CLEAN AND GREEN TIPS FROM VESTA DESIGN By Sarah Streed

KITCHEN

--Keep bottle with white vinegar/water (roughly 75% water) solution below sink. Can be used to clean everything in kitchen. --To clean microwave, nuke one cup of white vinegar in a bowl for five minutes, then clean with cloth. --After squeezing lemons and limes, put to the side, then stick in garbage disposal and turn on for a couple minutes. (You won’t believe the great smell!) --Don’t use bleach anywhere—it’s more toxic than the germs. After washing chicken, etc. in sink, sprinkle with Bon Ami powder cleanser and scrub with sponge. Then wash sponge in hot water (see laundry.) --For cutting boards use hydrogen peroxide (used by doctors since 1920s.) Or do as I do and simply scrub cutting board with dish soap and brush, then run brush through dishwasher. --Of great use in kitchen are Swedish dish cloths. (You can purchase at ModGen store in Shorewood.) These clean without leaving streaks and are made from plant cellulose. As good or better than sponges. --Pure white vinegar removes streaks from vases, glasses, stainless. --For incredibly stubborn burnt food stains on pans, sprinkle baking soda and a few drops of water. Let sit and wash off with SOS pad. (The SOS pad isn’t great, but it’s small and mostly steel wool and you don’t have to buy non-green soap.)

--One of the best things you can do for the planet is to compost and recycle. Recycling: Every city has a recycling guide (usually linked with garbage collection.) Milwaukee recycles almost everything including cartons, tin foil and #1,2,4,5 plastics. (See Recycling.) Compost: Buy a container almost anywhere (there are myriad looks and styles available) to collect food waste. Keep this in kitchen and put in all food waste EXCEPT meat and meat byproducts, which attract animals. When container is full, take out to bigger compost bin/container (again all sizes and types are available) and go through composting steps. When done, use on lawn and garden—this is pure gold!!!! You will never find better. (See Outdoors/Garden.)

BATHROOM

--Keep a plastic bottle of white vinegar/water solution (in bathroom ratio can be 50/50) to clean everything in the bathroom. Can be used to clean shower stalls, toilet seats, sinks, etc. (Lyn Slater says it can also gradually lighten hair!:-) --Bon Ami cleanser and sponges/Swedish dishcloths work well on dirty sinks, toilets bases and seats. --To clean toilet bowls, I pour in a cup or two of pure vinegar and swish around. Leave for about ten minutes then clean with toilet brush. If stubborn stains persist, use natural pumice with gloves (see General) being careful not to scratch fixture. I hate having toilet cleaners around—they are chock full of terrible chemicals. Vinegar works just as well and will not harm children or pets or yourself. --Method also has great specific bathroom cleaners, e.g. Shower Cleaner. --I use Method Glass cleaner on mirrors.

BEDROOMS --Use lavender sachets for drawers, closets, etc. Trader Joe’s has good ones. --Also use lavender spray on sheets, blankets and in linen closets. Again from Trader Joe’s.

LAUNDRY

--Wash all dish towels, sponges, etc. in hot water. Use the shortest cycle (to save water) and higher spin cycle. Never use bleach; hot water will sterilize. Hot water also protects against bed bugs. --Use only earth friendly laundry detergents: Seventh Generation, Earth Care, Method are some brand names. --Use only earth friendly dryer sheets. (Lavender sachets from Trader Joe’s are wonderful.) Another option are wool dryer balls. These look like tennis balls made out of wool—they work like dryer sheets. These are available at Metro Market or Farmer’s Markets. Or use white vinegar during the rinse cycle-never leaves waxy buildup. --If you absolutely must use bleach, buy the non-chlorinated. earth-safe kind—now available at most grocery stores.

OUTDOORS/GARDEN

--Never let garden service put toxic chemicals on grass. Grass becomes addicted to the chemical treatments (like alcoholicism) and will need it more frequently in order to look good. Besides, you don’t want children or pets to be poisoned—and this is poison--hence the signs placed around the perimeter of the yard after treatments. Use corn gluten purchased from garden store, hardware or Home Depot to achieve a nice green lawn. Hand weed when possible; keep one small container of Roundup high up in garage and spray directly on stubborn weeds. --Composting is its own subject in itself. See Ira Leidell or Sonja Pavlik for more specifics.

