by Melinda MacNaughton

republished courtesy of GreenMoms Coastside www.GreenMoms.com

Did your grandmother clean with vinegar? If not, I bet your great-grandmother did. Also, how did she clean her tub and sinks? Maybe one generation back, Grandma used Bon Ami or baking soda. But before that? I bet no one cared what the tub and sinks looked like. My mom came over one day and saw that I was drying clothes on a clothesline and said, “Wow, you are really going back to the old ways with this green living!” Yes, that is true. When we try to simplify and green our lives, it does feels like we are going back to the old ways. Is that so bad? Most of the time not, but sometimes it can be time-consuming.

How do I feel like I am going back in time to practice the old ways of living? I don’t use any modern cleaning products in my house. I am trying to learn how to grow most of our own food and support local food sources. I compost almost all of our kitchen scraps. On warm days, I hang my laundry on a clothesline or in the house to dry. I don’t use any chemicals in my yards. We pull or clip weeds by hand.  I use old towels and rags to wipe up kitchen spills or kitchen counters instead of paper towels. I am starting to use handmade handkerchiefs to blow my nose. And, grossest of all — almost like an outhouse, I let it mellow when it’s yellow. Come on, people! I am not the only one here doing that, right? Don’t forget, we are in a drought in California.

Yes, some of these green tactics are time-consuming. It takes organizational patience to figure out how to disperse your vinegar containers in the house and where to place your clean and dirty kitchen towels. You have to make time to hang up wet laundry. There is a time and energy commitment in learning how to get compost going well and how to contain kitchen scraps in your house. But, when you make a commitment   to yourself to live green, it becomes   a way of life and not a burden. Once you have greener processes in place in your house, it becomes just like any other daily or weekly routine. And, it feels really good to be making a difference in your own home!

There is much to be said for going back to the old ways. People used far fewer resources and many fewer chemicals 100 years ago. The environment was not being as devastated by household energy and chemical use as it is today. So,  if you are having trouble getting these green processes going  in your house, don’t give up and seek out support  from other GreenMoms. Maybe check out some of our easy cleaning recipes on the Cleaning Resources page. Once begun, you’re almost done!

Pet Urine Cleaner by Melinda MacNaughton

How to get rid of cat pee smell:

Wipe clean or wash the area or fabric with soap and water, then spray with hydrogen peroxide and let sit for an hour or so. 

For washed fabric, apply directly to the affected area, then let sit for 20 min to 1⁄2 hour. If concerned about fading of fabric, soak it in warm water, soap, 

1 tablespoon baking soda, and 

1  tablespoon hydrogen peroxide.  Let soak for 1⁄2 hour or so. 

For carpet, use Bac-Out as directed.