cleaning our world, one toilet at a time

Who are you wearing? You look fabulous!

2009-09-03T22:01:00.001-07:00

I must admit that when I get on the internet to do any "real work," I spend a good chunk of time absorbing celebrity gossip. Its a little embarrassing to admit that I have People and TMZ both bookmarked on my computer. SO, you can imagine my excitement when I learned about this website: www.ecorazzi.com. It is titled The Latest In Green Gossip! Could it get any better than this??? This is the place to go if you want to know about recycled materials couture, who is driving the Prius, and what kind of building materials Brad is using in New Orleans. If you need one more thing to do on the internet to put off doing your on-line bill paying, check it out! They also seem to do a lot of give-aways...

Is it getting hot out there, or is it just pregnancy hormones?

2009-05-30T03:27:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me, you put off turning on the A/C as long as possible. I claim its an Earth-saving practice, but in truth I just don't like to see my electric bill climb after I've just gotten the gas bill under control from months of running the heater! So we run a few fans at our house, open all the windows, make a lot of ice cubes and maybe slap on an extra layer of deodorant. Right now, I'm loving Jason for sensitive skin with Aloe. The Van Boening's made the switch to natural deodorant about a year ago after hearing of the potential drawbacks to its more commercial counterpart.

The troublemakers in deodorant are zinc and aluminum. They are the ingredients that reduce sweat and odor producing bacteria but they have also been tied to cancers and are not so great for the environment. Others to look out for when shopping for a deodorant are any of the ingredients from the "Dirty Dozen" list that I pulled from the Green Guide back in August of last year. Some that are most common in deodorant are antibacterials, DEA, formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, fragrance, and parabens.

The ingredients in cosmetic products are not subject to FDA approval, and the vast majority of the 10,000+ ingredients in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by any governing body. While there are no definitive studies that link aluminum to breast cancer, there have been studies that have shown that aluminum salts mimic estrogen in lab conditions. Elevated estrogen levels have been shown to be prevalent in breast cancer patients. At this point, the American Cancer Society deems commercial deodorants to be safe but I personally believe that if there is a comparable and more natural option available, why take that risk? And if you don't switch to lessen your chances of cancer, do it for less skin irritation, eczema, or use of petroleum!

If you've decided to give a more natural deodorant a try, here are some helpful shopping hints.
-Stay away from aerosols. They are made with petroleum based ingredients and can be irritating to the respiratory system.
-Don't assume that if the label reads "natural" or "hypoallergenic" that you are purchasing a safe product. These terms are NOT regulated by the FDA and provide no safety guarantees.
-If you are in search of a product that has not been tested on animals, look for the Leaping Bunny certification. It certifies that neither product NOR ingredients were tested on non-human subjects. The same goes for any self-care product you may be shopping for.
-Always check for recycled or recyclable packaging.

Some brands that I have seen in the area and that seem to be comparable in price to the aluminum-filled varieties include Jason, Alba, Kiss My Face, Burt's Bees, and Tom's of Maine. Several of these brands can even be purchased at Target and HyVee. For a bit more variety, try Open Harvest or Whole Foods. Once you've made your selection, showered, and applied, you are ready to brave this Nebraska heat and humidity sans air conditioner:)

Summer time, and the livin' is greeny.

2009-05-30T03:08:00.000-07:00

Purely Maid is back on the blogging scene, and none too late to do a series of posts on having an enjoyable and green summer! Would anyone believe that this picture was taken off my back porch here in Lincoln, Nebraska? If so, you've never been to Nebraska:) And more importantly, you've never been to my house!

Keep your browser pointed here for tidbits on natural deoderants, sunscreens, griling/BBQs, and greener vacationing. And as always, a few tips on green cleaning. The girls at Purely Maid have a very full schedule for the summer, but do remember that you can contact them at purelymaid@yahoo.com for all of your cleaning needs!

Want your piece of the pie?

2009-02-26T07:19:00.000-08:00

If you're anything like me, this whole gazillion dollar stimulus plan has got you simply befuddled. Good idea, bad idea, Republicans, Democrats, CitiBank, Chrysler...Huh?

But, I have some good news that is comprehensible by green fans everywhere! There is money hidden away in this stimulus plan that is designated specifically for making greenish updates to your home! This is helpful in defraying the extra cost that sometimes comes along with trying to be energy-efficient. I don't have all the details, and you would certainly want to do your research before making any major purchases/renovations but this is something to think about if you have any big remodeling plans in the next few years.

