This giveaway is now closed! Thanks so to My Blog Spark and Seventh Generation I was able to try out some great cleaning products. Spring in Maine has sprung and I have begun to tackle our "Spring Cleaning" with a vengeance. This year I've really been thoughtful about how I clean and what I clean with.
You already know how much I like cleaning naturally with
lemons, so I was really open to trying the Seventh Generation "Disinfecting Cleaning Kit". The first product I tried was the bathroom cleaner. Now I have a white tiled bathroom, designed before I had 4 boys and numerous pets. (I know, WHAT was I thinking?!) It cleaned just as well as my Scrubbing Bubbles of the past. There was no residue. I will say that I still needed to scrub with baking soda in the base of my porcelain tub. It didn't smell "lemony fresh" but rather a very clean Thyme smell that dissipated and just smelled cleaned afterward. I felt so good about my family using the bathroom right after I had cleaned it.
I have been using a combination of cloth napkins and recycled paper towels in our kitchen so their paper towels fit right in with our lifestyle. They worked well with our seasonal window washing chores!
I have never felt it necessary to purchase an all purpose cleaner for our counters and stovetop. I had always wiped the surfaces with a warm soapy dish cloth. I thought the all purpose cleaner was fantastic on my black stovetop and I felt good about using a natural cleaner on my cooking and eating surfaces.
Spring cleaning season is right around the corner. This year while you´re freshening up your home and sorting through the clutter, why not toss the toxic cleaning supplies, too?
Replacing what´s currently under your sink with products that are non-toxic and safe for the environment is easier than ever with Seventh Generation´s environmentally friendly cleaning products.
Leading the "responsible cleaning" charge for the past twenty years, Seventh Generation has tapped into the disinfecting power of the herb thyme, to introduce an EPA registered line of disinfecting sprays and wipes that kill germs* naturally! The new line of botanical disinfectant cleaners includes a multi-surface cleaning spray, bathroom cleaning spray and wipes.
The disinfectants contain thymol, a component of the herb thyme, and can be used on hard surfaces including counter tops, plastic cutting boards, highchair trays as well as children´s toys. Best of all, they kill over 99.99 percent of germs* naturally and are effective against the Influenza A Virus, including H1N1.
Seventh Generation has partnered with eco-lifestyle consultant and author, Alexandra Zissu, whose new book, The Conscious Kitchen, discusses what´s good for your health, what´s good for the planet and what tastes great. Her book also includes great tips on maintaining a green and healthy kitchen, including:
Choosing cleaning products without indoor air pollutants like volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, is a simple and effective way to reduce your indoor air pollution. If you´re not prepared to switch everything overnight, start by swapping out the one product you use the most, and moving forward from there.
Residues from cleaning products can last on a surface for longer than we we´d like to know and travel to areas that we sometimes don´t intend them to. Don´t contaminate your food by prepping it on a surface that may contain harsh chemical residues - rinse cleaning products from food preparation surfaces carefully or use botanical disinfecting cleaners that do not require a rinse step.
- Home is Where the Clean Is
Your standard cleaners are good for removing soils and dirt from kitchen surfaces, but to tackle germs you need a cleaner that is effective against microbes like bacteria and viruses. Many cleaners contain ingredients that have antimicrobial properties such as vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, but the germ killing power of these is not necessarily guaranteed. To be sure you are killing germs, use an EPA registered disinfectant. Seventh Generation tapped into the disinfecting power of the common garden herb thyme, to provide a disinfecting cleaner that kills germs* naturally.
Think twice about the items that you´re using to clean and dry your kitchen equipment and dishes. Use rags (like old t-shirts and washcloths) instead of paper towels. If you aren´t prepared to kick your paper towel addiction just yet, use only recycled versions that are unbleached or haven´t been whitened with chemicals containing chlorine and see how long you can make a roll last.
- The Writing is on the ... Sponge
Be sure to read the fine print on sponges and only purchase those that do not contain antimicrobial pesticides. Remember to store sponges in a dry place and frequently clean them by popping plastic sponges wet in a microwave for two minutes or boiling sponges for three minutes in water.
- Mom Was Right, Wash Your Hands
Wash your hands with soap and water before and after prepping food, and always before eating. So much of what can be potentially harmful in a kitchen can be reduced by this simple act that doesn´t require any harsh chemicals whatsoever.
I received a Seventh Generation “Disinfecting Cleaning Kit” Seventh through MyBlogSpark that includes a disinfecting multi-surface cleaner, bathroom cleaner, wipes , a copy of The Conscious Kitchen, a cleaning caddy made from recycled plastic, and two rolls of 100% recycled, unbleached paper towels. The good news is they have agreed to give one of Money Saving Maine-iac's readers a "Disinfecting Cleaning Kit" too!
Their will 4 different ways to enter this giveaway:
1.) MANDATORY - What is the best thing you´ve done for the environment this year?
This entry is Mandatory and Must be done first. Make sure to leave your e-mail address in comment so that I will have a way to contact you if you win.
2.) Subscribe to my email updates. I will delete any email subscriptions that are not confirmed.
3.) Become a fan of Seventh Generation on facebook.
4.) Become a follower of Money Saving Maine-iac via Google Friend Connect.
*Leave a separate comment for each one. Make sure to leave your e-mail address like this to avoid the spam bots:
money saving maineac at gmail dot com
This giveaway is open to residents of the United States, 18 years and older. It will end on April 21, 2010 at midnight. I will choose an entry at random to determine the winner. The winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to get back to me with shipping information or I will draw a new winner.
I was sent the product mentioned above for the purposes of this review thanks to Seventh Generation through MyBlogSpark. I was not compensated for this post in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own.
Money Saving Madness has let us know that Target will team up with Coca Cola, Tide & GE on April 18th and give away 1.5 million reusable shopping bags with purchase. Just stop by Target to get yours.You can also get a FREE reusable bag from Target by mailing five plastic shopping bags to:
Free Stuff Times has let us know that many targets have GE Energy Smart light bulbs for $2.99. Print this $2 Target coupon and combine it with this $1 coupon (click the box with the bulb in it and watch the short video to get the coupon) to make them Free.
Common Sense With Money has let us know that Target has posted a new BOGO 20 oz. Coca Cola or Dasani product coupon. Combine this with a FREE 20 oz. Coke product coupon from My Coke Rewards to pick 2 up for FREE!
Good Luck to all of you!
