Visit the EcoLife Facebook page for information on how to request your free sample of their spray and wipe degreaser.
(Thanks, Mojo!)
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green cleaning
When we remodeled the upstairs of our home, we didn’t have kids yet. Our thinking behind having mirrored closet doors was that it would give the illusion of more space in our small bedrooms. In hindsight, this was a horrible idea. The kids put their hands all over the doors and smudge them with sticky hand prints. They are impossible to keep clean. You can’t really tell in the picture above, but that is my one and a half year old daughter’s mirrored closet door. It is filthy on the lower half of it. Normally I used a vinegar/water/dish soap solution which I find works quite well and has been something I’ve used since shortly before my first child was born. I had become more concerned with chemicals in the household and looked for green alternatives. Over the last couple of years I have tried many different green brands and have never settled on one that I love. I always go back to my vinegar solution.
Staples has just come out with their own green cleaning solution called Sustainable Earth. It’s available in two formulas- glass cleaner and all-purpose. Both are ammonia and phosphate free and meet the Green Seal environmental standard for household cleaners. Available in a 32 oz spray bottle ($2.99) and a 1 gallon refill ($9.99), Sustainable Earth is an economical and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical cleaners that provides strong cleaning action and streak free performance on surfaces such as floors, walls, countertops, desks, cabinets, glass, porcelain and other water washable surfaces.
I gave the multi-purpose formula a test spin. I used it on all of my mirrored closet doors, bathroom mirrors, light switch plates and our white bedroom and bathroom doors. I was pleasantly surprised. The cleaner doesn’t contain any strong smelling ingredients like many other green cleaning products I have tried. It had a light, fresh scent that I actually enjoyed- it certainly beat the smell of my usual vinegar! It did a good job cleaning too and didn’t have any problems removing grubby hand prints from mirrors. One thing I noticed is that it dries quickly. The first time I sprayed both panels of closet doors but had to re-spray the second panel when I got to it because the cleaner had started to dry a little. The next time I just sprayed one panel at a time and didn’t have any problems.
If you are looking for a green cleaning product that doesn’t smell strongly of botanicals, Sustainable Earth is a good choice! It is available online at www.staples.com.
Enter to win Sustainable Earth by filling out the form below. Also, be sure to check out all of our other giveaways here.
For extra entries, become a fan of Staples on Facebook, tweet this post @staplestweets and/or leave a comment about why you think Sustainable Earth would be good for your household. Be sure to mention that you did any of these items in the extra entries section on the giveaway form.
A complimentary product/service was provided for this review; however, all opinions expressed are our own. We were not compensated in any other way for this review. See Mommies With Cents disclosure policy for more details.
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I’ve started giving myself 10 minute challenges. I set my timer for 10 minutes and tackle a household chore while my children are having a snack or lunch. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish in only 10 minutes when you focus on the task. The 10 minute challenge is a weekly feature on Mommies with Cents. Each week, I will show you one of the things I was able to accomplish in 10 minutes. I encourage you to join me- it really easy amazing what you are able to achieve, even if it’s incremental, if you set your mind (and timer!) to it!
This week I had a new green cleaning product that I needed to test out and some mirrored closet doors in desperate need of attention:
During my 10 minute timer setting I was able to clean three mirrored closet doors, two bathroom mirrors, the light switch plates and dirty areas around the door knobs for each of the 5 rooms I cleaned in (2 bathrooms, 3 bedrooms). Not too shabby. I don’t have an after picture since you can’t really see how dirty my daughter’s closet door was to begin with but trust me, it was ugly! Now if only I could get the kiddos from “finger painting” on their closet doors…..
I’d love to hear ways you manage your time at home with kids. I know I have a lot to learn and it will only get more challenging when my third arrives! Please share your tips with me and our other readers by leaving a comment, then come back next week for another 10 minute challenge!
Be sure to check out all of our other 10 minute challenge posts!
