Here at Tree Hugging Family, I mainly advocate making your own homemade green cleaners. Not only is it easy to make simple green cleaners, but very cost effective. That said, there will always be folks who want to buy, not make cleaners, so I figured we should take a look at which store bought cleaners are actually green.
The number one rule for choosing a green store bought cleaner is – read your labels. A pretty waterfall or little green leaf means nothing. Ignore fancy ‘green’ packaging and read your labels.
Terms you want to see on a cleaning bottle include:

Ammonia …read more

Today we have a special DIY homemade eco chic soap guest post from Anne-Marie, founder of Bramble Berry Inc.…

More and more families are growing increasingly concerned about their ecological footprint. In addition to taking less trips, recycling and planting more trees, there is an easy thing you can to help save the environment, improve your family’s health and save money in the process. Making your own soap is a great way to control the ingredients that go into your bath tub, onto your child and down your drain. And, bonus! It’s a fraction of the cost of store bought soap.
Eco …read more

Green gifts can cost a little more; but not if you make them yourself. I’m going to give you some ideas for homemade eco gifts that won’t cost too much to make and that people will actually adore. Some are from Tree Hugging Family’s past, and others are new.
If I see any more over the next couple of weeks, I’ll post those too.
Great little homemade green gifts for party hosts:
Pennyroyal, Cinnamon, & Lavender Air Freshener

Flower & Spice Table Toppers via Family Corner
 

Organic homemade beauty gifts:

I’m a little obsessed with these cool lemon bath cookies I read about at Pretty By Nature. The recipe sounds awesome. Since I did see it there, I’m sending you over to Pretty by Nature to see the recipe link, but you won’t be disappointed with a couple of clicks. It sounds like a great morning pick-me-up sort of soap. Easy to adjust as organic too.
You also may be interested in hugging yourself a lemon tree.
Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in May 2008
[photo via stock.xchng]

In my recent post; 23 Refillable Liquid Hand Soap Pumps, a reader (and cool blogger I know – Angelique) asked:
“I was wondering if you (or any readers) knew of a cheap way to make your own liquid soap from all those crazy “soap slivers” that slime around the kitchen, bathrooms, showers and tubs?
There has to be a way to liquify them, right? Or am I in la-la land?”
Angelique is not in la-la land. I answered her question in the comments, but one I answered it with a short version (leaving out specific timing), and two, since maybe you …read more