favorite personal and household products.
Share your experiences. I'd like to hear them. ;^)
It is a fascinating journey to take.....to question everything familiar - to discontinue the non-necessary, and to find alternatives to the more toxic forms that many products take.
______________________________
People look surprised when I tell them I don't buy liquid shampoo and/or conditioner. Then they inevitably stare at my hair, to determine if it looks clean or not.
If something comes in a one-time use, disposable plastic container, it better be something I need, because I try not to buy it otherwise. Of course I have wants that I sometimes am too weak to resist and buy the item anyway. But I try to be disciplined and conscientious, even if I don't always make it.
____________________________
I haven't bought shampoo and conditioner for my hair in a long time. The market is flooded with brands, types and claims that one product is better than another. One of my philosophies is: the more heavily advertised and promoted a product is, the less likely it is that we actually need it. You don't have to advertise things people need. They are going to go out and buy what they need, if they can't make it themselves. Advertisements try to lure you into buying one brand over another. The more money spent on advertising, the more that product is probably a 'want' rather than a need.
________________________
All conventional shampoos and conditioners contain petro-synthetic-chemicals, including plastics, stabilizers, thickeners, emulsifiers and artificial scents.
There are many cultures where shampoo and conditioner do not exist. That is telling.
The products are actually damaging to our body's natural potentials to cleanse itself. FMI on shampoos and conditioners and their drawbacks, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_care
___________________________
My NATURAL SUGGESTIONS to cleanse and maintain hair:
~Brush your hair often. Stimulates the scalp. Distributes the natural oils from the follicles to the ends of each strand.
~Change pillowcases often, to provide a clean place to rest your head each night.
~Protect your head and hair from lengthy bouts of strong sunlight, smog and humidity.
~Try washing hair using one of the following: a mild bar of pure castile hand soap; a mild liquid soap from a green company (dr. bronner's for example); a shampoo bar - which is a hard soap, packaged in environmentally preferred paper (v/s disposable plastic that liquid shampoos come in). I have also used baking soda to clean my hair, making a paste, massaging it into my scalp, then rinsing thoroughly.
I do a final rinse with vinegar, which is good for your hair and scalp. What I do is pour a cup into a quart container and add warm water, then pour it over my scalp and head. (take care not to get it in eyes, which tends to sting). I prefer apple cider vinegar, but white vinegar works too. It dries scentless, so no worries about smelling like a salad ingredient.
Alternatively, (in a prior blog post) I covered horsetail as a cleaner. Because it contains plant silica, it is beneficial to restore luster and shine to your hair. Gently simmer a handful of horsetail 20 min. in a cup of non-chlorinated water. Add it to a cup of apple cider vinegar. Use this to rinse your hair after shampooing. The scent of vinegar disappears once your hair dries.
Vinegar is one of my all-purpose, all-time favorite personal and household products.
Share your experiences. I'd like to hear them. ;^)
It is a fascinating journey to take.....to question everything familiar - to discontinue the non-necessary, and to find alternatives to the more toxic forms that many products take.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Free Green Cleaning Workshop
November 3rd- Voting Day. After you vote, come over to my house for a Green Cleaning Workshop 6-8pm. Free. Family and friends all welcome. Serving light snacks & hot cider. Hope to see you there! Cindy
O. By the way....Happy Halloween!
O. By the way....Happy Halloween!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
IMPORTANT: Septic System Summary
During workshops we talk about septic system health, (which is not unlike human health in that it is mostly a matter of prevention and maintenance through proper use). People with septic systems (most of Maine) have to be diligent about what they flush or put down the drain. (Actually, people on public systems should be too...) We've had our system pumped and inspected recently. Here are a few great points raised by the people who did it, when I pressed them for the top stressors that are put on the systems:
1. Never flush cigarette butts (the filters can and do plug up critical pathways to the leachfield)
2. or those 'wipe and flush' medicated cloths (which say on the box they are flushable, but aren't) or diapers or anything other than 'pee, poop & toilet paper
3. Avoid anti-bacterial products, chlorine bleach, and even biological products made for 'breaking down solids'. Talk to a septic system professional. If you have your system pumped regularly (on a schedule appropriate for its size and usage) and maintained properly, it is built to do the job without intervention. Bacteria is in the world for a reason. It does the 'biological breakdown' without chemical additions.
4. Never flush or put prescription or over the counter drugs down the drain. Out of sight out of mind doesn't mean out of existence. Whatever we 'rid' ourselves of simply goes elsewhere.
5. Never pour grease, oil, butter or viscous liquids into a drain or toilet. ESPECIALLY not fats that are solid at room temperature. They had horror stories of inches thick solid fat that floated to the top and solidified in the tank, obviously causing it's ruin.
6. And this one is poignant too. Never put dry powder laundry detergent into the washing machine. Especially when cleaning in cold water. What happens is- it doesn't liquify, but remains solid crystals that can accumulate in the system, causing a crust, that 'snowballs.' One fellow said he had to chisel it off in one system, it was hard as cement (which is what he first thought it was!)
Instead, blend it with hot water until completely dissolved. And avoid petro-chemical cleaners,(which contain petroleum and chemicals (petroleum is a thick, viscous liquid and chemicals are harmful to the environment).