Some of the qualifiers for a 30% tax credit are residential solar power systems, small wind turbines for the home, central A/C units, biomass or pellet stoves, water heaters, windows, doors, and skylights (as long as their U-factor is 0.3 or less), electric heat pumps, roofing and insulation, furnaces and hot water boilers. If solar power or wind turbines are what you crave, (my dream home in my mind has a wind turbine in the yard for sure) there is no cap on the 30% rebate. The other items on the list add up and cap at $1,500. What an awesome way for the government to encourage responsible citizens to conserve Earth's resources!

A few other tax rebates that are proving to be helpful in this area:

-Allowances for $230/month pre-tax money to take public transit to work. This amount is up from $120/month in previous years.Hop on the train (or in Lincoln, the bus) and conserve some gasoline!

-There is a $7,500 rebate for purchasing a hybrid electric car this year. For hybrids that are not electric, rebates vary and you can check with http://www.fueleconomy.gov/ for updated lists of rebates.

-The tax rebate given to college students for tuition can also be applied to supplies, including the Kindle wireless reading device (which can cut down on a student's paper waste!)

Love that fresh paint smell?

2009-02-22T01:58:00.000-08:00

Here at Purely Maid, a lot of conversation topics have been baby-centered lately. Why, you ask? Well, Tosha has had a few and Allison is adding one to the Purely Maid forces in a few short months.

One of the biggest decisions, as a mother, and something that Allison has been comtemplating with Tosha, is "What color to paint the nursery?" If you've ever remodeled a room, you know that the color choices are endless. Even if you decide on white, there are hundreds of shades of white! Something that should be more important than the color choice, however, is the choice to use a paint that contains NO (or LOW) VOCs. Upon a recent trip to Menards, Tosha and Allison saw several brands of paint that boasted no or low VOCs on the label but were not quite sure what a VOC was, or how it would affect them.

VOC stands forVolatile Organic Compouds and it is the stuff that gives paint its signature smell. The stronger the odor of the room you have painted, the more VOCs the paint contains. Some examples of compounds that would be considered VOCs and are found in interior paints are benzene, formaldehyde, kerosene, ammonia, toluene and xylene. These six compounds are classified as either carcinogens or neurotoxins and can lead to various health issues. VOCs can worsen asthma, cause skin and eye irritation, headaches, nausea, dizziness, trouble with coodination, respiratory problems, nerve damage, and in severe cases - liver or kidney damage.

VOCs are also emitted by paint strippers, some cleaning products, pesticides, office equipment such as copiers and printers, glues/adhesives, permanant markers, and air fresheners.

In addition to the health risks created by VOCs, they also contribute to air pollutants. What do you get when you add sunlight, VOCs, and atmospheric nitrous oxide? SMOG, that's what!

So if you are remodeling a room, or turning that spare "junk" room into a nursery, look for paints that have no or low VOCs. The major paint brands all seem to have a line of low-to-no VOC paints.

If you're using paint for a project and are unsure of its VOC content, it is best to ventilate, ventilate, ventilate! Also, buy as close to the needed amount as possible and properly dispose of any leftovers. Make sure to wear a mask if stripping or sanding paint. If the paint that you are removing is older, it may be wise to have it tested for lead before handling.

And if you have any suggestions for Allison's little one's nursery (or the babies name, for that matter) please share!

To Buy Organic, Or Not? That Is The Question.

2008-11-16T00:34:00.000-08:00

It seems these days that every time I go to the grocery store, I see more and more items with the claim of "organic" on the label. These items are almost always more expensive (sometimes MUCH more expensive) but I often feel compelled to shell out the extra dough to make myself healthier.

The fact of the matter is, there are some foods that are much safer for both you and the environment, if they are purchased organically. Then there are some with fewer health risks that can still be purchased in the traditional manor.

If you find yourself in the grocery store isle, debating over the organic version of your favorite food and its cheaper, non-organic counterpart, there are a few questions you could ask yourself to help make the decision.
-If a fruit or vegetable, how thick is its skin or covering? Would it be easy to puncture?
-What part of the world did this food travel from and what might be their standards for using chemicals/pesticides?
-Is this fruit or vegetable in season in this part of the world?

The following is a list compiled from several websites, including www.thedailygreen.com and it contains the foods that would be best purchased in their organic forms.

