Does Your Washer Smell Like a Dirty Locker Room?

Have you ever walked into your laundry room and thought ... Whew, it smells like a dirty locker room in here? It could be the pile of soccer clothes dumped on the floor by your kids or the wet towels tossed in the corner after swimming. But it could also be the washing machine itself. Yes, the machine we trust to get our whites white and our colors brilliant can cause odors.

The fact is that washing machines are subject to soap scum and dirt build-up, especially if one washes clothes in cold water (the Eco-friendly way). Who knew! So ... do we have to live with the smell? Not at all ... and we don't have to use harsh chemicals or toxic cleaners to fix the problem.

Removing the odor depends on the cause:

If wet clothing was left in the washer too long (ever started the washer and then totally forgot about it ... for a week), it could become "stale" and cause a smell. Re-wash the clothes to remove any mold, mildew and smell.

If there is standing water in the tub, it may signal a problem with the drain. This may require calling for repair.

If there are no wet clothes and no standing water, then it's probably build-up. To remove the build-up and clear up any odors, try this:

1. Remove any visible dirt, lint, etc.
   
   
2. Mix together 1/2 cup baking soda with 2 cups vinegar. Careful ... use a large container because this mixture bubbles up.
   
   
3. Begin filling your washer with HOT water (I know ... we "greenies" hate wasting the energy required to fill a tub with hot water but, in this case, it's really necessary).
   
   
4. As the tub fills, pour in the baking soda/vinegar mixture.
   
   
5. Let the washer run through the entire cycle, including rinse.
   
   
6. Using a sponge, wipe down the inside of the tub and any visible surfaces.

Your washer should now be sparkling clean and odor free!

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

More Vinegar Solutions ...

Awhile back we talked about using vinegar in the house to clean (you can read that article HERE). Vinegar is an amazing product ... it's inexpensive, it kills bacteria, mold and germs ... and, it's earth friendly.

Today we're taking vinegar outside. Here are some ideas (unless otherwise specified, we're using white distilled vinegar for these tips):

• Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Hydrangeas and Gardenias all do better in acidic soil. Rather than use harmful chemicals, water them with a solution of one cup vinegar to a gallon of water.
  
  
• Did some of your garden tools get rusted over the winter? Soak them in undiluted vinegar overnight or for a few days ... rust will disappear and your tools will be good as new.
  
  
• We recently talked about using weeds to make a liquid fertilizer. But how about those weeds (or grass) that grow in tight spaces ... the cracks of a walkway or driveway? Spray them with vinegar and they're gone.
  
  
• If you have an outdoor fountain or pond that uses a pump, soak the pump in full strength vinegar to remove mineral deposits and keep it working in tip top shape.
  
  
• Have an ant problem? Spray the area with vinegar and they'll go elsewhere.
  
  
• Soak clay, plastic or glazed pots in a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar for at least an hour to clean out stains, mineral deposits and to kill any bacteria, germs and mold before using them for new plants.
  
  
• Nothing is better than watching wild birds take a bath. To keep our feathered friends happy and healthy, clean out the birdbath often by scrubbing it with undiluted vinegar. Rinse it well and fill it with fresh water.
  
  
• Having a problem with garden lime? Neutralize it by adding vinegar to the area.
  
  
• Keep your patio furniture clean and sanitary by wiping it down with vinegar. Keep a spray bottled filled and clean away.
  
  
• Clean the hummingbird feeder with vinegar instead of soaps and detergents ... it will kill bacteria and germs and won't leave any harmful film.
  
  
• Bothered by mosquitoes? Drink a little apple cider vinegar each day and you'll become unattractive to them.
  
  
• Do you have brown spots on your lawn because "Fido" uses it as his urinal? Put a little Apple Cider Vinegar in his water bowl and no more brown spots (by the way, this trick also helps keep fleas at bay. Check out this link: http://www.organic-pet-digest.com/benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar.html for more information on vinegar and canine health).
  
  
• Speaking of pets ... does your cat (or the neighbors) get into your garden or think your kid's sandbox is their own private litter box? Spray the area with vinegar ... they don't like the smell.
  
  
• I have very sensitive skin and ... I don't like gloves when I work in the garden. The result is usually red, blotchy, itchy skin. To solve the problem, rinse hands in vinegar ... problem solved.
  
  
• If your plants are being eaten by rabbits, discourage "Bugs Bunny" by putting vinegar soaked cotton balls in a 35mm film container or small pill bottle. Poke a hole in the top and place in the garden. "Bugs" will shop elsewhere.
  
  
• Do flies like to hang around the pool? Pour vinegar around the perimeter of the pool ... not in the water ... just around the edges.
  
  
• Have an unsightly stain on the concrete patio? Pour some vinegar on it, let it sit over night and then rinse it off. The stain will miraculously disappear.
  
  
• Tired of scraping bugs off your windshield? Put about 3 cups of vinegar into the windshield wash reservoir ... no more problem.
  
  
• Love to grill? Clean a cooled grill with vinegar and a brush.
  
  
• If you have a wooden deck (sustainable, earth-friendly wood, of course) then you might be bothered with slippery mildew. Rather than use a bleach based cleaner, use vinegar.
  
  
• Have birds used your furniture or deck for target practice? Spray down the "droppings" with vinegar, let it sit for awhile and then wash them away.
  
  
• How about a camping trip? Vinegar cleans coolers and canvas tents. Don't forget about tarps ... stop that mold and mildew with ... yep ... vinegar. And here's a bonus ... using vinegar helps reduce the amount of dust that normally sticks to camping equipment.
  
  

So there you go ... earth-friendly, healthy ways to keep the outdoors pleasant.

