Showing posts with label eco-friendly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eco-friendly. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Norwex - why didn't I think of this??











I was reading some of my many favorite cleaning/organizing/decluttering blogs a few weeks ago, looking for some recipes for homemade glass cleaner that wouldn't leave streaks of yellow (pollen) all over my windows. One of the bloggers mentioned mentioned how much she "loves Norwex window cloths". Off I went in search of them...

I first found them for sale on some big-name shopping sites (one of which starts with an "A" and ends with a "mazon"). This shop wanted as much for shipping as the items themselves - that's never made sense to me.

The more I looked, the more I read and learned and finally I landed on a site where I could sign up to sell these products and by that time, I was hooked. Or at least, I thought I'd get a bunch of really cool new cleaning supplies to play with...and I LOVE cleaning supplies ...just take a peek in my hall closet if you don't believe me.

Fast-forward about a week: I got my starter kit in the mail and started using the products. I have to admit, I was skeptical. I've bought microfiber cloths in the past and frankly, I thought they didn't do a bit of good. I've been more of a plain ol' dish-towel girl, using old ones to wipe up messy spills and clean doggie-water-bowl-dribbles off the floor.

Friday night (yes, I'm a wild woman): I started trying out the supposedly "amazing" microfiber cloths. And if the fact that I was still scrubbing anything I could get my hands on at midnight tells you anything - YES, they are AMAZING! My daughter was laughing at me, because I was literally wiping down everything in the house with these cloths dampened with tap water.

Here are a few things I have cleaned, so far, with the Norwex Antibacterial Microfiber Cloth:

All of the kitchen counters
Stove (top to bottom)
Fridge doors/handles
Sharpie off the bathroom tile (don't ask)
Walls behind trashcan (yuck, they get gunky!)
Door frames and window sills
My future son-in-law's Playstation 3 (hey, they get dusty and have lots of fingerprints!)

If you have cheap flat white paint on your walls, you feel my pain at trying to keep them clean...I wiped down a few walls of my own - painted with cheap flat white paint - that didn't get damaged one bit from the cloth and looked like new after.

I tried the dry mop over the weekend. Frankly, I wasn't very impressed. But maybe I'm not using it right or something, because everyone else raves about how great it is. I should read the instructions or something...will report back on this when I use it again.

The window cloth that I'd originally been searching for is... for lack of a better phrase... the best thing since sweet tea, Cheerwine, and Sun Drop! And if you're a fellow Southerner, you KNOW how great sweet tea, Cheerwine, and Sundrop are! For my yankee friends - it's the best thing since a grilled brat or Euchre. (How's that?) No streaks whatsoever, works dry or dampened with a little water... I'm gonna have birds flying into my windows like on that commercial (but without the stinky smell of that product)

Anyway, just thought I'd share my experience, and if you're at all interested in learning more or getting some Norwex stuff for yourself (either as a hostess - online, in-person, or business orders) just give me a shout via email or my Facebook page!


Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Green Week Challenge!

April 22nd, 2010, the official Earth Day! I know that you have all been doing your part each and every day to take care of our Earth and practice those sustainability and green skills. (Yeah, who am I trying to kid? I know that's a lie. I should be doing more...) What better way to show your love of dear 'ole Mother Earth than taking part in Lori & Kaite's GREEN WEEK CHALLENGE!!

Your mission, ff you choose to except it, it starts on April 15th and runs until Earth Day.

Read and reread this post, as it will become your new best friend for the next week and a half. Rules, challenges, and prizes (that's right! You will be rewarded!) are listed below.


Have fun, enjoy the ride, and save the Earth!

GREEN WEEK CHALLENGE RULES:
  1. There are 2 “tiers” of the challenges. 1 Point for challenges on the 1st tier, 2 points for the 2nd tier.
  2. You can only do each challenge one time (can’t get multiple points for multiple loads of laundry, nice try though). But we do encourage you to do multiple challenges for an *Honorable Mention.
  3. Do one of the challenges and post about it on your blog or email Lori or Katie with a photo (gotta have proof, ya know?). If you post it on your blog, please email Lori or Katie a link to that post. The post must include a photo of you doing the challenge!
  4. The challenge will run from April 15th through the end of the day on Earth Day (April 22nd).
  5. We will tally all the points at the end of the challenge and 2 people with the most points will win a goodie-basket filled with green **prizes!
  6. Blog about the challenge on your blog before the challenge begins to spread and you can get an extra point!! Please link to this post, and email one of us the link to your blog post!
Want to blog about this? Pick your green goodness up right here! Yes, go post it to your blog, already!
copy and paste this code:
[a href="http://runlori.blogspot.com/"][img src="http://www.whatrunslori.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/challengelogo.jpg" /]
[a href="http://runlori.blogspot.com/2010/04/earth-day-challenge-wanna-play.html"][img src="http://www.whatrunslori.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/challengelogo.jpg" /]
[a href="http://makingfoodandotherstuff.wordpress.com/2010/04/10/are-you-up-for-the-challenge/"][img src="http://www.whatrunslori.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/challengelogo.jpg" /]
just replace ] and [ with > and < in the tags and you're all set!


GREEN WEEK CHALLENGE PRIZES:
For all of your Earth-lovin' efforts, there will be a reward. Since you're send in your pictures, post a comment, blog your sustainable actions, and just do your way through the challenges, we're keeping track. You will not go unnoticed!

*Honorable Mention is included in this challenge. To be eligible for Honorable Mention, we ask that you email one of us multiple challenge items that you have completed. There won't be tangible prizes, but you get your name spread all over the Green Week Challenge!! That means you're a do-gooder!

**Prize items will include green goodies from Natural Zing, Pure2Raw Bakery, fabulous, crafty Katie's reusable shopping bags, and coffee cup cozies, seeds for your NEW garden, and much, much more!

GREEN WEEK CHALLENGES:
  1. Wash clothes with cold water 1 pt
  2. Drink a green smoothie 1 pt
  3. Eat a vegetarian or vegan meal 1 pt
  4. Use cloth napkins 1 pt
  5. Make and use your own cleaning products (Recipes here!) 2 pts
  6. Use a canvas, or reusable, grocery bag 1 pt
  7. Plant a tree/herb/vegetable (indoors or out) 2 pts
  8. Shop at your local farmers market or buy only local produce for a day 1 pt
  9. Shop at your local farmers market/buy local for the next week 2 pts
  10. Take all batteries, old computers, DVD players, or other electronics to an electronics recycling center (keep hazardous substances out of the landfill) 2 pts
  11. Start a compost 2 pts
  12. Clean out your pantry and donate unopened non-perishables to a food bank 2 pts
  13. Walk, bike or take public transportation to work for the ENTIRE week 2 pts
  14. Carpool to work/store/gym 1 pt
  15. Make an Earth inspired meal using only whole foods- whole grains, fresh veggies and/or fruits, nuts, seeds 1 pt
  16. Get in touch with the Earth- try a yoga class, go for a walk without distractions such as your Ipod, meditate 1 pt
  17. Donate your time to a soup kitchen (good karma!) 2 pts
  18. Bring a reusable coffee cup on your next cafe run 1 pt
  19. Hang laundry to dry 1 pt

Are you up for the challenge?