Meat Animals that are raised for meat production are typically fed grains treated with pesticides, also are given antibiotics, and growth hormones. Some cows also are fed parts of other cows, which is a common cause of Mad Cow disease. If a meat product is certified organic, the USDA states that it will be free of pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics.
Milk Organic dairies feed cows only grains that are free from pesticides, and these cows are not given antibiotics or growth hormones such as rGBH or rbST.
Coffee Look for Fair Trade Certified Organic labels to ensure that no pesticides were used on plants and that fair wages were paid to farm workers producing the coffee.
Fruits such as peaches, apples, strawberries, grapes, cherries, raspberries, and pears These fruits all have delicate skins and are most highly treated with pesticides.
Juices that contain above fruits
Vegetables such as bell peppers, lettuce, spinach, potatoes, and tomatoes Again, big recipients of pesticides/fungicides.

On the other hand, the following foods are considered to be safe when consumed in their non-organic form, as they don't heavily retain pesticides: asparagus, avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papayas, pineapples, and sweet peas.

A Jump Start to Your Holiday Shopping

2008-11-01T03:12:00.000-07:00

Now that Halloween has come and gone, the stores can FILL the shelves with all things Christmas-y!

This holiday season, you may find yourself thinking of the economy, your pocketbook, the earth, and all the wonderful people on your usual gift-giving list. Purely Maid (and their awesome web resources!) has a few ideas to help you with giving a little greener come December!

*Do your shopping at locally owned business (rather than large chain stores). This helps out the small business owners in your community while also cutting back on shipping/transportation needs and reducing oil consumption.

*When appropriate, buy homemade! If you've never been to the Etsy website, you are in for a real treat and you would be hard-pressed NOT to find something perfect for everyone at very affordable prices!

*Food and drinks are always welcome gifts, especially when giving to the host of a holiday party. Finding locally produced/grown cheeses, wine, beer, jams, preserves, or meats can be a fun challenge! Buy organic and you can improve the health of your recipient. Also, look for products that are labelled "Fair Trade" or for the vegetarian on your list "Vegan"

*Supporting an organization that is near and dear to your heart or the heart of the recipient benefits so many. There is a very helpful list of charitable organizations supported by donations at TreeHugger.

*By consolidating on-line and mail-in orders you can cut back on extra packaging and shipping.

*Shiny or sparkly wrapping paper cannot be recycled so when you're purchasing your wrapping, look for paper that is made from recycled materials, non-sparkly, or you could re-use something from around the house like newspaper, fabric, or maps.

*The same goes for greeting cards. Opt for ones made from recycled paper. Or, send an e-card!

*If you receive multiple catalogues, think about cancelling any that you don't order from or very much enjoy browsing.

*As far as the place where you display your wrapped gifts, make sure to recycle your Christmas tree! Have it mulched and not just taken to a landfill. Or, you could purchase a potted tree that you can replant when the ground thaws.

*If gift certificates are more your style of gift giving, think local: restaurants, retail stores, museums, state park permits, local used book store or antique store. If you live in Lincoln, try places like 10,000 Villages, A Novel Idea, The Black Market, Bread and Cup, The Mill, etc...

*If you're looking to encourage a little "greenness" in the lives of those on your gift giving list, try putting together a (bamboo) gift basket of natural skin care or hair care products, cleaning supplies, or recycled paper-goods that can be used around the home. You could really get creative with this one! You could make up a cute little basket for the bathroom with all of Method's bathroom cleaners and some recycled, bleach free toilet paper, something for the laundry room with Seventh Generation, several travel size (made-from-recycled-materials-and-with-wind-power) bottles of Aveda hair products, or a winters worth of skin hydrating lotions, washes, and lip balms from Burt's Bees or Arbonne.

*And finally, think organic cotton and bamboo. Replace a special someones bedroom linens, bath towels or favorite tee's with organic cotton and/or bamboo. Both are grown without pesticides and bamboo is very quickly renewable, as it can grow up to a foot a day!

What a bright idea, Home Depot!

2008-10-03T02:43:00.000-07:00

With the state of the economy these days, we're all looking for ways to cut the cost of our energy bills (not to mention our Visa bill...) so we might be switching to CFL bulbs. These bulbs cost slightly more than the normal bulbs BUT in the lifetime of the bulb, they can save anywhere from $30-$50 on your electric bill. CFL bulbs' lifespan is 6,000-15,000 hours as compared to the lifespan of the incandescent bulb at 750-1,000 hours.

