The sad truth is the carpets that hold up best to traffic are the ones coated with toxins. And we don’t want those in a place where humans dwell.

If you do have a healthy wool carpet in your home, you can still clean it without harsh chemicals like perchloroethylene – which the EPA has linked to kidney and liver damage. Naphthalene, made from coal tar, is also considered a carcinogen that can harm the central nervous system.

Ask cleaning services if they simply steam to lift dirt or …

Tags: baking soda , blotting , cancer , carpet , chemicals , cleaning , EPA , furniture , naphthalene , natural , natural cleaning methods , perchloroethylene , rugs , shoes , sisal , stains , steam cleaning , upholstery , vacuuming , vinegar , water , wool

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I’m not ashamed to say that I recently searched out a dishwashing liquid as if it were to become my personal signature scent.

It began in September, when I attended the Natural Products Expo East in Boston and was handed a fistful of Biokleen Lemon Tyme dishwashing samples. The smell, in my opinion, is intoxicating, and the product worked well. So when my samples ran out, I jumped online to find out where I could buy more.

Now I’m not going to tell you that using Biokleen turns everyday life …

Tags: clean , cleaners , cleaning , eco , green , home

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To alleviate stress, some people indulge in aromatherapy, others depend on their monthly massage, while you hit up the tennis courts and leave it to the wrath of your racket. Along with a peaceful state of mind, this effective method of release has left you a basket full of old tennis balls that you can’t bring yourself to throw away. Here are some clever ways to take them out of retirement and save them from life in a landfill.

Slice a tennis ball down …

Tags: cleaning , creative reuse , DIY , guide , hack , howto , laundry , scuffs , slugs , tennis ball , wood

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I’m one of those people who quickly tidy up my car before handing it over at the car wash, disposing of the banana peels jammed into paper cups and cookie crumbs taking up residence in the carpet and upholstery. Such treasures are routinely left behind by my daughters who view my Volvo as their waste can on wheels.

It occurred to me this morning that I should create a car compost system with a portable bin to chase those necessary after-school car treats.  Instead of grinding the granola bar remains into my wagon’s cup holders, certain passengers could simply …

Tags: auto , car , cleaning , compost , transportation

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Who says your air filter has to look like hospital equipment and command lots of space in your bedroom? The compact module Blueair AirPod is taking the allergy world by sneeze and storm. Call them the little purifiers that could.

Perhaps it’s the packaging, even more magnetic than those perky patterned paper tissue boxes. Perhaps it’s the idea you can alleviate your allergens at a rate of 45 cubic feet per minute for $100. These adorable systems, sold at A Store Called …

Tags: cleaning , gadgets , germ resistance , home , indoor pollution , personal , remedy

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Steel yourself: we’re going to talk about drains.

It would be ungentlemanly of me to mention the amount of my ex-girlfriend’s long hair that used to jam up the plug of the shower – so I won’t. But there’s all sorts of things drains can clog up with: skin, grime, bacteria…let’s not dwell. Here are a few tips on prevention.

 - Luanne reported on sink strainers a few months ago. Terrifically useful. You have your own, yes? (They’re about $7).

 - Don’t use bleach! There are many planet-friendly alternatives: something …

Tags: cleaning , environment , green , health , kitchen , tip , wellness

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Sure, you’ve switched to greener cleaning products, but how eco-friendly is the storage and folding apparatus in your laundry room? Are you still married to cold chrome and first-use plastic?

Here’s the scoop on several better choices for the oh-so-natural laundry maven.

Roll out the bamboo because it’s a better way to store and hang your laundry. It may be designed for the guest room but the bamboo rack, $130, from The Container Store is a natural in the laundry room.

 
Take …

Tags: bamboo , cleaning , decor , furniture , gadgets , laundry , sustainable

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My editor said, “Emily, slow down with the spiritual/personal development articles!” But it’s hard not to let my mind go there as I just read Eckhardt Tolle’s A New Earth. Between us, I’m just going to indulge a sentence or two.

As we are evolving our consciousness in many ways and turning toward a more eco-conscious way of life, it shows our ability to reconnect with the feminine. By feminine, I mean a more nurturing and caring side of us.

This leads me to the word empowerment I had been thinking …

Tags: cleaning , development , environment , green , health , nature , personal , wellness

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What’s the difference between hand soap and body soap?

My opinion is that there shouldn’t be any. I respect the skin of my hands just as much as that anywhere else on my body (after all, finger-tips are in charge of one of our five senses). But conventional wisdom seems to be that liquid hand soap should be harsher, more aggressive. That doesn’t sound very wise to me.

In Sarah’s words, what we need is a soap that feeds the skin – natural, sustainable, effective but gentle. (Feeding, yes – …

Tags: bathroom , beauty , cleaning , environment , material , natural , sustainable , wellness

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