Non toxic cleaners vs. toxic cleaners

• when you place food on the countertop, cleaned with surface cleaner that claims to kill 99.9 percent of bacteria, those "killing chemicals" can be absorbed in your food
• ammonia from the glass cleaners lingers in the air for a long time after it's been used, irritates the respiratory system and pollutes the air we breathe
• moth balls contain registered carcinogen - naphthalene
• according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers chlorine bleach is on the very top of the list of chemicals that cause poisonings

Natural cleaning products

It's really easy to make your own cleaners with ingredients you might already have in your home. Plus, if you choose to add an essential oil, you can pick your favorite scent and your home will smell pleasantly, matching your own preference instead of smelling of chemicals, found in most commercial cleaners, that are irritating as well as toxic.

• BAKING SODA can be sprinkled to scrub kitchen and bathroom surfaces. It works great as a fabric softener when doing your laundry, and is an effortless silver cleaner (add a sheet of aluminum foil and baking soda in the sink, filled with water and soak your silver pieces until they are clean).

• APPLE CIDER VINEGAR – bubbles when combined with baking soda and is a great drain cleaner: Put some baking soda in the drain, add apple cider vinegar, let bubble for 15 minutes, rinse with hot water. Vinegar diluted with warm water is also a great window cleaner.

• BORAX is an unbeatable and cheap laundry booster and cleaner.

• HYDROGEN PEROXIDE can be used for many purposes, including as disinfectant and whitener.

• LIQUID CASTILLE SOAP and vinegar with water cleans the floors, windows, kitchen, almost anything. Adding an essential oil is optional.

• LEMON is well known for being a natural whitener.

• VODKA in spray bottle works great as fabric refresher for chairs and upholstery.

• ORGANIC ESSENTIAL OILS can be added to many of the above home-made cleaners. Tea tree essential oil and lavender essential oil both have antibacterial properties.

Find out more about the natural cleaning products by clicking on the link below (opens a new window):
Green Cleaning Formulas



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Beautiful skies

Many times I feel So fortunate to live where I live, to be able to admire beautiful trees, native plants and potted beauties all around my home and through every window, even when I'm sitting at my desk and typing these words.

From that same place I can also watch all the stunning sunsets. They make me stop for a moment and breathe-in all the stunning colors that seem to come in different shades and intensities day after day.

And when I go out, I look at the beautiful skies, ever changing in appearance - and even though the color of the sky is also never the same as it was a few minutes ago, it never ceases to be the most perfect background for all the trees, no matter what time of the day it is, no matter what season it is.

It seems to me that I am very easily fascinated not only by the plants, but also by the beautiful skies and beautiful sky images.

Photo above by Daria: Single red leaf

Photo above by Daria: Spring is in the air

Photo above by Daria: Where fall and spring meet