Clean Without Chemicals

I never thought about the chemicals I used to clean my home until I had kids. There's something about using bleach and ammonia on the surfaces my kids crawl, climb on, and touch that just doesn't sit right with me. We've learned to associate strong chemical smells with "clean." Think about that for a minute. How does that even make sense?

I happened upon Norwex products pretty much by accident. You know...a friend has an in-home "party" and you show up pretty much for the wine and snacks. I felt obligated to buy something, and I'd heard other Iowa moms buzzing about the brand. The the microfiber "antibacterial" Enviro Cloth  seemed expensive ($15.99...for a rag) but what the heck. I'd spend as much on my own bottle of wine.

What makes this cloth special is its crazy thin microfibers and its claim to have strands of silver embedded inside. Silver provides natural antibacterial properties. The idea is that you pick up more gunk, it stays inside the rag, and any bacteria is suffocated by the silver. There's a bit more science to it than that, but you get the picture.

I don't know if all of the chemistry is going on when I wipe down my countertops, but I do know that they appear exceptionally clean. My original rag is also about 3 years old and is still used daily. I liked it instantly, but what really sold me on the brand was the Window Cloth. You can clean windows, mirrors, granite, or just about any shiny surface with only water! This cloth is $17.99. And, naturally, my husband's first reaction was that I got rooked. But then he saw me use it! I haven't purchased a bottle of Windex in two years...and I don't see any need for it in the future. By using the Enviro Cloth to remove tangible dirt and the Window Cloth to polish, I clean every glass and granite surface in my home to a shiny sparkle! (Even the sliding glass door. And I have two small kids and a dog.)

I could go on about the $100 mop that has changed my entire attitude about cleaning my house (and that's saying something), but until you're sold on the above, you won't even consider spending that much on a mop. So, find your local Norwex rep, order the Enviro Cloth and the Window Cloth and try it out for yourself.

But, be warned...you'll get hooked! (I just ventured into the personal care products. I'll let you know how my first encounter with the makeup remover clothes goes.) And you'll soon enjoy the fresh smell of clean instead of chemicals. 

I Mustache You a Question...

 

How far along are you with your holiday shopping? If you're still looking for something to put a smile on the face of a friend who has everything, check out www.SpoonSisters.com. I came across some terrific, whimsical gifts ideal for making holiday merriment. From fabulously dashing Party Mustache Serving Picks (and yes, they come in a variety pack including handlebar and fu manchu styles) to Spork Chops (ideal for the chopstick-challenged). And what chef could resist the Happy Spoon? Serve up a smile this holiday with any of these fun gifts!

Photos: SpoonSisters

With Freedom, Separate Has No Equal

The Thermador FREEDOM® Collection Refrigeration lets you design your refrigeration around your kitchen, not vice versa. With true flush, tall-door designs that blend seamlessly into the kitchen, cooks can build their own unique combination of refrigeration, wine and freezer columns. You can even customize your ideal refrigeration solution using refrigeration and wine column doors and handles, which are sold separately. Shown above...my ideal combination: Wine Column paired with Bottom Freezer Refrigerator. And below...French Door Bottom Freezer Refrigerator with separate Wine Column.

(Photos: Thermador)

Color in the Kitchen!

If color makes you happy, why not get creative with it in the kitchen?

Jonathan Adler, potter, designer, and lead judge on Bravo’s Top Design, recommends peppering every room in the home—including the kitchen—with little surprises and exclamation marks of color. “It’s the surprise factor that makes color work,” he says.

According to Adler, there’s nothing better than a colored sink to bring a kitchen to life. Even better, he says, “These colors work in just about any kitchen color palette to add a little punch.”

He partnered with Kohler to offer four special-edition hues on six styles of enameled cast-iron sinks. Shades include Piccadilly Yellow, Greenwich Green, Palmero Blue, and (my fav) Annapolis Navy.

(Photos: Kohler)