I just finished writing Year of the Dog ! It had a massive plot hole that I had to fix which turned out to be more work than I expected. Here’s a snippet: “Hey, Auntie Nell.” He wrapped his arms around her, bussing her on the cheek and breathing in pikake flowers and shortbread cookies. And suddenly he was nine years old again, and her solid presence had made his chaotic world stable once more. “What are you doing here?” He usually took her to dinner on Wednesday nights, but today was Tuesday. The edges of her smile faltered a little before brightening right back up again. “What, I can’t visit my nephew?” She angled around him to enter his home. “Is this your new house? Looks lovely.” Which was a blatant lie, because the fixer-upper was barely livable, much less acceptable to a neat-freak like his aunt. She also left four matching pink and purple floral suitcases on the stoop behind her. Only then did Ashwin notice the cab driver standing slightly to the side of the walkway. “Can ...
Two years ago, I was inspired by this article on earth-friendly (and wallet friendly) spring cleaning tips. (Update: I fixed the link)
One thing I hadn’t thought of before is that we have tons of hand towels and small square kitchen towels that never get used. So I put them in a little basket on the kitchen counter and we use them in place of paper towels--to cover food in the microwave, wiping down the counter or floors, etc. When they’re dirty, we put them in a laundry basket out in the garage near the washing machine, and when the basket is full, we wash all the cloths.
We also switched to cloth napkins--we had a few and I bought a set from TJ Maxx for super cheap, and then we happened to get some when Captain Caffeine’s grandmother died and we were cleaning out her house. She happened to have a ton that had never been used, so we took them and use them now. When they’re dirty, they get put in the laundry basket in the garage.
I also found a pattern and knitted a few Swiffer pads from leftover yarn, which I wash and reuse. They’ve actually been better than regular Swiffer pads because they’re textured and scrub better.
I reread the article yesterday and realized that a better way to clean the floor would be to use our own mopping solution, so I’ll write the recipe down so I’ll have it handy next time we clean the floors. We’ve been using a “lavender” scented PineSol solution that smells horribly strong and nothing like lavender.
What are some “green” cleaning tips that you have?
One thing I hadn’t thought of before is that we have tons of hand towels and small square kitchen towels that never get used. So I put them in a little basket on the kitchen counter and we use them in place of paper towels--to cover food in the microwave, wiping down the counter or floors, etc. When they’re dirty, we put them in a laundry basket out in the garage near the washing machine, and when the basket is full, we wash all the cloths.
We also switched to cloth napkins--we had a few and I bought a set from TJ Maxx for super cheap, and then we happened to get some when Captain Caffeine’s grandmother died and we were cleaning out her house. She happened to have a ton that had never been used, so we took them and use them now. When they’re dirty, they get put in the laundry basket in the garage.
I also found a pattern and knitted a few Swiffer pads from leftover yarn, which I wash and reuse. They’ve actually been better than regular Swiffer pads because they’re textured and scrub better.
I reread the article yesterday and realized that a better way to clean the floor would be to use our own mopping solution, so I’ll write the recipe down so I’ll have it handy next time we clean the floors. We’ve been using a “lavender” scented PineSol solution that smells horribly strong and nothing like lavender.
What are some “green” cleaning tips that you have?
Comments
Oh, and for a green cleaner, I've been using vinegar/water/essential oils. I really love the combo of orange and peppermint.