Clean Green

Reduce: I'm attempting to reduce the amount of chemicals in my house, especially now that my toddler has discovered how to operate a spray bottle and decided that anything with a screw-on lid must be drinkable. normal household cleaning is done with Simple Green and water, but anything requiring disinfection gets the special treatment.
Re-use: If I can avoid throwing something away by finding another use for it, great! Can you tell what my new (well, I've had it up for months now, but never blogged it before, so new to you guys) kitchen curtain was made from? And this knitted cloth from my mother? still looks brand-new after 3 years of regular use. It may have been a sweater in a former life, but I can't quite remember.
Recycle: Yeah, you can buy empty spray bottles from the store. But why bother when I've got one right here?


Recipe:
1 T Borax (note: this is toxic if ingested for babies, but is better than many alternatives. I wish I could find washing soda here, it's a slightly more environmentally sound alternative, but alas.)
1 c water
1/4 c vinegar
10 drops of your favorite essential oil, especially if it's got antiseptic or aromatheraputic qualities. OR, you can use hot water and add your own fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, lavender) and let steep 10 minutes before removing and adding the rest of the ingredients to the spray bottle.

more cleaning green ideas here.