As my Sicilian grandfather used to say, you get more flies with honeythan with vinegar, right? -Andrew Cuomo

This post is yet another educational tool meant to aid you in a greater, greener life.
Below is a link to a page with several uses of apple cider vinegar. Using apple cider vinegar as a health improving agent has proved flawless in my life. I have used it as a booster for my lowered immune system, kidney stones, u.t.i., and now... Strep throat and laryngitis. It has never failed me! Please take the time to check out this page and educate yourself on natural remedies! Take control over the chemicals entering your body. Thanks!

Mindbodygreen - uses for apple cider vinegar

Happy Cyber Monday!

Thank you to everyone who purchased a gift certificate! Cyber Monday was a fantastic success!

Give yourself permission to get the most out of life. If you spend all your time scrubbing corners with a toothbrush, you're kind of missing the point. Taking shortcuts doesn't meant shortcutting the end result. - Sandra Lee

I had a friend burn quinoa right into her metal drip pans on her stove. She made the always fatal mistake of trying to cool and clean simultaneously. Thanksgiving is not only a time to eat merry and be thankful for all that we have. It's also a time to cook what we can and clean a gigantic mess afterwards. So here's my best holiday dish cleaning tip...


Bar keepers friend is a non-abrasive, inexpensive, eco friendly alternative to your usually chemically charged cleaning powder. It will shine your stainless steel stove top, is perfect for scrubbing those fine china dishes, and is tough enough to take that quinoa right off of my friends drip pans.

You can find bar keepers friend at Lowe's for about 3 bucks a pop. Totally worth it!

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For the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green treeis far more glorious than if it were made with gold or silver. - MartinLuther

Today was a wonderful day! I inherited tons of family heirlooms from silver to crystal, artwork, pottery and so much more... I mean it was like Christmas!

However, I have never owned a piece of silver and the ones I received are up to 100 years old. They're badly tarnished and in need some tlc. So I did as many before me have done and googled "silver polish all natural" and what I found was amazing! I read to use tooth paste, smear it on, then buff it off with a soft cloth. I never could have dreamed that my daughters bubble gum toothpaste would have made the silver SO beautiful. I've attached a picture of my test area, and as you can see, the tooth paste passed with flying shine!

So if you have some family headed your way for the holidays and your in a pinch with time and money, simply remember tooth paste.

Thank you for reading my blog! Please "like" me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/carlacleansgreen

Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days. -Benjamin Franklin

Morgan asks... "Dear Carla cleans green.... How do I make my own linen spray? A spray which is friendly to not just my dog but my environment?"

Morgan, fret not! I have a solution that can save the day! Pick your favorite non-toxic, bleach and dye free, eco-friendly liquid laundry detergent (I use the "fresh air" scent that method carries) and add a few splashes to water in a reusable spray bottle. Voila!

This is infinitely cheaper than buying fabreeze, and is also better for you and your furry best friend. You can use it on linens, carpets, couches, clothes, curtains, etc! As always make sure you test a spot before going spray-happy, I've never had a problem with it at all, but better safe than sorry.

Hope that helps!

You're gorgeous, you old hag, and if I could give you just one gift ever for the rest of your life it would be this. Confidence. It would be the gift of confidence. Either that or a scented candle. ― David Nicholls, One Day

Not quite sure a Carla Cleans Green gift certificate is right for your loved one? That's okay! You can still show the one you love that green cleaning matters by buying them something for their home. I've compiled a short list of gifts I love for the holidays.

First, the Method new home kit. I LOVE it. It contains a variety of scents so you can fall in love with all of them. It has something for laundry, baseboards and floors, hands, dishes, counters, cabinets. I mean EVERYTHING, all for around 30 dollars. You can find it here.

What about the college kid on your list? I think paper towels, toilet paper, and some trash bags are going to mean as much to them as that tacky sweater you saw window shopping. Reasonably priced, these items are made from 100%  recycled paper. You can find those items here.

Think vacuums suck? I absolutely love this broom. It's bristles are made from recycled plastic! The over-sized, red, wooden handle makes it super-cute and more ergonomic than a regular broom. It rings in at about 22 dollars. You can find it here.

Buying for a newborn baby can be hard. I know because I have one. Why not give the gift of  fresh, clean laundry? Caldrea makes a great line of baby-friendly laundry cleaners that comes in a gentle "sweet pea" scent. If that isn't right for your little one, try the room spray. Mom will thank you. Those items are here.

Last, but not least, my secret weapon. The Caldrea line of sea salt neroli cleaners. My all-time favorite scent, it is in between a light and musky scent, but stays fresh and smells CLEAN. I suggest starting with the 12 dollar bottle of all-purpose cleaner and prepare to fall in love. You can find it here.

Have a green cleaning question or a product to add to my list? You can comment here, email carlareigh@gmail.com or like me on Facebook here.

