Skip to main content

Cleaning It Up!

I've been looking around trying to pick a new sustainability project in my house. There's so much more I could do everywhere, but, at the same time, there's also only so much we can make fit into our lives.

After a bit of pondering I came up with it ... my cleaning products! I've been trying to keep my cleaning products plant-based for the last few years, but through visitors or my own needs, harsh chemicals have tip-toed back in.

We have a cleaning service that comes every other week, so our cleaning needs are really just touch-ups between their visits. Counters, bathrooms and glass cleaning really is the most important. And vacuuming. The service maintains the rest. So the cabinet under my sinks should be relatively sparse, but they are not.

They are so not.

So this weekend, I'm going to clean out each cabinet, moving the really toxic stuff into a garage cubby, for when dire needs present themselves. And all the random stuff (paint cans, for example) can move to their rightful homes.

Then, I can take stock at what cleaners I really need. I've no doubt I have a surplus of cleaners because I couldn't find the counter spray or thought it was almost empty. I'll take stock and make sure each cleaning storage spot is provisioned.

Under the kitchen sink is the main location for cleaning supplies, but I have satellite depots in the upstairs bathroom and laundry room. And each spot needs specific items. The upstairs bathroom gets the rug cleaner. The laundry room includes laundry soap. You get the idea.

I'm a fan of the cleaning caddies and might try to make a few -- especially in the upstairs bathroom where the cleaning supplies need to be relocated into the linen closet.

Once I have a clear picture of my cleaners, I can start the sustainability part. Make the switch to refillable glass containers.

What else does my house need? What's missing? And fill those needs with glass bottles, if possible.

To that end, I may join Grove Collaborative. I had been using Honest to get most of my cleaners and body products but they changed their system and don't have the same products I've used in the past. I've been researching Grove and they seem to have some good products and a more sustainable model. They plant trees as a carbon offset to the shipping and use the least amount of plastic as possible shipping. It's interesting. I'll report back.

Wish me luck!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Behold! Everard Blue!

Here's the After picture of our master bedroom now that the walls are a dark and moody blue. Maybe the best part is I was at work while the painters were here, so I walked in and found -- as if by magic -- the room no longer minty green but a bold blue. That's pretty awesome. They also painted the trim an eye-popping white, which I just love against this blue. And the angle is a dark beige-y, tan color that I hope goes with the headboard. I spent the evening cleaning and re-hanging the drapes, and moving the furniture back into position. It will be a while before I dare hang anything in here. I'm too in love with the walls to put too many holes in them right now. So, just in case I'm looking for this information later: The walls are "Everard Blue" by Benjamin Moore . And the tray is "Curly Willow" by Behr . Now, does that furniture look too dark against the walls or is it just me? And wouldn't a lighter wood or white look fabulous agains...

France and the Third Baby

Odd fact of the day .... The French government pays for a mother’s tummy tuck after the birth of her third child (you do have to have at least 3 babies to qualify). Found on this blog about raising kids in Southern France. Yes, I'm day-dreaming again. Related posts: All the fancy quotes My love of France runs deep, people

So Long, Hanukkah Part Two

And just as quickly it started (in New Jersey, on the night of Thanksgiving, no less), Hanukkah is over.  Our eight nights were full of fun and squealing! And lighting many candles, of course. We missed one night because we were in a hotel room after spending the whole day driving home from New Jersey -- and I just didn't have the wherewithall to pull out the menorah.  Speaking of menorah, we've replaced our old, wax-filled menorah with this lovely silver beauty given to us by David's mother. It belonged to her mother and sat in the dining room for years. Isn't it pretty?! And, the wax cleans off it much easier, so we're sure to hang on to this one for many Hanukkahs to come. I'm a sucker for traditions.  Here's some photos of the last two nights: Leah Lighting the Candles - in an Eli Manning Jersey, No Less Alice Lighting in a Top She Calls her Genie Shirt David Constructing the Cardboard Pirate Ship The Last BIG Gift? A Pirate...