This article was written by volunteer Siri Smith.

As a new mom, cleaning has practically become a hobby in my life. But after looking at bottles with warnings to keep away from children, and a desire to be more eco-friendly in everything that I do, this book is nothing short of a blessing. It shares ways of green and nontoxic cleaning in every area of your home, with recipes and everything.

Not only does it give nontoxic ways to clean (spoiler alert: lots of baking soda, vinegar, and soap are involved), but it also makes cleaning feel like less of a chore and more like something fun. Maybe it’s the way things are worded, or maybe it’s the satisfaction of concocting some of the cleaning product recipes yourself (examples include drain cleaners, dishwasher soap, furniture polish, and laundry detergent).

Personally, I grew up with a water and vinegar mixture being the go-to for all-purpose cleaner. I can attest that this is one simple and effective concoction, so I had to try out some of the tips and tricks in the book. Having an eight-month-old, I skipped to the baby section to figure out what they recommended for baby-related cleaning. One piece of advice was to immediately clean used bottles with cold water. I tried this, and it helped get the grime out better than my past method of soaking in soap and warm water!

But being green doesn’t just end at the ingredients themselves. Disposal and recycling have an impact on the environment as well. This is not overlooked by Hunter & Halpin; in fact, there’s a whole chapter on storing cleaning products and how to properly dispose of them (not just limited to the ones outlined in the book).

The best part is the book itself is water- and stain-resistant, so not only does it tell you how to clean, but it can join you while you concoct recipes. And of course, you don’t have to be a mom to get something out of this book. Anyone who just wants to figure out ways to be more environmentally conscious will find this as a great guide with laundry loads of accessible information.

Green Clean and other books are available in the 21 Acres library to borrow whenever campus is open! Stop by the front desk to ask how to check out a book. This resource is always free to our community.

About Siri Smith

Siri Smith is a recent graduate of Seattle University, majoring in Organizational Leadership and minoring in Creative Writing. Being an organic food-eating child and an electric car-driving adult, sustainability has always been a huge part of her life. If her writing and book reviews can inspire those to save the planet, then Siri would be over the moon that two of her passions in life have blended for a greater good.