1. Never flush cigarette butts (the filters can and do plug up critical pathways to the leachfield)
2. or those 'wipe and flush' medicated cloths (which say on the box they are flushable, but aren't) or diapers or anything other than 'pee, poop & toilet paper
3. Avoid anti-bacterial products, chlorine bleach, and even biological products made for 'breaking down solids'. Talk to a septic system professional. If you have your system pumped regularly (on a schedule appropriate for its size and usage) and maintained properly, it is built to do the job without intervention. Bacteria is in the world for a reason. It does the 'biological breakdown' without chemical additions.
4. Never flush or put prescription or over the counter drugs down the drain. Out of sight out of mind doesn't mean out of existence. Whatever we 'rid' ourselves of simply goes elsewhere.
5. Never pour grease, oil, butter or viscous liquids into a drain or toilet. ESPECIALLY not fats that are solid at room temperature. They had horror stories of inches thick solid fat that floated to the top and solidified in the tank, obviously causing it's ruin.
6. And this one is poignant too. Never put dry powder laundry detergent into the washing machine. Especially when cleaning in cold water. What happens is- it doesn't liquify, but remains solid crystals that can accumulate in the system, causing a crust, that 'snowballs.' One fellow said he had to chisel it off in one system, it was hard as cement (which is what he first thought it was!)
Instead, blend it with hot water until completely dissolved. And avoid petro-chemical cleaners,(which contain petroleum and chemicals (petroleum is a thick, viscous liquid and chemicals are harmful to the environment).
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Horsetail
Here's a type of Horsetail, which is a non-flowering fern, that grows in my yard. There are many species of horsetail. The kind growing in my yard is Field Horsetail (Equisetum Arvense) and is a ferny plant, slim and with brilliant green soft needles growing on its stalk, looking similar to a bottle brush in appearance. It's been called an invasive weed. but it is also an important medicinal herb with a long history of use by herbalists.
Horsetail is rich in silicic acid and silicates, which provide approximately 2-3% elemental silicon. Potassium, aluminum, and manganese, along with fifteen different types of flavonoids, are also found in this herb.
It's relative, the (Equisetum hyemale) was used by Native Americans as a potscrubber. It typically occurs in wet woods, moist hillsides, and along bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and ponds.Stems have a very high silica content and were used by early American settlers for polishing pots and pans, hence the common name scouring rush. It is hollow stemmed, has no needles or leaves, and I tried using it to scour pans. It works! Here's what happened.
Horsetail is rich in silicic acid and silicates, which provide approximately 2-3% elemental silicon. Potassium, aluminum, and manganese, along with fifteen different types of flavonoids, are also found in this herb.
It's relative, the (Equisetum hyemale) was used by Native Americans as a potscrubber. It typically occurs in wet woods, moist hillsides, and along bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and ponds.Stems have a very high silica content and were used by early American settlers for polishing pots and pans, hence the common name scouring rush. It is hollow stemmed, has no needles or leaves, and I tried using it to scour pans. It works! Here's what happened.
This morning I went for my usual walk along the river. Imagine my surprise to discover a large growth of Scouring Rush Horsetail next to a patch of yarrow. Exciting. It looked like what I saw in the pictures, only more beautiful and strange. I picked several stalks, marveling at them on the walk home. The plant feels dry and the stem is vertically lined, like corduroy. It is flexible and hollow. Every inch and a half or so there's a 'dark seam' , which if you 
twist it there, it actually is a separated section that you can separate and re-attach.
I had been searching for something to use as a natural straw, to replace plastic ones. Horsetail stems looked a bit like bamboo. Dissecting the stem revealed that close to each 'seam' is a build up of plant material on the inner wall of the stem with a pin hole in the center, so using the plant as a straw won't work. But using it as a potscrubber does. Wonderfully.
Here is a picture of it.....beautiful, huh?
PERSONAL CARE: Because of the silica in horsetail, it is said to be beneficial to restore luster and shine to your hair. Gently simmer a handful of horsetail 20 min. in a cup of non-chlorinated water. Add it to a cup of apple cider vinegar. Use this to rinse your hair after shampooing. The scent of vinegar disappears once your hair dries. (Read 6/16/10 entry fmi re: shampooing hair)
Like with many plants, there are a few species of horsetail which are poisonous if eaten, so know what you are harvesting.
Hope you have a great evening/morning/afternoon, whatever it happens to be when you read this. C. Anne
twist it there, it actually is a separated section that you can separate and re-attach.I had been searching for something to use as a natural straw, to replace plastic ones. Horsetail stems looked a bit like bamboo. Dissecting the stem revealed that close to each 'seam' is a build up of plant material on the inner wall of the stem with a pin hole in the center, so using the plant as a straw won't work. But using it as a potscrubber does. Wonderfully.
Here is a picture of it.....beautiful, huh?
PERSONAL CARE: Because of the silica in horsetail, it is said to be beneficial to restore luster and shine to your hair. Gently simmer a handful of horsetail 20 min. in a cup of non-chlorinated water. Add it to a cup of apple cider vinegar. Use this to rinse your hair after shampooing. The scent of vinegar disappears once your hair dries. (Read 6/16/10 entry fmi re: shampooing hair)
Like with many plants, there are a few species of horsetail which are poisonous if eaten, so know what you are harvesting.
Hope you have a great evening/morning/afternoon, whatever it happens to be when you read this. C. Anne
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