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Green Cleaning Kit Giveaway from Bon Ami

June 8, 2011 · Comments { 46 }
Although spring cleaning projects are coming to an end, routine cleaning is a year around task. When cleaning my house, I use products that are nontoxic, natural and contain simple ingredients.

simple natural cleaning ingrediants bon ami
Bon Ami is one of those products. I’ve been using Bon Ami’s Powder Cleanser for some time and love the results. So when Bon Ami asked if I would like to try out some of their newer products, I was thrilled.

bon ami cleaning kit giveaway
One of the products I tested was a “cleaning cake.” It was released in a limited edition to celebrate Bon Ami’s 125thanniversary. I love this product! It took grime off our stove that most cleaners couldn’t remove. The cake’s strong but simple formula is not only effective for many of today’s household tasks it’s all natural. While not typically what you’d expect from a “cake,” back when Bon Ami was first created household cleaners came in these little bars and were commonly referred to as cakes.

I would love for you to test it out too and here’s your chance! Bon Ami is giving away a Cleaning Cake along with their Powder Cleanser and All-Purpose Cleanser to one lucky Simplified Bee reader.

Here is how to enter:


• Leave a comment. {provide your email if I don’t have a way to contact you}.
• Extra Entry – become a new follower of Simplified Bee’s Blog, Twitter or Facebook Page.
• Extra Entry – mention this giveaway in a blog post, FB link or tweet, then leave a comment letting me know.
• Please post a separate comment for each extra entry.
• Entry period closes at 9 pm PST on Wednesday, June 15, 2011. The winner will be chosen by Random.org.


Bon Ami is also doing a sweepstakes until June 12th on their Facebook page to win a free spring cleaning for you and a friend of your choosing. www.facebook.com/bonamiclean



Happy cleaning & good luck!
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Read full story By on June 8, 2011 in cleaning, Giveaways, green design, household cleaning

Spring Cleaning – Washing the Windows Naturally & DIY Cleaning Solution

April 13, 2010 · Comments { 16 }

Now that you’ve organized your closet for warmer weather, it’s time to clean the windows from winter’s storms. Because harsh fumes from traditional window cleaners may do more harm than good, it is important to use chemical free cleaning solutions. However non-toxic cleaning products can be expensive, so here is a simple, inexpensive natural window cleaning solution you can make at home:

Combine three teaspoons of vinegar to one quart of warm water and pour the solution into a reusable spray bottle. That’s it!

Now for washing the windows. First, schedule time during the day when the sun is not shining directly on the windows. Dust away cobwebs and dirt with a soft-bristle brush.

Spray a small amount of natural window solution onto the window and squeegee the glass starting from one of the upper corners and move straight down. Repeat and overlap until the entire window had been wiped. To prevent streaking, use crumpled newspaper to wipe small drips and recycle the newspaper after cleaning your windows.
Windows. Check. Now what’s next on your spring cleaning list? 

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Read full story By on April 13, 2010 in cleaning, healthy home, household cleaning

An Inexpensive, Nontoxic and DIY Way to Polish Silver

October 9, 2009 · Comments { 15 }
With the holiday dinner parties fast approaching, festive table settings are on our minds. Tarnished silverware can ruin a perfectly set table, so polishing the silver is one task that shouldn’t be overlooked.

 

Because commercial silver polish contains toxins, I searched for non-toxic and inexpensive alternatives to cleaning silver flatware. The Daily Green had a silver cleaning recipe that looked promising, but did it really work? I decided to test it out myself.

 

Here is a sampling of some of my tarnished silver before it was cleaned.

 

What you will need – aluminum foil, boiling water, baking soda and salt. 

Line your sink or a bucket with aluminum foil, and drop in tarnished silver. Pour in boiling water, a cup of baking soda and a dash of salt. 

Let sit for a few minutes. The tarnish will transfer from the silver to the foil.
 
If you can’t immerse your items, rub tarnished silver with toothpaste and a soft cloth. Follow by rinsing items with warm water and let dry. As an alternative to toothpaste, rub a mixture of three parts baking soda to 1 part water. I should have tried one of these methods with my silver bowl which did not get fully immersed. 
It might be hard to tell with the lighting, but the results were great – much better than I expected!

 

Here is a image of one of my spoons tarnished and the other just cleaned – in case you were wondering, the sterling silver flatware pattern is Repousse. As I said, I was very pleased with the results. Best yet, it’s eco-friendly, non-toxic and inexpensive!

 

Please note that Martha Stewart also had this DIY silver polish method on her site and warned that “with this technique the good tarnish (a desirable patina and the dark crevices in a pattern) may be removed as well, and pitting may result. Experts recommend using a good-quality commercial polish, and there are some less-toxic ones available. For silver, the best way to prevent tarnish is to use the pieces frequently and store them properly when not in use. For flatware and hollowware, wash and dry the pieces by hand after each use. Also, dust display items regularly, and store them in flannel that has been treated to slow tarnishing”.

 

* first and last images from Southern Accents
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Read full story By on October 9, 2009 in cleaning, Entertaining, green design, healthy home, household cleaning

Healthy Home – The Home Detox Green Toolbox

August 27, 2009 · Comments { 2 }

Where was this product five years ago when I needed it? I spent a small fortune hiring a professional to seek out a potential mold issue in our home. Perhaps the Home Detox Green Toolbox would have done the trick at a fraction of the cost.

This kit conveniently contains:

1. Your Home Through GREEN Colored Glasses – 3-Cd Pack with Sally Jessy Raphael
2. The 9 to 5 Greened: Ten Steps to a Healthy Office Audio CD
3. The Green Nest Non-toxic cleaner – The four ounce bottle of concentrate will make two gallons
of all purpose cleaner.
4. Lead Test Kits – (two tests) – to test toys, cribs, paint, antiques and more for toxic lead – gotta love this if you have small children!
5. The Water Test Kit – test for Iron, Hardness, Copper, Nitrates, Chlorine, pH, Alkalinity, Bacteria and Lead.
6. Bonus $10 Gift Card from Green Nest
7. Indoor Air Quality Test Kit – tests for dust & mold in your indoor air. Includes postage paid
envelope and lab fees.

I think this toolkit would make a fabulous housewarming gift!

Also, a big thanks to Kitty from Zen of Homekeeping for making me aware of this great product. Oh, and there is still time to enter the All Modern giveaway – click here ; and check out the great selection of modern furniture.

*images from Green Nest

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Read full story By on August 27, 2009 in cleaning, green design, healthy home
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