Greener House, Naturally!

Here are some simple ways you can have a "Greener" home.

Save Energy:

*If the weather is nice, dry your clothing on lines outside or set up lines in your laundry room.

*Use manual appliances instead of electric. Instead of a leaf blower, use a broom. Instead of the dishwasher, put just enough water in your sink and wash by hand. Instead of lights/lamps open the shades/doors in your home for lighting.

*Turn off your refrigerator when you go on vacation. Unplug electric items when they are not in use.

*Replace your lightbulbs with energy efficient ones. I did this and really did see a difference in our electric bill!

*Defrost your freezer every 3 months. This will prolong its life and help it work for efficiently.

*Wash your clothes in cool water. Most washers now have a Cold/Cool/Warm/Hot setting. Choose the Cool setting which gets the clothes cleaner than Cold but uses less energy than the Warm or Hot setting.

Help Environment:

*Plant trees, plants or your own garden. This helps improve air quality in your area.

*Compost organic materials. This is basically everything except animal products. You can add food (fruits, vegetables, etc. just no animal products) as well as outdoor items (leaves, sticks, etc.)

*Use natural pest control. You can go to your local garden shop and ask for organic pest control products. Most if not all will carry them or can give you remedies to rid the pests, naturally.

*Use non-toxic, biodegradeable products whenever possible in your home. These items are generally washable and reuseable.

*Paint the outside of your home a light-color. It will help reflect unwanted radiant heat.

Clean Green:

*Baking Soda - Cuts grease & oil, cleans, deodorizes, inhibits mold, extinguishes fires, & can be used to clean your teeth.

*Lemon Juice - Natural bleach that can remove stains, deodorizes and inhibits mold as well. You can also use it to dye your hair blonde if interested. Squeeze lemon juice on your hair, rub it in and lay out in the sun to desired color. You will want to use moisturizers in your hair afterwards because the acid in the lemon juice can dry your hair out a little.

*Salt - Gentle abrasive & disinfectant, cleans drains, & scours kitchen utensils.

*White Vinegar - Removes bathroom scum & hard water deposits, removes discoloration from metals, & removes rust. Perfect cleaner for the bathroom.

Thanks to Clean House! for some of these tips.

Do you have other "Green House" tips? Leave a comment below with your tips!