Green Cleaning

I stumbled on a book that I thought would finally give me concise instructions on the cleaning philosophy that I more or less have (unsuccessfully) tried to live by for the last few years. Green Clean (with its water and stain resistant recycled plastic pages) comes close. Time will tell if the suggestions in the book will live up to my expectations. So far, despite my complaints, I'm impressed.

First the pros: incredibly useful recipes for dozens of cleaners, from dish soap to bathroom de-scummer to brass cleaner. Most of the ingredients are easy to come by and mix and have an indefinite shelf life. Many of them use one or a combination of only a few fundamental things: club soda, white vinegar, borax, baking soda, and castile soap. I still haven't found castile soap and had to hunt a little for the borax (I expected it to be at Home Depot, but I found it at a Whole Foods) but everything seems incredibly versatile. The book also recommended Bon Ami for mild abrasion (so whoever suggested that as a solution for my sink should get a prize). So with this growing arsenal, I am ready:

In addition, there's a very thorough stain guide that lists natural ways to remove stains from clothing. Stains are listed alphabetically from Adhesive Tape Residue to Vomit. The authors discuss using acids and alkalines to counteract each other and goes step by step on every kind of nastiness imaginable. I haven't actually tried any treatments yet, but I like having this as a reference next time I spill something.

Now the bad things. My biggest complaint is the essentially useless index. Though the book is laid out well, it would be nice to have an index to turn to when I need to find something. I've searched for things twice now and haven't found what I needed until I started flipping page by page. Next, the authors include a section on plants that actually remove (absorb) harmful chemicals from the air, basically acting as purifiers. However, at least according to this site, all but one of them are toxic to pets (and the other one, spider plants, isn't toxic but does make your cat very high--as we learned from experience--and so will be eaten in a flash if its accessible). The pet section in general was weak, so I guess this is just not a very pet-friendly book. Finally, the book gets a little preachy and repetitive on clean living and eliminating hazardous chemical cleaners from your life, which seems a bit like preaching to the choir. I bought the book, obviously I want to clean green, so just shut up about it already and tell me what I need to do.

That said, I really hope I can use the ideas published in Green Clean to help me keep my house clean without at least what the book claims are the most toxic cleaning supplies: bleach, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and chlorine-based bathroom cleaners. At the very least, my clothes will thank me--I am sick of getting a tiny splatter of Ajax or Tilex on my shirt only to be left with an ugly bleach spot.

I will pass on any of the tips in the book that I find especially useful and hope that you'll leave me some comments with your favorite "green cleaning" techniques too.