Green Cleaning

I went internet surfing last night and found some green cleaners. First I found this and then this and this one has a good information as to why we should be using green cleaners.Some laundry detergents were found here. And for those of you who are using those Cleaning Wipes here is an idea to break the habit with.I don't use the wipes but it was an interesting idea.
I found one that gave me some food for thought but I am most likely going to try making some laundry detergent any way.I found one blog that mentioned homemade laundry detergents and HE washers.This person uses her homemade detergent in hers without any problems,this is good since we have a HE washer and dryer.
I got so excited about one idea that I tried it late last night.I tried using Olive Oil as a furniture polish.The site said to add some lemon juice to the olive oil for scent,I was not to into the scent part and skipped it. Our dinning room table was bought at a yard sale and needs refinishing,$10 for a vintage Teak table was to good of a buy to worry about the project of refinishing it.The top is very dry looking and when I use the commercially made oil it looks dry again in under 5 minutes. I rubbed the top down with the olive oil, I used maybe 1/8 of a cup and the results are Tres Fabu! As of this morning the table top is still glossy and inviting.So I am using that idea from now on.We always have olive oil in the house and although it is a bit spendy maybe I won't have to oil the table as often and make up the cost.And it is green the most important part.Years ago Chance and I had some wood bowls that we oiled often with Vegtable oil so from the get go I was pretty sure this work.
I looked at lots of green cleaning ideas and most of them used the same items,Vinegar,Baking Soda,Borax,Lemons,Soap and essential oils for scent.A few of them used Ammonia watered down with other items added in.I always have some of the ingredents on hand so putting some of them together to try won't be to hard.I think the only thing I don't have is Borax and bar soap. I read on some of the sites that the start up of making your own cleaners is where their cost lies, but once you start using the cleaners the cost averages out.
For us its mostly about being green in a way that works for us.I look at some of the commercially made green cleaners but never buy them.The cost for them is goofy.(This is a huge topic of disscusion right now for Chance and I ,"Why are organics and green products so much more than anything else?"More on that another day)We are also working on reducing the use of plastic packaging; the plastic bottles the green cleaners come in are wasteful. Yes, most of these bottles are recycelable here but on the other hand there is still some polution to recycling.
Theres plenty of information out there and folks are using it.We will give it a try and judge for ourselves.If these ideas don't live up to my standards then we will keep looking until we find an idea that is Green and works they way we want.
Now I must go do some said cleaning along with baking 2 Birthday cakes,some cooking and garden work.
Rois