A Salute To Earth Week
Unless you live under a rock, it’s pretty hard to miss the fact that Earth Day is coming up. (And if you do live under a rock, well, I guess it doesn’t matter because clearly you are one with the Earth.) Some of you may know my tendency to recycle and the fact that I was once president of my high school’s Environmental Club (lovingly called the Tree Club). I love the earth and this week, I want to tackle topics about loving the earth and saving money. Because I think you can do your part without buying a set of $300 bamboo sheets. Today’s topic: homemade cleaners.
I read with fascination a post at The Simple Dollar about making laundry detergent. There’s video to watch and you can really go through and understand the whole process before doing anything. Being Frugal and Make Stuff both have homemade cleaner recipes that seem to work well. Depending on what ingredients you use and if you have a membership to a warehouse club or not, you may spend equal or less money making your own cleaners versus buying them.
Meanwhile, Sean and I are still using a bunch of cleaners that came with the house and some I already had when I moved in. Due to having animals that lick the floor and an environmentalist (that’s me) now living here, we are phasing out the chemical stuff that came with the house and phasing in natural cleaners I brought with me. I may make some at some point, should we ever run out. Though I’m doubting that’ll happen for at least a year.
Please make sure when you are making cleaners that you understand possible chemical reactions that could happen. I know a someone who once cleaned a dorm fridge with bleach then ammonia, throwing the paper towels in the same garbage can. That produces noxious fumes, folks. And he was a chemistry major. Even if you mix them yourself, chemical reactions are still chemical reactions. Understand what you’re doing before you become a mad scientist about it.
Look this coming week for other environmental and money saving posts!
Photo from http://www.blogs.move.com