Seventh Generation Review

Recently I was the very lucky winner of the Seventh Generation giveaway over at Mad Boastings of a Cheapskate Mom. The prize was a complete starter kit featuring a fantastic selection of Seventh Generation products, and I've now had the chance to try them all. Here are some thoughts on each of the different cleaners:

Natural Paper Towels - These arrived just in time! We were down to our last roll of paper towels from the Jumbotron-sized package we'd bought from Costco in 2002. :-) The towels are thinner than the ones we normally purchase, but when I used them to clean the kitchen counters, they held up perfectly. I've seen these in some supermarkets, but have never really looked at their prices, so I'm not sure if I will buy them once I finish these two rolls.

Ruby Grapefruit & Herb Natural Glass & Surface Cleaner - I had to work with this one a bit more than I might normally have to when using Windex (Mr. Bean splashes as much water on the mirror as his face when he's washing up, so there's always smudges). However, I was grateful that it didn't make my nose itch like Windex always does.

Green Mandarin & Leaf Natural All-Purpose Cleaner - This one might just be enough to handle most of my day-to-day cleaning. I used it to clean the sink, wipe down counters, and pick up a small spill off the kitchen floor.

Green Mandarin & Leaf Shower Cleaner - I haven't used this very much as we just have a bathtub, but it smells good and I plan to alternate it with the Tub & Tile Cleaner.

Emerald Cypress & Fir Tub & Tile Cleaner -I was amazed at how powerful this stuff was. The smell was very subtle, and yet the formula managed to pick up all of that icky soap scum left over from my bubble bath.

Wild Orange & Cedar Spice Kitchen Cleaner - This one smells fantastic! It makes cleaning up after meal preparation super easy.

Summary: Although I am having a hard time finding a place to store all of these cleaners, my house is clean and smells fantastic. No more "chemical clean" smells. Seventh Generation is available at a number of chain supermarkets, including Whole Foods. For a store locator, visit Seventh Generation here. Special thanks to Seventh Generation and Cheapskate Mom!

5 Etsy items to help with Spring Cleaning

I can hardly believe that it's almost March. Where has the time gone? Are you planning to do some spring cleaning soon? I'd like to say I plan on it, but so far I don't. I like it when our apartment is really clean, but it's the actual cleaning part of that scenario that always scares me off. What better way to kick off Spring Cleaning than with a few treasures I found on Etsy?

Clean In-Style Gloves - trimmed with Floral Carnival and Light Blue Oilcloth (by Etsy seller Julie Meyer), $12.50. Although this is my favorite pattern, she also carries this products in a variety of other designs and styles.

Very Concentrated Room Spray (by Etsy seller Red Leaf), $14. Available in nine scents. There are lots of room sprays on Etsy, but this store's packaging really looks sharp to me.

Carpet Freshener (by Etsy seller Craft Scentiments), $5. Choose from more than 25 scents. My favorite is the Lemon Bundt cake - YUM!

Ecofriendly Dry Dusting Floor Mop Head - Fits Regular Swiffer Sweeper (by Etsy seller Picket Basket Crafts), $9. A great way to go green while supporting an Etsy artist!

All-Purpose Cleaner (by Etsy seller la petite vie), $6. Not a lot of info about what the scent smells like, but I love her packaging!

Now you're armed with the tools to clean, clean, clean? Need a little push? Try Real Simple's Spring Cleaning Checklist.

3 Cool (and Green) Alternatives to Your Laundry Detergent

It's really sad when you suddenly realize just how many dirty pieces of laundry you can create in under a week. I'd never really noticed it before Mr. Bean and I moved to an apartment that has a community laundry room rather than washers and dryers in each unit. Previously I could get away with washing a small load here, a small load there, and fluffing a stale smelling winter coat...all at no charge to me aside from electricity. No massive laundry day that I dreaded and procrastinated against for days and days. With the coin operated machines downstairs, these same loads can cost $3 or even $4 depending on how much I need them to be dry!

The good news, however, is that I've come across a few laundry acoutrements that make the whole task a little, shall we say, dull. No, I have not yet found a detergent that will do your laundry for you, but I have found a few products that are a bit unique and even interactive:

SoapNuts, which appear to resemble prunes (or cat poo!), are actually the fruit of a tree found primarily in India, Indonesia, and Nepal. They are 100% natural and are organically grown and processed. The outer shell of the soapnut contains saponin, a natural substance which company Laundry Tree claims is known for its ability to cleanse and wash. Accordingy to the website, SoapNuts “are incredibly gentle on clothes AND skin. They are especially great for those with sensitive skin — including babies and those that suffer from allergies, eczema, and psoriasis! They’re totally biodegradeable, so they’re better for the environment than regular detergent, and they’re antimicrobial, so they’re even good for septic and greywater systems!” Samples are available for $1.99.

Dropps are detergent packets made with a casing that dissolves in water (similar to Listerine Breath Strips). Toss 2-3 into your laundry load and you’re set. They are not tested on animals, won’t irritate your (or your baby’s) skin, and do not contain anything bad for the environment. Out of the three detergents this post covers, Dropps is the only one that I have actually samples so far. It seems to get my clothes as clean as All Free & Clear does, but the lack of smell (I bought unscented, it does come in a Fresh scent) made me wonder if my clothes were actually getting sudsed up enough. You can buy Dropps online or at your local Target or WalMart (I bought mine at a local WalMart for a dollar or two cheaper than what the Dropps website charges and saved on shipping, too) for about $5/bag.

Crunchy Clean is named after people who are “crunchy,” or who decide to “go green.” Made by a fellow Etsy seller, Crunchy Clean is a homemade laundry detergent that contains all natural ingredients, is phosphate-free and non-toxic, and planet friendly. It also claims to be safe for sensitive skin and babies. The cool thing? You can get this detergent in unscented or in your choice of over 50 fragrance oils and essential oils! I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited to wash clothes before seeing Crunchy Clean’s available fragrance list! Samples for $3.50.

Have you tried any of these, or are you planning to do so soon? Leave a comment and let me and everyone else know!