As always ... I would love to hear from you.

Breathe Easy

In our last post we talked about exhaust fans. Even using exhaust fans efficiently won't take care of other, longer lasting odors ... like garbage cans, clothes hampers or diaper pails? And what about the lingering smell of some foods ... have you ever left the house only to return and be greeted by the smell of last night's dinner?

The first thing to do, of course, is remove the source ... which works relatively well with garbage. Odors from diaper pails, clothes hampers and foods are not so easily removed. Parents using Eco-friendly diapers (disposables are not Eco-friendly) need to wash them. And washing one diaper at a time doesn't support our "only full loads", environmentally friendly washing practices ... not that new parents have time for washing one diaper at a time anyway. The same holds true for clothes ... gym outfits or dirty work clothes may smell but ... if there aren't enough clothes for a full load ... what do we do? Food odors are also hard to remove ... they seem to linger in the walls.

Perhaps air fresheners would work. You've seen the commercials ... a lovely woman sprays a fine mist into the air ... or plugs some little gadget into the wall ... and voila ... clean air, reminiscent of mountain breezes and spring. But wait ... are these products safe and good for the environment? According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 12 out of 14 common air fresheners, of various forms (solids, sprays, etc.), including some marked "natural" or "unscented", contained hormone-disrupting chemicals known as phthalates (you can read their article HERE). Phthalates were not listed on the label. Additionally, many of these products are housed in earth unfriendly materials such as plastic.

Do we just have to live with the odors ... walk around with our noses covered or pinched shut with clothes pins? Nope ... here are some ideas:

• Make your own essential-oil-based spray. Combine 30-40 drops, total, of up to three of your favorite oils with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle (an earth-friendly one, of course). Shake well and spritz in clothes hampers, kitchen compost bins, etc.

• Use diluted vinegar to wipe down the inside of garbage cans and diaper pails. If you soak diapers, pour a cup of vinegar into the soaking water.

• Sprinkle baking soda into diaper pails and clothes hampers.

• Sprinkle aromatic spices in hampers ... or to enhance a room, place spices in a bowl (just place them out of your child's reach) ... try cinnamon, ginger or cloves.

• Put a few drops of essential oil or extracts (vanilla, almond, etc.) on a light bulb. When you turn on the light ... the room will become infused with fragrance.

• Burn a fragrant soy candle. Soy candles don't pollute and they are environmentally friendly.

• Put a cotton ball, soaked in your favorite essential oil into the vacuum bag ... it'll freshen the air as you clean.

Freshen your air with these environmentally safe ideas and you'll breathe easy for sure!

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

Cleaning the environmentally safe way

Have you ever looked at the label on common household cleansers?

I recently looked at the label on a popular brand and the active ingredient is sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione dihydrate ... a fancy name for chlorine bleach. That accounted for 1.2% of the ingredients. The other ingredients, 98.8% of them ... were left nameless (hm ... curious).

The label also included lovely words like "scratch free", "disinfects and cleans tough stains" and "club size" (don't we just love anything that's larger than life). There were words on how to use the product ... everything from brightening the kitchen sink to disinfecting the toilet bowl. There were even a few words on how "green" this company is ... "package contains at least 7% recycled material" and "contains no phosphate".

And then ... there was a block of warnings ... "do not use on painted surfaces" ... "do not mix with other products". At the bottom of the label ... "HAZARDS TO HUMANS AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS". This section included cautions and first aid instructions if one were to come in contact with the product ... and even included a hot line for emergency medical information.

Wow ... who knew that cleaning a house could be so dangerous? And if this product has the ability to hurt us ... is it hurting the environment when it's washed down the drain and into the water system? I'm guessing that it is.

While I'd love to use this information to forgo cleaning forever ... it turns out that there is a product ... an inexpensive, environmentally friendly, easy to find product that does the job perfectly. Vinegar! Yep ... white distilled vinegar. Because of it's level of acidity, it does a great job killing most molds, bacteria and germs. It's scratch-free and can be purchased in larger than life quantities. And guess what ... it brightens the kitchen sink and disinfects the toilet bowl.

Here are few ways to use it:

• To Clean Windows: Combine 1/2 cup non-sudsy ammonia, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a gallon of water.
• To Remove Pet Stains on Carpets: Blot up the area and then add a solution of white distilled vinegar and water. Blot until almost dry ... then sprinkle baking soda over the area and let it dry. Once completely dry, vacuum the residue.
• To Mop No-Wax Vinyl or Linoleum Floors: Use a solution of one cup white distilled vinegar for every gallon of water.
• To Clean the Toilet Bowl: Pour at least one cup of white distilled vinegar into the bowl and let it sit several hours or overnight. Scrub with a toilet brush and flush.
• To Remove Bathtub Film: Wipe it with white distilled vinegar and then scrub with baking soda.
• To Remove Grime, Mildew, and Scum from the Tub, Tile, Shower Curtain or Door: Wipe with undiluted white distilled vinegar. Rinse with water.
• To Kill Germs on Kitchen and/or Bathroom Surfaces: Spray full-strength white distilled vinegar on surface and wipe with a damp cloth.
• To Kill Germs and Eliminate Odors in Sponges and Dish Clothes: Cover with water then add 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. Soak overnight.
• To Clean the Refrigerator: Use a 50/50 percent solution of water and white distilled vinegar. Wipe down all areas and dry.
  

These are just a few of the many cleaning uses for vinegar. For more, click HERE.

What could be better ... an industrial strength cleaner which is inexpensive and earth friendly ... not to mention friendly to our bodies.

As always, I would love to hear from you.