I'll preface this by saying that I am not a 'green' person. It might just be the fact that I'd much rather 'go orange' than 'go green' and my soul has an aversion to being associated with anything green, but I usually go with the easy route. I recycle cardboard, but only the packages and only if it's easy, and I throw the rest away. I don't have a compost or a garden, and I use bleach to clean my whites, my bathrooms, and anything else that needs it. The only real thing that has changed with the addition of children is that I am very careful to keep everything locked up and out of reach, and I make sure to rinse after using any strong chemical.
This being said, I have been curious about all the 'green' and 'home remedy' type cleaning suggestions I have seen recently (thank you Pinterest!). When I ran out of kitchen cleaner about a week ago, I decided not to replace it just yet, and to try cleaning with diluted vinegar. I was amazed! The vinegar ate through all the dried on stuff on the stove, and was super easy to clean the counters. I just put a diluted solution in a spray bottle and went to work! When Olivia woke up early from her nap I wasn't at all put out and didn't have to rush to finish, I just gave her a stool and a washcloth and let her help! The only downside I could see for anyone would be the smell, but I happen to love the smell of vinegar, and didn't think it lasted that long.
I'm not sure if I will clean with vinegar forever, and am not sure how far this will spread (commercial cleaner in the bathroom still appeals to me) but I can say honestly that this was just as easy as cleaning my normal way. I'm also not at all sure at the cost comparison, but vinegar is super cheap, and it's diluted with water, so I would venture to guess that it is cheaper than any other cleaner I have been using.
*As an added note, I have also looked into cloth diapers, and will probably try them with Olivia this summer, before #2 joins us. I'm not sure if I will be as gung-ho about them, but I know they are much cheaper than disposables, so I'm giving it a try.
When your landlord wants to know why all the surfaces in your house have turned brown, you'll just have to tell him all the things vinegar can do... oh wait... Dan's telling me there's vinegar that's not balsamic! OH! Nevermind :).
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