Clean + green: gear up for healthy, holistic housekeeping

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

LET'S DISH

For hands-on dish washing, try Vermont Soap Organics Liquid Sunshine; this cleansing blend of coconut, olive, and jojoba oils works on fine fabrics and stove tops too. $14.98/38 oz.; vermontsoap.com. Ecover Ecological Automatic Dishwasher Tablets minimally impact aquatic life, plus they've won high marks from Consumer Reports for their cleaning prowess. $7.50/17.6 oz.; ecover.com. Helping to keep your conscience as clean as your dishes, Mercado Global Green Solola Dishtowels are fair trade and handcrafted with eco friendly dyes. $11.95/set of 4; mercadoglobal.org.

ECO-CLEANING CREW

Biakleen Soy Toilet Scrub naturally deodorizes with mint oil, and gets your toilet bowl sparkling clean with volcanic perlite microscrubbers and soybean oil extract. $5.79/32 oz.; biokleenhome.com. An efficiency expert, Method Omap Wood Floor Care Kit comes complete with an ergonomically designed mop plus microfiber mop pad, compastable cloths, and nontoxic cleaning fluid. $30; methodhome.com. Just about any household chore benefits from ammonia- and chlorine-free Seventh Generation Natural All-Purpose Cleaner; plus, it's gentle on you and Mother Earth. $4.59/32 oz., seventhgeneration.com. Ban Ami Organic Loofah Kitchen Scrubbers get the grime off just about anything, from fruits and veggies to pats and pans, while coaxing a smile from you as you scour and scrape. $7.95/2; agelong.com. You'll see things clearly after using the washable, lint-free Shaklee Super Microfiber Window Cloth. With Shaklee Scour Off Heavy Duty Paste, you can wipe ovens, sinks, and tubs clean while avoiding toxic fumes. And to help make the planet a safer, healthier home far us all, Shaklee has partnered with the Ocean Alliance, American Forests, and Healthy Child, Healthy World. $4.50/cloth, $8.35/paste; shaklee.com.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

LAUNDRY DAY

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Freshen up your favorite jeans with Caldrea Dark Wash, featuring essential oil of lavender. $12/16 oz.; caldrea.com. Vaska Botanicals Spot Remover owes its stain-zapping power to pure plant enzymes. $7.59/16 oz.; vaskaproducts.com. A mere tablespoon of Charlie's Soap Laundry Powder, made with concentrated coconut-based detergents and pure, soluble mineral salts, cleans even the largest load. $13.99/ 2.64 lb.; charliesoap.com. Toss Maggie's Soap Nuts first in the accompanying bag, then in your washer; these dried fruits of the Chinese soapberry tree contain saponin, a cleanser that's as natural as it gets. $18.99/10 oz.; maggiespureland.com.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MINDEE CHOI

COPYRIGHT 2008 Vegetarian Times, Inc. All rights reserved.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning