Most of us know baking soda as an important ingredient to add to our “from scratch” recipes for cakes and cookies, but there is a secret life of baking soda that’s just as important. Last year, my mom gave me a book all about the wonders of baking soda and I was amazed to find so many uses for such an ordinary (and cheap) food item. With most of us trying to stretch our dollar a little further and finding alternatives to buying expensive products, the wealth of information within this book is well worth the money.

Starting with the history of baking soda, the book has everything from baking recipes to homemade cleaner recipes to use throughout the entire house. This book is full of ideas that you have probably never imagined could come from such an ordinary powder. I have nearly eliminated all store-bought cleaners from my home and have replaced them with unbelievably cheap and undeniably chemical-free alternatives that I can whip up in my kitchen thanks to this little book. This is truly a win-win situation for me!

Pop Quiz: Did you know that baking soda will put out a kitchen fire? Even better, your food will probably still be salvageable if it comes in contact with what you’ve got cooking!

Here are just a few of the uses for baking soda given in the book:

• Scouring Powder
• Drain Cleaner
• Automatic Dishwasher Powder
• Window Cleaner
• Wood Cleaner
• Carpet Cleaner
• Laundry Booster
• Hair Clarifying Product
• Bath Product
• Deodorant
• Contact Lens Solution
• Breath Freshener
• Antacid
• Bee Sting/Bug Bite Relief
• Burn Relief
• Cradle Cap Remedy
• Diaper Rash Neutralizer
• Arts & Crafts Ideas
• Animal Clean-Up
• Garden Uses

You’ll have to buy the book to get all of the details on how to make use baking soda in these various ways, but let me just tell you that there are many more ideas that could make your life easier, less expensive and more friendly to our environment just waiting to be used here. If you haven’t already discovered the wonders of baking soda for yourself, there’s no better time to make the switch to a non-toxic and affordable way of life with this informational book.

Word is Eminem, rapper with a rather (read: very) dirty mouth is a huge fan of Dr. Bronner’s Organic Soap.  Apparently he can’t believe that he can brush his teeth with the very same soap he uses to wash his body with.  Dr. Bronner’s has a huge cult following and it’s no secret why.  The versatile and totally affordable soap has at least 18 different uses and I personally have used it as a body soap, hand soap, laundry soap, dog washing soap and dish soap (I’ve tried brushing my teeth with it, but no thank you).  It’s so very concentrated that a bottle lasts a very long time and everyone from hippies to celebrity makeup artists (i.e. Bobbi Brown) are fans.  (Read that Drew Barrymore and Sandra Bullock are too).  It may be hard to pinpoint exactly what draws people to it ~ it’s versatality, affordability or the crazy ramblings on the side of the bottle.  I tend to think it’s all of the above. 

Dr. Bronner’s Pure Magic All~One Soap has been around for a whopping 60 years!  They fight hard for organic personal care standards and are committed to supporting fair trade initiatives.  The majority of their products are USDA and/or Fair Trade certified.  This is what Dr. Bronner’s says when curious consumers ask a question I hear (and I’m asked) all the time:

What is “Organic” and why is it so great?

The term “organic” refers to both sustainable farming practices and to products ecologically made from materials produced on certified organic farms. According to federal standards, such products have to be at least 70% organic by non-water, non-salt weight. Organic products not only support sustainable farming, but also farm worker health and ecological processing methods.

Unfortunately, the hollow market-driven needs of some “natural” body care companies are making a mockery of organic principles. Underneath fluffy, feel-good “organic” floral waters and infusions, many “organic” body care products are really just composed of the same synthetic cleansers, conditioners and preservatives found in mainstream products, often in part or wholly derived from petroleum. Culprit companies are inflating organic content by counting ordinary distilled water in “floral water” as organic, a practice which is not allowed under the National Organic Program.

Did you know many conventional fabric softeners coat clothes in softening agents made from animal fat?  I didn’t either but I stopped using conventional fabric detergents long ago due to the overwhelming synthetic fabric that trails whoever wear clothes washed with it.  Seventh Generation uses a plant-derived softening agent instead and this softener is scented with only 100% whole essential oils and botanical extracts - no knock-your-socks-off perfume cloud here.  I also truly appreciate that Seventh Generation has adapted a full-disclosure ingredient policy so that you can see for yourself what is in their products, which is much more than can be said for most laundry products. 

