Spring Clean your Home and your Community

Thinking about Spring Cleaning? Earth Day/Week/Month? Combine the two with great smelling products from Mrs. Meyer's and Howard Naturals.

We just got in a new product from Howard--Butcher Block and Cutting Board Oil. It's made from clear, odorless, pure food-grade mineral oil. It meets or exceeds all FDA standards for food preparation surfaces. I use it on my Chicago Cutlery knife handles and block. Keeps them looking nice and new. It's great for wooden kitchen utensils and bowls, too. We also have a new supply of their Butcher Block Conditioner, which is awesome for restoring dried out wooden food handling stuff. (We have a furniture version too, but it has a light fragrance).

Mrs. Meyer's products are still selling well, and they should! Their refreshing fragrances make even the grossest cleaning jobs tolerable. Apply them with a biodegradable sponge from Twist, you've got a winning combo for you, your home, and the planet.

Want to get involved in keeping Berwyn beatiful? You can join in on Saturday April 16th from 9-noon as residents, business owners and local politicians help clean up various schools and business districts. You can register by calling 708-749-4900, or just show up and join in the fun!

Let's Get Fired Up for Spring Cleaning!

Spring feels like it's really on its way today! Of course that makes one think of Spring cleaning--ugh. But why do we dread cleaning so much? It can actually be quite a cathartic experience. Maybe one reason we don't get into cleaning more is that we're not into what we're cleaning with! I have plenty of things to inspire your inner white tornado. First off, Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day has a new fragrance for their Spring Cleaning Kit--Snap Pea. It's the freshest, greenest scent yet. The kit comes with small versions of all their best-selling products--All Purpose Cleaner, Window Spray, Countertop Spray, and Dish Liquid, all in a handy carrier box. This would be a great starter kit for anyone who hasn't jumped on the green cleaner bandwagon. Or for those of us who just want to try a new fragrance for awhile.

I also have just gotten in a shipment from Twist--100% biodegradable cleaning tools. I have the following in stock and ready for your cleaning pleasure:
Sponge cloths--these can take the place of paper towels in your kitchen and bathroom. They combine the absorbency of a sponge with the size and convenience of a paper towel. Think of the money (and garbage) you'll save if you cut down on your paper towel usage! And these babies can go in your dishwasher to clean and freshen them when they start looking tired. I have them in white, not the colors pictured, because what says clean better than white?

These are the "naked sponges". Just like it says--no colors, just a plain old hearty sponge. These can also be refreshed in the dishwasher (or microwave--directions are on the package).

This little cutie is the dish dumpling. It's the perfect size for washing dishes and glasses, and its knitted agave exterior is great for scouring the tough stuff.

And I may have saved the best for last--the loofah sponge. It's a naked sponge with one side that's pure power for scrubbing. I have used mine a lot, and it looks brand new! Won't scratch anything that I've tried it on (nonstick pans, corian countertops, bathtubs, etc.). I used to scrub my face with a loofah, so I'm pretty sure it won't scratch ANYTHING, but it's great for getting the 3D junk off.

Marge gets a wig!

Okay, the post isn't really about Marge's new wig, but it's an exciting thing nonetheless. Here's Marge modeling her new 'do and one of the newest items in the store--the handknit neckerchief. They're so cute and come in a variety of colors. They're all really soft and seem like they'd be very comfortable indoors as well as out.

I know I'm lagging behind on this, but I've been thinking about New Year's Resolutions. Be greener, be cleaner, be more organized. . .these are the top 3 for me. I'm hoping that if I get some new things to spark this, it will help me succeed. The greener isn't so much a thing of getting things to help me (although a wrap-n-mat, some produce bags and reusable totes would be helpful if you have the same resolution). The cleaner part is easy with all the Mrs. Meyer's and Howard Naturals products I have here. If this is your resolution I can help you pick out a few starter products (and these kill the first resolution AND the second one!). As for being more organized, all I can say is that the pretty file folders really do make you want to file stuff. And keeping a running list of things to do might help. . . The weekly organizer is a cute and nice compact way to keep track of stuff--there's a weekly calendar, an accordion file, and some sticky notes to keep you motivated.

Gifts for people who cook (and who doesn't cook?!)

If you cook, you've got dishes to wash. Mrs. Meyer's makes both traditional dish soap, and dishwasher soap. Both are natural, hard working, and they smell great (kinda like me!).

After you wash the dishes, you need to dry them. I have two different sets of Christmas-themed dish towels: four towels folded neatly into a cute fabric bag. Display them or use them--they'll put a festive spin on your kitchen decor. These are a great host/hostess gift for those holiday parties you'll be attending.

I have both holiday and all-season dip chillers now. Just put ice in the bottom part, and your dip stays cool throughout the whole party (or movie, or whatever). Both come in 1 and 2 cup sizes. I just got in a fresh order of dip mix--a great stocking stuffer for anybody--even those who don't cook (you need to stir, and that's about it).

The handmade cutting boards and wine holders are a perfect gift for that special cook in your life. Handcrafted in Berwyn by a Berwyn artist, Nevin Peters. We also have the perfect conditioner for them--Howard Naturals' Butcher Block Conditioner. It's unscented (unlike their other fabulous woodcare products), all natural, and very moisturizing to keep your cutting boards from drying out (as comes with washing). Resting atop these boards is some Chef's hand cream from Sunfeather Natural Soaps.

Rain, rain, go away! (in other words, take a hike, Ike!)

