Swiffers are marketed as a convenience, but in my view, this is a false promise. In order to use a Swiffer as designed, we are compelled to purchase a constant stream of chemical and VOC laden, low capacity “cleaning” pads,** and add them to the landfill.

I have given the Swiffer to the kids to play with, but have incorporated the general idea into my new mopping stratagem: I now use a Mr. Clean solution in a spray bottle (loosens dirt; low VOC), a “self-wringing” mop (and a bucket of hot water, for rinsing the mop). Outcome: much cleaner floors with no waste created.

** translated: loosening dirt and spreading it around, with a paltry 100 square foot (10′ x 10′) cleaning capacity

In a spray bottle with an adjustable sprayer, mix 2 ½ teaspoons liquid soap** per quart water, to make a 1% soap solution. Now, you’re cleaning while you kill flies. Add some Lavender essential oil to add aromatherapy to your Fly Goo brew!

Stops flies in their tracks. Long distance shots work best with a stream, close shots work best with a softer spray. Kids love to help with fly hunting.

**We use eco-friendly dish soap or Murphy’s Oil Soap

Go easy on the planet and your wallet: buy some spray bottles and make your own cleaning sprays at home. Recommended solution strengths are on the massive jars, available at warehouse store X. Use fewer products for more things. We use a white vinegar solution for windows; eco-friendly dish soap solution in the kitchen (counters), Murphy’s Oil Soap (cabinets & walls) and Mr. Clean or Spic & Span for the floors.

Remember to mark your bottles, we know from experience that all diluted cleaners look alike (but smell is a good clue)!

Hi everyone – I really wanted to get this week off to a good start on the blog. I have so much to write about (as mentioned in my last post), but unfortunately not enough time to write about it.

I figured I could start off with a nice easy post about my new lawn mower, and go from there!

When we first moved into our current house (our first home, I might add) three years ago, we had to buy a new lawn mower for the sizable lawn that came with the property. We certainly don’t live on a palatial estate by any means (it’s only a semi-detached, in fact) but it is a corner lot with decent sized backyard.

I wasn’t nearly as much of an enviro-person at the time as I am now, so it seemed only natural to me to buy a powerful, gas-guzzling push mower, with what I thought was a reliable Briggs and Stratton engine. For the first couple seasons it seemed to work just fine, but unbelievably by the next year it was already giving us trouble. Luckily I managed to get it in for some repairs just before the warranty expired last year.

Long story short – despite the warranty work, it ended up completely dying on me this spring. At the WORST possible time – just before going away for a two week trip! Luckily I was able to borrow my dad’s mower for a quick cut before leaving.

As frustrating as it has been to own a ‘lemon’ of a gas lawn mower, it seems all the trouble was a blessing in disguise. With the crummy gas guzzler out of the picture for good, I no longer had an excuse for postponing my purchase of a rechargeable mower – something I had planned to do at some point.