In Wisconsin, we have cold cold winters and the dryer gets used more often. In the warm weather, even if the clothes gets left in the dryer, it's usually okay - but in the winter, if it's the slightest bit damp when it is finished drying and you forget to get it right away, we usually have to run the dryer for a bit longer.
In summer, I like to hang the clothes outside when I can. I have heard of people hang clothes outside in winter too and kudos to them! I think that is awesome if you can do that and have the motivation for that. Unfortunately, the cold and I don't get along very well. And our basement isn't currently conducive to hanging a line down there.
I tried some of these dryer balls which we got at Bed Bath and Beyond with the coupons they mail out. At first it seemed like they may be helping, but honestly, it still seems to take forever for things to dry.
On other websites, I've heard something about Wool Dryer Balls. So I decided to google it and found this tutuorial. You can make these yourself and they have great reviews! Unfortunately I do not have the time for that at the moment, but am going to seek out some Wool Dryer Balls to purchase and try with our laundry. Anything to save some money and energy would be great. From other posts I've read, it seems like these really help.
Please add your experience and if you've had success with these or any other method.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Follow Go Green WI and Win
FOLLOW GO GREEN WI TODAY AND WHEN WE REACH 50 FOLLOWERS WE WILL GIVE AWAY A $10 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO RG NATURAL BABIES!
THEN WHEN WE GET TO 100 FOLLOWERS WE WILL GIVE AWAY A $10 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO MY BABY PUMPKIN, LLC!
FOLLOW US TODAY!
THEN WHEN WE GET TO 100 FOLLOWERS WE WILL GIVE AWAY A $10 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO MY BABY PUMPKIN, LLC!
FOLLOW US TODAY!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
10 Things You Can Do In Your Home Today To Go Green
- Decrease your shower by 2 minutes or better yet turn it off when you are washing your hair and body. Then turn it on to rinse off. Green Tip: This will save 10 gallons of water!
- Turn your thermostat up 2 degrees in summer with air conditioning and 2 degrees lower in winter. Green Tip: This will save you about $200 a year!
- Recycle and get your community to recycle all plastics not just 1 and 2. Green Tip: If everyone recycled and separated paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum products and put them in the recycling bin it would decrease the amount sent to landfills by 75%.
- Compost. Green Tip: Composting will save you money as you will not have to buy fertilizer for your garden.
- Run Full Loads in the Dishwasher and don't prerinse. Green Tip: Doing both will save 20 gallons of water per load and 7,300 gallons over a year.
- Get a reusable Pail liner for your garbage cans and then use only reusable bags at the grocery store. Green Tip: Doing this will save you about $30 a year in buying garbage bags and with every ton of plastic bags not used we save 17 trees and eleven barrels of oil.
- Flush your toilet less. Green Tip: 1 less flush a day saves 4.5 gallons of water.
- Stop the junk mail. Green Tip: go to www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist It costs $1 but will limit your junk mail.
- Close your curtains when it's sunny in the summer and cold in the winter. Green Tip: This could reduce your energy needs by 25%.
- Clean your dryer. Green Tip: Empty the lint screen and don't overload and you could save 5% on your electricity bill or for even more savings use your clothesline!
Simple Recipes for Cleaning Your House
Here are some quick and easy recipes to clean your house and they work great too!
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER
*This cleaner works wonders. It cuts grease better than any other commercial product I ever used. Just be careful because the Borax is toxic. I have known people that just eliminate the Borax and use a little elbow grease to make it work.
Ingredients:
Liquid soap or detergent (I use Dr. Bronners)
White Distilled water
Borax
Purified water (though I use tap water)
Essential Oils for Fragrance (optional)
Additional Items:
A 16oz spray bottle
TUB AND TILE CLEANER
*This cleaner is amazing on soap scum. I had used commercial products to try and get the soap scum off that we get because of hot water and NONE worked as well as this cleaner.
Ingredients:
Baking Soda
Liquid Soap (I use Dr. Bronners)
White Distilled Vinegar
Water
Additional Items:
A 16 oz squeeze bottle or I like to use a pint size wide mouth ball jar. You can use the quart size but it is difficult to get to the bottom if you have bigger hands.
What other kinds of cleaners would you like to know about and I will gladly post more?
Kristin
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER
*This cleaner works wonders. It cuts grease better than any other commercial product I ever used. Just be careful because the Borax is toxic. I have known people that just eliminate the Borax and use a little elbow grease to make it work.
Ingredients:
Liquid soap or detergent (I use Dr. Bronners)
White Distilled water
Borax
Purified water (though I use tap water)
Essential Oils for Fragrance (optional)
Additional Items:
A 16oz spray bottle
- Mix 2 tablespoons vinegar with 1 teaspoon borax.
