My Green Cleaner loves...

...this drawing by the talented Shannon Lamden, creator of the Aunty Cookie brand http://www.auntycookie.com. Shannon creates ink drawings featuring a range of characters posing with their hobby paraphenalia (others include quilting, shopping and emboidery) alongside her lovely handprinted fabrics.

I think this little lady would be very at home here, overseeing all the Green Cleaners in the My Green Cleaner office.

A good reason to go green

I prefer to use the carrot rather than stick when it comes to flying the flag for ecological cleaning, but sometimes highlighting the nasties in non-eco products has more impact than extolling the virtues of lemon, lavender and vinegar!

And so to this extract from Easy Living magazine. The three health and fertility experts all agree that household chemicals can have a harmful impact on fertility. Two of them refer to perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), which are commonly found in food packaging and pesticides but can also be found in shampoo and household cleaners. To prevent exposure to PFCs avoid any products that contain fluoro or perfluoro in their ingredient list.

Hooray for sunshine!

After months of having washing draped over radiators during the winter, I love being able to hang out the washing now that Spring has arrived. This is especially good if you use real nappies as the sun helps bleach out any stains. My nappies are being used on baby No 2 and here are my tips on keeping them soft and smelling fresh.

• Every now and then add 1/2 cup of distilled vinegar to the final rinse cycle.
• Add a few drops of lavender oil in the fabric softener drawer to make them smell lovely.
• If nappies are hard and stiff after washing, add some bi-carbonate of soda in with the detergent to soften them up again.
• Every 6 months do a wash without any detergent. If you notice bubbles during the wash then detergent is still lingering in the nappies, which can be an irritant for your baby. Instead of powder use a tablespoon of soda crystals in your machine and continue to do this until the machine cycle runs clear.

Eco-cleaning inspiration

I admit to being a fan of both the publisher and the author of this book. CICO Books create titles with fab photography and if the photos in this book don't tempt you to try cleaning without chemicals then nothing will. Author Christina Strutt, (founder of clothing/interiors shop Cabbages and Roses) provides traditional hints and tips on how to keep your house clean, as well as advice on wider topics such as gardening, home-made beauty products and jam recipes. Some of the tips are a bit obvious (there's a whole page on how to sew on a patch) but on the whole, this is a book to inspire any aspiring eco housekeeper.

Bicarbonate of Soda

Bicarbonate of Soda (AKA Sodium Bicardonate or Baking Soda) is an essential ingredient in any eco cleaner's kit bag. I decant mine into a Kilner jar to prevent it getting damp (and to make it look prettier). Here are my top 5 uses:

1. Carpet Cleaning - sprinkle onto your carpet and leave for 40 minutes before vacuuming to refresh your carpets
2. Tile Cleaner - mix with water and use on kitchen or bathroom tiles to scour away dirt and grease
3. Sink Freshner - pour a large spoonful down the sink and then follow with a cupful of boiling water to keep drains fresh
4. Stain Remover - to clean tea-stained cups fill with a mixture of bicarb and water and leave to stand.
5. And Relax.....after all that cleaning sprinkle into your bath to make your skin lovely and soft.

Eco-cleaning up there with Michelle Obama

We've always known natural cleaning products were healthy, cleaned brilliantly and smelt delicious but we never really thought we were fashionable as well.

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But here's eco cleaning getting a mention in the Style magazine of the Sunday Times no less! Number Two on their 'barometer of style' just under Michelle Obama.

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Paris, Milan, New York, here we come.....