I’ve decided my house should be a test house for cleaning manufacturers to try out new products on (all natural of course:)…because if it can clean the sticky, grimmy mess my three boys leave behind, it can clean any house.
Two nights ago my little monkeys…I mean boys were eating dinner. I ran up stairs for a second (because I was crazy enough to think I could actually go to the bathroom alone for once) and within about 30 second blood curdling screams were coming from the kitchen. I ran down to see who was hurt and it turns out they were actually screams of joy. The boys were having their first organized food fight. It’s not unusual for one of them to lob something they don’t want to eat on the floor. But this was the single biggest food mess my kids have ever made. While it probably would have been better for me to take a picture and laugh it off (as my husband who was not there to clean it up did)…I was FURIOUS! It had already been one of THOSE days and I was not amused! I went around and scolded each of them while muttering about the fact that C.J. has so conveniently missed out on the messy event.
As the dog was helping me clean the melted plasticky vegan cheese and garbanzo been bread off of the floor (maybe that is why they decided to throw it instead of eat it:)) I wondered how many germs he was leaving behind with each lick of his tongue. Now a good mother would have put the dog out and cleaned the mess up to perfection, but it was the end of a long hard day and I appreciated the help:) Anywho, The commercial for the Seventh generation cleaning products popped into my head. There is a part where they talk about the “five second rule” as a mother bends down to pick up her baby’s pacifier off of her very clean and oh so “green” floor. I wondered if her dog had helped lick up any spills or messes that day…probably not:)
I have done a little research and I have some suggestions for natural cleaners:
*Basic H: Went to their website and liked what I saw…it looks like Oprah gave it away as one of her “Favorite Things”. That’s great, but it’s hard for me to imagine Oprah on her hands and knees scrubbing cheese and dog siliva off of her floor. I think I will order a bottle though. It looks like it is soy free and it is gluten free too which is huge for anyone with kids on the autism spectrum.
* I bought the seventh generation all purpose cleaner last night. It smell good, it’s all natural and it cleaned up the honey Sawyer smeared all over the kitchen counter this morning.
Honestly I think a lot of the natural cleaners out now would be good choices…but they are also more expensive than bottles of ammonia and bleach. Sooo, being the budget Nazi that I am… I just spent like $8 and bought a book on do it yourself natural cleaners from amazon.com. I just read an excerpt on what you can do with lemons and I was sold!! I’ll let you know how it goes!
* 66 All-Natural Cleaning Solutions – AOL Home.
You may be asking why in the heck a natural cleaning product is any better than the heavy duty chemicals….I don’t really know that they are, but I do know that I am looking to simplify life. That means buying things with fewer ingredients, and not purposefully bringing harsh chemicals into my house and in contact with my oh so crazy enough children. There are so many chemicals and things I can’t pronouce in EVERYTHING from food to soap, to make-up and cleaners…I just want to see what life is like without them. And if our house can be peaceful and zen like it is in the stinking commercials…Ok that’s a stretch but maybe we will at least be a little less crazy:)
I am always looking for great organizational tips, healthy recipes and natural beauty treatments!!! So keep em coming:) While I never know what I am going to write about….planning ahead would take way to much organization for this girl…I will keep it in the areas of cleaning/organization, laundry, meals, and ahhhhh me/you time:):)