So, are we like best friends now that you've seen what's in my freezer? -Ralphie May

I LOVE learning new tips and tricks about cleaning! Anything that can make my life easier, I need to know about it.

Having two kids 6 years apart is a lot easier than I thought it would be. My 6 year old daughter loves to share her stuffed animals with my 2 months old son... With that comes germs. So I needed to come up with a way to kill the germs without compromising Teddy's softness. (This tips works especially well with toys that can't be washed because of sound boxes, battery compartments, etc.)

You should probably wait til your little one is asleep or at school for this... Ill never forget the look on my child's face when I washed her baby dolls in the washing machine. She was terrified.

It's pretty simple. You'll need to captivate Teddy in a gallon size zip lock bag. Then just toss him into your freezer for about 5 hours (and hope that your child doesn't notice his temporary disappearance). This cleaning method is to kill dust mites and bacteria. You will need to clean any debris like dirt or hair yourself. For that, I recommend baby shampoo. The less water you have to use the better for Teddy. Baby shampoo can be left on without causing any harm to your little ones.

As always please feel free to ask me any questions on how you can be green while you clean. Don't forget to like my page on Facebook! Www.facebook.com/carlacleansgreen

Men who consistently leave the toilet seat up secretly want women to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and fall in. -Rita Rudner

My biggest pet peeve is a dirty bathroom! My poor husband hears my complaints daily. (You'd think after two years of being together he would have figured out that a clean bathroom makes a happy wife...) I mean, how hard is it to close the lid!? Did you know that toilet water can splash up to 10 inches around the toilet? I hope your toothbrush is covered or far, far away from that. With that in mind, I've compiled a list of ways you can keep it clean while being green.

My favorite non-abrasive cleaners are Borax (known mostly for its superb laundry cleaning ability), Bon Ami and baking soda. From toilets to sinks to tubs, these fantastic chemical-free cleaners can shine your porcelain, painted tubs, and fixtures without tainting any water. Just pour on and scrub!

For mildew, I love Dawn soap, white vinegar, and water. I usually mix in a 1:3 ratio. Just spray on, leave it for about 5 minutes, and wipe away with a cloth or scrub those hard to clean corners. Remember to rinse as the Dawn can cause you to slip-n-slide. This mixture is also amazing on glass shower doors and walls.

Have a clogged drain? Do you know what is in the store bought products would you drink it? Didn't think so. To help keep our drinking water clean, try using baking soda with white vinegar. Remember the volcano you made in grade school? That's what you'll be doing! Pour the baking soda down the drain, use as much as you need. Add the vinegar and watch your tub or sink erupt! After all the excitement settles, run the hottest water possible for a few minutes until you feel that the drain is unclogged. You may need to repeat this process if the drain is especially clogged. You can also try using a snake to unclog.

On counters, cabinets, and the outer toilet, white vinegar and water in a 1:2 ratio. Not a fan of the smell of vinegar? That's okay! Method, Caldrea, Mrs. Myers all make all-purpose cleaners. Unless it says it disinfects, you'll need to add a touch of vinegar.

For mirrors, I swear by Dawn and water. I fill up an empty spray bottle with water and add just a few drops of Dawn. Spray on and shine off.

Finally, lets talk about floors. I know you love your swifter wet jet, but do you realize the health problems it can cause your pets? They walk on those floors, probably have food bowls on those floors, and sleep on them. Not just pets, but children and adults alike. I started noticing that when I used it, my cat would ALWAYS get sick after eating. I finally researched the wet jet product and found that many other users were experiencing the same problem. So I switched to Murphy's oil soap and Methods wood soap. Both of these products can be used on various floor types, just remember to add a touch of vinegar to disinfect.

I hope this has answered any questions you had about the products I use or how you can green clean a bathroom yourself.

Why pamper life's complexities, when the leather runs smooth on the passenger seat? - The Smiths

This morning I received a text message from a friend and client asking me how to clean his leather headboard on his king size bed. I normally would not use anything on leather, but his question got me thinking. After lots and lots of experimentation at home, I have found (and many other bloggers agree) on two home made cleaners. First, know what you're cleaning. On dark leather, I have found that a 50:50 ratio of white vinegar and linseed oil works best. For a lighter leather, try using the same ratio but using white vinegar with olive oil. Remember to ALWAYS test a small, discreet area before using all over. With leather especially, spray onto a microfiber cloth and buff into the leather, then wipe away with a clean microfiber cloth.

So why not just go out and buy "leather cleaner?" You've spent a few dollars on fantastic furniture... why would you rub harsh chemicals all over it? Besides, after spending all that money, wouldn't it be nice to save a few dollars? You probably already have the ingredients for a healthy, glowing, clean leather in your pantry. Nothing is better than FREE!

Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have concerning green cleaning. I am also on Facebook here.