Issue link: http://hvparent.uberflip.com/i/351083
14 Hudson Valley Parent n August 2014 aroma based on your mood, or even the time of the year. (Floral and citrus scents are perfect for spring, while heartier scents like pine and cinnamon warm up a room during cold winter months.) If making your own cleaning solutions piques your interest, know that you can never have enough apple-cider vinegar, essential oils, or baking soda on hand. Vinegar is a wonderful disinfectant and deodor- izer. Moreover, some essential oils — such as tea tree oil and thieves oil — even have antimicrobial, antiviral, antiseptic and antifungal proper- ties. Lastly, baking soda is a natural abrasive and works magic on tubs, toilets, and pots and pans. Kick back and relax Keep your routine simple and easy. I highly suggest creating wellness and beauty by introducing plants into your decor, which natu- rally detoxifies air. A peace lily plant is not only beautiful, but one of the best plants for the task. For a natural air freshener with- out any of the additives of plug-ins or commercial scented candles, mix distilled water with your favorite essential oil into a spray bottle and mist the air. Learn from other local families I asked some local moms to share their tried and true methods of how to keep their home chemical-free. Here are some favorite recipes: Carey Braidt of Germantown swears by leftover orange peels soaked in vinegar and water for an all purpose cleaner that she uses on mirrors and windows as well. She also makes her own laundry detergent by chopping up a bar of Fels-naptha and adding equal parts borax and Arm & Hammer washing soda. She advises only using one scoop per load and happily reports that it lasts for months. If you can't find Fels-naptha, Jennifer Lindlief Bredin of Beacon suggests you can use one bar of shredded castile soap such as Dr. Bronners in its place. Not up for the task of collecting and combining ingredients? Rebecca Leibowitz of Port Ewen turned me on to the magic of microfiber cloths and water. I recently moved into a new home and the previous owner had left us with the long and trying task of cleaning windows that hadn't seen a rag in ages. Leibowitz promised that Norwex cloths could do the job — and with just water. I was very, very doubtful, but I've never cleaned a window so effortlessly or enjoyed cleaning so much. For more info on Norwex cloths, or to place an order, contact Rebecca at bec@homewithbec.com. I'm not fluent in chemical tongue quite yet, and I don't know if I really have the energy or interest to decode a bottle of Windex. In the meantime, I'll keep trying out these favorite recipes and experimenting with my own. Rachel Ephraim is a freelance writer living with her family in Ger- mantown. When it came to cleaning the windows in her new house, Rachel Ephraim was skeptical of the Norwex cloths. But she says they did a great job removing the mud — while using only water. Looking to simplify and purify your cleaning products? Vinegar, baking soda and lemons are popular for most any type of surface. GREENING YOUR CLEANING (Continued from Page 13)