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If you’ve been reading Mommies with Cents for any length of time, you know what a fan I am of cleaning with homemade cleaners that are earth friendly. I started looking into green cleaning while I was pregnant with my first child and didn’t want to be exposed to harsh chemicals. I was in “nesting mode” and cleaning everything I could get my hands on, including cleaning our baseboards with a toothbrush! This third time around, I am still waiting for the nesting to set in- 3 weeks to go- where are you, nesting insticts?!
The following are my 10 tips for a greener, cleaner home:
- Use Vinegar- I use a vinegar solution of about 50% white vinegar/50% water with a squirt or two of dish soap mixed in a spray bottle. This multi-purpose solution can be used just about anywhere and is great on windows, mirrors and for cutting grease in the kitchen.
- Use Baking Soda- Wherever you need a little extra scrubbing power, baking soda works great yet is gentle enough not to scratch surfaces.
- Use baking soda AND Vinegar- if you have a clogged drain pour some baking soda down it, followed by some vinegar. It will bubble and fizz. Follow with boiling hot water and your drain should clear!
- Use Salt- for extra tough jobs, salt is more abrasive than vinegar and scrubs up surfaces quite well!
- Use rags- Old t-shirts and cloth diapers make great cleaning cloths. Don’t waste paper towels when you can use something that can be washed and used over and over- especially if it was something you may have tossed anyway!
- Scent your home with spices- rather than using aerosol sprays, try scenting your home by simmering some spices on the stove top. I love fall scents like cinnamon and clove. Just put a stick or two of cinnamon and a handful of clove buds in a pan with some water and simmer on the stove! Mmmm!
- Clean with Steam- I love my Haan Slim & Light floor cleaner and portable steam cleaner. Both are great for cleaning without chemicals or even botanicals for that matter! Just water (steam) and heat and both do a wonderful job of cleaning almost anything around the house!
- Buy Earth Friendly Cleaners- if you don’t want to make your own, there are plenty of products on the market to keep your home safe for your family, try different ones until you find one you love!
- Make your sponge last longer- sponges can harbor bacteria and germs but I just can’t give up using one in the kitchen. To keep the germs at bay and to keep from having to replace it as often, just get it wet and stick it in the microwave for 3 minutes. It kills all the germs. You can also run it through the dishwasher.
- Clean your dishwasher with Kool Aid- speaking of dishwashers, if yours smells funky, run it empty with a packet of Lemonade Kool Aid. Not sure why, but it works!
We’d love to hear your own tips on having a greener, cleaner home. Please share with us by leaving a comment!
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Mrs. Meyer’s blogging program, making me eligible to get a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate,
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We’re about halfway through the summer and it shows on our grill. It could use a good cleaning! My husband always asks me for a sponge to clean the grill with. I can tell you that it doesn’t work work well at all and I always wonder why he doesn’t find something better. Now I can put him to work with a HAAN Personal Steam Cleaner
for a sparkling clean grill:
Cleaning the Grates
- Remove grate(s) from the grill and bring to the sink for easy clean up
- Place rack in the sink and attach the steel wool prush to the HAAN Handheld Deluxe Personal Sanitizing Steam Cleaner
- Allow it to heat up for approximately 3 minutes before blasting away build-up with 212 degrees pressurized steam
- Scrub the grate with the steel wool brush to ensure all grease and soot have been removed
- Remove excess moisture on the grate using the HAAN Microcham sponge, included with the HS-20 Model
- Place grates back on the grill
Viola! A sparkling clean barbecue in just minutes!
Of course I can’t let the Hubs have all the fun! I had to take this puppy for a test spin myself. I used the window attachment and took it to my filthy sliding glass doors. I had a little trouble with the lid at first. The water compartment uses a safety cap because the steam is pressurized. I couldn’t tell if I had the lid on properly and it took me a few tries before I figured it out. After that it was a breeze. I couldn’t believe how easy it was. The squeegee attachment hooks to the nozzle. Then you just push the button for steam as you squeegee the window clean! The steam loosened the dirt and grime that was on my doors (little toddler hands on the kitchen slider- enough said!)
