Eco-Friendly Paint with NO Odor!

Each spring many people feel the urge to freshen the look of their home with a new coat of paint. Many people love the look that a fresh new coat of paint can offer but dread the hideous scent that the paint emits into the air. Even if we open the windows and set up fans, it can be tough to take.

This year, as I endeavoured to look for a low or no VOC paint for my guest bedroom, master beedrom and kitchen, I started looking at Home Depot for ideas and what I found was a fantastic paint called Freshaire Choice that has NO Volatile Organic Compounds, NO odor and is actually good for the environment and my family. They even used recycled plastic for their paint cans as well as recycled paper for their paint chips and label including the use of soy-based ink. WOW! I'm impressed! The best part is they claim to have better performance than he likes of Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams and are cheaper than many brands.

If you are looking to paint your home this spring, look no further! Home Depot's got the paint you need. Here is a video clip on the Freshaire Choice paint.

http://www6.homedepot.com/tv/hdtv_player.html?videoID=000324

Happy Painting!

House Plants that Purify Indoor Air

Many houseplants are great at filtering your indoor air. Spider plants for example can remove formaldehyde fumes which are common in most homes from nailpolish to building materials and furniture finishes. Plants also increase oxygen levels and even act as a humidifier.

Before you buy your next houseplant, think about the following which will significantly improve the air quality in your house. They do so by reducing the vapours that are released by chemicals.

Aloe Vera

Bamboo Palm

Boston Fern

Chinese Evergreen

Chrysanthemum

English Ivy

Gerbera

Lady Palm

Peace Lily

Philodendron

Rubber Plant

Spider Plant

Weeping Fig

One of my favorites was given to me by a client, it's the peace lily. It can suck up ammonia, acetone (think nailpolish remover here!) as well as ethyl acetate, benzene and also formaldehyde from the air.It has many green leaves and small stems with beautiful white flowers that bloom year round. This plant doesn't need or like a lot of direct sunlight and if you forget to water, it will simply wilt a little and the minute you re-water it, it perks back up, it's very resilient.

Spring Cleaning the Natural Way!

Clean your Home the Natural Way with nature's finest ingredients. Here are a four that are not only very inexpensive but are eco-friendly to boot!

1. Lemons
2. Baking Soda
3. Distilled White Vinegar
4. Toothpaste

Here's how you can use them:

Fabric Softener

Since most fabric softeners contain toxic ingredients both for the planet and for you, try something a little different. Use 2 tbsps in your rinse cycle for great results that will never leave your clothes feeling coated and won't irritate your skin. Don't worry-your clothes won't smell like pickles, I promise! Make sure you are using Distilled white vinegar, not malt, or something sticky.

Dishwasher Rinse Aid

Vinegar has yet another wonderful use and that is getting your dishes sparkling clean! Yes, that's right, just pour vinegar into your dishwasher's rinse aid dispenser and it will keep them clean and spot-free.

Carpet Deodorizer

Use baking soda as a carpet deodorizer, especially if you have pets. Pour some on, let is sit for about 15 mins and then vacuum it up. Since baking soda absorbs odors in your fridge/freezer, it will do the same for your carpet and rugs too! (On a side note-I had a lost rotton onion that stunk up my cabinet, and poured baking soda on it for a whole day. It absorbed the moisture and most of the odor, then I kept an open box of baking soda in the cabinet for a month and smell was gone!)

Shower Mildew Preventer

They say vodka is a natural mildew preventer. I don't know about you, but I'd prefer to drink the expensive stuff vs. clean with it. There is another natural alternative though. Vinegar will do the trick. I keep a spray bottle filled 3 parts vinegar, 1 part water and spray the shower after each use, especially the chrome. It keeps it shiny and free from hard water spots.

Garbage Disposal Freshener

While little citrus discs are available from the store, wouldn't you rather use something natural to clean and deodorize your garbage disposal? Use left over citrus rinds or rinds/flesh from squeezed lemons and oranges. Put one or two in with a little water into your disposal and voila, any bad smells will be gone! The citrus is biodegradable unlike the store-bought disks and do not contain artificial fragrance, phthalates, etc.

Cutting Board Cleaner

When you have finished using your cutting board whether it be wooden, plastic or my favorite-glass, always use the flat side of a lemon-half or slice to clean the cutting board afterwards. This is my favorite thing to use after cutting garlic, it takes the smell away.

Get Chrome Super Shiny

I mentioned that vinegar is great for getting chrome to sparkle, you can use a little baking soda too if you need a little paste for extra scrubbing on a stubborn hard water scale. However, another great alternative is toothpaste! Maybe you bought a brand that you don't prefer, don't throw it away-use it with an old toothbrush to clean stubborn hard water stains and grime. You can use it in your bathroom, kitchen, for scrubbing between tiles, etc. The best part is the natural mint smell you'll enjoy while cleaning!

Drain De-Clogger

Once my drains get a little clogged I always checked for hair first, as this is generally the culprit. Once you've cleaned that out, if your drain is still not working right, use a little baking soda and vinegar. First pour some baking soda in, maybe about 3 tbsp, then add some white vinegar and try to cover the drain and let it fizz and foam away. Once it sits for about 10-15 mins, pour boiling water (from a kettle or very hot tap) down the drain. It will start dissolving the grime naturally unlike the usual drano-type products that are horrible for the environment.

Window Wash

Use vinegar in a spray bottle and recycled newspaper to clean your windows/mirrors. This is a much more eco-friendly and non-toxic way compared to ammonia-based products.

There is a plethora of great natural products available to you, if you don't feel like mixing and making your own. Try Seventh Generation, Method, or Ecover. These are my three favorite brands. They offer everything from hand soap to dishwasher detergent to dryer sheets and diapers!

I hope you will try these natural methods so that you can reap the benefits of Spring Cleaning without the toxic cloud that will pollute your indoor air quality as well as our waterways, fish and ground.