Join Me as a Seventh Generation Toxin Freedom Fighter #FightToxins #MC

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central for Seventh Generation. I received a promotional item and product samples as a thank you for participating.

Seventh Genaration is one of the few brands that I will buy anything they make without hesitation. Why? Because I know I will get a quality product free of toxic chemicals. I have been faithfully using their products, particularly the laundry detergent and various household cleaners, for years now. When I started having kids and became more aware of the harmful ingredients in every single product in my home, I started making lots of changes around the house. Getting the toxic chemicals out was a top priority for me and Seventh Generation made it easy and affordable for me to find great natural products.

For me I think it is pretty obvious that toxic chemicals are bad for our health and the health of the environment. However not much seems to be happening in the way of removing them from products or even just making the public more aware of them. Change is long overdo and we need to let our government know that they need to do something. That is why I teamed up with Seventh Generation as a Toxic Freedom Fighter to help spread the word and get people to take some action.

Did You Know?

• There are over 80,000 chemicals available in the United States that have never been fully tested for their toxic effects.
• Scientists have linked exposure to toxic chemicals to many health risks, including Cancer, Alzheimer’s, learning disabilities, asthma, birth defects, and reproductive problems.
• The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was passed in 1976 but it has never been updated. As it currently stands, tens of thousands of potentially harmful chemicals continue to be used in the marketplace since the 1970’s without proper testing and without disclosure by the companies that produce them.
•  For additional information to learn more visit the Natural Resources Defense Council.

What Can You Do?

• Become a Toxin Freedom Fighter by signing Seventh Generation’s petition to urge Congress to reevaluate the Toxic Substances Control Act for the first time since 1976.
• Make sure that parents and the general public are aware that of the 80,000 synthetic chemicals introduced into the market since the Toxic Substances Control Act was passed in 1976, the EPA has required testing on less than 10%. Tell your friends, family, teachers, PTA members, and anyone else who will listen!
• Help Seventh Generation reach its goal of collecting 100,000 Signatures by April 24th by signing the petition for chemical reform and urging your friends and family to do the same!

So please take some time to join us as Seventh Generation Toxin Freedom Fighters and sign the petition today.  There are also some great resources there for you to use to help spread the word like sending tweets to your state's senators and sharing on social media.

Clean Green with Green Works All-Purpose Cleaner & Win in the Green Works Games!

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Green Works. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and promotional item as a thank you for participating.

So many people have this misconception that doing things a little more clean is harder and more expensive. When it comes to eliminating chemical cleaners from your home and replacing them with greener ones, that is not the case. When I started out on this green journey, there weren't a whole lot of options readily available to buy. So I easily made my own natural cleaners with things like vinegar, water and essential oils. Those work great and they are super cheap to put together. But as a mom to four very active young boys, making time to mix my concoctions isn't always easy. So I also like being able to just grab a bottle of cleaner when there is a mess to clean up. Green Works offers a line of affordable and effective natural cleaners that get the job done without harming your family or the environment.

From the cooktop to the countertop, Green Works® Naturally Derived All-Purpose Cleaner powers through grease, grime and dirt without leaving behind harsh chemical fumes or residues. Green Works All-Purpose Cleaner is safe to use on multiple surfaces throughout the kitchen and bathroom, including counters, appliances, stainless steel, sealed granite, chrome, cooktop hoods, sinks and toilets.

• Formulated using plant- and mineral-based biodegradable cleaning ingredients.
• Provides an easy and practical way to use naturally derived products without compromising cleaning performance.
• Packaged in bottles that can be recycled.
• Not tested on animals.
• Green Works All-Purpose Cleaner is now available with the innovative SMART TUBE® TECHNOLOGY that allows consumers to spray every drop of the liquid in spray bottles.
• Green Works® All-Purpose Cleaner is available in a 32-oz. bottle in both original and tangerine scents.
• Approximate retail price is $3.49.

Over the years I have used a variety of their products, from their glass cleaner to their cleaning wipes, and I have always been very pleased with them. Plus I love that they are budget friendly and available at major retailers and grocery stores.

Connect with Green Works
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Green Works Pinterest Game
How would you like a chance to win a $500 gift card while having some fun on Pinterest? You can do that with the Green Works Pinterest Game. After you figure out what a word is then you pin an image to your Green Works Games board to match it. Once your board is complete, you submit if ro a chance to win. Check out more of the details below.

 

I had some fun too creating a Green Work Pinterest board of my own. You can check it out here: www.pinterest.com/greenmamaspad/greenworks-games.

Clean Your Home Naturally with Seventh Generation #Giveaway

For several years now, my go to brand for natural cleaning products has been Seventh Generation. Seventh Generation uses toxin-free, VOC-free, biodegradable and Biobased formulas in each product to ensure a healthy home and eco-friendly lifestyle. On the back of each product, they disclose every single ingredient used in the product so you aren't left guessing what might be inside. With Seventh generation products I know what I am getting and what I am NOT getting - harsh, toxic chemicals. This holiday season, I am keeping my house clean (or as clean as it can get with four little kids) with Seventh Generation.