The HAAN Personal Steamer
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Only the truest of true dog lovers feed their pets HUGEMONGOUS family sized bowls of spaghetti -with 97% fat free ground beef, pasta sauce, mushrooms, olives, and Parmesan cheese. What’s that? No opposable thumbs, you say? I say, make it easy for them, and serve it all over the ottoman and rug!
Alarm bells started going off in my head as soon as the spaghetti hit the rug; and my mantra instantly became “WineOFF! CoffeeOFF! WineOFF! CoffeeOFF!” I rushed over to my cupboard and grabbed both products and began reading. QUICKLY! I decided to try the WineOFF first – thinking: Red wine – Red sauce – May work. After two towels, following the instructions precisely and about twenty minutes later, I had my rug and ottoman back to its original state. *Phew*
I also wanted to point out that I was able to use WineOFF. This in and of itself is a BIG deal! I am extremelysensitive to chemicals, to put it mildly, and found that it didn’t bother me at all.
I am so impressed with WineOFF and CoffeeOFF that I sent video over to a family I used to nanny for that owns a winery and restaurant. This is exactly what they need to have on hand!
Bio-Pro Research has just announced their newest household cleaning products, WineOFF & CoffeeOFF, guaranteed to permanently remove coffee, wine, soda, and other liquid stains. The products use a unique formula of enzymes and friendly bacteria that actually eat away the stains & spills.
Bio Pro Research likes to think of their cleaning as a “natural workforce of 1 Billion” (enzymes that is) working hard to clean up your stains, leaving clothing, home surfaces and carpeting stain-free. The products are made with nature-based, non-toxic, biodegradable ingredients.
WineOFF and CoffeeOFF are safe to use around people and pets, which makes the big animal lover in me happy! WineOFF and CoffeeOFF are also effective on food residue and other organic stains.
These great products come in 4oz bottles, convenient for all locations. Keep one everywhere stains occur to prevent costly disasters from accidental spills.
For a limited time save $1.00 off the regular price of $5.98 and take advantage of the introductory price of $4.98. Check the store for additional savings by buying multiple bottles.
One lucky reader will win WineOFF and CoffeeOFF! Also, be sure to check out all of our other giveaways HERE.
A complimentary product/service was provided for this review; however, all opinions expressed are our own. We were not compensated in any other way for this review. See Mommies With Cents disclosure policy for more details.
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Since the birth of my children, I’ve taken to cleaning without chemicals where I can. I’m especially careful with my floors. My kids spend a lot of time playing on the floor and I don’t want chemical residue on their hands which inevitably end up in their mouths. Until I received a HAAN Slim & Light
It is lightweight and easy to use. Just fill the removable water tank at your sink and snap it into it’s holder. It heats up in just 30 seconds and is ready to use. One small tank of water will last up to thirty minutes- plenty of time to clean several rooms. Just yesterday I did a through kitchen cleaning (vinyl) and a quickie mop of three bedrooms (hardwood), 2 bathrooms (tile) and a hallway and still had about 1/4 of a tank of water remaining. Since it doesn’t use much water, your floors dry almost instantly which is great when little feet are following you everywhere you go!
The mop comes with 2 multilayer, super-absorbent microfiber pads that attach to the mop with Velcro. The pads are washable and can be used over and over again. It also comes with a rug attachment that is used to sanitize and deodorize rugs. It’s a plastic piece that just snaps on to the bottom in place of the microfiber pad to help it glide easily across carpeted areas, rugs, even upholstery.
The only draw back I could find may not be a drawback at all. Since I’m not used to mopping with a cord, I found it to be a little short and I had to unplug it and plug it back in several times as I moved from room to room. A longer cord, however, might just get in the way. Overall, I really love this mop and feel like it really gets my floors clean.
Find out more information about this mop and other HAAN products at www.haanusa.com.
Want to win a HAAN Slim & Light
A complimentary product/service was provided for this review; however, all opinions expressed are our own. We were not compensated in any other way for this review. See Mommies With Cents disclosure policy for more details.