I’m using Seventh Generation Blue Eucalyptus + Lavender Fabric Softener for all my laundry right now and I really like it.  It’s my first time using it and I like the results - clothes come out smelling fresh, not perfumed, and they feel soft.  The other good news is that it’s really affordable - I didn’t buy my bottle on sale, but I just found it here for $3.95.  One bottle should get you through 40 loads if your using a conventional dryer and longer if you have a high efficient version.  This product is also formulated to work well with cold water so you can save money by saving energy! 

The bottle itself is made of at least 25% post-consumer recycled plastic and the contents does not include any animal ingredients and is not tested on animals, as noted by the Leaping Bunny seal. 

I purchased the Frigidaire FTF2140 Washing Machine about a month ago and I really like it.  I was in need of a new washer and dryer and decided to buy stackables that would fit in the perfect alcove in my kitchen.  The following factors helped me decide to purchase this model:  

 1). Stackable: But not attached so if, in the future, I decide to put them in an actual laundry room, they can be placed side-by-side.   

2). Front-loading: I like the way it looks and if I decide to unstack them in the future, I could also place them underneath a countertop. 

3). Capacity: Holds 1.5 times more than the standard washing machine.

4). Energy Efficient: This model uses 70% less water and energy than standard models.   During the spin cycle the wash barrel spins up to 900 rpm instead of the standard 700 rpm, which means that my clothes are substantially more dry than when I used my old dryer.  About 15 minutes are shaved off dry time meaning saving on power and time! 

5). Less Detergent: This Energy Star washer uses 1/3 the amount of standard top-loading machines meaning spending less on laundry detergent. 

I really love the washer and very happy with my purchase, but the one downside is that after each load water gets trapped in the detergent/softener/bleach drawer (specifically in the softener/bleach compartments) and stays there until I pull the entire drawer out and empty it into the sink.  I’d rather not have to do this one extra step, but the pros definitely outweigh this one con. 

Hain Celestial Group, Inc., one of the largest organic and natural manufacturers in the U.S. (brands such as Celestial Seasonings®, Terra®, Garden of Eatin’®, Health Valley®, WestSoy®, Earth’s Best®, Arrowhead Mills® and more) has announced a licence agreement with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.  This new partnership promises to launch a brand new Martha Stewart-branded line of natural home cleaning solutions which is said to be mostly derived of plants and minerals.  Their top competitors include fast-growing brands like Seventh Generation and the Clorox Green Works.

According to the domestic maven herself ”The products will be sensibly and attractively packaged with useful homekeeping tips and instructions to ensure that consumers can clean their home safely and effectively, without harming family members or pets.” 

According to Nutrition Business Journal, research shows that U.S. sales of natural & organic household cleaners jumped 35% to $737 million in 2008, adding $191 million in new sales over 2007.

Expect to see these products on shelves in September of this year. 

Imagine for a moment that laundry detergents were required to start listing all of their ingredients on the container they came in. I’m not talking about the classic “enzymes” or “stain penetrants” either, I’m talking about each and every ingredient name used to concoct the product. I’m sure if they did, it would require a background in chemistry to decipher each ingredient, but at least we, the consumers, would be informed. I have personally become much more aware of what’s in (or not in) my laundry detergent since I cut out most chemicals in my personal products and cleaning products. A funny thing happens to the body when it is not inundated by synthetic fragrances all day - it starts to react unfavorably to things it built up an immunity to before. So, as soon as I wasn’t living every day surrounded by chemicals, the less I could tolerate even a walk through the detergent aisle at the grocery store. I used to love it because it smelled like “clean” to me, now it smells like “instant headache.”

Luckily, I have found some alternatives to my beloved, chemical-laden, blue liquid detergent that get the job of cleaning and softening done (without the unfavorable side effects.)  I have had a chance to try Maggies Soap Nuts on my laundry, and I must say, I am impressed. I love the fact that this laundry soap is grown on trees, you can’t get more natural than that! Soap Nuts are actually dried berries from the Chinese Soapberry tree and they have been used to clean clothes for thousands of years. They naturally soften clothes, so no fabric softener is necessary - which means even less exposure to synthetic fragrance. They are 100% biodegradable and great for HE washers since they are low-sudsing naturally - which means less water wasted and no negative impact on our water ways and animals. It also naturally brightens clothes, is great for silk and wool, and completely safe for use on baby clothes - so you don’t need to switch back and forth with different detergents depending on what’s in a specific load. You can wash about 50 loads of laundry with one box of Maggies Soap Nuts and then you simply throw the nuts away or put them into the compost pile. Now you don’t have to wonder what’s cleaning your clothes and where it’s going once it’s done. It’s guilt and headache free laundry, and who wouldn’t love that?