Green Cleaning: No More Skeletons in My Closet

I am feeling rather smug. Yes smug. For years I evaluated the validity of green cleaning, the cost of commercial products, and the time it took to make homemade products.

But I am long past these hurtles, and I believe, after a close examination of my cupboards today, that I have removed all the hidden cleaning skeletons in my closets.

Now I am not going to lead you to believe that this happened over night, or that it was done without some angst. There were definite stages to my reformation, but looking back I have a hard time now believing that it was so hard.

I am a Virgo, and as such, am a habitual wiper. The kitchen is my nemesis…never quite clean enough. I am also obsessed with smells in my house. The smell of fish or meat after a meal, the smell of a wet dog or the the kitty litter…all of these smells drive me crazy and cause me to light candles, fragrance lamps, turn on fans and open windows.

Now you may wonder why all the details regarding my idiosyncrasies. The point is this. If I can get over using my tried and true cleaning products, some of them a hold- over from my mother, then you can too.

My laundry is clean, my dishes are shiny and my windows gleam. My home smells fresh- all without the use of petrochemicals and phosphates. Lemon, vinegar and baking soda have become my best friends.

What makes it difficult in Canada is that manufacturers are not required to reveal all the ingredients in their products, not even chemicals associated with chronic health problems like cancer, allergies, asthma, and reproductive issues.

What makes it easy is that the market is now flooded with excellent green products giving you lots of choice and better prices.

So, if you have not yet had the time or the inclination to go green with your home cleaning- now is the time to start. Start small and think big. Start with one product…use vinegar to wash your widows or lemon to clean your microwave.

What began as a moral conundrum for me has become a satisfying journey- transforming my home into a clean and healthy environment for my family and pets. I feel I could actually meet David Suzuki now and not avert my eyes. Feels great.