A Must-Have Guide to Green Cleaning
If you’re interested in saving money, helping the planet, and creating a safer environment for your family, you need to pick up a copy of Homemade Cleaners by Mandy O’Brien and Dionna Ford. This handy reference contains over 150 different recipes for cleaning every room in your home without using the dangerous toxins found in many commercially prepared products.
O’Brien is a biologist turned stay-at-home mom and Ford is the founder of a natural parenting website Code Name: Mama. Their writing style makes it obvious that they are passionate about helping people make eco-friendly choices throughout the home.
In addition to all of the useful recipes, Homemade Cleaners has many “small steps” tips for going green, such as deodorizing your garbage disposal with a few citrus peels or repurposing glass jars for cheap and eco-friendly cleaning supply storage. They encourage you to adopt as many strategies from the book as you can, but say that living a healthier, eco-friendly lifestyle is a continuum that doesn’t need to happen overnight.
Much of the material in Homemade Cleaners was familiar to me, since I’ve been experimenting with making my own cleaning supplies for about a year now. But, I still found many new tips that I could use in my home.
There were two recipes for dishwasher gel that I plan to try as soon as I finish using up the batch of detergent I had previously made. I also really liked the suggestion of using houseplants such as Chinese Evergreen and English Ivy as natural air purifiers to reduce your reliance on chemical air fresheners.
Homemade Cleaners is well organized and easy to use as a quick reference. When I need to clean something tricky in my home, I don’t necessarily want to spend 30 minutes checking out different websites to try to find a recipe that will work. I plan on keeping this book next to my stash of vinegar, baking soda, borax, washing soda, castile soap, and essential oils so I’m prepared for whatever messes life throws at me.
Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher.
Photo credit: Barnes & Noble