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You can print this Earth Fare Coupon which expires June 8th, to receive a Free Quart of Earth Fare Organic Ice Cream with any $5 purchase. (Thanks, Alecia)
Helping the Mamas put together a HUGE list of current organic and natural product coupons for food and household items. The highlights are listed here. Hop on over to her site for the full list.
Brown Cow*
50¢/3 6oz Cream Top Yogurts
50¢/3 6oz Low Fat Yogurts
50¢/3 6oz Non Fat Yogurts
50¢/1 32oz Cream Top Yogurt
50¢/1 32oz Low Fat Yogurt
50¢/1 32oz Non Fat Yogurt
*Requires entering email address. However, you can opt out of receiving emails.
Coupons.com
$1.00/1 any Muir Glen Product
$1.001 any Cascadian Farm Product
$2.50/1 Huggies Pure and Natural Diapers
50¢/1 All Natural Hood Sour Cream
$1.50/1 any Kiss My Face Product
$5.00/1 Natural Ultramix Dog Food 6 lbs or larger
$1.00/2 Boulder Canyon Chips 6oz or larger
$1.00/1 Organyc Feminine Care
Earth’s Best
$1.00/1 TenderCare Chlorine Free Wipes
$1.00/7 Organic Baby Food
$1.00/2 Sesame Street Products
$5.00/1 Organic Infant Formula
55¢/1 Organic Infant Cereal
Organic Valley
75¢/1 Organic Valley 8 oz or 16 oz Butter
75¢/1 Organic Valley Half and Half or Heavy Whipping Cream
75¢/1 Organic Valley Soy
75¢/1 Organic Valley Cottage Cheese
75¢/1 Organic Valley Cream Cheese
75¢/1 Organic Valley 32 oz Yogurt
75¢/1 Organic Valley Eggs
75¢/1 Organic Valley Cheese 4 oz or larger
75¢/2 Organic Valley Half Gallon Milk or 1 Gallon Milk
Red Plum
$5.00/1 any size Nutro Natural Choice Dog Food
$1.00/1 any Sundown Naturals Vitamins or Supplements
Seventh Generation
$1.00/1 any Disinfecting Spray or Wipe
$1.00/1 any Seventh Generation Product
$1.00/1 Baby Care Product
$1.00/1 Laundry Product
$2.00/2 Seventh Generation Products
Smart Source
$1.00/1 Truvia Natural Sweetener
55¢/1 Blue Diamond Almond Breeze
$5.00/1 Neuragen Homeopathic Pain Relief
50¢/1 Newman’s Own Salad Dressing, Pasta Sauce or Salsa
$1.00/1 Sylvania CFL
$1.00/1 Fruit2Day
$1.00/2 Odwalla Superfoods
$3.00/1 World’s Best Cat Litter
Whole Foods*
$1.00 off any THREE (3) CLIF BAR, MOJO, CLIF Builder’s or CLIF C Bars (mix and match ok)
$1.00 off any ONE (1) Ben & Jerry Pint
$1.00 off any TWO (2) Rudi’s Organic Products
50¢ off any ONE (1) 20oz. Vitamin Water or Vitamin Water Zero
$1.00 off any ONE (1) Pacific Natural Foods Hemp Milk
$1.00 off any ONE (1) Earth Balance Creamy or Crunchy Peanut Butter or Creamy Almond Butter
75¢ off any ONE (1) Annie’s Naturals Product
$1.00 off when you buy ONE (1) box any flavor/variety Cascadian Farm® Granola Bars or Cascadian Farm® Cereal
$1.00 off any TWO (2) Pints of Ciao Bella Gelato or Sorbet
$1.00 off any ONE (1) Scharffen Berger® or TWO (2) Dagoba® Chocolate Products
$1.00 off any ONE (1) Kashi® Organic Promise® Cereal
50¢ off any ONE (1) Tazo® Zero Calorie Ice Tea
*Valid only at Whole Foods Stores.
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I may just be the poster girl for fresh HOME!
Fresh HOME is a magazine you can read a dozen times, open to read again, and find another new gem. It’s fun, helpful, and one that you will want to make into a collection and keep on your bookshelves.
