Tips from Good Housekeeping

I'm on a family vacation to NC, and I picked up a Good Housekeeping magazine to flip through on the beach, and here are a few tibbit I gleaned from GH.

• Non toxic drain cleaner:  For sluggish drains, try this remedy.  First, fish out any gunk with a bent coat hander, knitting needle, chopstick, etc...  Then, toss about 1/2 cup baking soda mixed with 1/4 cup salt into the drain, followed by a cup or two of household vinegar.  Wait about 5 minutes, put in stopper and fill with hot water.  With the water still running, pull the stopper and rinse it all down the drain.  Flush thoroughly.
  
• The 'eco-friendly' claim for bamboo fabric is not always entirely accurate.  According to GH, "while bamboo is an easy-to-grow plant, in order to turn it into a soft, weavable yarm, the raw fibers go through a chemically intense process that is not typically good for the environment.  The material created is rayon, and any characteristic specific to bamboo, like its antimicrobial and antifungal properties, are likely destroyed..."  Interesting.
  
• A new non-toxic carpet cleaner recently earned the coveted Good Housekeeping Seal (which means it WORKS).  Non-toxic Spot Shot is said to "eliminate tough carpet stains, even old ones, with an environmentally-friendly formula that safe for kids and pets."
  

Don't forget about our EcoParents meeting on Monday, June 1: Non-toxic lawn care and pest control, with "Organic Bob" at the Linden Hills Park building, 6:30-8:30 pm!