- Fill the bottle with hot water.
- Add 1/4 cup liquid soap or 1/8 cup liquid detergent last
- Scent with 10-15 drops of essential oil
TUB AND TILE CLEANER
*This cleaner is amazing on soap scum. I had used commercial products to try and get the soap scum off that we get because of hot water and NONE worked as well as this cleaner.
Ingredients:
Baking Soda
Liquid Soap (I use Dr. Bronners)
White Distilled Vinegar
Water
Additional Items:
A 16 oz squeeze bottle or I like to use a pint size wide mouth ball jar. You can use the quart size but it is difficult to get to the bottom if you have bigger hands.
- Mix 1 2/3 cups baking soda with 1/2 cup liquid soap
- Dilute with 1/2 cup water
- Add 2 tablespoons Vinegar last (it will foam and is fun for kids to watch)
- Mix until lumps are gone and if it does not run easily into your container add more water
What other kinds of cleaners would you like to know about and I will gladly post more?
Kristin
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Green Your Home - Cleaning Products
Ever think about what you are using to clean your house? What do these bottles say "Keep out of reach of children" "If anything is ingested, call poison control"?
Many people like the smell of "clean" but what is it you are enjoying the smell of? Unfortunately it isn't really "clean" that you are smelling the smell of the chemicals that were used to clean.
When I was pregnant the first time, I became very aware of different items I was using to clean around the house. Even before I never really liked the fact that these chemicals seemed so hazardous, but once I was pregnant, I was very aware that everything going into my body was now affecting this little baby inside of me.
I recall a couple times I would clean and hold my breath... seriously!? There had to be a better way! I shouldn't have to hold my breath to clean unless what I'm cleaning is THAT dirty - and well, it wasn't. We finally had started using essential oils for natural health remedies and they also had a natural cleaner that was available. While that was quite pricey, only a small amount was needed because it was a concentrate. And to me, it was well worth it to know I was cleaning with something without chemicals.
Talking with others and investigating more, I learned Vinegar and Baking Soda can be used for most of your cleaning! Two simple things that everyone probably has in their home! WOW. It is so great to have those used as cleaners in our home now. I can go into a room that was cleaned and I don't feel like I'm inhaling chemicals.
Interestingly enough, now when I go to public restrooms or even other people's homes and I can smell the chemical cleaners, it immediately gives me a headache or sore throat. My body just isn't use to it.
But you know what? Even though our house may not "smell clean" after it is cleaned, it is clean! Also when I spray and wipe the counters with a mix of water and a few drops of Thieves Essential Oil in a bottle, I can feel safe having my kids or I eat off the tables and counters. It's really a great feeling!
Remember, there are a lot of cleaners out there that are truly natural and cost more, also ones that have "natural ingredients" but aren't 100% natural, or you can use good old fashion baking soda and vinegar!
How do you Green Clean your home?
Many people like the smell of "clean" but what is it you are enjoying the smell of? Unfortunately it isn't really "clean" that you are smelling the smell of the chemicals that were used to clean.
When I was pregnant the first time, I became very aware of different items I was using to clean around the house. Even before I never really liked the fact that these chemicals seemed so hazardous, but once I was pregnant, I was very aware that everything going into my body was now affecting this little baby inside of me.
I recall a couple times I would clean and hold my breath... seriously!? There had to be a better way! I shouldn't have to hold my breath to clean unless what I'm cleaning is THAT dirty - and well, it wasn't. We finally had started using essential oils for natural health remedies and they also had a natural cleaner that was available. While that was quite pricey, only a small amount was needed because it was a concentrate. And to me, it was well worth it to know I was cleaning with something without chemicals.
Talking with others and investigating more, I learned Vinegar and Baking Soda can be used for most of your cleaning! Two simple things that everyone probably has in their home! WOW. It is so great to have those used as cleaners in our home now. I can go into a room that was cleaned and I don't feel like I'm inhaling chemicals.
Interestingly enough, now when I go to public restrooms or even other people's homes and I can smell the chemical cleaners, it immediately gives me a headache or sore throat. My body just isn't use to it.
But you know what? Even though our house may not "smell clean" after it is cleaned, it is clean! Also when I spray and wipe the counters with a mix of water and a few drops of Thieves Essential Oil in a bottle, I can feel safe having my kids or I eat off the tables and counters. It's really a great feeling!
Remember, there are a lot of cleaners out there that are truly natural and cost more, also ones that have "natural ingredients" but aren't 100% natural, or you can use good old fashion baking soda and vinegar!
How do you Green Clean your home?
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