Now, before you run out to Home Depot to replace all your bulbs, there is one dim side to the CFL's. They contain small amounts of mercury. Four to five mg per bulb, to be more exact. If mercury at this level is inhaled chronically, it can be toxic to the brain, kidney, spinal cord and liver. So you can imagine what happens when these CFLs go to the landfills and are broken. Mercury is released into the surrounding land/water at dangerous levels.

This is where Home Depot comes in! All Home Depot stores now have a CFL recycling program! You can take your burnt out bulbs to the service desk where they are safely collected and picked up by a HAZMAT service, who de-mercury the bulbs and recycle the glass to be used in new bulbs. What a great service to the community! So: make the switch, save some dollars, then recycle!

All this talk of mercury in our lightbulbs may have you worried about a broken bulb in your home, and rightfully so. Here is a link to the EPA's webpage that advises what to do in the case of a breakage.

A Helpful Tip from a Customer's Home...Shower Doors

2008-09-13T12:41:00.000-07:00

Shower doors...UGH! Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. Well, I suppose you'd live but it might make showering awkward and sloppy:) It seems that even in the newest of new homes that we clean, shower doors all have soap scum, hard water spots, rusty/moldy caulking, etc. We admit, they are difficult to get clean!

So, we have a suggestion for those of you with showers that have doors as opposed to curtains. In one of the beautiful homes that we clean, the owner of the home hung a shower rod and curtain on the INSIDE of the shower door. That prevents the water from coming in contact with the door and it also looks really nice. The customer chose a pretty gold-colored curtain, so it gives a nice golden glow to the shower! Hey, it's worth the try, right? Another very helpful hint for showers is a daily shower spray. The only non-toxic type that comes to mind immediatly is Method's Daily shower spray in the scent of ylang ylang. Yum. Or you could be crafty and mix up your own with some H2O, white vinegar, a little lemon juice and maybe a few drops of tea tree oil.

And, just a side note on major shower cleaning issues: cut a lemon in half and rub it on hard water stains. Let it sit and then scrub like crazy! Lemon works wonders on hard water stains.

If anyone else has any tips (such as the shower-curtain-on-the-inside thing) you can leave them in the comments or email them to us at purelymaid@yahoo.com! You may get to see your tip in print!

Lincoln Grocery Stores

2008-09-05T20:17:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've all seen them in stores...they are THE REUSABLE SHOPPING BAG and they are (hopefully) taking over the world.

I just googled "plastic bags in the U.S." and was bombarded with information, slightly scary information about these little white grocery store ghosts.

Did you know

-approximately 380 billion plastic shopping bags are used in the U.S. annually

-between 1 and 4 percent of these bags are recycled

-plastic bags are a hazard to aquatic life, they cause suffocation and are easily ingested and cannot pass through the animals system, causing the animal to starve

-the type of plastic used in the bags is not readily biodegradable

-it takes 430,000 gallons of oil to produce 100 million plastic bags

On the positive side, I also learned

-San Francisco, CA has banned plastic shopping bags in grocery stores and large pharmacies

-Los Angeles will follow suit in the year 2010

-Starting in 2009, Seattle WA will charge a 20 cent "green fee" to plastic bag users

-Home furnishing store IKEA already charges a nickel for each plastic bag customers use

Since we Lincoln-ites aren't lucky enough to live on the coast (or have an IKEA for that matter), maybe we can reduce the number of plastic bags we are using by purchasing REUSABLE shopping bags and throw them in our backseats for our trips to the grocery stores. These bags can be purchased literally everywhere and sometimes for less than a dollar a piece!

The following grocery stores in Lincoln are giving a $0.05 discount per reusable bag you bring:

Russ's

HyVee

Leon's

Open Harvest has a punch card for reusable bag fans. Fill your punch card and you get $5 off your next visit!

SunMart, SuperSaver, WalMart and Target all said, "Not yet, but that's something we are looking into"

So stock up on a few reusable bags, save some change, and use your old plastic bags as liners for all your little trash cans!

Give me an "H" Give me an "E" Give me a "P" Give me an "A"

2008-08-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

What's that spell? HEPA!

You've probably heard by now that a HEPA filter is a good thing to have in your vacuum cleaner. We at Purely Maid decided it was a great thing for all of our important customers with pets, with kids, with allergies, pretty much everyone! SO, we went out and bought the prettiest HEPA equipped vacuum we could find...The Dyson Animal DC 14 With Telescope Reach. We think its pretty special and we take it with us everywhere we go! Dyson's HEPA filters are guaranteed for the life of the vacuum with no need to do any maintenance to it.

