Green and Clean

One of the point-makers in Arlington's Green Living Challenge is changing all your household cleaning products to green ones. We already use a few - but many of my cleaning products are literally years old, from my first and second apartments. (Who doesn't have at least one 12-year old bottle of clorox around the house? lol! I mean, I don't need to use very much of it at a time, and I'm not about to pour harsh chemicals down the drain.)

The time has now come to change all of our cleaning agents to earth-friendly ones. I already have a couple tricks - for example, I cook with lemons regularly, so I'll disinfect a surface with the remnants of a squeezed-out half-lemon, and I'll also put lemon juice down my disposal to bring back that fresh-drainage scent. ;) But what else is on the market that's green, actually works, is time-saving and convenient?

The Washington Post has the answers! Here are a few of their picks that I will probably pick up:

• Boy, am I glad to find out that my old-standard Murphy's Oil Soap is already a lovely shade of emerald!! I've been mopping with it for years -- I'm on my second lasts-forever bottle. Time to expand my usage of it!
• Nellie's Dryer Balls came out on top for softness and static removal of clothes. I've been eyeing dryer balls for ages, even put them on my Christmas list - I think it's time to try some out! Wonder if any brand works, or if I should go for Nellie's?
• Safeway's line of green products has been raised in my esteem by the Post's rating for Planet Ultra Liquid Laundry Detergent. Gotta try some!
• I never thought of using white vinegar to clean my toilet bowl, but I use it on coffee and tea pots all the time - duh!! Cheapest toilet bowl cleaner ever!

Check out the full ratings, and the article, at How 'Green' Cleaners Measure Up. =)