Streak Free Glass Cleaning Cloths

Streak Free cloths Streak Free micro-fiber cleaning cloths
$3.75 each , 2 for $7.00, 4 for $12.00 -yes, some folks need that many!

This is the only product I've ever found that will clean the dog slobbers off my interior car windows WITHOUT using any other cleaning products. My mother-in-law brought some back from Florida last winter. They are micro fiber cloths, so they are synthetic, but they aren't treated with anything. They need nothing but warm water to do their job. . . and do it phenomenally well. I tested mine on our kitchen windows late one night last winter. We had a lovely mix of kitchen dirt and dog nose prints on our windows and door. Since it was night time, I really couldn't tell if it was working or not. The next morning my husband and I were both impressed with the non-streaky results, and it was decidedly brighter in the kitchen! I sold a lot of these cloths in the shop last summer and I had a lot of repeat customers. They'll last for 3 years if you don't bleach them. Everyone I know who has tried them has been really happy with them. Jeweler friends used them on their glass cases. Neat freaks use them on their windows. I'm sure you will like them too.

Spring Cleaning with a green and herbal spin.

When I had the shop, two of my favorite rubber stamps were, "It's been lovely but I have to scream now," and "My idea of cleaning is sweeping the room with a glance".

Your local health food store will most likely carry a wall of "green cleaning supplies". I really like Life Tree products. Have to use paper towels? Marcal brand uses mostly recycled paper.

That being said, I am also a fan of doing it myself. I am not a "clean freak", having many creative pursuits and a very tolerant troll for a mate. When I do clean I keep my supplies as simple and natural as possible. In fact, I make a lot of my own cleaning supplies from simple grocery store and healthfood store ingredients.

My Staples are Borax, Baking Soda, and White or Distilled Vinegar.

Borax is Sodium tetracarborate decahydrate, a very alkaline and soft natural salt. It is gentle to most surfaces, but will dry out your hands - so wear gloves. Baking Soda is Sodium Bicarbonate, a very alkaline and gentley 'scratchy natural salt that will also dry out your hands. White or distilled vinegar is made from grain and is highly acidic...so again, wear gloves to protect your hands.

Use Borax in the following ways;

Add 1/2 cup to your laundry water as a water softener and detergent booster - you may use less detergent.
Neutralize fresh pet stains by wiping up the worst of it, and sprinkling Borax onto the area, allow it to dry, then vaccuum up the remaining powder.
Mattress and mattress cover stains can be handled in the same manner.
Clean your kitchen fan grill by soaking it in a shallow baking pan of hot water and 1/4 cup of dissolved borax.
Soak out coffee and chocolate stains with a mix of 2 TBSP Borax in 2 cups watm water.
A little Borax in the final rinse of hand washed satin items will help restore their gloss.
Use borax and hot water to clean out trash cans, then sprinkle some in the bottoms of the cans to continue absorbing odors.

Use baking Soda in the following ways;

Place an open box in your refrigerator for 3 months. After three months, you can still use it to clean drains ( 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain followed by 1 cup of white venegar....when fizzing stops, follow with a hot water rinse)
Sprinkle Baking Soda in the bottom of a cleaned dried cat litter box before adding the fresh litter to safely neutralize odors and extend the life of the cat litter.
Sprinkle baking Soda onto your cutting board, rub all over it's surface, then rinse with white vinegar to cleanse cracks and crevices. Follow with a hot soap and water wah.
Baking Soda on a dampened sponge can remove crayon marks from painted walls.
Baking Soda and water paste will clean sterling silver jewelry.
Put a 1/4 cup of Baking Soda in your empty car ashtray to help neutralize odors.

Use White vinegar in this way;

1 TBSP vinegar in 1 quart of water will clean windows, mirrors, and eye glasses.
Add 1 capful of vinegar to dishwasher soap to enhance it's "degreasing" capacities.
Hot vinegar will remove paint from glass.
Equal parts vinegar and hot water can be used as a soak to remove wallpaper.
Full strength vinegar or 50/50 with water, will remove mildew from surfaces.
Use vinegar full strength to clean automatic coffee maker once a month.

Sue-Ryn's Standard Cleaner - safe for most surfaces

        Equal parts by volume Borax and baking soda mixed in a recycled glass jar. Shake well. Add a few drops of Essential Oil if you need scent (though you will be washing it down the drain eventually!)) and shake some more. Lemon, Citronella, Orange, Tea tree and lavender are some of the usual choices. I prefer the scents of the woods. You can definitely tailor the scent of your home made cleaning products to the rooms you are cleaning by making small batches.
        I use this to clean fiber glass showers, "marble"sinks, our old porcelain tub and sink, and various counters. I've also used it to clean the linoleum floor. We have very hard water with a high iron content and get lime scale in our toilet. I have added 1/2 to 1 cupfull of this mixture to a freshly flushed toilet, swished it around to dissolve, and then let it sit over night. In the morning a quick swish and scrub usually washes away the lime and dirt.

A few other green cleaning tips;

    To make vacuuming a more pleasant chore, add a couple of drops of essential oils to a cotton ball or clean tampon and place the ball near the fan in your vacuum cleaner's cannister. Wonderful fragrance will be blasted through the house as you work....instead of that funky carpet odor.
        You can also place scented cotton balls in registers and other sources of moving air to waft pleasant scents through your home. You can put them near the blower in your car to do the same thing.
        Grind equal parts Herbal Potpourri (not the perfumey kind) and Baking Soda in your blender and let stand for a few days. Sprinkle on rugs and allow to sit for several hours. vacuum up the dregs and you will have much nicer smelling carpets.
        If you need fresh air in a hurry, simmer 2 TBSP of whole cloves in a 12 oz. of water in a non-aluminum pot for a few minutes. You can store the resulting tea in a labeled recycled glass jar for reuse in a couple of weeks. You can also use Cinnamon sticks, but Cloves seem to have a more neutralizing effect on stale air.
        You can also make your own "room spray" by adding 15-30 drops of Essential oils to non-chlorinated water in a 2-4 oz. spray bottle (I prefer glass bottles). Shake and spray to freshen the air, scent linens and pillows, or create a mood.
        I prefer the mood lightening and brain stimulating scents of Petitgrain, Patchouli, and Siberian Fir. Sunny citrus oils are uplifting and Geranium, Bergamot, and Grapefruit can be gently balancing for more stressful areas.
        Always use caution when spraying fragile fabrics, finished surfaces, and other living beings. And remember to be mindful of those who share your space. A fragrance that delights your senses may be "aromatorture" to another.

I hope these ideas help you get started on your own spring cleaning until it's time to open the windows and let all the fresh spring air in.