If you're thinking of purchasing your own HEPA vacuum, here are a few tips. HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air. HEPA filters have a standard for the size of the particles they trap. If you are in the market for the best of the HEPAs, you'll want to look for the words sealed HEPA, or true HEPA and avoid things that say HEPA-like. You can also look for the labels to say something like, "an efficiency of 99.7% for microns .3 in size." This means that your HEPA is going to filter out the allergens like pollen and dust mite feces. The less feces you have in your home, the better!

Now, if you'd like the teeny feces out of your life, but you'd rather not buy a new vacuum, send us an email @ purelymaid@yahoo.com and we'll be right over with our pretty Dyson (and all our other great supplies) and we'll do much more than just vacuum!

Soy Candle Update, Etc.

2008-08-19T20:43:00.001-07:00

Went to Target tonight (for a lightbulb they don't carry) but came away with two nuggets of information for ya. Method has redesigned their deliciously aromatic soy candles with all the old scents and two new-ish ones: citrus cilantro and pomegranite tea. Mmmmmm. And speaking of scents...Clorox GreenWorks has a new one! The all-purpose cleaner now comes in a fruity tangerine!

Good People

2008-08-16T16:07:00.001-07:00

I firmly believe you can judge the integrity and quality of a business by the types of cups they provide a drink in. That said, hats off to bread & cup and Yoga, Body, and Balance of Lincoln, Ne. I have personally sipped water from 100% compostable cups at both establishments. Great, green job, guys! Oh, and if you haven't been to bread & cup yet, its delicious. I'd like to give advice on what to order, but I'd pretty much have to copy and paste the menu.

Soy or Paraffin? The age old question.

2008-08-16T15:22:00.000-07:00

It's the weekend, and you're planning a romantic dinner for your sweetie. There is wine, fancy cheese, roses, music...What more do you need to "set the mood"?

Or, more realistically, its Saturday and you finally cleaned out the fridge and threw away those questionable leftovers from last week. There seems to be a funky odor coming from the trash can area. What could you use to mask the scent?

The answer? CANDLES! Now, you're probably thinking, "Allison, how on earth can you tell me that I can get any more ecologically friendly than burning candles? I'm not using electricity, burning coal, using gasoline....Wait a minute..."

That's right. Paraffin wax is yet ANOTHER derivative of petroleum. Is there anything that we can't make out of petroleum??? While paraffin wax candles are burning, petro-chemicals are floating through your air. But not to worry, there is an alternative. Soy candles! Soy wax is made from soy beans and veggies. There are numerous benefits to burning soy candles:

-soybeans and veggies are SO renewable

-soy is non-toxic while it burns

-its residue can be washed away with soap and water

-soy wax is BIODEGRADABLE

-and my personal favorite...purchasing soy supports farmers! (not Big Oil) Raise your hand if you live in the Midwest and know a farmer who grows soybeans. See?

So, snuff out those Yankee's and keep your peepers open for a soy alternative! Actually, just trade the Yankee in for their new model, Beanswax.

Dirty Dozen

2008-08-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

In my National Geographic Green Guide magazine, there was a handy little pull-out section with this title that I thought would be beneficial to share. It's a list of 12 ingredients to avoid when selecting any personal care products. If you read through the list a few times, the words should get stuck in your head and hopefully you'll remember them when you're choosing your new shampoo or body lotion.

1. Antibacterials
2. Coal tar colors: FD&C Blue 1, Green 3
3. Diethanolamine (DEA)
4. 1,4-Dioxane
5. Fragrance (containing phthalates)
6. Formaldehyde (diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea and quaternium compounds)
7. Lead and mercury
8. Nanoparticles
9. Parabens (methyl-, propyl-, butyl-, ethyl-, isobutyl-)
10. Petroleum distillates
11. p-Phenylenediamine (PPD)
12. Hydroquinone

some of the ingredients on this list are pretty self explanitory, or just plain sound horrible. Um, petroleum distillates? Does that even SOUND good for you??? Lead, mercury? Common sense. But, some of these ingredients are not even pronouncable so I looked a few of them up to get an overview of why we should avoid them.

