GOING GREEN: HOUSEKEEPING TIP #1

I have decided to look for housekeeping products that are non-toxic. It helps the environment. And I won't be worrying about the grave effects of accidental ingestion of the toxic products that we are currently using in cleaning the floors, sinks, etc. I have scanned some supermarkets about environment-friendly cleaning products. I found some but the products were too expensive. Good thing that I was able to scan the book which I mentioned in my previous blog. Thus, I was introduced to the wonders of BAKING SODA! Before, I only thought of baking soda as an ingredient for cookies (that Nanay bakes) and toothpaste. I never thought that it is one of the best cleaners and deodorizers. It is environment-friendly, non-toxic, cheap and can be found in most supermarkets.

Thus, a few days ago, I set out to find out if baking soda is really an effective cleaner and deodorizer. I decided to defrost our refrigerator and use baking soda in cleaning it. Sorry I have no before and after pictures to compare. Nahiya naman ako kasi medyo madumi talaga yung refrigerator, hehehe.

But you have to take my word for it. Baking soda was very effective! It was easy to remove the stains! I made use of a solution composed of 3 parts water and 1 part baking soda. I soaked a clean cloth in the solution and started wiping away. For hard-to-reach spaces, I used a toothbrush. Everything was a breeze! And I finished with a really big smile on my face because I found an all-around cleaner. As deodorizer, I put a box of baking soda in the refrigerator. This must be replaced every three months.

I even asked Jean to try it on our sink tiles. And she said that it was indeed effective. At least I won't be worrying that our food and utensils might get contaminated with detergent just in case the sink was not rinsed well. The same solution was used. Except that it was left a few minutes longer in between tiles to clean the grout thoroughly. Or you can use it without water to make it more abrasive. And yet, this won't scratch your tiles and appliances.

These are just two ways that I actually made use of baking soda. But it still has more uses which I will discuss in my next blog. See you next time!

GOING GREEN...

...not with envy or jealousy though. I have decided to go green in order to do my part in saving the environment. Some blogs back, I posted about the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" and how it impacted my life. After that, I always made sure that we unplug appliances that are not in use. We have changed all our incandescent bulbs into CFLs. Well, these are baby steps into going green but I know they could help.

Good enough that while browsing at Powerbooks in Makati (one of the things I miss about living in Makati), I chanced upon a very interesting book by David Bach. "GO GREEN, LIVE RICH"

At first I thought does this have to do with selling products for recycling? It piqued my curiosity because I do want to go green and to get rich (well, who doesn't?). So there I sat for hours on end pouring over the book. As I turned each page onto the next, I thought to myself, it may be difficult but definitely doable. And the sacrifices will be well-worth it knowing that I am lending a hand in making the Earth clean and more liveable...for my children and apos.

How do we get rich by going green? Through the savings that will result from each action that we make. I listed some pointers and websites. I will be visiting each of the websites and trying out some of the pointers. And I will definitely blog about them. Better yet, grab a copy of the book, too! And I hope that in one way or the other, I can influence you also in going green... Let's go green to save Mother Earth for a better and cleaner future for all of us!