GENERAL

Williams Sonoma has washable rubber gloves. These are the best I have ever found. They are totally worth the price as you can wash them and use them over and over. Windows: Use a 50/50 white vinegar, water solution to wash windows. My favorite window solution is 25% vinegar, 75% water and a few drops of dish soap mixed together. Needs no rinsing. Always use a squeegee rather than a cloth—this is what the professionals use. I find the kind with metal handles purchased from hardware stores are best. Bad Odors: Leave a bowl of vinegar in a room for a couple hours, e.g. a freshly painted room. Or put a few drops of essential oils on a cotton ball and leave in unobtrusive place in room. Essential oils can be purchased at specialty stores or Trader Joe’s. Light Bulbs: When possible, switch out our current light bulbs with LED light bulbs. These are the light bulbs of the future! They last anywhere from 14-20 years so no more regular burnt out light bulb changes. There are a variety of kinds and styles and wattages and more are being manufactured all the time, so don’t listen to skeptics who claim they are too harsh, or take a long time to turn on, etc. They even have LED candelabra bulbs now for chandeliers. To repel moths: Use lavender or cedar sachets or blocks. Both of these repel moths. If the cedar blocks get old, lightly sand them and use for another year. NEVER use moth balls as these are pure toxins; even the odor is toxic. For personal hygiene: Pour a cup or two of vinegar into bath water—this cleans the tub so there is no ring and also exfoliates the skin. Buy shampoo and cosmetics that don’t contain chemicals; Neroli Hair Salons carry Aveda products. Otherwise, lotion, bath products, etc. can be found at Trader Joe’s. Buy witch hazel at grocery stores and pharmacies and use instead of other chemical exfoliators. For mosquito bites and other itches, rub with soap. For an icy doorstep, pour warm water mixed with Dawn dishsoap; it won’t refreeze. For insect problems INSIDE the house, sprinkle Borax. (Be careful if you have children or pets.) Don’t use this outside the house as when Borax mixes with water it becomes toxic. I find Terro is best for ants inside and outside. The sticks and baits are contained and mostly pet and child proof. The sticks work great outdoors and they don’t spread the poison like spraying does. For the following specific problems: To clean brass and copper—use ketchup and rinse with water. To clean permanent marker or blue from receipts—use rubbing alcohol on paper towel. To clean crayon off walls—use damp rag dipped in baking soda.

RECYCLING AND PROPER DISPOSAL

--Correctly dispose of unused pharmaceuticals and sharps, etc. by taking to Police Stations. (Your local pharmacy can give you a list—I use the one on Locust.) Remove the pills, etc. from containers and put in plastic baggie—bring only the plastic baggie to police station to stick in specially locked mailbox. Blacken out or remove labels, then normally recycle containers. The police stations flash incinerate the medications. DO NOT FLUSH MEDICATIONS DOWN TOILET!!! --To recycle batteries, collect in a bucket, then take to correct location; there are many around city. --To recycle used cell phones, drop off at Verizon in BayShore. They have a box to collect for victims of domestic abuse. --To recycle electronics call 414-828-1042 for pickup or take to Best Buy. Several organizations will also pick up, i.e.., Good Will, Salvation Army, etc. Personally, I find it easiest to keep broken electronics in garage and then take several at a time to location for the City. Good Will will take most used computers and have nearby locations. --To recycle used furniture, clothing, miscellaneous call Good Will or Salvation Army for a pickup. This is your first stop! After they pickup, you can dispose of the rest. Often if you put early out by the curb, it is gone by garbage day. --To recycle used building materials and bulky home items, arrange for a special pickup with Habitat for Humanity. They also take used clothing, furniture, books, miscellaneous, so this can be one-stop disposal. --To recycle light bulbs: By law, any storefront that sells light bulbs is supposed to recycle them. Otherwise, hardware stores and grocery stores are usually good about taking them. (But if you use LEDs, this will not be a big problem!)

Still have a question? Contact Sarah Streed at [email protected]