*Blue Dye #1, Coal tar colors, and PPD All synthesized from petroleum...Just like crude oil. Yum. Used in rubber chemicals, photo developer, oil, gasoline, dark cosmetics and hair dye. Blue Dye has also been shown to cause behavioral and learning problems in small people.

*DEA A foaming/wettening agent used in things like shampoos and lotions. Considered an "unclassifiable carcinogen" by the WHO and EPA. 'Nuff said.

*Nanoparticles I TRIED to read some journals on this one and they went WHOOSH, over my head. I am NOT a scientist. What I did get from it was that they are really freaking small and get inside of you. Hmmmm. The scientists kept using the word "unpredictable." I like to predict what my conditioner is going to do.

*Parabens/Phthalates They mimic estrogen in the body. Dudes, they will seriously lower your sperm count and make your swimmers weak. Not cool. Chicks, parabens were actually FOUND INSIDE BREAST TUMORS in studies. Just livin' in there.

*Hydroquinone This is found in skin lightening agents, just ask Michael Jackson. It contains mercury and leads to liver/kidney damage.

Now that I've got you all bummed out, here are a few brands of personal care products you could check out. They do pretty well @ avoiding the above ingredients and are pretty easy to find:

Burt's Bees, Kiss My Face, Jason, Aveda, Arbonne, Method, Tom's. Any other suggestions?

A Big Welcome To You!

2008-08-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

We were out and about today, cleaning up Lincoln (one toilet at a time) and we got pictures! As an official welcome to Purely Maid's blog, we are offering $5 off an initial cleaning of your home or business if you mention our blog. Now, $5 is a whole bedroom in our world, thoroughly cleaned from top to bottom with all earth and people friendly cleaning products. It doesn't get much better than this. And if any of you out there have connections with the State Capitol, we'd love to clean it! I wonder how many bathrooms are in the place...

Send us an email @ purelymaid@yahoo.com to set up your free in-home consultation ASAP!

Breaking news in the world of Method and Target

2008-08-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

This is something that we have been waiting for, holding our breath for even! We haven't been this excited since the invention of Clorox Green Works or Lil' Bowl Blu! It's the little tabs that you put in your dishwasher, done Method-style! Neither of us has tried it yet (waiting for the other, more toxic stuff to run out. yuck) and I couldn't find it on Method's website BUT the San Francisco Chronicle says it's better than the toxic stuff (duh) and smells like pink grapefruit.

The toxic stuff that's missing? Phosphates and bleach. At this point in time I know little about phosphates but Martha Stewart just gave me a very brief lesson and it turns out that it gets into our waterways and hurts the fishies and the plants. That's reason enough for me to be phosphate-free! Some states are even working on banning products with phosphates. Folks in Washington State are going to be BIG fans of Smarty Dish by 2010!

So, if you as a reader have road-tested Smarty Dish, leave a comment and let us know what YOU think!

(Other news I learned today on my quick trip to Target...Method's Granite/Marble cleaner is clearanced, they are carrying two types of Clorox GreenWorks dish soap, and the brand Cherokee makes some ADORABLE little tees for boys and girls from organic cotton. Oh, to be a size 5T again...)

Our best friend. Boyfriend. Lifesaver.

2008-08-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

Ok, we admit it. We are having a love triangle with distilled white vinegar. He is just SO hard to resist! He is non-toxic, cheap, comes in many sizes, smells heavenly and can be used for just about anything! And, he's pretty cute in those dark shades. Rest assured, there will be many updates on our useage of vinegar in our quest to clean green.

Here is a sneak peak of things that our friend can be used for:

Killing unwanted weeds or grass, increasing the acidity of your soil (for plants that do well in more acidic homes), freshening and extending the life of cut flowers, cleaning fish bowls, detering ants, cleaning *gasp* animal urine out of carpet, keeping car windows from frosting over, cleaning rust from tools and bolts, polishing car chrome, soothing bee and/or jellyfish stings.

Now, that was just a little teaser! Make sure to check back for more reasons why we sometimes fight over the affections of Vinegar. (I like to call him "Vinnie") If you hurry, big jugs of Vinnie are on sale at HyVee this week!

Purely Maid's First Blog! (We're better at cleaning:)

2008-08-11T14:57:00.000-07:00

Thanks for visiting the blog of Tosha and Allison (that's us!) and Purely Maid. Look for updates here on green cleaning products, helpful cleaning tips, specials, and other eco-friendly ideas. Maybe a little celebrity gossip. We'll see!

2008-08-11T14:48:00.001-07:00

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