Green Cleaning with Marcela Barraza

This week I am happy to present an interview with my friend Marcela Barraza. As a mother she became concerned about the health and well being of her family and thus became passionate about non-toxic and green cleaning practices. Lucky for us she's sharing some of our knowledge with us today!

You can also find tips on her blog Tu Casa. Check it out! She's even featured Holistic Spaces feng shui tips alongside her green cleaning tips.

AC: Tell us why it's so important to clean your home with non-toxic cleaners and why you made the change.

MB: It's important to take care of the air we breathe in our homes.  Studies show that indoor air might be 3 to 5 times higher in pollutants than outdoor air, leading to health issues such as asthma and headaches, just to name a couple.  If you think about it, when we "clean" our homes with toxic products all that fume stays in for days and you breath that; you have your baby crawl on the floors that are covered with toxins!  

It really takes a few simple steps to live better in you own home.

What would you said are the top three toxic items in the home that most people aren't aware of?

What are some simple tips to incorporate green cleaning practices in your home?

  • Switch paper towels for microfiber cloths

  • Take advantage of vinegar and baking soda

  • Use concentrated organic, non-toxic cleansers that you can mix at home by just adding water. You'll save money and the planet because you're using much less plastic that will eventually end up in landfills.

by Anjie Cho

Marcela Barraza owns MB Green Cleaning and has been in the cleaning business since 2004.  Her background in Hotel Administration and working for an airline for over 9 years created a strong foundation in customer service.  She's passionate about working with people, helping them to live in a healthy home.  She believes we can live better in our own homes!


3 Tips to Feng Shui Your Office For Prosperity

featured last week on Two Classy Chics

The art of Feng Shui has been in practice for over 3000 years in the far east reaches of China.. Today, many in the western culture have also been embracing the theories of Feng Shui. I am sure you have heard of it and are probably asking – what is it, really.

According to Wikipedia,

Feng shui is a Chinese philosophical system of harmonizing everyone with the surrounding environment. The term feng shui literally translates as “wind-water” in English…. Feng shui is one of the Five Arts of Chinese Metaphysics, classified as physiognomy (observation of appearances through formulas and calculations). The feng shui practice discusses architecture in metaphoric terms of “invisible forces” that bind the universe, earth, and man together, known as qi.

The art of this system mainly deals with harmonizing and balancing your surroundings to keep the invisible forces around you flowing. This is not a religion nor is it based in a religion but rather a way of controlling the life forces in your home.

...read full article

by Anjie Cho


Holistic Spaces Store

eHow.com Video: How to Make Natural Cleaners for Shower Curtains

How to Make Natural Cleaners for Shower Curtains

How to Make Natural Cleaners for Shower Curtains

Try using natural cleaners like white vinegar and peroxide to reduce the use of toxic cleaners in your bathroom and keep shower curtains and doors clean

see more eHow.com videos here

Video Transcript:

Hi, I'm Anjie Cho, and this is how to make natural cleaners for shower curtains. I think the most offensive and toxic cleaners are the conventional ones made for bathrooms. I'm going to share with you my favorite non-toxic natural cleaners for shower curtains and doors.

First, to get the soap scum and mildew off. White vinegar's excellent for this because its acidic properties can dissolve the soap scum. Spray undiluted white vinegar on your shower curtain and give it some time to work. Come back in an hour, then use a bristle brush to remove the soap scum.

Once your shower curtain or door is nice and clean, you need to keep it up. I love this anti-mildew shower bathtub spray made with hydrogen peroxide. Add a few drops of essential oil, I prefer eucalyptus, put it straight into the brown bottle. Screw a spray bottle top right on there.

By the way, the reason why hydrogen peroxide often comes in these opaque brown bottles is that it can break down quickly in sunlight. Keep the new spray in the shower and spray your curtains and doors after every use. It will help prevent mildew and mold from forming.

You can use easy to find household products like white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide to make natural cleaners to keep your shower curtain or door clean and fresh.

by Anjie Cho