Here are a few of my favorite articles in the Spring 2010 fresh HOME magazine:
- From Tips & To-Dos, Spirit of Spring!
Let the sun shine in. But wash windows on an overcast day. (The sunnier the day, the more streaks you’ll leave.) Clean inexpensively in an eco-friendly way by using newspapers and a 4-to-1 mix of warm water and white vinegar.
- How-To, Fresh-Air Style
Spring has sprung! Open a window, inhale the sun-kissed breeze and say “later” to winter with these pretty projects.
Now’s the perfect time to take a good look around the house to see what could use perking up. A few simple touches are all it takes to bring the light, energy and colors of spring inside.
Most of these ideas take less than an hour to do and are easy to change out when summer calls.
If spring bulbs are slow to flower.
Preview the planting season with an indoor planting shelf filled with tulip and hyacinth blooms forced in a nursery. Top a pair of painted brackets with a stainless shelf; install the unit just below the windowsill. Slip the blooming bulbs into cheery pots and arrange to your heart’s content.
If branches are blooming in the yard.
Turn them into indoor art by grouping a collection of vases. Fill one or more with the loveliest branches of forsythia you can find.
If company is coming for brunch.
Stitch napkins together to create a tablecloth. For added interest, offset the napkin corners, then hand-stitch across the seams using embroidery floss. Edge lilac linen napkins with rickrack. Fill a compote with candy eggs and tuck in a little rosemary, too.
If spring sunshine is shining in.
Multiply it with mirrors gathered on a nightstand. This set of frameless mirrored circles provides plenty of options. The mirrors corral clutter and provide a safe surface for a cup of tea. Get a similar effect by scattering mirrors on a coffee table. Place a vase of flowers on top , and the mirrors will instantly double the blooms.
If spring showers have arrived.
Keep umbrellas handy in an inverted ceramic garden stool placed by the front door. Even if umbrellas are damp, they can be tucked in the holder.
If woolly blankets feel too heavy.
Replace them with bedding in a spring palette of green, yellow, pink and lilac. for a soft look, select a solid but textured coverlet and pair it with pretty patterns and solids. Include a couple of throws for cool nights.
If a neutral rug seems too blah.
Toss a throw rug right on top for a splash of color and pattern. It’s an affordable way to change the look – plus, it takes only the blink of an eye to make the change.
If pillows need perking up.
Create a simple wrap pillow. For an 18″ pillow, cut a 36″ square of fabric. Place the pillow form diagonally in the center of the fabric square. Draw two opposite sides together over the pillow, and knot. Draw the other two sides together over the first knot, and knot the second pair. Slip the ends of the ties under the knot. For a second option, press a length of fabric into a band. Stitch of fuse trim to the edges. Stitch two pieces of ribbon to the band, fit around a pillow, and tie.
- One More Idea, Boot Scoot
This boot box is a great way to keep mud where it belongs – outside. And it’s cute, to boot!
Too easy. There are a lot of lovely things about spring – April showers and May flowers, for example, but muddy boots just aren’t among them. This simple solution takes an hour or less to build and smartly showcases your favorite pair of galoshes.
Snag an old fruit box from your local grocer, or make a box yourself from scrap lumber. Give it a couple of coasts of oil0based paint and fill with pretty polished pebbles. Done!
Fresh HOME is a quarterly magazine.
Right now you can save 50% off a yearly subscription – click HERE to get your amazing fresh HOME magazine!
One lucky winner will receive a one year subscription to fresh HOME magazine! Find out how and enter *directly below in the Giveaway Form*. Also, be sure to check out all of our other giveaways HERE.
A complimentary product/service was provided for this review; however, all opinions expressed are our own. We were not compensated in any other way for this review. See Mommies with Cents disclosure policy for more details.
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Remember when I posted about the three Scotch-Brite coupons? Well you can score a great deal when using those coupons to purchase two Scotch-Brite Greener Clean products; keep your receipt and UPC’s, fill out this form, and mail them by 6.30.10 (or while supplies last) to Scotch-Brite to recieve a FREE Scotch-Brite Tote Bag!
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