Whatever type of cleaning product you need, Seventh Generation has it. From laundry care to dishwashing to every day household cleaners and now even personal care products, they've got it all covered. I was recently sent some products to try out and I knew I would not be disappointed. While I have been using some of products for years now, like their Free & Clear Laundry Detergent and Dryer Sheets, all of the products shown above were new to me.  I couldn't wait to clean!

Wood Cleaner - I have to admit, the wood surfaces in my home are sadly neglected. Sure they get dusted every now and then but I rarely (OK, never) use a cleaner on them. This biodegradable formula leaves wood surfaces shiny and hydrated.  My dining room furniture looked great after going over them with this.

Natural Laundry Detergent Packs - I mentioned above that I have been using the Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Liquid for several years now and I was a bit perplexed by these monodose packs. I have never used anything like this before and I was wondering if they would really dissolve in cold water. Sure enough, they did and they left our clothes just as clean and fresh as the liquid dose. Avilable in  Free & Clear and Mandarin & Sandlewood scents..

Automatic Dishwasher Pacs - With super hard well water, getting the dishes completely clean, even in the dishwasher, is a challenge. These did a good job and without the use of phosphates, chlorine and synthetic fragrances. The last thing I want is for my family to eat off plates coated in toxic chemicals.

Hand Care Dish Liquid - I don't like to use gloves when I hand wash dishes, but then in the winter it results in super dry and cracked hands. Last year it actually got pretty painful. The new Hand Care Dish Liquid works hard on cutting through grease while also keeping your hands moisturized and soft. I am curious to see how my hands hold up over the winter. Available in Lavender & Vanilla scent or Free & Clear.

Hand Wash -  It's cold and flu season so its important for everyone to keep their hands nice and clean. Especially houses with kids. This hand wash is 97% plant based and gentle enough for the entire family to use. Available in Lavender and Mandarin





With our youngest son's third birthday party this past weekend, Seventh Generation helped me clean up the house both before and after the party. And all while keeping toxic chemicals away from my family and I. Seventh Generation products prove that natural cleaning products get the job done better.

Giveaway
One (1) winner will receive a Seventh Generation Cleaning Prize Pack which includes one(1) of each of the following:
• Specialty Wood Surface Cleaner
• Hand Care Dish Liquid
• Automatic Dishwasher Pacs
• Lavender Purifying Hand Wash
• Monodose Laundry Detergent Packs

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on January 4, 2012 at 12:00 AM ET. Please use the Rafflecopter form below.

Please note that the opinions and views expressed in this review are my own and based on my personal experience with the product and/or company. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. I received free product to review.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Home & Beauty Tips

During the holiday season, you probably use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda for making cookies and other holiday baking. But did you know that baking soda has so many uses beyond cooking? When I started down my green living path five yeas ago, one of the first things I learned is that baking soda can make a great natural cleaner. Not only can you use it to clean up around the house, you can also use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to tend to some of your personal care needs. With the holiday season upon us, baking soda provides an inexpensive and natural way to spruce up our homes and pamper ourselves while prepping for holiday guests. Check out these six tips.

Prep Your Home

These household uses for baking soda will help you get your home ready for guests.

Freshest Flavor - Be sure to keep an open box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in your refrigerator to ensure the freshest tasting ingredients for holiday entertaining.  This is especially important when storing garlic, onions or fresh holiday herbs and spices, which will transfer flavors to more delicate vegetables, meats and cheeses in the fridge.  Be sure to change the box once a month for optimal freshness.

Food Safe Surface Cleaning - Clean your food prep area and tools with natural, food safe Arm & Hammer Baking Soda instead of harsh cleaners. Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda onto a clean damp sponge or cloth and wipe clean, rinse thoroughly and then dry.  Great for counters, stainless steel sinks, cutting boards, microwaves, wooden spoons, oven tops, range hoods and more.

Freshen Upholstery - Before guests arrive, remove lingering odors for fresh-smelling upholstered sofas and chairs with Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. Sprinkle baking soda on upholstery, wait 15 minutes and vacuum up.

Pamper Yourself

Whether you are exhausted from holiday shopping and need something to relax you or you want to make sure you shine for family photos, these tips will help do the trick.

Exfoliating Pedicure - Blend 2 tablespoons of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in a basin of warm water. After a nice soak, make a scrub using 3 parts Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and 1 part water. Follow with an application of a rich moisturizer and a warm towel foot wrap. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Feet will feel smooth and clean.

Facial Scrub and Body Exfoliant - For smooth, radiant skin, give yourself a gentle facial and body scrub with Arm & Hammer Baking Soda.  Make a paste of 3 parts Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to 1 part water.  Consider enhancing the treatment by including 1 part ground oatmeal. Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate skin and remove dead skin cells. (Be careful to avoid eye area.)  Rinse clean with warm water.  Leaves skin feeling nourished and refreshed. Gentle enough for daily use!