Well, for the past few days we've been having rain, and plenty of it! Chicagoland broke the previous record for inches of rain this weekend. There has been lots of flooding in the area, and I know of many people who had water in their basements--I'm one of them. For us, it was coming in through the walls, and in a couple of places it was seeping up through the basement floor tiles. And through the bricks in the fireplace. Luckily, we noticed it before it got deep, and I set to work with my handy shop vac and tons of towels. Of course Jon was out of town until Sunday afternoon, so I was on my own until then.

The rain barrel was overflowing right away, and since it's right next to the house, I had to reset the downspout to go back into the storm sewer. Once we get the water level down a bit in there, I'll put the down spout back to the barrel. It really helps that we connected it with a flexible "hose" that was pretty easy to maneuver back towards the sewer downspout.

The pond that had formed in our back yard is still sinking into the ground (although it stopped raining yesterday) and thus, into one wall crack in our basement. The crack is behind the built-in work bench, so it was hard to get to. When Jon got home, his engineering brain set in and he came up with a way to corral the water into a bucket using a cheap plastic dust pan that he screwed to a lower shelf board and braced against the wall--the water just slid down through the handle and into a bucket! The bucket needed to be emptied about every half hour, so I put a large, flat plastic box under it so we could get a few hours' sleep. It would be impossible to empty it, due to the shelf, but that's where the shop vac comes in. The leaks were on all four sides of the house, so I got a pretty good workout running between the puddles and dumping 10 gallons of water at a time down the basement sink. Not to mention hauling all the boxes that had gotten wet out to the garage to dry out before recycling them. I used to hoard boxes (ya' never know when you'll need a good box!), but now that I have the store, I have a steady supply of boxes--which I give away to anyone who needs them.

So now, I'm thinking I need to disinfect the whole basement, since I'm really allergic to mildew and mold. But what can I use that isn't chemical? Well, we all know that vinegar is a darn good cleaner/disinfectant, but do I want my basement to smell like vinegar? So I hit the internet good and hard today, and found several recipes for natural disinfectants. One said to add about 10 drops of essential oil to white distilled vinegar and that should take care of the smell. Another one said to use 1/2 teaspoon of tea tree oil & 2 cups of water--spray on and wipe off. The most intriguing, and complicated one was this:
2 cups water
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 tsp. tea tree oil
1/4 tsp. lime essential oil
1/4 tsp. grapefruit essential oil

I started to calculate the cost on that one (essential oils are kind of pricey) and then a searched for a pre-made natural disinfectant. There's one on the market called "Benefect" that is sold online at www.householdtraditions.com. It's $40 for one gallon. Back to the recipe. . .

I think I'll just use straight vinegar and follow it up with a good mopping with Mrs. Meyer's all purpose cleaner. It smells so good, that I'm sure the vinegar smell will disappear. And Aldi has vinegar for $.69.

Why Natural Cleaning Products?

Now that we're open, I will move on to greener pastures (or topics, as it may be).

I currently carry two lines of natural cleaning products. Mrs. Meyer's and Howard Naturals. Between them, you can clean everything in your home! (unless your home is made from cornstarch or some other material that would disintegrate if it got wet.)

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day makes aromatherapeutic cleaners for your kitchen and bathroom. Most come in four fragrances: Basil, Lavender, Geranium, and Lemon Verbena. I have been using these products for almost a year and I love them, which is why I decided to sell them. I carry their full line of regular cleaning stuff--powdered cleanser, counter top spray, concentrated cleaner, dish washing liquid, and window spray. I also have Lemon Verbena automatic dishwasher liquid, chamomile cat litter freshener and Basil laundry soap.

I had been thinking (and reading) a lot about chemicals in the home and it really started to sink in how important it is to get rid of them. The a-ha moment for me was when I was spraying the bathroom mirror with something bright blue (which will remain nameless) and I saw the mist floating gracefully down onto my toothbrush in its cute little chrome holder. Ugh! Then I noticed that when I'd spray my counter in the kitchen, the spray was getting on the wire basket of vegetables and bowl of fruit on there. I wash or peel them before I eat them, but it still really bugged me. Why use something made by Dow or Chlorox when I could use something made by Mother Nature? Or at least Mrs. Meyer with some help from Her. I still try to avoid getting the cleaners on my food and dental tools, but if it does, I'm pretty sure it won't make me grow a third arm or something. My mom pointed out that they now have "green" cleaners at her local grocery store, but they are made by the big chemical companies. I'd rather have my money go to someone who never created the problem in the first place! Most of the Mrs. Meyer's stuff is $4.99. The concentrated cleaner is $7.99, as is the automatic dishwasher liquid. The laundry soap is $11.99. Fairly comparable to the "regular" brands.

Howard Naturals covers all the categories that Mrs. Meyer's doesn't. Like wood, stainless steel, marble and granite, and upholstery. Their wood stuff is amazing! I don't have stainless or marble/granite in my house, so I've asked my customers who do to let me know how they like those cleaners. Their products also smell great. It's amazing what a clean uplifting (and non-chemical) fragrance can do to boost (or calm) your spirits while you're doing your chores!

I'm very sorry that I didn't take before and after pictures of my mom's butcher block table that I reconditioned for her on Mother's Day. I also failed to take any of the oak chair I have in the store that was a little dried out and tired looking before I used the furniture conditioner on it. Jose (fellow business owner in the neighborhood) came by the next day and asked me if I had refinished the chair! He bought the furniture conditioner the first day I was open. I also used it on the wood "floor" of the front window instead of staining and varnishing it.