"Green" products - good and bad

[Meghann]

So, one of my New Year's resolutions was to start buying all of my detergents, cleaners, etc. that are environmentally friendly. My dishwasher soap, laundry soap, and dish soap are "green" (they're all from Costco and I LOVE them!!) but I don't have any cleaning supplies yet...

Those of you who do, what do you use and like? or what have you used and really didn't like, and why?

TIA!

[Trey]

Awesome thanks! I'll sticky this now!

Here's a link I found the other day, because we are trying to be more green and do things organically too!

http://www.essortment.com/all/organiccleaning_rase.htm

I'm excited Costco has stuff! That's where we buy a lot of our stuff!

[helloimkaley]

Currently all I have is the Arm and Hammer Essentials Cleaner and Degreaser for my kitchen and I think it is FAB.

It worked really well on getting week old cookie batter/wet flour off my counters and pasta sauce off my stove.

And the whole saving plastic thing is really awesome. You just buy the bottle once and buy little refill cartridges and fill it with water.

Here's a link to it:

http://www.armandhammeressentials.com/products.aspx

When I run out of other cleaners I plan on getting more green ones.

[Meghann]

Awesome thanks! I'll sticky this now!

Here's a link I found the other day, because we are trying to be more green and do things organically too!

http://www.essortment.com/all/organiccleaning_rase.htm

I'm excited Costco has stuff! That's where we buy a lot of our stuff!

Thanks for the link!

The stuff I have from Costco is awesome. It all smells good, which is a huge thing for me. The laundry soap makes our clothes really soft, and the dish soap doesn't dry out my hands (which is another huge thing for me).

The laundry soap is a huge 1.32 gallon container (concentrated for 110 loads) and it was... $8, I think? It's the Kirkland brand, "environmentally friendly". It says, "Biodegradable cleaning agents, Made from bio-renewable resources, Cruelty-free; no animal testing, Plant based cleaning agents, Contains no phosphates or dyes, Natural fragrance" The dishwasher and dish soap say the same things. They're fantastic!!

[Jennygirl]

I use Biokleen

http://biokleenhome.com/

[Debra]

I am trying to do better as well. I just started again using vinegar & water with a few drops of essential oil for cleaning products. It smells great & is super cheap!

Someone else recommended homemade laundry detergant that was on the Duggars website but I need to find out just how earth-friendly it is. I want to try it!

[Heather]

for the laundry;
all free and clear
seventh generation chlorine free bleach
lavendar scented biodegradeable dryer sheets (only for fleece)
spray n' wash stain stick (not green I know )

In the kitchen;
Dawn dish washing liquid (something would have to be extra fabalous for me to change)
We don't have a dish washer

windows;
windex and paper towels though I like news paper better

steam cleaner;
normally just warm water. If something is nasty I use the bissle shampoo for pet stains (again not green I'm sure)

Floors;
swiffer cloths (not green but way to handy)

everything else;
seventh generation all purpose cleaner.

I will also be cloth diapering this baby after it gets out of new born size diapers!

I do keep a container of clorox bleah in the house because somethings are just to nasty to not use real bleach on.

[Meghann]

I am trying to do better as well. I just started again using vinegar & water with a few drops of essential oil for cleaning products. It smells great & is super cheap!

Someone else recommended homemade laundry detergant that was on the Duggars website but I need to find out just how earth-friendly it is. I want to try it!

I may sound completely clueless asking this, because well, I am completely clueless about this particular thing...

When you say essential oil, what exactly are you using and where do you buy it? I always have vinegar at home so doing it that way would totally be cheap!!

[mary79]

I use a lot of vinegar and water for my floors and I use simple green for a all purpose cleaner.

[Jennygirl]

I use a lot of vinegar and water for my floors and I use simple green for a all purpose cleaner.

I give you credit simple green kills me...I think it can eat paint off a car! The resort for dogs I worked at used it.