Hair Care Help - Get rid of product buildup by sprinkling a small amount (quarter-size) of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda into your palm along with your favorite shampoo.  Shampoo as usual and rinse thoroughly.  The Arm & Hammer Baking Soda helps remove the residue that styling products leave behind so your hair is cleaner and more manageable.

So what is my favorite way to use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda? I would have to say I love using it to scrub the bathtub and shower. Soap scum is not fun to clean up, but the abrasiveness of baking soda really does it well. It is definitely one of my favorite ingredients for not only baking but cleaning as well. I always have at least 4 boxes of Arm &b Hammer Baking Soda in my house at any given time. One in each refrigerator, one in the pantry and one under the kitchen sink.

What other ways do you use baking soda around your home?


I wrote this review while participating in an Blog Tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Arm & Hammer and received product samples to facilitate my post and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Seventh Generation Disinfecting Cleaner Review & Giveaway

When I started switching over to natural cleaning products more than two years ago, Seventh Generation was one of the first green companies I was introduced to. Over these years I have used their laundry detergent, dryer sheets, toilet cleaner, automatic dishwasher detergent and more. I have always been more than pleased with everything of theirs that I have tried.

Now in my day to day cleaning, there are only two things that skeeve me enough to disinfect: raw chicken and toilets. Normally after handling raw chicken, I'll use a white vinegar mixture to clean my counter, but my husband HATES the smell of it. Well Seventh Generation recently added a new line of botanical disinfecting cleaners which includes a multi-surface cleaning spray, bathroom cleaning spray and wipes. The active ingredient in these is Thymol which is a component of the herb Thyme. These cleaners may be used on hard surfaces such as counter tops and kill 99.99% of household germs, naturally.

Kills over 99.99% of household germs, specifically: Influenza A, H1N1, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli on hard, nonporous surfaces.

Seventh Generation and My Blog Spark sent me a disinfecting kit which included this entire line to try out. As I mentioned earlier one of the things that truly grosses me out are toilets. Just thinking about the day when all four of my boys are teenagers makes me shudder. So the first thing I fell in love with are the Disinfecting Wipes. When I clean any other room in my house I like to use microfiber towels because I can throw them in the wash. But I just cannot bring myself to use them in the bathroom. Bleh. I much prefer wipes that I can toss right into the garbage. These wipes come in an easy to use tub and I like the feel of them. I have used others that were way too thin. So I am able to quickly grab one of these wipes and clean all around the toilets with them. For the rest of the bathroom, like the counter, I can use the Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner with some of the Seventh generation paper towels.The combination of the two works well and I can leave knowing my bathroom is germ free.

The room I use the Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner in the most is the kitchen. I am not one to go around disinfecting every single thing in my house - a few germs around is good to build up your immune system (or at least I think so). But as I mentioned, raw chicken skeeves me and is one of those things that I just do not take chances with. I am totally paranoid about salmonella poisoning. I make chicken at least once a week so it is great to now have a disinfecting cleaner I can use to quickly spray my counters with. Now for this product to kill the germs, you spray it on then let air dry. I also use it to clean the table after meals and since I really don't need it to disinfect there, I spray on and then wipe off with one of my microfiber towels.  A nice bonus for us is now there is no more vinegar smell in the kitchen, which makes my hubby happy. In fact, all of these cleaners have a mild, pleasant smell - kind of like herbs. And that makes me happy because I absolutely hate cleaners that have strong obnoxious scents.

Once again Seventh Generation has come out with a cleaner that is not only all natural but it gets the job done and done well. Add this to the long list of Seventh Generation products that I love.

Giveaway
One (1) winner will receive a Seventh Generation Disinfecting Cleaning Kit. The kit includes a disinfecting multi-surface cleaner, disinfecting bathroom cleaner, disinfecting wipes, a copy of The Conscious Kitchen, a cleaning caddy made from recycled plastic and two rolls of 100% recycled, unbleached paper towels.

Mandatory Entry
Tell me how you keep your family safe from chemicals or tell me what is the best thing you’ve done for the environment this year.

Extra Entries
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- Follow @GreenMamasPad and @SeventhGen on Twitter and and tweet this giveaway. You can tweet once daily. Leave link to tweet in comment. You must have at least 50 followers. You can use this:
Win a Seventh Generation Disinfecting Cleaning Kit from @greenmamaspad and @seventhgen! #giveaway http://bit.ly/aKZiX0
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This giveaway is open to US Residents 18+ only and will end on Thursday, May 13 at 11:59pm EST. One winner will be chosen at random using Random.org and will be posted on the Winner's Announcement Page. Winner has 48 hours to claim his/her prize otherwise a new winner will be picked. You must leave your e-mail address in all of your comment(s) so I can contact you. I will not share your e-mail address with anyone, it will strictly be used to notify you if you win. Good luck!

Please note that the opinions and views expressed here are my own and based on my personal experience with the products. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. Seventh Generation and My Blog Spark sent me a Seventh Generation Disinfecting Kit to review and are also providing one for the giveaway. 

Some of the product links contained in this review use my Amazon affiliate account. Should you happen to purchase an item through one of these links, I may make a few cents.